“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

[atpollard]

I have always wondered what it meant by “many are called but few are chosen”. I wasn’t sure if it was talking about being chosen to go to heaven.

Matthew 22 [NLT - 'cause it is easy to read]

1 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”​

Look at the CONTEXT.

Verse 2 ... we are comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to "the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son." Start with the stupid obvious:

• King = God the Father
• Son = Jesus, God the Son
• Wedding Feast = "Kingdom of Heaven" = party with God

Verse 3 ... "banquet was ready" is time to gather people to the Feast (Kingdom)

• sure sounds like the arrival of the Messiah as God incarnate to me. It there a better time to start to gather people to the Kingdom than the arrival of the "bridegroom" to gather his bride?
• "sent his servants to notify those who were invited" sounds like John the Baptist calling the 'chosen Nation' (Israel) that God had been inviting to this event since Moses first wrote about it.

verse 4-6 ... describes the Jews that rejected God's invitation.

• killed prophets in the OT
• killed John the Baptist
• killed Jesus
• rejected, beat and killed the Apostles

verse 7 ... God's wrath

• partially fulfilled in the OT (foreshadow and down payment)
• prophetic foreshadow of a major payment of wrath in AD 70
• ultimately to be paid in full when the Son of God returns for Judgement.

verse 8-10 ... Israels rejection will not stop God's plans

• invitation to "Wedding Feast" = "Kingdom of Heaven" = "Heaven" thrown open to all!
• Not just "invited" (Nation of Israel)
• Not just those living "Holy Lives" according to the LAW.
• Gentiles and Sinners are now invited!
• (I think that "invited" is the same as "called" in verse 14.)

verse 11-13 ... the importance of the right clothes:

• so one should make an effort to dress appropriately for an event in the world: a lawyer showing up for court in a tee-shirt and cut-offs would be thrown out of court or arrested for showing contempt for the gathering.
• the man didn't say that he had no "appropriate" clothes to wear when asked by the host ... he had no excuse.
• Christians are clothed in the righteousness of Christ ... so anyone attempting to enter the "Wedding Feast" (Kingdom of Heaven) not clothed 'appropriately' will be thrown out.
• Read Matthew 7: 21-23 [NLT] “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’" ... not wearing the right clothes.

verse 14 ... For many are called, but few are chosen.

• From the context that led up to this verse ...
• "many are called" = the call of the good news (gospel) goes out to many.
  • every time the gospel is preached, many in the crowd have an opportunity to HEAR the truth.
  • MANY are invited to repent, to turn to God and be forgiven.
  • No one is excluded from being invited because of their birth or their sin.
  • Many are called because the servants really have taken to the streets and markets to spread the invitation to the Kingdom of Heaven.
• "few are chosen" = a sad truth that there will not be a need to push and squeeze to enter the Kingdom because so many have accepted the invitation of the King.
  • I am a Particular Baptist, so I have specific beliefs related to the Doctrines of Grace that some will object to, but which I learned from reading scripture before I discovered that it had a name. I will ignore them and focus on a few more "universal" points.
  • The road to hell is wide and path to Heaven is narrow ... many and few. (Matthew 7:13)
    
  • There are many soils for a seed to fall on, but only one is "good soil" that will yield a harvest ... many and few. (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:1-15).

Many are invited to be saved, but few are those chosen by God [Ephesians 1:3-14 NASB]:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him, regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.​

 

[Robert Gwin]

Matthew 22 [NLT - 'cause it is easy to read]

1 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”​

Look at the CONTEXT.

Verse 2 ... we are comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to "the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son." Start with the stupid obvious:

• King = God the Father
• Son = Jesus, God the Son
• Wedding Feast = "Kingdom of Heaven" = party with God

Verse 3 ... "banquet was ready" is time to gather people to the Feast (Kingdom)

• sure sounds like the arrival of the Messiah as God incarnate to me. It there a better time to start to gather people to the Kingdom than the arrival of the "bridegroom" to gather his bride?
• "sent his servants to notify those who were invited" sounds like John the Baptist calling the 'chosen Nation' (Israel) that God had been inviting to this event since Moses first wrote about it.

verse 4-6 ... describes the Jews that rejected God's invitation.

