Are all born-again Christians part of God’s elect?

These are your statements I have difficulties with.
"God creates born-again believers by placing the Holy Spirit in their hearts"

The only thing here is terminology, defining terms may be extremely helpful. I tend to define this group as the elect.

"God’s plan has always been to accomplish His goals with the co-operation of man"

The Nation of Israel disproves this statement, so does the case of Jonah and Jeremiah, let alone Pharaoh. Scripture is extremely clear God's purpose will be had because He is the One purposing it.

"God promises born-again believers that they will be sancified, IF they really co-operate"

Scripture presents more cooperation is inevitable because God is the One purposing it in you, similar to the effect of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 20:9
Those being exhorted are usually warned to continue in the faith and is mostly the effect of some type of persecution.

This is a very difficult premise you have proposed given you have provided no supporting scripture. To speak a bit on the topic though I should point out some theologians believe, Calvinists, that you need to be born again before you can even believe. Thereby only the elect are born again. They do believe sanctification to be synergistic although they are very hesitant to put any time line or qualifications on the sanctification process.

Personally I am currently perusing the bible searching this very topic with an open mind, the Holy Spirit being my guide, scripture being the authority.

My current foundation is:
Man is totally depraved. Genesis 6:5 Romans 3:10-18
The gospel in accordance with God's decree is the acting agent in the salvation process. Romans 1:16 Ephesians 1:11
Upon reception of the gospel man is in one of four states. Luke 8:4-15

Now the question begs at ask, what is the determining factor of being the "good soil"? So far my only conclusion has been election, or God's foreordination. This is not to say man is regenerated before reception of the gospel, only that God has elected those who will make the choice to believe because if left to our own desires none would believe. In conversation there must be something that makes one man choose the gospel and another to deny it. If man were truly neutral at the point of hearing the gospel, he would be left in a state of indecision, because there would be no desire in either direction. Again some push the idea that they are born again or regenerated before they even receive the gospel although I am yet to make that theological leap. I contend that God placed that desire to please Him in the heart of the to be believer from before the foundations of the world, (Ephesians 1:4) although that desire remained hidden until the receipt of the gospel. (2Corinthians 4:4) I do understand this may be a matter of splitting hairs so to speak, but the topic of salvation is the greatest topic of all when it comes to humanity, and I really want to nail it down and get it right if it is even possible and if God is willing.

I do not believe anyone who receives the Holy Spirt is in any condition other than "good soil" because I believe the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our salvation. Ephesians 1:13-14 2Corinthians 1:21-22

We do know:
1. We can grieve the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:30
2. We can sin although we are exhorted not to. 1John 2:1

With this said I am not advocating sin but I do not believe these revoke salvation. Romans 8:1
I do not believe those who continue to sin willfully have the Holy Spirit, rather those who have the Holy Spirit are like the apostle Paul.
Romans 7:19-21

I say there are two types in the churches, saved and unsaved, and there is only one type in His church, the saved.

I am uncertain that you can believe the gospel in your mind and not your heart. Jonathan Edwards contends all decisions are made through desire and you only make decisions based on your strongest desire at that time. Scripture links the heart and the mind also.
Matthew 15:18 Genesis 6:5 Proverbs 4:23

I do not believe full sanctification is achieved until final glorification. 1Corinthians 15:52-53

I believe that man is desperately wicked and evil.(Genesis 6:5)
All mankind needs a savior!
Jesus is that savior and through His blood sacrifice we have salvation.(John 3:16)
I believe that we must accept Jesus' sacrifice.(John 3:16-17)
Afterwards we must live a life of obedience in holiness.(Hebrews 12:14)
We can live holy because we have the indwelling and empowering of the Holy Ghost who does the work as we yield and allow Him.(Acts 1:8)
I've stated my point on other threads concerning the issue of holiness and sanctification.

yes. If you are born again, you are elect.

John Zain said:

Success of God’s Plan (His perfect will) depends on man’s free will choices.

Click to expand...

With this statement you are making God subject to man's choices, thereby man is sovereign over God. Scripture simply does not support this statement. Success of God's plan is dependent on God, that is why He sent His Son, because man could not choose to please God.

