Romans 16:7 & Hyper Calvinism

"Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." (Romans 16: 7 kjv)

This verse is a death blow to several opinions of the Hyper Calvinists.

First, it is against the notion that all the elect were "in Christ" before the world began, or from eternity. If all were in Christ from eternity, then no one would be in Christ before another. All would be in Christ from the same point of time.

Second, it is against those, like the Hardshells, who suppose that regeneration, which places one in Christ, in vital union with Christ, is something done long before there is any evidence of it, on the subconscious level. In this scheme it is practically unknowable when a person came to be "in Christ." Most Hardshells claim that they, and nearly all who are regenerated, do not know exactly when they were "regenerated" and put "in Christ."

Paul, in order to say of Andronicus and Junia, that they "were in Christ before me" would have to know two things: 1) when he himself came to be "in Christ," and 2) when Andronicus and Junia came to be "in Christ." And, the only way he could know this is to see that "regeneration" occurred when conversion occurred, and that they are the same. Paul certainly knew when he first believed and was converted. And, he also knew when Andronicus and Junia first believed and were converted. Ergo, Paul is saying that Andronicus and Junia believed and were converted before I was. Ergo, conversion is the time when one is regenerated and placed "in Christ."

Now, how is my reasoning wrong? How will the Hyper Calvinist respond? He might add to the words of the apostle and say that it really means "whose being in Christ was revealed before my being in Christ was revealed." But, this is to pervert what the apostle says. And, once one starts changing the words of a text of scripture in this manner, he will do it again, and again, and again, and it will become habit. It is a grave sin to twist the words of scripture. I could give other examples where such people will add a word to a text, saying that the word being added is implied. But, I will forego such examples.

When was I "in Christ"? It was when I first believed and received Christ as my Lord and Savior. That was now over forty five years ago!