Dan Rivers Christian, Husband, Grandfather, Son, AT&T retiree

Yes it does prove the election of some and not others...

Eph 1:4 NLT - Even before he made the world, God loved us and CHOSE us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

Eph 1:11 NLT - Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he CHOSE US IN ADVANCE, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

Rom 9:15 NLT - For God said to Moses, "I will show mercy to ANYONE I CHOSE, and I will show compassion to ANYONE I CHOSE."

Jhn 15:16 NLT - You didn't choose me. I CHOSE YOU. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

Jhn 6:37 NLT - However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.

Jhn 17:9 NLT - "My prayer IS NOT for the world, but for those YOU HAVE GIVEN ME, because they belong to you.

There are more references that you may look up at your leisure...

September 06 2013 • 21 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Chris Bray

I see by reading some of the other answers and comments, the question was posed not for genuine necessity of an answer, but to initiate a debate. So I would like to take a different approach for others that might read this and really want to know the answer to the question.

If you put aside the theology of the Calvinist and the Arminian and just answer the question on the merits of the context of the verse and the Greek being used, the answer is no, there is nothing in this verse that necessitates proof of an election of some and not others.

The Greek word "tasso", translated appointed, can mean appointed to something, but can also mean disposed to something. Look at the context of the passage and especially the prior verses:

Act 13:46    And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

It is clear the same author believes the Jews to have exerted their own choice in not listening to the gospel, therefore judging themselves not worthy of eternal life. So the "appointed" used of the Gentiles actually fits the definition they were "disposed" towards eternal life or inclined towards by the very same gospel the Jews in the passage rejected.

This would not be surprising since this is the very effect the gospel has by the power of the a Holy Spirit.

So even though the Calvinism/Arminianism debate rages on, this verse does not prove one way or another conclusively when you understand the Greek and look at the context.

September 06 2013 • 13 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Mike Williams

My belief on this is that we were all created for worship and relationship with God.  So that being said, I believe all have been elected for this relationship with Him.  But with free will that God gives us, it is entirely in our hands to accept this gift or to deny it.  Think of it this way, in an election, if one were elected to the office they were running for and wins the positions, he does not have to take the position if he decides that he would rather not have it.  This is the same with the election of God, we have all been elected to be His children, afterall, He created us in His own image; but we can decide to deny the position if we so desire. So to sum it up, I do not believe there were some that were selected/elected to be children of God while others were denied this.

September 06 2013 • 8 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Anonymous

John 3:16 says it all! Whoever is the key word!

September 08 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Anonymous

I believe the Bible is crystal clear that God has chosen His elect people to himself.  God is sovereign. A few other verses may make it more clear.  Read Ephesians 1 and Romans 9.  Here are a few extracted verses:
God’s Sovereign Choice
 Romans 6- It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[b] 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”[c] 
 10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”[d] 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”[e] 
 14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, 
   “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, 
   and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”[f] 
 16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 
 19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? 
 22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?.....
Ok…a few more various verses-
1.	this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. (Acts 2:23)
2.	This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Ephesians 3:11)
but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; (1 Corinthians 2:7-8)
but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you. (1 Peter 1:19-20)
the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
3.	So David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the LORD. (2 Samuel 6:21)
'Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, but I chose David to be over My people Israel.' (1 Kings 8:16)
'Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David whom I chose, who observed My commandments and My statutes; (1 Kings 11:34)
"Yet, the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father's house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. (1 Chronicles 28:4)
He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds; (Psalm 78:70)
4.	Then David said, "No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of God, and to minister to Him forever." (1 Chronicles 15:2)
5.	"Thou art the LORD God, Who chose Abram And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees, And gave him the name Abraham. (Nehemiah 9:7)
6.	But [God] chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved. (Psalm 78:68)
7.	Thayer's Greek Definition:
eklektos  (Strong's G1588) 
1.	picked out, chosen 
a.	chosen by God 
1.	to obtain salvation through Christ 
a.	Christians are called “chosen or elect” of God
2.	the Messiah in called “elect”, as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable
3.	choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians
Part of Speech: adjective
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G1586
Citing in TDNT: 4:181, 505
8.	"And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short. (Matthew 24:22)
"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24)
"And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (Matthew 24:31)
"And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the days. (Mark 13:20)
for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order, if possible, to lead the elect astray. (Mark 13:22)
"And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth, to the farthest end of heaven. (Mark 13:27)
now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? (Luke 18:7)
9.	Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" (John 6:70)
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you. (John 15:16)
10.	Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; (Romans 8:33)
11.	just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, (Ephesians 1:4-5)
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 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 granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, (2 Timothy 1:8-9)
12.	And all who dwell on the earth will worship him [the beast], everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. (Revelation 13:8)
"The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth will wonder, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. (Revelation 17:8)
13.	For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)
also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, (Ephesians 1:11)
14.	For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
15.	'But arise [Paul], and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;' (Acts 26:16)
16.	Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? (James 2:5)
17.	The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil. (Proverbs 16:4)
18.	For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH." (Romans 9:17)
19.	for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED." (Romans 9:11-13)
20.	For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. (Romans 9:15-16)
21.	"For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be fulfilled. (Revelation 17:17)
22.	Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" (John 6:70)
23.	"For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur. (Acts 4:27-28)
24.	Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. (Psalm 25:12)
AMEN!

September 06 2013 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report