I recently read Romans 9 NLT. The part I am struggling with is “Gods prerogative”. The explanation is given in Romans 9:21. However, a clay pot does not have a soul, feelings or emotion. It does not care what it is. There is a big difference. God can obviously do what He wants, but it seems that it would interfere with his “LOVE and GRACE for EVERYONE”.
If God selects the people He wants to accept Him and selects the people He wants to reject Him before they ever exist then the ones who reject HIM are sent to hell for eternity is definitely not fair. Then we are told how we dare argue with God to even ask such a question. If God wants his people to “CHOOSE” to Love Him, He cannot force them by election. Also, the whole concept of spreading the Gospel is pointless other than being obedient. I sometimes feel as though I am one of those people God chose to send to destruction.
So is salvation “possible” for everyone or only the “elect”?
Matt. 7:7-8, John 1:12, 3:16, 6:39, Romans 10:9, 10:13 and others all say that it’s our right to ask the Lord to save us, and that all who do so will be saved. God chose the Jews to be His people, but the Church chooses Him to be our Savior. I believe the doctrine of election applies to Israel, and that superimposing it upon the Church is inconsistent with the Lord’s clearest teaching on the subject of salvation.
Romans 8:29-30 outlines the process. Before He created any of us, He looked down across time and saw everyone who would choose to accept His offer of salvation (He foreknew). Then He made a reservation for each of us in His kingdom (He predestined). At the appropriate time in our lives He calls us, knowing we’ll respond (He called). When we do He applies the blood of Jesus to wipe away all our sins (He Justified). At the End of the Age, He’ll take us to be with Him forever (He glorified). He can promise that He’ll never lose any of us because He has already seen all of us in His Kingdom with Him (John 6:39-40).