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Hi Ed,
Good to hear from you again. I'm not sure I really understand your question, or your specific subject. The context of Rom 2:12 is God's fairness in judgment of sin, whether a Gentile doesn't have the law, or a Jew does have the law. The sin of both brings them under God's judgment.
 
Is your comment an exhortation to share the Gospel with all we come in contact with, because all are equally under God's judgment?
 
Regarding us hindering God's plan - We can be disobediant for sure. But we cannot ultimately hinder God's plan. We may be "sidelined" because of our disobedience, to our loss. But God's plans will come to pass, that we can be sure of.
 
If I'm missing your main point, please let me know. God Bless.
 
- Pastor Dave
 
 

 
Pastor Dave,
Sorry for the confusion, I think what I was trying to convey was that since God  is all knowing, He knows who will accept or reject Him. Since it says in Jn 3:16...that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. What I would like to know then, If salvation is offered  to all men , Did God foreknow and predestinate all to be conformed to the image of his son ?  I know that God knows who will reject or accept , but we don't.  Does Rom.8:12 mean that only those who are saved can be forekown and predestinated ? It's God's will that all men might be saved, but not all will make that choice. Would it be right to say that  even though God ultimately knows the ones that reject him, that he still had a picture of them of who they could have been? Since  I know Him, I'm striving to be conformed to the image of his son, but if  I was lost, I wouldn't be. On judgment  day, I would think that God would show men what they might have had or been  had they chose to accept him.  Lastly, I have heard of reports  of  muslims  coming to Christ because of Jesus appearing  to  them  in a vision  or dream. If this  
is so, then are we doing all we can to evangelize the lost ? Are we carrying out our assignment  to reach the lost , so that everybody has the opportunity to accept salvation ? I hope this makes more sense, and that others will join in this discussion. Thanks !

Hey Ed,
 
    This sounds like a variation of the "What about those who have never heard the Gospel?" question. Let me try to break up your last comment and deal with the issues in turn.
 
The first question you seem to ask is this: If God desires all to be saved does that necessarily mean that He both foreknown and predestined all to be saved?
   
     The first part of this question is relatively simple because we have biblical support. 2 Peter 3.9 tells us that God is patient in bringing an end to all things because He is not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. So we know that God desires all to be saved.
 
    However, it seems that just because God desires something doesn't make it necessarily possible. For instance, with the issue of salvation we are dealing with two elements: God's desire and ability to offer salvation to everyone and humanity's freedom to choose to accept that gift or rebel. Now we know that not all will accept the gift of salvation as Rev. 20.11-15 seems to indicate. Therefore, in answer to the issue of does God also foreknow and predestine everyone to be saved, I think the answer is no. The reason is that if God foreknown and predestined everyone to be saved and yet some were not saved then that would seem to be a failure on God's part; and God does not fail. God doesn't make everyone get saved, even for our own good because He is loving and not a cosmic rapist. Forced love is not love at all.
All this to say, that some will choose to accept and some will choose to deny salvation. But God desires the former, and has done sufficiently all that He can do to make salvation possible for everyone, everywhere.
 
     A second question that you seem to ask is does that mean that only those who are saved are forknown and predestined? Rom. 8 is written to encourage believers and offer them reasons for assurance in their relationship with Christ so that they will continue following Him no matter what. So it seems that Paul's point in Rom.8.29-39 is that in the case of believer's, we can know that God has from start to finish saved them. That the believer's indivdual salvation started before the foundations of the world and will be seen through until the end of time. Therefore, the believer has nothing to fear. 
However, the unbeliever does not have that luxury. The best thing for the unbeliever to do is become a believer. But as we know, so simply won't do that.
       In regards to your comments on evangelism: Your right! We don't know who, at the end of the game, will be saved. The believer's whole reason for remaining on earth and not being poofed in to heaven is to make disciples. Everywhere we go we should be sharing the Gospel. We simply obey Christ in sharing the Gospel and leave the "knowing" part to God who is good.
 
    As for those who have never heard the Gospel: First we know that God is good and just. Rom. 9.15-16 says God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and compassion on whom he will have compassion. I'll have more to say on this issue elsewhere. Thanks for your comment. If I have misunderstood you please let me know.
 

Though I admit not to be the scholar you guys are I think Paul touches in Romans 1:18-20 and Romans 2:14-15 the area regarding whether we must be presented with the gospel in order to receive salvation.  Even the stars in the heavens grown for His return (Rom 8:19). The scientists at Seti say there is some sort of "background noise" out there. Yes? So, it would seem that if the stars grown, surely man would too? This was a subject that bothered Nicki after her salvation.  "What about those who never heard the gospel?".  But she is comforted in knowing that God, while He is love certainly, is also just.(Ps 116:5,6)