Who are God's "elect?" (in the NT)

[Lar]

Hello again Giller,

Giller wrote:

 

Heb 6:4-6
(4)  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
(5)  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
(6)  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
 

The ones who were once enlightened are people who were once believers, and the ones to be renewed again to repentance, is talking about one who had truly repented (which means he was a Christian), but he completely fell away from God's ways, in a complete way.

And who is Paul talking to?

Heb 6:1
(1)  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
 

He is talking to believers (let us (believers) go on unto perfection).

So for it to be impossible to be renewed unto repentance, you had to of first tasted of the heavenly gift, made partakers of the Holy Ghost, tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.

Now in another scripture God says he is married to the backslider, so in the case of Hebrews , I do not believe that it is referring to a general falling away to were you backslid to some degree, but I believe it is talking about a believer who has experienced all of these things, including the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and then denies things he knows was of the Holy Ghost, and says it is of the devil, or things of such manner, to were they have committed the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost.

It is to so so knowingly.

And not the fact of struggling in sin.

Mar 3:22-30
(22)  And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
(23)  And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
(24)  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
(25)  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
(26)  And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
(27)  No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
(28)  Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
(29)  But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
(30)  Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

 

Giller, thank you for sharing all of these scriptures with me (and with all of us who are reading this post of yours).

This topic of mine appears to somehow have been a bit of a paradox: in the sense that 1.) the truth of being one of God's *elect* is actually quite simple to understand.  And yet, 2.) Hebrews 6:4-6 may (at least in a sense) be talking about those persons who commit the "unpardonable sin" - which certainly has very terrible consequences to it.  And there's nothing *simple* about their doing that!

Giller, (once again) many thanks to you for all the time (and for all of the effort) that you spent in your post of response to me.  I never dreamed that I would have been given so much to think about when I first posted my particular post on this topic.

May God bless you, and may He continue to guide you,

Lar

[Marilyn C]

16 hours ago, Lar said:

Hello all,

I've been trying to figure out who God's "elect" are.  Some Christians (who believe in "once saved, always saved") apparently believe that *all* born-again Christians are of God's "elect."

Hi Lar,

Good scriptures there bro, and a very good question. The `elect` in the New Testament are both Israel and the Body of Christ. `Elect` means that God has called them for a special purpose.

Israel`s elect are called out of the nations to follow the Lord and through Him rule over the nations of the world. (in the millennium & on into eternity).

The Body of Christ, elect, are called out of Israel & the nations for a specific responsibility to rule & reign with the Lord on His throne (seat of power & authority) in the third heaven.

Note: God knows who the `elect` will be. It is like a door. On one side it says `whosoever may come,` and on the other side when going through the door (Jesus) we read `elect` of God. So anyone may enter through Jesus and then they become the elect in the Body of Christ. People of course may turn away, for many reasons, and fall away as that scripture showed. God knows who will do this. However to be in the `elect` we need to be overcomers and not overcome by this world, the devil and the flesh. Quite a battle there, ay bro.

regards, Marilyn.

[Willa]

Many people receive Christ as Savior but have never surrendered to Him as Lord.  When they do they receive the authority of God's Word over them as well.  

God knows His own.  His sheep know His voice and follow Him.  

[JohnD]

Chosen / elect can only be accurately determined when considered in which category one is referring.

Worldly or heavenly. Physical or spiritual.

The chosen / elect of earth are the Jewish people. Belief / unbelief notwithstanding. The covenant with Abraham was unconditional.

The chosen / elect from heaven are all believers in the Jewish Messiah Jesus. Faith in Jesus is the only condition for the eternal life covenant.