Originally Posted by MikeL
But isn't indiscriminate preaching rather wasteful? Certainly, we are commanded to spread the word. Perhaps it's because it's assumed that "whosoever" hears and believes the message and confesses Christ as Lord will be saved. That's my theory.

More importantly, isn't it a bit dishonest to preach to a group of people and let them believe any one of them might be one of the "elect"? To be completely honest, shouldn't they start with a disclaimer: "Listen folks, some of you are elected, some are reprobate. I have no way of knowing. You have no way of knowing. Only God knows. So what I'm about to tell you will be irrelevant for the reprobate, and superflous for the elect."

PLEASE [Linked Image] (Hedonism)

The MEANS by which God calls His elect is through the promiscuous preaching of the Gospel which outwardly calls ALL MEN to repent of their sins and believe upon Christ unto the remission of sins. Who those elect are is of no import in regard to this outward call in the Gospel.(cf. Matt 28:19,20; Acts 17:30; Rom 1:16; 10:8-17, et al) Lorraine Boettner does a fine job of answering your objection(s) here: THAT IT PRECLUDES A SINCERE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL TO THE NON-ELECT.

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simul iustus et peccator

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