• killed prophets in the OT
• killed John the Baptist
• killed Jesus
• rejected, beat and killed the Apostles

verse 7 ... God's wrath

• partially fulfilled in the OT (foreshadow and down payment)
• prophetic foreshadow of a major payment of wrath in AD 70
• ultimately to be paid in full when the Son of God returns for Judgement.

verse 8-10 ... Israels rejection will not stop God's plans

• invitation to "Wedding Feast" = "Kingdom of Heaven" = "Heaven" thrown open to all!
• Not just "invited" (Nation of Israel)
• Not just those living "Holy Lives" according to the LAW.
• Gentiles and Sinners are now invited!
• (I think that "invited" is the same as "called" in verse 14.)

verse 11-13 ... the importance of the right clothes:

• so one should make an effort to dress appropriately for an event in the world: a lawyer showing up for court in a tee-shirt and cut-offs would be thrown out of court or arrested for showing contempt for the gathering.
• the man didn't say that he had no "appropriate" clothes to wear when asked by the host ... he had no excuse.
• Christians are clothed in the righteousness of Christ ... so anyone attempting to enter the "Wedding Feast" (Kingdom of Heaven) not clothed 'appropriately' will be thrown out.
• Read Matthew 7: 21-23 [NLT] “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’" ... not wearing the right clothes.

verse 14 ... For many are called, but few are chosen.

• From the context that led up to this verse ...
• "many are called" = the call of the good news (gospel) goes out to many.
  • every time the gospel is preached, many in the crowd have an opportunity to HEAR the truth.
  • MANY are invited to repent, to turn to God and be forgiven.
  • No one is excluded from being invited because of their birth or their sin.
  • Many are called because the servants really have taken to the streets and markets to spread the invitation to the Kingdom of Heaven.
• "few are chosen" = a sad truth that there will not be a need to push and squeeze to enter the Kingdom because so many have accepted the invitation of the King.
  • I am a Particular Baptist, so I have specific beliefs related to the Doctrines of Grace that some will object to, but which I learned from reading scripture before I discovered that it had a name. I will ignore them and focus on a few more "universal" points.
  • The road to hell is wide and path to Heaven is narrow ... many and few. (Matthew 7:13)
    
  • There are many soils for a seed to fall on, but only one is "good soil" that will yield a harvest ... many and few. (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:1-15).

Many are invited to be saved, but few are those chosen by God [Ephesians 1:3-14 NASB]:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him, regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.​

So very true, serving God is open to every single individual on the planet, but as Jesus pointed out, few would accept the invitation. So sad, and illogical.

 

[Wrangler]

So very true, serving God is open to every single individual on the planet, but as Jesus pointed out, few would accept the invitation. So sad, and illogical.

Indeed. Sin is not logical and rejecting God due to one’s ego, thinking one a god is the Original Sin.

 

[Webers_Home]

.
According to Jesus Christ's testimony as a credible expert witness in all
matters pertaining to the afterlife; the majority of the world's responsible
souls haven't been making it to safety when they cross over to the other
side.

• Luke 13:22-24 . . And he went through the cities and villages, teaching,
and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, master, are there
few that be saved? And he said unto them: Strive to enter in at the strait
gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

• Matt 7:13-14 . . Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and
broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But
small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find
it.

• Matt 22:14 . . For many are called, but few are chosen.

Webster's defines "many" as consisting of, or amounting to, a large but
indefinite number; while "few" is defined as consisting of, or amounting to,
only a small number; viz: relative to many then, few is the lesser. Bear with
me while I flesh this out.

According to the US Census Bureau: as of July 03, 2021 @ 10:55 am New
York Time, the resident population in the United States was approximately
332,483,728 with a death rate of approximately one every 12 seconds;
which translates to an average of 7,200 American deaths of all ages, races,
and genders during just one 24-hour calendar day.

According to 2009 US Census data; roughly 27.3% of America's daily deaths
were under the age of 19, which would indicate that approximately 5,234 of
the current daily death rate per 24 hours are adults.

Giving the "many" the benefit of the doubt by limiting their maximum
percentage to 51%, would indicate a minimum of 2,669 American adults
transferring to perdition every day: which translates to roughly 111 per
hour.

That's a very conservative estimate as Christ didn't really specify exact
percentages to represent the quantities of "few" and "many". But just think:
by the time CBS completes its half hour evening news report, a bare-bones
minimum of 55 Americans become new arrivals in the fiery sector of the
netherworld.

Using the ratio of 2,669 condemned souls per 332,483,728 population:
computing the number of condemned souls worldwide from a currently
estimated global population of 7,773,415,024 people, would suggest
something like 62,400 new arrivals in the fiery sector of the netherworld
every 24 hours; which translates to roughly 2,600 souls every sixty minutes
on the clock.

Yankee Stadium's football seating capacity is 54,251. At the rate of 2,600
souls per hour, those seats would be filled in roughly 20 hours and 52
minutes. In other words: by 02:52 am tonight the stadium's seats would be
maxed if the world's daily number of condemned souls started filing into the
stadium at 06:00 am this morning.

