Is being called by God to repentance the same thing as being elect? God calls all men everywhere to repent. Saint Paul told that to the Greek philosophers in Athens (Acts 17:30). And saint Paul wrote to saint Timothy that God wants all men to be saved (1Timothy 2:4). Perhaps many are called even if few are chosen, eh?
Many people hear the call from Christians (ambassadors) all around the world. Only those who have been made alive can hear the Spirit call them from death unto life.
Your passage in Timothy is when Paul urges Timothy to pray for all people, to intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Timothy is to pray for kings and all in authority so that Christians could live in peace and quiet. Such prayer is good and pleases God.
Why? God wants everyone to be saved and understand the truth. (What it doesn't say is, God wills everyone to be saved. Want and will are two different things.) Paul says that there is one God and One mediator who can reconcile God and humanity. Who is that one? It is Jesus Christ. No one else.
You cannot reconcile yourself (nothing you do will justify yourself before God). No amount of imagined "good works" will reconcile you. Only Jesus can reconcile.
Next Paul says that Jesus gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. (Not everyone is freed, however. Why is that? Because Jesus determines who is reconciled. From our perspective, everyone has the potential to be freed, but only Jesus does the reconciling and it is obvious that not all are reconciled.
We are back to the fact that God is Sovereign and God chooses as He wills.
Paul then goes on to remind us that he is still talking to Timothy about prayer in verse 8.
MC, the passage you quote as though it seals your argument, is a passage on prayer. Are we praying for government leaders so we can live in peace? Are we lifting up holy hands in prayer, free from anger and controversy? That is Paul's point to Timothy.
So...being called is not the same as being elect.
You can ask Josiah himself!
