You have to be chosen by God?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tacceus
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Tacceus

Guest
I remember hearing somewhere that if you’ve come to God then you’ve been chosen by him, whats the meaning behind this? Some people aren’t chosen by God?
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
 
No good comes by our own work. ALL GOOD comes from Goodness and Love Himself. This includes becoming a child of God.
 
Kei said:
No good comes by our own work. ALL GOOD comes from Goodness and Love Himself. This includes becoming a child of God.
Click to expand...
So this means that everyone that is a part of the church has been chosen by God and made the effort.And those who aren’t yet a part of the church haven’t been chosen/haven’t made an effort to became a part of the church?
 
Thanks Latin, and God Bless you too, I don’t think I have ever received such an in depth and well written answer before on this forum. You have a wealth of knowledge and thanks again for sharing it with us.
 
I would probably emphasize that 1 Peter 2:9 states “chosen people”, it does not say “chosen person”. All men are called out of darkness into light. Once one has traveled out of the darkness and into the light, then and only then is there their belonging.

So no, I cannot endorse Calvin.
 
Tacceus said:
Some people aren’t chosen by God?
Click to expand...
No. We are all “chosen” by God. Whether we receive him, just like the sacraments (which we are not just “given” but “receive”) is determined by us through His gift of Free Will.
 
Cyril said:
You are a terrible sinful being that cant even lick the crap off Jesus feet. Doomed to forever burn in fiery hell
Click to expand...
Alright.
Cyril said:
unless you surrender your free will (that God gave you but don’t question it) so that you can be made holy and maybe not suffer in purgatory till the end of time (whenever that is).
Click to expand...
No. You don’t sacrifice your free will. You stop doing bad things, changed by Christ. You can still do a bunch of stuff that you choose. You choose not the bad options. There’s usually not just an either/or situation in life. There’s probably multiple bad things to do, multiple good things to do, multiple more or less neutral things to do. If you prefer to choose the evil ones, you can, but actions are not without effects in this world.
We can choose to be more of what we think is us, or we can center our lives around God and live truly how we are.
Cyril said:
What a lovely God we have!
Click to expand...
Indeed
 
Last edited:
How is my choosing not to do things that are bad or morally questionable a “surrendering of my free will”?

God doesn’t zap me with an electric shock when I contemplate a sin. I have to choose each time not to do whatever the sin is.
 
Kei said:
No. You don’t sacrifice your free will. You stop doing bad things, changed by Christ. You can still do a bunch of stuff that you choose. You choose not the bad options.
Click to expand...
Wasn’t talking about talking about bad options. you said:
No good comes by our own work. ALL GOOD comes from Goodness and Love Himself.
Click to expand...
So the average person has no agency its just God playing with puppets.
You cant do anything right on your own just evil.
 
No. You have the option to take up of the good or to reject taking up of the good. In a way, it is like rejecting God or accepting Him.
 
Last edited:
So say that instead of the crap guilt implications you can do nothing without Him.
 
I’m not sure I follow what you are saying.
But yes, we can do nothing without Him. He is Goodness itself. So it is simply not possible to do good without Him.
We can take up of His work or we can rather not.
 
You cant have it both ways. Either God uses you as a conduit for good as your choice or your are a powerless puppet.
 
Last edited:
Let me diagram:

God (Love and goodness itself)
/ | \
accept | deny
/
Take up of goodness, | do nothing or do bad
do good. Every good
act is of God, by Him.

This is not a statement of free will beyond accepting or denying goodness of God, to further go out and do what is good. Some do more good than others or are more virtuous than others. This is because they “take up” of virtue, goodness, and love, which flow from God as a spring does with water. You can also deny it. You’ve probably done both.
 
Last edited:
Cyril said:
You cant have it both ways. Either God uses you as a conduit for good as your choice or your are a powerless puppet.
Click to expand...
False dichotomy. God does not choose us or ‘use’ us against our will; that is coercion, not covenantal love.
 
Last edited:
AugustTherese said:
False dichotomy. God does not choose us or ‘uses’ us against our will; that is coercion, not covenantal love.
Click to expand...
Its the wording “You cant do good without God.” I also cant do anything without air or water or even the very earth we sprung from but I don’t “owe” these things anything. That is a distal relationship.

Its like the application that I’m free to choose God which is fine but after that the only part I play is to be a puppet filled with grace that the moment its taken away I’m evil or neutral again. I cant receive credit for good work because its really not mine.

But I can totally own evil?
Kei said:
Where did I assume how you feel? I’m sorry if I have done so.
Click to expand...
Kei said:
You’ve probably done both.
Click to expand...
 
Cyril said:
Its like the application that I’m free to choose God which is fine but after that the only part I play is to be a puppet filled with grace that the moment its taken away I’m evil or neutral again. I cant receive credit for good work because its really not mine.
Click to expand...
If anyone says that the good works of the one justified are in such manner the gifts of God that they are not also the good merits of him justified; or that the one justified by the good works that he performs by the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly merit an increase of grace, eternal life, and in case he dies in grace, the attainment of eternal life itself and also an increase of glory, let him be anathema. -Coucil of Trent, Canon 32
 
Last edited:
It’s not just a feeling. It’s act and doing. I am pretty sure you are not perfect and have not followed all God’s virtues to grow. I am not assuming your feelings in saying this. I don’t know if you don’t understand what I am saying or what.

There is a pride that wants us to say, “Look what I have done!” Yet, in a way much more than our dependency on air, we are dependent upon God in all things. And if we are to boast, let it be of what God has done.

Look also at what August above me has quoted.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top