Christmas and New Year are even worse. A study done of 26 years of death
certificates shows that coronary fatalities are, on average, 11.9% higher on
those days than any other days of the year; with non-heart deaths spiking to
12.2% higher.

The netherworld never closes; no, not at all: it's open for business 24/7/365
nonstop and indifferent to climate change, Wall Street crashes, massive
layoffs, outsourcing, high school shootings, terrorism, tsunamis,
earthquakes, hurricanes, storm surges, nuclear meltdowns, air, water, and
soil pollution, a mission to Mars, freeway pile-ups, brown-outs, threatened
species, the price of oil, election fraud, pipelines, student debt, GMO, trade
deficits, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, North Korea's nukes, Federal debt,
factory recalls, overpopulation, desertification, genocides, revolutions, civil
wars, Covid-19, acid rain, road rage, oil spills, conscious decoupling, ISIS,
LGBT marriage, blood diamonds, fracking, twerking, and/or former US
President Donald Trump's second impeachment.

If standard Christianity's perception of Jesus Christ and the hereafter is
correct; then it's apparent that souls never stop cascading into the abyss in
an endless procession like the unbelievable millions of poultry broilers
passing annually through Tyson chicken-processing plants on their way to
Wendy's, McDonalds, Carl's Junior, Jack in the Box, Burger King, Chic-fil-A,
KFC, A&W, Arby's, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, et al; and to supermarkets and
restaurants all over the USA and wherever else Tyson vends its meats. The
slaughtering and the butchering never stop.
_

 

[Mantis]

.
According to Jesus Christ's testimony as a credible expert witness in all
matters pertaining to the afterlife; the majority of the world's responsible
souls haven't been making it to safety when they cross over to the other
side.

• Luke 13:22-24 . . And he went through the cities and villages, teaching,
and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, master, are there
few that be saved? And he said unto them: Strive to enter in at the strait
gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

• Matt 7:13-14 . . Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and
broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But
small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find
it.

• Matt 22:14 . . For many are called, but few are chosen.

Webster's defines "many" as consisting of, or amounting to, a large but
indefinite number; while "few" is defined as consisting of, or amounting to,
only a small number; viz: relative to many then, few is the lesser. Bear with
me while I flesh this out.

According to the US Census Bureau: as of July 03, 2021 @ 10:55 am New
York Time, the resident population in the United States was approximately
332,483,728 with a death rate of approximately one every 12 seconds;
which translates to an average of 7,200 American deaths of all ages, races,
and genders during just one 24-hour calendar day.

According to 2009 US Census data; roughly 27.3% of America's daily deaths
were under the age of 19, which would indicate that approximately 5,234 of
the current daily death rate per 24 hours are adults.

Giving the "many" the benefit of the doubt by limiting their maximum
percentage to 51%, would indicate a minimum of 2,669 American adults
transferring to perdition every day: which translates to roughly 111 per
hour.

That's a very conservative estimate as Christ didn't really specify exact
percentages to represent the quantities of "few" and "many". But just think:
by the time CBS completes its half hour evening news report, a bare-bones
minimum of 55 Americans become new arrivals in the fiery sector of the
netherworld.

Using the ratio of 2,669 condemned souls per 332,483,728 population:
computing the number of condemned souls worldwide from a currently
estimated global population of 7,773,415,024 people, would suggest
something like 62,400 new arrivals in the fiery sector of the netherworld
every 24 hours; which translates to roughly 2,600 souls every sixty minutes
on the clock.

Yankee Stadium's football seating capacity is 54,251. At the rate of 2,600
souls per hour, those seats would be filled in roughly 20 hours and 52
minutes. In other words: by 02:52 am tonight the stadium's seats would be
maxed if the world's daily number of condemned souls started filing into the
stadium at 06:00 am this morning.

Christmas and New Year are even worse. A study done of 26 years of death
certificates shows that coronary fatalities are, on average, 11.9% higher on
those days than any other days of the year; with non-heart deaths spiking to
12.2% higher.

The netherworld never closes; no, not at all: it's open for business 24/7/365
nonstop and indifferent to climate change, Wall Street crashes, massive
layoffs, outsourcing, high school shootings, terrorism, tsunamis,
earthquakes, hurricanes, storm surges, nuclear meltdowns, air, water, and
soil pollution, a mission to Mars, freeway pile-ups, brown-outs, threatened
species, the price of oil, election fraud, pipelines, student debt, GMO, trade
deficits, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, North Korea's nukes, Federal debt,
factory recalls, overpopulation, desertification, genocides, revolutions, civil
wars, Covid-19, acid rain, road rage, oil spills, conscious decoupling, ISIS,
LGBT marriage, blood diamonds, fracking, twerking, and/or former US
President Donald Trump's second impeachment.

