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NASB | Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 22:14 "For many are called (invited, summoned), but few are chosen." |
Bible Question:
Dear Hank, "The call spoken of here is sometimes referred to as the "general call" of the Gospel, the great "whosoever will" of Revelation 22:17. The call extends to all who hear the Gospel." Question: What of those who never recieve even the general call of the gospel? Of what use is free will if one is not offered the choice? " Many hear it; few respond (See Matthew 7:13,14). In this parable (beginning at verse 1 of Matthew 22) Jesus was emphasizing to the Jewish audience, who considered themselves to be God's chosen people, that the outward call of God was not sufficient for salvation apart from the efficacious call of grace." Efficatious means possessing the quality of being effective; productive of, or powerful to produce, the effect intended; as, an efficacious law. "Here then we see the proper balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty: the "called" who reject the invitation do so willingly, thus there is no injustice in their exclusion from the kingdom. The "chosen" accept the invitation extended solely by the grace of God and not by virtue of their own merit. --Hank" Question: Is it true that Scripture teaches that all men are born condemned already? Is'nt it also true that God would have been justified even if He had chosen to have mercy on none? Your thoughts? |
Bible Answer: Dear John: You answered ainamoja's question from your Reformed/Calvinist perspective, and I answered it from mine, which is non-Calvinist but not necessarily anti-Calvinist. I did not question your answer, although I could have. Now you question mine, and you already know the Calvinist answers to the questions that you are asking. In fact, you and others have asked virtually the same questions many times before, and you know perfectly well that they have been discussed many times before; therefore, I incline to let them be and not go down this well-traveled road over and over again. You are at liberty, of course, to question my answers and you may likewise answer your own questions if you choose. But this will very likely flare into another of those endless debates which will probably end up with raw feelings and a restricted thread. I'm content to let your answer stand alongside mine and those of other users, and let the questioner decide which answers appear to be most nearly in line with the meaning of the passage under consideration. Furthermore, I'd suggest that anyone who wishes to read more about the issue of election turn to Search for a large number of posts on this topic. In short, I see nothing more to be gained by giving new life to an issue that has been beaten to death already. --Hank |