Romans 9:16

So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

John Zain said:

Re: the 4 soils, do they represent varying degrees of man’s acceptance of the gospel,
how obedient they are, how productive, how willing to be sanctified unto holiness?

Click to expand...

This is one parable that Jesus Himself explained, maybe you should go back and re-read it. Please do not infer that I am being arrogant or sarcastic here, because I honestly do not intend that.

John Zain said:

The Holy Spirit is given as a seal, as a down payment. Can these be taken back?
Peoples’ names are written in the Book of Life, then removed from it, etc.

Click to expand...

Being that peoples names were blotted out of the Book of Life, does not necessitate a lose of salvation. In other words everyone ever born could be written in the Book of Life, but only those saved stay in it. We don't know how God uses His books.

John Zain said:

People born into their faith continue to believe it with a blind faith
… until a spiritual revelation talks them out of it, which is a total miracle.
Blind faith is believing only with the intellect.

Click to expand...

I still question the belief if it is not united with the heart. Look at the case of the wilderness generation. They saw things that were miraculous, yet their hearts were not united with faith. Hebrews 3:19

I think I comprehend what you are saying, a blind faith is no real faith at all, and is in no way a saving faith. I get confused when you say you believe something in your head but not in your heart, because if you don't believe it your heart you don't really believe it at all. At that point you are just going off what you are told not what you believe, which is the point you are making right?

John Zain said:

Many people have sat in churchs all their lives without being born again.
IMO, many priests and members of the RCC and the EOC are not born again.

Click to expand...

I would say there is no denomination that is devoid of this, this is a matter of improper shepherding and or bad theology. This also has to do with the fact that some people are at church for every reason except to find salvation.

John Zain said:

I ask you, how could a priest, minister, pastor, etc. be born again …
who actually says that sprinkling a baby causes it to be saved?
(I've experienced this ... as an adult, probably as a baby too ... lol)

Click to expand...

Yeah I can kinda see where you are coming from here, although all my children were baptized that way. I do not believe that secured their salvation, and I can not say the pastor believed it either (I am not completely up on Lutheran doctrine), more it was an open or outward expression of our consecrating them. As they get older and can comprehend the gospel better, I will encourage them to get baptized again. Although I find this to be challenging as a parent because I want them to be re-baptized because it is something they desire and believe, not because it is something I want them to do. I can only trust in the Lord for guidance and direction here.

John Zain said:

Scripture references are available for all of the points in blue.

God’s elect are foreknown, predestined, chosen, called
God’s guardian angels protect God’s elect (at least until they become believers)
God gives the gift of faith to His elect
God gives His elect to Jesus
God creates born-again believers by placing the Holy Spirit in their hearts
Believers are warned to first count the cost before continuing
God’s plan has always been to accomplish His goals with the co-operation of man
Sanctification … “God chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit”
Major points of sanctification: holiness, perfection, love, forgiveness
Church members are given a multitude of dire warnings to pursue holiness
God promises born-again believers that they will be sancified, IF they really co-operate

IMO, it is possible for a born-again Christian to NOT co-operate with being sanctified.

IMO, there are 3 types of people in the churches (along with the curious and the seekers):
(1) the converted ... believe the gospel in their minds, but not in their hearts
(2) the born-again ... have been given the Holy Spirit in their hearts, but resist full sanctification
(3) the elect ... really willing to pay the price to be sanctified unto holiness by the Holy Spirit

IMO, it is possible to be born-again, but not part of the elect who attain salvation.

Click to expand...

Apart from Jesus and the elect Angels, There are two groups of the "Elect".
[1]The Church, Which is made up from anyone and everyone who is born again.

Those who aren't fully sanctified, May not make the rapture, But they might fully aacept Jesus during the tribulation period along with the elecy Jews.

[2]The Elect Jews.

Matthew 3:9

9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

1Chronicles 16:31-33
31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
32 Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord; For He is coming to judge the earth

Colossians 1:16

16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.