If standard Christianity's perception of Jesus Christ and the hereafter is
correct; then it's apparent that souls never stop cascading into the abyss in
an endless procession like the unbelievable millions of poultry broilers
passing annually through Tyson chicken-processing plants on their way to
Wendy's, McDonalds, Carl's Junior, Jack in the Box, Burger King, Chic-fil-A,
KFC, A&W, Arby's, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, et al; and to supermarkets and
restaurants all over the USA and wherever else Tyson vends its meats. The
slaughtering and the butchering never stop.
_

That’s heavy

 

[Cooper]

Matthew 22 [NLT - 'cause it is easy to read]

1 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”​

Look at the CONTEXT.

Verse 2 ... we are comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to "the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son." Start with the stupid obvious:

• King = God the Father
• Son = Jesus, God the Son
• Wedding Feast = "Kingdom of Heaven" = party with God

Verse 3 ... "banquet was ready" is time to gather people to the Feast (Kingdom)

• sure sounds like the arrival of the Messiah as God incarnate to me. It there a better time to start to gather people to the Kingdom than the arrival of the "bridegroom" to gather his bride?
• "sent his servants to notify those who were invited" sounds like John the Baptist calling the 'chosen Nation' (Israel) that God had been inviting to this event since Moses first wrote about it.

verse 4-6 ... describes the Jews that rejected God's invitation.

• killed prophets in the OT
• killed John the Baptist
• killed Jesus
• rejected, beat and killed the Apostles

verse 7 ... God's wrath

• partially fulfilled in the OT (foreshadow and down payment)
• prophetic foreshadow of a major payment of wrath in AD 70
• ultimately to be paid in full when the Son of God returns for Judgement.

verse 8-10 ... Israels rejection will not stop God's plans

• invitation to "Wedding Feast" = "Kingdom of Heaven" = "Heaven" thrown open to all!
• Not just "invited" (Nation of Israel)
• Not just those living "Holy Lives" according to the LAW.
• Gentiles and Sinners are now invited!
• (I think that "invited" is the same as "called" in verse 14.)

verse 11-13 ... the importance of the right clothes:

• so one should make an effort to dress appropriately for an event in the world: a lawyer showing up for court in a tee-shirt and cut-offs would be thrown out of court or arrested for showing contempt for the gathering.
• the man didn't say that he had no "appropriate" clothes to wear when asked by the host ... he had no excuse.
• Christians are clothed in the righteousness of Christ ... so anyone attempting to enter the "Wedding Feast" (Kingdom of Heaven) not clothed 'appropriately' will be thrown out.
• Read Matthew 7: 21-23 [NLT] “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’" ... not wearing the right clothes.

verse 14 ... For many are called, but few are chosen.

• From the context that led up to this verse ...
• "many are called" = the call of the good news (gospel) goes out to many.
  • every time the gospel is preached, many in the crowd have an opportunity to HEAR the truth.
  • MANY are invited to repent, to turn to God and be forgiven.
  • No one is excluded from being invited because of their birth or their sin.
  • Many are called because the servants really have taken to the streets and markets to spread the invitation to the Kingdom of Heaven.
• "few are chosen" = a sad truth that there will not be a need to push and squeeze to enter the Kingdom because so many have accepted the invitation of the King.
  • I am a Particular Baptist, so I have specific beliefs related to the Doctrines of Grace that some will object to, but which I learned from reading scripture before I discovered that it had a name. I will ignore them and focus on a few more "universal" points.
  • The road to hell is wide and path to Heaven is narrow ... many and few. (Matthew 7:13)
    
  • There are many soils for a seed to fall on, but only one is "good soil" that will yield a harvest ... many and few. (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:1-15).

Many are invited to be saved, but few are those chosen by God [Ephesians 1:3-14 NASB]:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him, regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.​

Good study. Mine is very poor by comparison, just to say the robe is the robe of righteousness, and those who will find themselves rejected at the wedding feast includes

Israel
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (Rom 10:1-3)

The whole world
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isa 64:6)

Except for those who are made right with Christ through their faith in Him.
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Php 3:9)

God bless.
.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Indeed. Sin is not logical and rejecting God due to one’s ego, thinking one a god is the Original Sin.

