Berean Todd said:Just to add a couple of more before I head off to church:
2 Thess 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
Gee, here we are told that these people specifically were chosen from the begining for salvation. I know these OVers like to say that "election is corporate, not individual", but here in this passage Paul is thanking God that these SPECIFIC people were chosen from the begining.
Gal 1:15 But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased
Wow, here is Paul being set apart from the womb. Doesn't sound like he had much choice in the matter.
Ok, I would give more but I have to go now ... have a great Sunday morning everyone!
Both these verses cannot be extrapolated to eternity past, trillions of years ago. They are proximal chosing vs remote.
God set apart Jeremiah and Paul from the womb for a specific ministry. This was God's intention and purpose. It is not related to individual salvation (TULIP). Other passages show that God's intentions and purposes can be thwarted. If Jeremiah or Paul would have not followed God, they would not have fulfilled their intended calling. Jer. 1 and Gal. 1 (written after the fact) may not have been inspired as written. God desires that all men be saved. Not all men are saved. Some people God called and intended for specific ministry also dropped the ball (Judas, Saul, Demas, etc.). God calls many men, but not all respond to His call. Many are called, but few are chosen in the end.