Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen

[Guest Emerson]

Matthew 22:14 says that many are called but few are chosen. So does that mean even if someone does their best to appease god that their damned anyway? This is why religion is such a bad mind game. How'd you really know anyway if you are "chosen?"

[Guest Shiva H. Vishnu]

If you make it to the end of your life and you still have your fingers in your ears screaming "la la la, I AM NOT LISTENING TO YOU - the bible is true no matter what you say la la la" I pretty much figure you know you're chosen.

[Lycorth]

Even then there are no guarentees, it seems. Jeezus™ said that many who call out "Lard, Lard!" will not be saved. Even though other parts of the Babble (like John 3:16) seem to suggest that faith in Jeezus™ is enough, passages like the ones mentioned above suggest that there are loopholes even in the Salvation By Faith™ method.

 

As usual, Xianity contradicts itself on every possible point of belief, making it wholly unreliable and totally unworthy of acceptance.

[deepblue]

"Many are called, but few chosen". A depressing phrase to be sure. And one that can really screw up the minds of Christians.

 

I used it in my "they're all damned" film.

 

lol

 

 

Jon.

www.antichurch.org.uk

[Taphophilia]

I always thought that the verse supported Calvinism (god chooses you everyone else burns in hell). Though, trying to figure out Calvinism vs. Armineanism (you choose god, those who don't burn in hell) was pretty difficult since the Bible supports both.

 

Basically, I just thought you choose god AND god chooses you, since it's supposed to be a relationship not a religion.

 

Taph

[LloydDobler]

Sometimes you can even believe and try to do the right thing, but god will make you do evil just to glorify himself. Just read exodus and see what he does to Pharoah. Poor bastard tries to make things right but god toys with him, hardening Pharoah's heart intentionally so that he can bring plague after plague apparently just for fun, tormenting millions of Egyptians.

 

I've always kind of looked at life as either god's in control or he isn't. Either way is a pretty messed up perspective.

[Amanda]

Emerson, IMHO, FWIW, it just says that many are invited, but few people actually choose this way of life. I think many here, who want nothing to do with their perception of Christianity, have chosen this way. AND many, if not most, who claim they are Christians are far from it. It seems they are known by their actions, not their labels.

[jasonwhatever]

"Many are called, but few are chosen." I think that this means that many attend Church, studying The Bible, believe for a while, "then comes the devil" to steal away what was put into their heart, meaning The Word of The Lord. Those who are called endure a while but bring no fruit to perfection. Now, Jesus' way of saying this makes it sound like it's their fault....like they didn't try hard enough or something. But, in reality, it is that God did not choose them from the beginning. Are they damned? Who knows? On the one hand "if any man have not The Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Therefore, all who have The Spirit of The Lord are saved, and are "chosen." For how can anyone have The Spirit of The Lord without being chosen? They can't. Second, God is too picky or to elite to give everyone who tries to believe of His Spirit. Apparantly, either they have some hidden intention or deceit in their heart, or some other reason. So, in essence, some people waste many years giving tithes and attending Church and yet God never gives them of His Spirit.

 

"Many are called, but few are chosen." So, essentially, not all who believe are saved. Most Christians are not filled with The Holy Spirit...they are called but not chosen. Just as Christ had many disciples, but few were chosen Apostles. The disciples were offended when Jesus Spoke of Himself as being The Bread of Life and turned back. But the apostles said "Thou art The Christ, The Son of The Living God," to which Jesus replied "blessed art thou, Simon barJona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father Which is in heaven."

 

There is something recorded in Acts where some people were baptized, but had not received The Holy Spirit. But, Paul came to them and asked them if they had received The Spirit....they said they didn't know of such a Thing. So, Paul laid hands on them and they received The Spirit.

[Guest Emerson]

Thank you Father Jason. I'm just teasing Jason.

 

On a more serious note, see Jason I don't believe that. I think that if there's a God then he has to be more generous than that, at least that's what the mainstream church I went to taught me. It taught me that if you came to the faith, then you somehow were chosen by God to believe and have faith in him, although they didn't teach armianism or calvanism.

 

What do you mean God is too "picky or elite" to give everybody his spirit. I think that's kind of sad, especially when someone really wants to know and follow God. If God did create people in his image and if he did create everyone then he should accept them when they come to him, honestly seeking him. Honestly if God does care about people and wants to know them or have a relationship with them as the bible says then he wouldn't reject the people he created.

 

So in a way xtianity is such a contradiction, part of the bible you read "god loves you and wants to save you" and the other part is "no, only a few are chosen." Beh, I'm glad that I'm out of it, really. Instead of humans doing the effort, god should do the effort as well if he's out there.

[Guest Shiva H. Vishnu]

Thank you Father Jason. I'm just teasing Jason.

 

On a more serious note, see Jason I don't believe that.

 

Don't worry. Jason doesn't believe it either.