I never thought about it that way Wrangler, I guess ego would definitely play a part at least in some peoples rejection. In my opinion I think people really just don't believe in Him. Who in their right mind would reject living life everlastingly in paradise, with no sickness? I have to believe that most simply think that is not a real possibility.

 

[atpollard]

I never thought about it that way Wrangler, I guess ego would definitely play a part at least in some peoples rejection. In my opinion I think people really just don't believe in Him. Who in their right mind would reject living life everlastingly in paradise, with no sickness? I have to believe that most simply think that is not a real possibility.

I agree.
However it is a feedback loop: Why would anyone find it easier to believe that everything came from nothing than to believe that the very FACT that creation exists means that there must be a Creator (GOD)? Could the personal ego that each person would rather believe anything that will allow them to cling to the self-identity that they are “master of themselves” play a part? If they choose to acknowledge GOD exists (even just as the creator), then they might need to acknowledge that the CREATOR is the “boss” over the CREATION …

So the EGO-centered choice (even if made unconsciously) is to either

• acknowledge a God that is in charge (meaning that you are not).
• disbelieve in god and remain master of yourself.

Just sharing some idle thoughts on the subject.

 

[Wrangler]

I never thought about it that way Wrangler, I guess ego would definitely play a part at least in some peoples rejection. In my opinion I think people really just don't believe in Him. Who in their right mind would reject living life everlastingly in paradise, with no sickness? I have to believe that most simply think that is not a real possibility.

IMO, they’ve concluded the price is too high. Slaying the worlds largest IDOL, one’s ego is simply something most are not willing to do.

Take all thoughts captive to Christ? Who is he? My own counsel will I keep - people seem to say. Of course people don’t believe a god superior to them could possibly exist!

 

[Curtis]

• the man didn't say that he had no "appropriate" clothes to wear when asked by the host ... he had no excuse.

• Christians are clothed in the righteousness of Christ ... so anyone attempting to enter the "Wedding Feast" (Kingdom of Heaven) not clothed 'appropriately' will be thrown out.

• Read Matthew 7: 21-23 [NLT] “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’" ... not wearing the right clothes.

I agree with your words on the wedding supper - here’s more on that:


The marriage supper in Matthew 22:


Pure white raiment (robes) are the righteousness of saints, and become part of their wedding attire, as shown by the other wedding supper account in Revelation 19:


Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.


Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.


Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.


Believers get white robes of righteousness, but can defile their robes - if they defile their robes, they’ve defiled their righteousness.


Most of those in the church at Sardis had defiled their white robes:


Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.


Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.


Names are blotted out of the book of life, if we fail to overcome, Jesus warns.


Jesus also warned a church in Revelation that many of them had not just soiled their robes, but had lost them completely, and were naked.


Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:


Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.


The man at the wedding supper in Matthew 22 had lost his white raiment (which is the righteousness of saints) - and was speechless and shocked, because like those in Revelation 3:17-18, he thought he was clothed, but was naked - and Jesus threw him out of the wedding supper of the lamb, and into outer darkness (hell):


Mat 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

Mat 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Mat 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast himinto outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


How is it that in Revelation 3:17-18 were naked, but thought they were clothed?


They obviously did something to defile their garments, that they mistakenly thought was ok with God.


In other words, they believed in OSAS, and that they could live very a sinful life, and remain in Christ.

 

[atpollard]

I agree with your words on the wedding supper - here’s more on that:


The marriage supper in Matthew 22:


Pure white raiment (robes) are the righteousness of saints, and become part of their wedding attire, as shown by the other wedding supper account in Revelation 19:


Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.


Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.


Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.


Believers get white robes of righteousness, but can defile their robes - if they defile their robes, they’ve defiled their righteousness.


Most of those in the church at Sardis had defiled their white robes:


Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.


Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.


Names are blotted out of the book of life, if we fail to overcome, Jesus warns.


Jesus also warned a church in Revelation that many of them had not just soiled their robes, but had lost them completely, and were naked.


Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:


Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.


The man at the wedding supper in Matthew 22 had lost his white raiment (which is the righteousness of saints) - and was speechless and shocked, because like those in Revelation 3:17-18, he thought he was clothed, but was naked - and Jesus threw him out of the wedding supper of the lamb, and into outer darkness (hell):


Mat 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

Mat 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Mat 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast himinto outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


How is it that in Revelation 3:17-18 were naked, but thought they were clothed?


They obviously did something to defile their garments, that they mistakenly thought was ok with God.


In other words, they believed in OSAS, and that they could live very a sinful life, and remain in Christ.

It is a funny thing that most roads have a ditch on either side. It makes no real difference which ditch you run into, you are still going nowhere. It is a NARROW road we follow.

