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And I will say this, that there is quite a bit that you're both correct on... I think for the most part you're just kind of missing each other. The Law applies to us all, but being under the old Law is a different thing altogether and something that we as Christians, as Truther pointed out, are...

Absolutely. Once they are regenerate of the heart (born again of the Spirit), they are kept in God's power to the end: In him you also, when you heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our...

To focus on Acts 2:38 exclusively of the passage around it: "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the...

"For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God" (Romans 2:28-29). "But it is not as though the word of...

I'm not sure what version you are using, but there is some ambiguity in whatever translation it is. The English Standard Version and New American Standard Bible (NASB) both use "chosen" there, and they snuff out any ambiguity in relation to the Hebrew used in Isaiah 42 (and in other places in...

No, He's not. The Elect can be and are referred to also as the Body of Christ, but Jesus is not the Elect. Jesus most certainly gave us the model of how we should live because we are members of God's Elect, though. But as I said, Jesus is God in the flesh. Further, the Elect are predestined...

Jesus is God the Son. Isaiah was a prophet. Isaiah was certainly an elect servant of God, but no "better" in any way than any one of us; he was a sinner, too. He was just used by God in a different way than we are today... although for the same general purpose. Grace and peace to you.

Sure. This is the Work of the Spirit. A lot of folks hear the Word of God but do not have this faith and do not believe. Why do you think this is so? Well, computers are just pieces of metal, really. Inanimate objects which possess no will of their own. :) Let me modify this metaphor a...

It's really kind of a reaction of indignation -- pride, really -- that "surely I'm my own person!" and that "no one controls me except me!" And this is a result of the Fall. Again, it's both/and. God has provided a means of reconciliation for all of humanity. The ones who are truly...

Sure. A particular grace, that He gives to His elect, as opposed to general grace, which He has on everyone, whether they acknowledge it or not. Well, His Word is formative, for sure; it helps us to be more like Jesus. Sure. Well, I'd say it's a both/and thing, not an either/or...

God makes the choice to change hearts/natures... or not. We always make choices; we have wills. But regarding salvation, our choice is in the context of His gracious choice. Only God, as Creator, is a "free agent," if you will; we, as His created, are not. Paul anticipates in Romans 9 the...

Great! Me, too. Yes, Scripture is clear on that. Well, Jesus did say, though, that "...if (we) have faith like a grain of mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for (us)” (Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6). But fortunately, this requirement is fulfilled for us, in that we are given this saving...

Sure it is. Think of it as an invitation. All are called in this general way. LOL! Grace and peace to you.

Absolutely not. That last part seems to be where you're not making a distinction. Let's take each individually: "God chooses those who will be saved" Yes. This is His will. "all whom God chooses for salvation will be saved" Yes. This is His purpose being carried to completion without...

Actually, both are true. You're separating faith out from what Paul said there in Ephesians 2:8-10 -- taking words out of his mouth, as it were, which is really just as bad as putting words into one's mouth. I totally agree with this. But faith is included in that. This will help, I think...

Pretty much, yes. Again, Paul says (in Romans 9:16) that it -- God's purpose of election -- depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. And (in Ephesians 1:4-5) he says that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (and thus) predestined us for adoption...

It may seem to some that people who believe as Calvin did soft-pedal in some way corporate election as opposed to individual election, but this is not the case. Both are true: God's elect is surely a corporate entity, the Body of Christ. But individuals are members of this corporate entity and...

I'm not even sure what you're trying to say, here... :) If God purposes to save a person, He sends His Spirit, and that person is born again of the Spirit. Having been given new life in the Spirit, that person has a new heart/nature that is of God, and the person subsequently -- and...

Agreed, but that's a distinction without a difference, really. Or... it seems you think I'm making a distinction between the two, and I'm not. Yes. But again, that's just a label. At least for the most part, I believe what Augustine and Calvin after him taught regarding the order of...

The fact is that before we are born of the Spirit, we are dead in our sin. When one is dead, he or she is unable to do anything. The dead know nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5)... they know nothing of their sinfulness and need of salvation or a Savior through Whom this salvation may be obtained...