Unearthing Your Heavenly Election

Chapter 1
Chosen, Elect and Draw
Our first key word is chosen. Let us begin by looking at John 15:16 in which Jesus says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…” Psalm 33:12 reads, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” We see that God choses people. We have no idea at this point in our study what it is based on. We are just considering declarations made by God.
1Peter 2:9 reads, “But ye are a chosen generation…” Romans 16:13 reads, “Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord…” Again we see God’s choosing of people. We will read many more verses that contain the key word chosen as this study develops, but for now let us turn our attention to some verses that specifically use variations of the key word election.
A definitive verse that leaves little latitude for dispute is Romans 9:11 which reads, “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.” This is speaking of the twins in the womb of Rebecca. The one whom God elected would become Israel, after whom the nation is named. The other would become Esau.
Later in Romans, chapter 11 explains how salvation came to the Gentiles and yet remained with Israel despite their rejection of Jesus. The chapter displays God’s overwhelming grace toward people of every background. The verses we are concerned with here (5, 7, 11 and 28) tell us these people were elected to salvation. “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant [in Israel] according to the election of grace…What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election [Gentiles] hath obtained it, and the rest [Israel] were blinded…I say then, Have they [Israel] stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy…As according to the gospel, they [Israel] are enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.” The Israelites were called enemies of the gospel and yet they were elected. Even God’s elect are used in mysterious ways.
1Peter 1:2 calls the scattered Christians throughout the known world “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…” Chapter 5 verse 13 states that the church in Babylon was “…elected together with you…” Isaiah 65 describes the dwelling place God’s elect will inhabit. Verse 9 reads, “…mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.” Verse 2 reads, “…and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.”
Matthew 24:22 reads, “…but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Two verses later, added to election is the idea of God’s “keeping” or “preserving” of his elect. This is an important aspect of election which we will discuss in depth later. It reads, “…insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” The parenthetical expression “if it were possible” indicates that their deception is not possible for some reason beyond themselves. Verse 31 goes on to say that God’s angels “…shall gather together his elect…”
Mark 13:20 ties our first two key words together. It reads, “…for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.” Two verses later, the idea of “keeping” is again added to election: “…to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” God’s elect are “kept” by God and saved from their own inability to discern deception. Verse 27 reiterates the gathering together of the elect by the angels which we just read about in Matthew 24:31.
Luke 18:7 reads, “And shall not God avenge his own elect…” Colossians 3:2 reads, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” Titus 1:1 mentions, “…the faith of God’s elect…” 2John 1 and 13 mention, “…the elect lady…” and “…thy elect sister…”
1Thessalonians 1:4 reads, “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” This does not mean the brethren elected God. This Old English would be interpreted: “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election by God” in our modern usage of the language. Romans 8:33 reads, “Who shall lay anything to God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.”
In 2Timothy 2:10, Paul reveals the predestination aspect of election. He writes, “Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” Apparently there are people among the elect who have yet to “obtain the salvation.” Their election must have occurred at some time in the past and their obtaining of salvation is yet to happen through Paul’s endurance. Note also the plural use of “elect’s sakes” as opposed to “elect’s sake.” There are multiple persons and people groups among the elect such as the Jews and Gentiles which we read of in Romans 11 or the generation living at the time of the writing and generations who were yet to come.
Having learned that people are elected by God and chosen by God, let us consider a passage in John chapter 6. Beginning with verse 44, Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him…” The verb “can” indicates that an individual in and of himself is unable to come to God. Use of the verb “may” or “will” would have indicated man had a choice in the matter. “No man can” indicates not the lack of permission to “come to me”, but rather an inherent inability. The verse declares that only the people whom God draws are enabled to come to Him. In the same chapter verses 37 and 39 read, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me…of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing…” These verses tell us that all people who have been elected by God will come to salvation through Jesus and remain there. This again illustrates the “keeping” of the elect before and after salvation and is our first hint of eternal security.