Do you believe in irresistible grace?

ItinerantPreacher said:

Fair enough.

The Apostle Paul said:
In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Eph. 1:4-6)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:11-12)

So if that's the definition of "arbitrary" that you're going with, then that's fine - by that definition, the Bible says that God's election of his saints is arbitrary: contingent solely upon his discretion, i.e. "the purpose/counsel of his will."

The Bible does not, of course, say that salvation comes according to the purpose of our wills.
 
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