From the Colossians verse we can see all things created for Him. This would include all of His purposes. Although sometimes we can not comprehend why some things occur, scripture is clear that nothing happens outside of His purposes. I do not deny God uses human agency to effect His purposes, but God is not dependent on humans making choices for that to happen, He is sovereign in these choices.

Acts 2:23

23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

Acts 4:27-28
27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.

Genesis 50:17-20
17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?
20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

We should keep in mind that Israel is often called the elect.
God is not finished with Israel and most of the end times prophecy is about Israel
The times of the gentiles will come to an end but Israel will never end
We gentiles have not been front and center in Gods focus ... it has always been Israel
If we focus on only ourselves as the elect we miss the big picture.

Only believers in Christ who endure to the end are the elect Israel.

I do not believe God is completely done with the nation of Israel. But it is true that those of the faith are spiritual Israel. This is a discussion of covenant theology and dispinsationalism. I tend to fall more new covenant or progressive dispinsationalism.

This is the way the NASB translates:

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

The "who are" is not a part of the original text but is added either because of nuance or for reading clarity. I think though that faithful implies their continuing faith, although this should not detract from their progressive sanctification. I haven't searched the commentaries on this exact text and don't know enough about the greek to be of any more help.

Another option for "saints" is holy ones.

You can correlate this with Colossians 1:2

2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Another text to chew on though.

2Timothy 2:10-13

10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
11 It is a trustworthy statement:
For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

John Zain said:

IMO, whitestone is saying ...

Enduring faithfully to the end is necessary for salvation ...
and this is irrespective of whether one is born-again or not.

Elect Gentiles who are grafted in are indeed the elect Israel.

Click to expand...

No I sure didn't say that. Those who aren't born again are dead. Only folk called out of the nations into Christ (and of course, are born again), are Israel. No one who isn't born again has salvation of course, I can't imagine why you'd suggest that?

whitestone said:

Only believers in Christ who endure to the end are the elect Israel.

Click to expand...

I think you are going to run into a lot of problems trying to pretend Israel is the christian church.

There is a whole lot of unfulfilled prophecy to come for Israel ... the nation in the middle east.

For 1900 years there was no nation of Israel regathered to her homeland so in order to get around all the scriptures regarding Israel a lot of Christians tried to pretend Israel is the church

It was wrong then and it is wrong now.

Since 1948 we have no excuse to continue the error.

Israel is Israel and the gentile church is the gentile church

Also make note that one day the times of the gentiles comes to fulfillment and then the whole focus is back on Israel .

Arnie Manitoba said:

I think you are going to run into a lot of problems trying to pretend Israel is the christian church.

There is a whole lot of unfulfilled prophecy to come for Israel ... the nation in the middle east.

For 1900 years there was no nation of Israel regathered to her homeland so in order to get around all the scriptures regarding Israel a lot of Christians tried to pretend Israel is the church

It was wrong then and it is wrong now.

Since 1948 we have no excuse to continue the error.

Israel is Israel and the gentile church is the gentile church

Also make note that one day the times of the gentiles comes to fulfillment and then the whole focus is back on Israel .

Click to expand...

You have no clue Arnie. You evidently are in bed with the antichrist jew thinking they are "Israel". This is the satanic doctrine of "dispensationalism" that the devil and his angels are warring against Christ and His Israel Bride. You are under massive delusion. I can assure you Arnie, you will share the same reward as those non-believing jews. In the meanwhile, we who are Israel are those in Christ and no thief like you can rob His Body of Her Israel Name. I will be responding to your posts no more satan.

Don't sugar coat it tell us how you really feel. :blink:

whitestone said:

You have no clue Arnie. You evidently are in bed with the antichrist jew thinking they are "Israel". This is the satanic doctrine of "dispensationalism" that the devil and his angels are warring against Christ and His Israel Bride. You are under massive delusion. I can assure you Arnie, you will share the same reward as those non-believing jews. In the meanwhile, we who are Israel are those in Christ and no thief like you can rob His Body of Her Israel Name. I will be responding to your posts no more satan.

Click to expand...

.
Your words come right from the pit. wow. hope you get better soon.