[Asimov]

"Many are called, but few are chosen." I think that this means that many attend Church, studying The Bible, believe for a while, "then comes the devil" to steal away what was put into their heart, meaning The Word of The Lord.

 

Trying....not....to swear......

 

Those who are called endure a while but bring no fruit to perfection. Now, Jesus' way of saying this makes it sound like it's their fault....like they didn't try hard enough or something. But, in reality, it is that God did not choose them from the beginning. Are they damned? Who knows? On the one hand "if any man have not The Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Therefore, all who have The Spirit of The Lord are saved, and are "chosen." For how can anyone have The Spirit of The Lord without being chosen? They can't.

 

Gah!!!

 

Second, God is too picky or to elite to give everyone who tries to believe of His Spirit. Apparantly, either they have some hidden intention or deceit in their heart, or some other reason. So, in essence, some people waste many years giving tithes and attending Church and yet God never gives them of His Spirit.

 

*gasp!* Omg, dude...where the hell do you get your stupid ideas? If God is too elite, why does he desire that all be saved? Hmm????

 

There is something recorded in Acts where some people were baptized, but had not received The Holy Spirit. But, Paul came to them and asked them if they had received The Spirit....they said they didn't know of such a Thing. So, Paul laid hands on them and they received The Spirit.

 

I don't want to hear about your saint molesting people.

[Fweethawt]

Notice, no answers, just more and more christian jibberish.

[Guest Emerson]

I think we should just ignore "Father Jason." It's obvious that he doesn't want help, he just wants to go on and on and on. Bah, why am I even bothering with this post?! Lordy, father jason if you have nothing positive to contribute to the convo, then go find your kicks elsewhere and quit being such an attention whore and hijacking every thread you're on. I'm sick of this dude.

[Guest sub_zer0]

Matthew 22:14 says that many are called but few are chosen. So does that mean even if someone does their best to appease god that their damned anyway? This is why religion is such a bad mind game. How'd you really know anyway if you are "chosen?"

 

Actually Emerson it does not mean that at all. Set your presuppositions aside and understand what the passage was intended to mean. It has much more significance and a deeper level that we need to reach, which requires explination. Parables, as that is what is clearly being spoken in by Christ, is "a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle" according to Merriam-Webster online dictionary.

 

22:2: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son."

 

God has not only provided food, but a royal feast, for the His creation, there is more than enough to spare for our happiness and salvation in His Son Jesus Christ.

 

The first guests that were invited (22:3) were the Jews. Then the next try at it for all to come to the feast is in 22:4. Essentially when the prophets of the Old Testament prevailed not, John the Baptist nor Christ himself who both told them about the kingdom of God (or about the royal feast) could niether.

 

Now the apostles and ministers of the gospel, the gospel being the life, death and resurrection of Christ (our salvation and the road the few choose) were sent to tell them it was come, and to persuade them to accept the offer. That would be applied to the part of the parable which is in verse 22:7.

 

You see the best a person could do to "appease God" is to accept His invitation to the kingdom of God, which is achieved through Christ, Jesus.

 

"Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit." -- Matthew Henry

 

If you have that you are chosen, my friend.

[Fweethawt]

As I was saying....

[Guest sub_zer0]

As I was saying....

 

Why are you so reluctant to take it as the meaning of the passage? How does it affect you Fweethart? Why must be so dismissive of a perfectly legitimate reading of the text?

[Fweethawt]

Why must be so dismissive of a perfectly legitimate reading of the text?

Was that really a "perfectly legitimate reading of the text"?

 

Read the passage being questioned, then reread your response.

 

You start of by saying that the passage DOESN'T say what it actually says!

Actually Emerson it does not mean that at all.

 

Now, if this is the type of thing that you call, "perfect" and "legitimate", then it's no wonder that you ascribe to this theology.

[Guest sub_zer0]

Was that really a "perfectly legitimate reading of the text"?

 

Read the passage being questioned, then reread your response.

 

You start of by saying that the passage DOESN'T say what it actually says!

Actually Emerson it does not mean that at all.

 

Actualy I said' date=' since Jesus is speaking in a parable. A parable isn't what the words mean, but is usually a short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle. I don't remember saying that the passage doesn't say what it actually says. Much more significant meaning to it. Re-read it and realize it is in parable form.

 

Now, if this is the type of thing that you call, "perfect" and "legitimate", then it's no wonder that you ascribe to this theology.

 

You think you know what the text reads, yet you can't tell what I mean by perfect in the sense that I used it.

[Guest Shiva H. Vishnu]

Many are called but few are frozen.

[Fweethawt]

Actualy I said, since Jesus is speaking in a parable. A parable isn't what the words mean, but is usually a short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle. I don't remember saying that the passage doesn't say what it actually says. Much more significant meaning to it. Re-read it and realize it is in parable form.

The verse in question is Matthew 22:14. Parable or not, there isn't much there to work with. However, you seem to be all to eager to just keep adding to it in order to make it say something that it doesn't.

