Have it your way, it's your choice!
I like simple doctrines like those of the 'elect', and being chosen, and everlasting consolation.
God is eternal, has eternal foreknowledge, eternal purposes and is not leaving anything to random chance.
Such as this
Isaiah 46
8 “Remember this, and [
b]show yourselves men;
Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
9 Remember the former things of old,
For I
am God, and
there is no other;
I am God, and
there is none like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times
things that are not
yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed I have spoken
it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed
it;
I will also do it.
12 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted,
Who
are far from righteousness:
13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;
My salvation shall not [
c]linger.
And I will place salvation in Zion,
For Israel My glory.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since God declares the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times
things that are not
yet done,
And
Romans 4:17
(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—
God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
Verses like those very much make good sense to me as to calling, election, chosen and purposes of God towards us who then therefore believe.
And keep looking for the mercy of the Lord unto eternal life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 Timothy 2
8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer,
even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10
Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the [c]elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11
This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with
Him,
We shall also live with
Him.
12 If we endure,
We shall also reign with
Him.
If we deny
Him,
He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 Timothy 1
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle of [
a]Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, a beloved son:
Grace, mercy,
and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Timothy’s Faith and Heritage
3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as
my forefathers
did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when I call to remembrance the [
b]genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Not Ashamed of the Gospel
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,
9
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ,
who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher [
c]of the Gentiles.
12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Be Loyal to the Faith
13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; 17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found
me. 18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered [
d]
to me at Ephesus.
Greeting - Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Timothy’s Faith and Heritage - I thank God, whom I serve with a pure...
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