Chosen? ELECTION-Service & Privilege

[com7fy8]

Mark 3:14 says >

"Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach," (Mark 3:14)

They were selected "that they might be with Him".

Therefore they were not chosen only to serve.

I understand this means Jesus wanted to have them so He could love them and share with them and expose them to how Jesus is and how Jesus relates in love.

Then, while they were serving Jesus, they could rightly represent Jesus who sent them so people could get the right meaning of His message.

Edited February 19, 2023 by com7fy8

[FreeGrace]

5 hours ago, Selah7 said:

I’m wondering if folks might not know that the chosen are the Elect and that another name for the “Elect” is “saints.”

Not exactly.  Judas was chosen and he was no saint.  The words chosen and elect are the same thing.

God chooses people for service.  1 Cor 1:27,28

27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 

28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,

The blue words are who God chose.  The red words refer to the purpose.  God has different purposes for those He chooses.  Not all are saints.

[FreeGrace]

4 hours ago, Selah7 said:

The called are the Elect.

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

There is certainly an overlap in meaning, but the words are different.  In the Greek, to be "called" means to be "invited".  So, yes, God does invite all believers to service.

Recall, "many are called, but few are chosen".  

[kwikphilly]

5 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

1 Thessalonians 1:4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

How could Paul speak so confidently about the election of the 

Thessalonians? He explains in the narrative.

6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having

received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 

7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia

who believe. 

8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth,

not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place.

Your faith toward God has gone out,

so that we do not need to say anything.

The called know they are chosen (the elect), when they

are fully established in God's Purpose, not only for themselves,

but a part of the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is operating 

through them with some sort of gift for the All. This is throughout

the apostolic message.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove what is that good and acceptable

and perfect will of God.

The Elect have come to know and understand God's Will,

and have received and acknowledged the measure of faith

by which they are established. Romans 12:3

 

Continuing in 1 Thessalonians @kwikphilly, it was inevitable

that the Thessalonians and the Election threads would intersect.

13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing,

because when you received the word of God which you

heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men,

but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively 

works in you who believe. 

14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God

which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the

same things from your own countrymen, just as they did 

from the Judeans.

Those who receive the Gospel in the midst of persecution 

prove their election. This was so in the beginning, and will

be in the end.

Revelation 7:

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me,

“Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”

14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”

So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of

the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made

them white in the blood of the Lamb.

In Romans 11, the elect is used in a very specific way:

7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks;

but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 

The Elect here are Jews not blinded to the Truth by Isaiah 6.

Their purpose is for the sake of the Gentiles.

11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall?

Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them

to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 

12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their

failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle

to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 

14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those

who are my flesh and save some of them. 

15 For if their being cast away is the

reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance 

be but life from the dead?

Gentiles are not referred to as the Elect in this narrative.

They have just become the called, and the apostles are

clarifying God's Purpose. 

I dunno,confusing Elect with " selected"perhaps? It's hard for me to reconcile a statement that " no one knows whether or not theyre elect?There's so much Written about it....

Anyway,it's such a good comparison on the " corporate" election of Israel & Corporate election of the Body of Christ....  

Clearly it's not a selection of individuals but each individual is " Elect"because Jesus Is,in Christ

Perfect address,Paul to the Gentiles👍

 

[FreeGrace]

4 hours ago, Selah7 said:

Why do you think God chose the Elect?

You could have asked, "why do you think God chose the Chosen?"  Or, why do you think God elected the Elect?"

God chooses, or elects, based on what service He wants accomplished.  Regarding Judas, God always knew he would definitely betray the Messiah if the opportunity (he was an opportunist) arose.  So God placed Judas WHEN and WHERE He did so that he would have that opportunity.  Acts 17:26.  So God chose him to betray Jesus.  John 6:70, 71

4 hours ago, Selah7 said:

 Because He knew them before the foundation of the world—foreknowledge.  They were faithful to God then.  The Elect are the ones God uses for the tough times-especially in this generation.  Who do you think God is going to use in these latter days to come against the antichrist?  He will use His Elect!

No one is faithful before the foundation of the world.  But, yes, God does know who will and won't be faithful.  That's not the basis of the Eph 1:4 election.  That is a corporate election, in which those who are "in Christ" have been chosen for service to The Elect One.

Regarding the antichrist, he actually "wins" in the short term.  At least it will appear so.  Many believers will lose their heads, etc.  But at the resurrection, the resurrection body of believers will be like that of Jesus Christ, and then believers will be superior to all angels.  In fact, Paul says believers will "judge the angels".  1 Cor 6:3 - Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

[FreeGrace]

3 hours ago, Selah7 said:

Those are the Elect.  

Why are you not willing, apparently, to recognize Judas Iscariot as an elected one?

[FreeGrace]

1 hour ago, Selah7 said:

Yes, many are called, but few are chosen.  The Elect have already been justified, remember?  

Judas was not justified, but he was chosen.  John 6:70,71

[FreeGrace]

1 hour ago, Selah7 said:

I thought this topic was about Election, and that’s what predestination is all about, Kwik.  

Okay.  God bless.

No, they are different.  

[FreeGrace]

19 minutes ago, com7fy8 said:

Mark 3:14 says >

"Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach," (Mark 3:14)

They were selected "that they might be with Him".

Therefore they were not chosen only to serve.

Sending them out to preach is certainly a service.  Jesus wasn't lonely and wanted friends.  

[Mr. M]

4 minutes ago, kwikphilly said:

It's hard for me to reconcile a statement that " no one knows whether or not theyre elect?There's so much Written about it....

 

3 minutes ago, FreeGrace said:

Why are you not willing, apparently, to recognize Judas Iscariot as an elected one?

The Elect are established in God's Purpose, (even Judas, "that the

scripture may be fulfilled")

Until someone knows their ordained purpose In Christ, their election

is confined to adapting (conforming) to the Body of Christ. 

The Elect lead the flock into this Way.

2 Timothy 1:

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony

of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me

in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, 

not according to our works,

but according to His own purpose and grace which was given

to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 

I find most established believers are well versed on Grace,

but often short on Purpose.