 

How is it that you can't recognize the dishonesty in this type of approach?

 

Now, if this is the type of thing that you call, "perfect" and "legitimate", then it's no wonder that you ascribe to this theology.

You think you know what the text reads, yet you can't tell what I mean by perfect in the sense that I used it.

Matthew 22:14 - many are called but few are chosen

 

I know EXACTLY what "the text reads". I just typed it out there and boldened it so that YOU can see "what the text reads".

 

You are the one that is denying what is right in front of your freakin' eyes - not me.

 

Many are called but few are frozen.

[Guest sub_zer0]

The verse in question is Matthew 22:14. Parable or not, there isn't much there to work with. However, you seem to be all to eager to just keep adding to it in order to make it say something that it doesn't.

 

How is it that you can't recognize the dishonesty in this type of approach?

 

Actually it was quite honest considering I listed which verse I was speaking of and basically bringing the context of the 22:14 passage into light.

 

Matthew 22:14 - many are called but few are chosen

 

I know EXACTLY what "the text reads". I just typed it out there and boldened it so that YOU can see "what the text reads".

 

You are the one that is denying what is right in front of your freakin' eyes - not me.

 

No, I addressed it in my post.

 

"You see the best a person could do to "appease God" is to accept His invitation to the kingdom of God, which is achieved through Christ, Jesus.

 

"Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit." -- Matthew Henry

 

If you have that you are chosen, my friend."

[Fweethawt]

The verse in question is Matthew 22:14. Parable or not, there isn't much there to work with. However, you seem to be all to eager to just keep adding to it in order to make it say something that it doesn't.

 

How is it that you can't recognize the dishonesty in this type of approach?

 

Actually it was quite honest considering I listed which verse I was speaking of and basically bringing the context of the 22:14 passage into light.

Oh, I see...

 

You're pullin' the'ol Context Card™* out.

 

<<christian apologetics 101>>

*Context Card - when a verse doesn't seem to say what you or the person you are trying to convince wants it to say, explain that we must look at the verse in context. Then, pull verses from every available spot in the bible or anywhere else for that matter in an attempt to make said verse make sense. This also includes conversations about the talking serpent

Matthew 22:14 - many are called but few are chosen

 

I know EXACTLY what "the text reads". I just typed it out there and boldened it so that YOU can see "what the text reads".

 

You are the one that is denying what is right in front of your freakin' eyes - not me.

No, I addressed it in my post.

 

"You see the best a person could do to "appease God" is to accept His invitation to the kingdom of God, which is achieved through Christ, Jesus.

 

"Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit." -- Matthew Henry

 

If you have that you are chosen, my friend."

Like I was saying, you didn't explain anything. You pulled a bunch of stuff from somewhere, and it surely wasn't your bible.

 

*hands sub zero a tube of Preparation H for his troubles*

 

Do me a favor...

 

Show me where it says in the bible about accepting an invitation and how god is appeased when someone accepts it.

 

Just don't forget to include the verses that say there is nothing you can do on your part to achieve salvation since it is all in god's hands.

 

Once you do that, then you see why everything that you've said here is pure bullshit.

[dr_funkenstein]

God has not only provided food, but a royal feast, for the His creation, there is more than enough to spare for our happiness and salvation in His Son Jesus Christ.

 

The first guests that were invited (22:3) were the Jews. Then the next try at it for all to come to the feast is in 22:4.

 

So Plan A was to allow the Jews into heaven and let the rest of us heathen rot in hell? If the Jews had accepted their messiah then essentially BibleGod™ would have predestined the rest of us to an eternity of torment? Unless you're jewish, sub_zer0, you must be glad that BibleGod™ had a plan B that included you!

 

You see the best a person could do to "appease God" is to accept His invitation to the kingdom of God, which is achieved through Christ, Jesus.

 

You ignore the following passage:

 

You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory-- even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

(Romans 9:19-24)

 

BibleGod™ has clearly created certain people for the purpose of "destruction" - to what end? To show his wrath and make known his power! Oh and to make the ones he chose to not destroy really really grateful.

 

Gee what a nice guy...

 

"Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit." -- Matthew Henry

 

If you have that you are chosen, my friend.

 

Unless BibleGod™ chooses you for something entirely different.

[Guest Shiva H. Vishnu]

Very funky, but don't waste your funk on this fuck, funky one. He's funny not haha, and funky without the fun, more like funky like mud on a monkey. Okie dokie?

 

I mean dumb.

[Ryan]

Okay, so I just read the parable. And Subzero, I think you might have to come to terms with the fact that your head is quite possibly lodged in your ass. I'm sure we all know what a parable is and that there is a moral to this one. The moral *is* Matthew 22:14, and the rest is illustrative.

 

And how perfect is the character of the king? He invites anybody and everybody to the wedding feast, but someone didn't come the way he wanted them to so he was tied up and thrown into the street where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Is that the perfect image of God damning people to hell or what?