[13] And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met [there]. [14] Now a certain woman named Lydia heard [us]. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. [15] And when she and her household were baptized, she begged [us], saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.1
γινώσκω [ginōskō] is used in the NT first of all of the divine foreknowledge, in relation to which the idea of election is always present. . . . this foreknowledge is not simply knowledge without participation, but rather a “creative willing” . . . In the introduction to 1 Peter (1:1) the readers are addressed as “chosen” in accordance with God’s foreknowledge (v. 2). This election is based on God’s decree . . .7
In sum, both the verb and noun speak primarily of God’s action toward Christ or toward humans, witnessing to that activity as planned and directed.8
Endnotes:
1. | NKJV, Acts 16:13-15 |
2. | Ref-0479, Rev. 2:18 |
3. | Ref-0038, 2.399 |
4. | Arminianism must distinguish between the general call of the Spirit to all men and the calling in Romans 8:29-30 which is restricted to only those who are also justified and glorified. |
5. | “The majority Arminian view is that election is individual and based on God’s foreknowledge of faith.” WP, Arminianisme |
6. | “Grace is resistible: God takes initiative in the salvation process and his grace comes to all people. This grace (often called prevenient or pre-regenerating grace) acts on all people to convince them of the Gospel, draw them strongly towards salvation, and enable the possibility of sincere faith.” WP, Arminianismf |
7. | Ref-0682, 3.153-154 |
8. | Ref-1206, p. 491 |
Sources:
NKJV | Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture references are from the New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
Ref-0038 | John Walvoord and Roy. B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Wheaton, IL: SP Publications, 1983). |
Ref-0479 | Mills, M. (1997, c1987). Revelations : An exegetical study of the Revelation to John. Dallas: 3E Ministries. |
Ref-0682 | Balz, H. R. and Schneider, G. Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1990, c1993). |
Ref-1206 | Verlyn D. Verbrugge, ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000). ISBN:0-310-25620-8g. |
WP | Wikipedia.org |