biblical revelation, that believers are chosen in advance to be objects of God’s love. It points to the persistent love of God, which seeks out sinners and wins them by grace to God. This great doctrine is especially precious to believers, who view themselves as objects of God’s gracious election. Just as a colour television set alone can receive the colour signal, so believers transformed by God’s grace are alone able to comprehend this doctrinal truth. Later on we read, however, that Christ was