On one side is a ditch to trap people that think that they can “get saved” and change nothing about how they live their lives. As a Particular Baptist (one of those Preservation of the Saints, Doctrines of Grace, 5 point Calvinist types) I can say with absolute authority that if you have met God and walked away not changed to your very core … then whatever you met was not God. I believe that ONCE GOD SAVES a person, they stay saved. However the concept of a ‘carnal Christian’ … a “saved” person living a reprobate lifestyle is anathema to the very definition of who God is and what Salvation is.

That dog don’t hunt … as the saying goes.


On the other side is a ditch that I have only heard about because I have never had cause to even think about driving on that side of the road. There are people that think that salvation stands or falls on their “blood, sweat and tears” rather than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like the folks that end up in the “OSAS reprobate Christian” ditch, they will use smooth words to cover it up. However if you cut past the self-righteous smoke and mirrors, they think that GOD needs them to save themselves. They are working hard to earn bragging rights in Heaven for the most righteousness and humility … and, darn it, THEY EARNED IT.

There isn’t enough lipstick in the world to cover that pig … as the saying goes.


Watching and rooting from the sideline is ‘old scratch’ (Satan), who really doesn’t care which ditch you run into. His goal is only to distract you enough that you will not finish the race. My mentor taught that the trick to living the christian life is to stay on the road without running into either ditch. We must avoid BOTH “carnality” and “legalism” in our Christianity. We have been set free FROM the law to enable us to TO DO good. If anyone approaches you with either a bucket of “world” or a chain of “rules”, watch out … they are leading you into a ditch!

 

[Webers_Home]

.
The Divine Comedy
by Dante Alighieri
Inferno: canto 3, v.1-9

Through me; the way to the eternal city.
Through me; the way to eternal sadness.
Through me; the way to lost people.

Justice moved my supreme maker:
I was shaped by divine power,
By highest wisdom, and by primal love.

Before me, nothing was created
That is not eternal: and eternally I endure.
Abandon all hope, you that enter here.

Dante's poetic epic is called a comedy because it has a happy ending as
opposed to a tragedy; at least for Dante anyway. The souls he and Virgil
pass along the way through the Inferno portion of Dante's odyssey will
never, nor anon, have a happy ending; hence the sign above the entrance:

"Abandon all hope, you that enter here."

Webster's defines "despair' as: to no longer have any hope or belief that a
situation will improve or change. Well; down in the Inferno section of
Dante's concept, despair is a way of life. It's likely not much different in the
real inferno.

When people first arrive, no doubt they start asking around to find out how
long they have to stay there. It must be very devastating to encounter folk
who've been languishing in the fiery region of the netherworld since
practically the dawn of Man.
_

 

[Robert Gwin]

I agree.
However it is a feedback loop: Why would anyone find it easier to believe that everything came from nothing than to believe that the very FACT that creation exists means that there must be a Creator (GOD)? Could the personal ego that each person would rather believe anything that will allow them to cling to the self-identity that they are “master of themselves” play a part? If they choose to acknowledge GOD exists (even just as the creator), then they might need to acknowledge that the CREATOR is the “boss” over the CREATION …

So the EGO-centered choice (even if made unconsciously) is to either

• acknowledge a God that is in charge (meaning that you are not).
• disbelieve in god and remain master of yourself.

Just sharing some idle thoughts on the subject.

Yes sir, I couldn't have said it any better. But still although being "boss" as you say, He leaves it up to the individual to choose to have Him as their boss. He forces no one to serve Him. But He blesses those who choose to.

 

[Robert Gwin]

IMO, they’ve concluded the price is too high. Slaying the worlds largest IDOL, one’s ego is simply something most are not willing to do.

Take all thoughts captive to Christ? Who is he? My own counsel will I keep - people seem to say. Of course people don’t believe a god superior to them could possibly exist!

I would even find that reason illogical Wrangler. I feel privileged in a way to have lived the world as well as Jehovah's way. I am not proud of the things I did, but unlike our faithful ones that were raised in the truth, I have experienced what the world has to offer vs God. I feel so very privileged to have been drawn by Jehovah. The contrast between living His way and satans is simply incomparable. I am much happier, feel secure, and fully recognize it is the best way of life. Why would anyone think it is not is beyond me.

 

[Wrangler]

I am much happier, feel secure, and fully recognize it is the best way of life. Why would anyone think it is not is beyond me.

They don’t have eyes to see or ears to hear.

To them, God’s law is restrictive rather than protective.

