Thank-you Pilgrim and William.

If the work of Christ is complete, from eternity then it makes perfect sense to say that 'making our calling and election sure' and 'striving to enter into the rest' and 'working out our salvation with fear and trembling' does mean that we may experience intial joy at the forgiveness of sins, but then the struggle to learn to 'walk in the Spirit' to remain, 'In the liberty of the Spirit' etc means that eventually when we learn that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, that HE will never lose one of those whom the Father has given Him, shows that the weaknesss in agreeing, in reckoning ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, or as Paul says dead to this world and the world to us by the cross (the completed work of the Lord), shows the eternal position of salvation. He does not half have us, but has us in His book, written by the blood that was spilled from the foundation of the world. I had for many years found myself half believing in his work, and credited some to history, as in when it happened in the historical sense. However, in meeting Him I understand that His love is not bound by time, but that He has always from eternity loved His saints.

I appreciate the effort on both of your part and I hope that you will not find my ideas to out there. I will read the article and will hopefully find time to get back here, but for now I have some work to attend to in the book of Daniel and then on to Hosea.

Shalom to you both,

The Straw.