In the first meditation in the series, he didn't clarify what he meant by "starting something new with Abraham," but I assume it will become apparent in one of the following meditations. But the way he presented what he said created the impression that there now is something new starting with Abraham. My reading and understanding of, e.g. the Belgic Confession (and others, as you stated) is that "the line of the church on earth" is unbroken, i.e., there never was a time when there was no church (no elects) on earth. In fact, in the OT, that line leads to Christ. In that sense, the calling of Abraham is not the start of something new.


Originally Posted by Pilgrim
Welcome back! joy

I guess I would like to know what this man means by "starting something new with Abraham" as well. Is he really stating that there was no one among all the people of the earth before Abraham upon which from all eternity God had not set His electing love? scratchchin Surely, when one reads the OT especially in regard to Adam's fall and restoration the strong implication, at least when I have read it, that God's salvific love rested upon Adam. And then when I read through the various chronologies of Adam's descendants, there are not a few individuals which appear to have been given God's special favor over all others. So, my understanding is in accord with the Belgic Confession and the teaching of myriad Reformed scholars and teachers that from all eternity God has had a 'people' aka: elect upon the earth chosen out of Adam's fallen race.