 

[Curtis]

It is a funny thing that most roads have a ditch on either side. It makes no real difference which ditch you run into, you are still going nowhere. It is a NARROW road we follow.

On one side is a ditch to trap people that think that they can “get saved” and change nothing about how they live their lives. As a Particular Baptist (one of those Preservation of the Saints, Doctrines of Grace, 5 point Calvinist types) I can say with absolute authority that if you have met God and walked away not changed to your very core … then whatever you met was not God. I believe that ONCE GOD SAVES a person, they stay saved. However the concept of a ‘carnal Christian’ … a “saved” person living a reprobate lifestyle is anathema to the very definition of who God is and what Salvation is.

That dog don’t hunt … as the saying goes.


On the other side is a ditch that I have only heard about because I have never had cause to even think about driving on that side of the road. There are people that think that salvation stands or falls on their “blood, sweat and tears” rather than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like the folks that end up in the “OSAS reprobate Christian” ditch, they will use smooth words to cover it up. However if you cut past the self-righteous smoke and mirrors, they think that GOD needs them to save themselves. They are working hard to earn bragging rights in Heaven for the most righteousness and humility … and, darn it, THEY EARNED IT.

There isn’t enough lipstick in the world to cover that pig … as the saying goes.


Watching and rooting from the sideline is ‘old scratch’ (Satan), who really doesn’t care which ditch you run into. His goal is only to distract you enough that you will not finish the race. My mentor taught that the trick to living the christian life is to stay on the road without running into either ditch. We must avoid BOTH “carnality” and “legalism” in our Christianity. We have been set free FROM the law to enable us to TO DO good. If anyone approaches you with either a bucket of “world” or a chain of “rules”, watch out … they are leading you into a ditch!

The problem with your version of unconditional eternal security, is found in scripture such as Hebrews 6,:4-8 which is unequivocally talking about those who were born again, because they were made partakers of the Holy Spirit - which only happens at salvation - yet they fell completely away from the faith into total apostasy (fell away - parapipto- apostatized), and since they lost their faith completely, they can’t be renewed again into repentance, (any more than you could get an atheist to repent), and their unbelief in effect is crucifying Jesus again, since unbelief is why they crucified Jesus in the first place.

This falls right in line with the warning from Hebrews 3:12-15 to the brethren about guarding against acquiring an evil heart of unbelief, due to deception that comes from sin, and then departing from the living God.

Living sinfully eventually hardens the heart into unbelief, and when faith is fallen away from, a believer departs from the living God.

And Hebrews 6 falls in line with a Jesus teaching us that some believe, but only for awhile, and then fall away. in Luke 8:

In Luke 8 Jesus tells the parable of the sower who sows the seed of the word of God.

Some seed sown lands on a rock. The seed GROWS, and thus results in new life, but then it withers and dies.

Jesus in the example of the seed sown on a rock, shows that some people BELIEVE for a while, but then FALL AWAY.


Luk 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed...


Luk 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.


Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, *receive the word with joy*; and these have no root, which FOR A WHILE BELIEVE, and in time of temptation FALL AWAY.


Notice above, they *received the word with joy*


To receive the word with joy, is to become a follower of Jesus Christ:


1Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.


Some believe for a while, then fall away.

 

[amigo de christo]

That’s heavy

Heavy but true my friend . Let us CLING to the GLORIOUS LORD . Always thanking Him for all He has done and does .
Learning always from HIM and feasting daily in our bibles . Let all grow wise unto salvation through Faith in Jesus Christ .
Forward march . LET THE LORD BE PRAISED .

 

[amigo de christo]

They don’t have eyes to see or ears to hear.

To them, God’s law is restrictive rather than protective.

And theirin lies the problem . See for the lambs of JESUS every Word of our LORD is pure and lovely
But many have cast off the teachings of JESUS for the flesh rules them . They see certain warnings
as HEAVY so many re create another jesus that fits more to their liking .
But as for the lambs , they do know by grace that All things work to the GOOD of those who do hear and DO .
For every Word of GOD is for our good and works good unto the Doer . But unto those who twist and omit
the teachings of JESUS , even their mind is defiled and is nothing pure . Strap on all the amour of the LORD .
For the deception does grow . The LORD is with the lambs . Forward , MARCH . Following only the voice
of the great shepard of the sheep . learning those bibles well and loving CHRIST above all and from that the real true love
works toward one another . But any love that omits TRUTH , is not love and is not of GOD . SO beware . Test all things taught .
And do so against biblical sound doctrine .

