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cripture also teaches that God chooses people to be saved. Repeatedly
throughout the New Testament we discover that God calls Christians saints,
the chosen, and the “elect.” The New Testament meaning of “saints” is
not one who is honored or venerated. The word refers to one who has been
made holy or righteous by God because his or her sins have been forgiven.
Those who are called “saints” are also called the elect.
Jesus refers to the “elect” for the first time when His disciples
ask Him about the signs of the end of the world. Here is His reply,
Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (NASB) Matt. 24:22 Those who belonged to Him are “the elect.” He did it again
in verse 24. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. (NASB) Matt. 24:24 He said it again in verse 31,
And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (NASB) Matt. 24:31 Jesus will gather His elect ones from around the world. The same message
is repeated in Mark and Luke and finally in Romans,
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. (NASB) Rom. 8:33-34
Chosen Ones. The word “elect” comes
from the Greek word EKLEKTOS. It also means "chosen.” Therefore,
it is not a surprise that our English Bible also translate EKLEKTOS as
chosen ones. Our first passage is found in Matthew,
For many are called, but few are chosen. (NASB) Matt. 22:14 Jesus used this in a parable to imply a spiritual truth. While many
are called, only some are elect. The same is true about Israel and the
Gentiles. The Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says
that even though Israel is seeking peace with God, they have been unable
to realize their goal due to their own sin. The chosen ones or the elect
have obtained it.
What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened . . . (NASB) Rom. 11:7 The others God has hardened. Then in Colossians 3:12 we find that the “chosen” are
chosen by God and not by themselves.
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience . . . (NASB) Col. 3:12 Our next passage is probably the most significant so far.
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. (NASB) 2 Thess 2:13 If we had any doubt about the meaning of being “chosen by God,” we
are now told that God chose us before the foundation of the world. Ephesians
tells us that God’s act of choosing occurred before the world was
created.
. . . just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love . . . (NASB) Eph. 1:4 The names of the chosen or the elect were recorded in the Book of Life
before the world was created (Rev. 13:8; 17:8). When did God select the
chosen ones for salvation? The answer is before you were conceived in
your mother’s womb. Before you did right or wrong. Before you committed
any evil or good act.
So Paul was eager to spread the good news about Jesus Christ so that
these chosen ones could respond in faith because he did not know who
they were, but he wanted to get the good news to them.
For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. (NASB) 2 Tim. 2:10 The chosen ones are everywhere.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen . . . (NASB) 1 Pet. 1:1 Appointed Ones. The scriptures tell us that God has elected, chosen,
and called (Rom. 1:6-7; 9:24; 1 Thess 1:4-5) people to be saved. God
has been active. God has been appointing people to be saved. The book
of Acts tells us that God has been selective in those whom He elects
or chooses to have eternal life.
When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. (NASB) Acts 13:48 The Greek word translated as “appoint” comes from the root
word TASSOW. It means to appoint, designate, set aside, command, order,
and direct. The word was used of one who was in a position of authority
giving orders to another. The verb is a perfect passive participle which
means that God did the appointing in the past with lasting effect. That
is, He appointed people to have eternal life and His appointment will
not and cannot be changed. As a result, each person who was appointed
will believe in Jesus Christ. That is a strong statement.
Granted, Draws, and Will Come. But the strongest statements about God’s
role in the selection of people for eternal life comes from Jesus’ own
lips in John 6. Our first key passage is John 6:65.
And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” (NASB) John 6:65 These words were spoken to a crowd. It must have been a surprise to
the crowd that no one could come to Jesus unless God the Father had already
granted him permission to come. That is the meaning of the Greek in
this verse.
Then in John 6:44 we discover that no one can come to Jesus unless God
the Father draws him.
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. (NASB) John 6:44 Not only must God the Father give us permission, He is the one who draws
us. Listen to Jesus. We cannot come on our own. Permission must be given,
and the Father must draw us or we will not come to Jesus. Why? The answer
is given in Romans 3:10-12.
. . . as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for god; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.” (NASB) Rom. 3:10-12 The answer is that no one seeks for God on his or her own. God must
pull us to Jesus or we will not come. During Jesus’ message He indicated
that those whom the Father grants permission to come to Jesus will come.
All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. (NASB) John 6:37 Jesus declares that those whom the Father draws will come. They have
no choice. They will come! Those whom God the Father gives permission
to come to Jesus will be drawn and they will come. Period!
Scripture teaches that God selects or appoints sinners to be saved. They
are the chosen or the elect. God chooses men and women to have eternal
life. If He did not decide none of us would come because none of us seek
for God on our own.
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