Aunty Jane
Well-Known Member
What did Jesus offer all his disciples?…..everlasting life, as part of his elect or as part of the great crowd.And what was Jesus offering them?
No matter where we serve God, or in what capacity, Christ died for all who accept him as Messiah….”The son of God”….the savior of the world….
At 1 Cor 1:2-2, Pall addresses his letter to two groups…
”to the congregation of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in union with Christ Jesus, called to be holy ones, together with all those everywhere who are calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
3 May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Here, I believe we have an idea of the separation of the first Christians into those two groups. Those “called to be holy ones TOGETHER WITH ALL THOSE EVERYWHERE WHO ARE CALLING ON THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST…..THEIR LORD AND OURS”.
How are “all invited, but few chosen”? There has to be criteria….and only Jehovah knows whether that criteria is fulfilled in any individual he ‘calls’ to heaven. (Heb 3:1)
Why would Paul make such a differentiation if there was only one group? Would God call his elect simply because of their “belief” in Jesus?…..or were there qualities that had to be demonstrated in a life of dedicated service to God till the end of their earthly life? Some of them dying a cruel martyr’s death.