 

[atpollard]

The problem with your version of unconditional eternal security, is found in scripture such as Hebrews 6,:4-8 which is unequivocally talking about those who were born again, because they were made partakers of the Holy Spirit - which only happens at salvation - yet they fell completely away from the faith into total apostasy (fell away - parapipto- apostatized), and since they lost their faith completely, they can’t be renewed again into repentance, (any more than you could get an atheist to repent), and their unbelief in effect is crucifying Jesus again, since unbelief is why they crucified Jesus in the first place.

This falls right in line with the warning from Hebrews 3:12-15 to the brethren about guarding against acquiring an evil heart of unbelief, due to deception that comes from sin, and then departing from the living God.

Living sinfully eventually hardens the heart into unbelief, and when faith is fallen away from, a believer departs from the living God.

And Hebrews 6 falls in line with a Jesus teaching us that some believe, but only for awhile, and then fall away. in Luke 8:

In Luke 8 Jesus tells the parable of the sower who sows the seed of the word of God.

Some seed sown lands on a rock. The seed GROWS, and thus results in new life, but then it withers and dies.

Jesus in the example of the seed sown on a rock, shows that some people BELIEVE for a while, but then FALL AWAY.


Luk 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed...


Luk 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.


Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, *receive the word with joy*; and these have no root, which FOR A WHILE BELIEVE, and in time of temptation FALL AWAY.


Notice above, they *received the word with joy*


To receive the word with joy, is to become a follower of Jesus Christ:


1Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.


Some believe for a while, then fall away.

There are plenty of wasted topics on “eternal security” and “falling away”. Rather than wasting EVERYONE’S time responding to your eisegesis with an argument you will already have heard and ignored just explain to me how ANYONE (even one person) being “eternally saved” for a while but ending up in hell for eternity doesn’t render God’s promises in scripture a perverse mockery.

“I will NEVER leave you or forsake you” … unless I do.
“Nothing will separate you from my love” … except that.
“I lost none that the Father has given” … except for the ones I lost.
“No one can snatch you out of the Father’s hand” … but some slip through His fingers from time to time.
“He who began a good work in you will finish” … or maybe not.

Where EXACTLY is the “good news” in a God that blows smoke at us?
A God whose promises LITERALLY are not worth the paper they were written on.

I am not trying to convince you that I am right. I just want to know what the point of being a Christian is if YOU are right? God is as much of a lying asshole as any other man and his promises all come with lots of fine print that render them empty. According to your god, I should have stayed an atheist … the end result is the same but the disappointment is less.

 

[Curtis]

There are plenty of wasted topics on “eternal security” and “falling away”. Rather than wasting EVERYONE’S time responding to your eisegesis with an argument you will already have heard and ignored just explain to me how ANYONE (even one person) being “eternally saved” for a while but ending up in hell for eternity doesn’t render God’s promises in scripture a perverse mockery.

“I will NEVER leave you or forsake you” … unless I do.
“Nothing will separate you from my love” … except that.
“I lost none that the Father has given” … except for the ones I lost.
“No one can snatch you out of the Father’s hand” … but some slip through His fingers from time to time.
“He who began a good work in you will finish” … or maybe not.

Where EXACTLY is the “good news” in a God that blows smoke at us?
A God whose promises LITERALLY are not worth the paper they were written on.

I am not trying to convince you that I am right. I just want to know what the point of being a Christian is if YOU are right? God is as much of a lying asshole as any other man and his promises all come with lots of fine print that render them empty. According to your god, I should have stayed an atheist … the end result is the same but the disappointment is less.

Jesus lost one of those given Him by the father - He said so Himself.

No man can take us out of His hand by force, but Jesus spews out the lukewarm.

Nothing can separate us from Gods love - it doesn’t say nothing can separate us from God. Indeed the warning from Hebrews 3 is that you can harden your heart from sinning, and depart FROM the living God.
He loved us when we were sinners enough to send Jesus to die for us - thus God loves everyone , unconditionally, even those who end up in hell - but salvation is very conditional.

Eternal life is conditional on continuing to listen to His voice, and continuing to follow Jesus, in Matthew 10:27 and 28.

What’s the good news? If you believe and repent of your sins, (meaning to be sorry for past sins, and change our mind about sin, and decide to live as righteously as possible, and repent when we sin), we avoid Gods wrath and hell.

There is no promise that God saves us to be able to live the most selfish, self centered, and sinful life possible, with no repentance, and remain in Christ, as OSAS claims.

We are told the opposite- we are not our own anymore, we’ve been bought with a price - that our service to God is to make our bodies a Holy, living sacrifice- that we have to deny ourself, take up our cross daily and follow Him to be His disciple - told that anyone who puts their hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God - and much more.