beginning of time

Wednesday November 13^th, 2 Thessalonians 2: 13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.  It has been hard being a grace filled Christian in the last 30 years or so, but I think, I hope, I pray, the tide is turning.  O how the world wants to see the world as black and white, with those in and those out and justice defined as the other guy getting it in the neck.  But, from the beginning God chose and saved you through the sanctifying work of the spirit.  The You being majorly plural.  In the beginning God created all that is and called it good, is God now going to call the majority of those created in the image of God evil?  I listened with sadness as our local TV preacher talked of his father, how he was not born again and therefore burning in hell.  I wonder if you asked his now deceased father if he would condemn his son to hell for saying and believing that, what the answer would be.  I know my children have given me a fit from time to time, and some a whole lot more than others.  Would I disown them and condemn them to hell?  I don’t think so.  How much more gracious is the loving God who went to the cross?  And what would and did that loving God do from the beginning of time?