Means of Election
In saving people unconditionally, God must guarantee all the means that he has for men to be saved. This means that true faith must be guaranteed. The source of this guarantee arises from the infinite worth of Christ's death to be applied to what God intended it for; like the salvation of a particular people. This is worked out by the Holy Spirit, which convicts the world of sin and righteousness. In doing this, the Holy Spirit opens hearts and eyes. This makes sinners both willing and able to exercise faith in the gospel. The goodness and grace of the gospel becomes irresistible to a rational person, so faith results. It is the result of a new nature that comes from being born again or regenerated by the Holy Spirit preceding faith. People are saved unconditionally while they are still enemies of the Cross. Yet, sinners do not remain enemies of the cross because of the things that follow election: God's calling to faith, justification by faith, and glorification.
Read more about this topic: Unconditional Election
Famous quotes containing the words means of, means and/or election:
“Singing has always seemed to me the most perfect means of expression. It is so spontaneous. And after singing, I think the violin. Since I cannot sing, I paint.”
—Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986)
“I concluded that I was skilled, however poorly, at only one thing: marriage. And so I set about the business of selling myself and two children to some unsuspecting man who might think me a desirable second-hand mate, a man of good means and disposition willing to support another man’s children in some semblance of the style to which they were accustomed. My heart was not in the chase, but I was tired and there was no alternative. I could not afford freedom.”
—Barbara Howar (b. 1934)
“Do you know I believe that [William Jennings] Bryan will force his nomination on the Democrats again. I believe he will either do this by advocating Prohibition, or else he will run on a Prohibition platform independent of the Democrats. But you will see that the year before the election he will organize a mammoth lecture tour and will make Prohibition the leading note of every address.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)