Reference: Election
Fausets
(See ELECT.)
Hastings
The idea of election, as expressive of God's method of accomplishing His purpose for the world in both providence and grace, though (as befits the character of the Bible as peculiarly 'the history of redemption') especially in grace, goes to the heart of Scripture teaching. The word 'election' itself occurs but a few times (Ac 9:15 'vessel of election,' Ro 9:11; 11:5,7,28; 1Th 1:4; 2Pe 1:10); 'elect' in NT much oftener (see below); but equivalent words in OT and NT, as 'choose,' 'chosen,' 'foreknow' (in sense of 'fore-designate'), etc., considerably extend the range of usage. In the OT, as will be seen, the special object of the Divine election is Israel (e.g. De 4:37; 7:7 etc.); but within Israel are special elections, as of the tribe of Levi, the house of Aaron, Judah, David and his house, etc.; while, in a broader sense, the idea, if not the expression, is present wherever individuals are raised up, or separated, for special service (thus of Cyrus, Isa 44:28; 45:1-6). In the NT the term 'elect' is frequently used, both by Christ and by the Apostles, for those who are heirs of salvation (e.g. 24/22/type/anderson'>Mt 24:22,24,31; Lu 18:7; Ro 8:33; Col 3:12; 2Ti 2:10; Tit 1:1; 1Pe 1:2), and the Church, as the new Israel, is described as 'an elect race' (1Pe 2:9). Jesus Himself is called, with reference to Isa 42:1, God's 'chosen' or 'elect' One (Mt 12:18; Lu 9:35 RV, Lu 23:35); and mention is once made of 'elect' angels (1Ti 5:21). In St. Paul's Epistles the idea has great prominence (Ro 9; Eph 1:4 etc.). It is now necessary to investigate the implications of this idea more carefully.
Election, etymologically, is the choice of one, or of some, out of many. In the usage we are investigating, election is always, and only, of God. It is the method by which, in the exercise of His holy freedom, He carries out His purpose ('the purpose of God according to election,' Ro 9:11). The 'call' which brings the election to light, as in the call of Abraham, Israel, believers, is in time, but the call rests on God's prior, eternal determination (Ro 8:28-29). Israel was chosen of God's free love (De 7:6 ff.); believers are declared to be blessed in Christ, 'even as he chose' them 'in him'
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You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has become tasteless, by what means shall it become salt again? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trod upon by men. You are the light of the world: a city that lies upon a mountain can not be hid: read more. neither do men light a lamp and place it under the measure, but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light to all that are in the house. In this way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Be hold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul delights. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall declare law to the Gentiles.
And unless those days should be made few, no flesh could be saved. But on account of the elect those days shall be made few.
For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
And he will send his angels with a trumpet of great voice, and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
And there came a voice from the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son; hear him.
and will not God avenge his elect, who cry to him day and night, though he delay long in respect to them?
And the people stood and looked on. And the rulers, with them scoffed at him, saying: He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ, the chosen of God.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
All that the Father gives me, will come to me; and him that comes to me, I will by no means cast out.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that of all that he gives me, I shall lose nothing, but shall raise it up at the last day.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that of all that he gives me, I shall lose nothing, but shall raise it up at the last day.
To him the door-keeper opens; and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. And when he puts his own sheep out, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice. read more. And a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.
my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall take them out of my hand. read more. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to take them out of my Father's hand.
You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and appointed you, that you may go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit may remain; that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he may give you.
to do whatever thy hand and thy counsel determined to be done.
But the Lord said to him: Go; for he is a vessel chosen by me to bear my name before nations and kings, and the sons of Israel.
But the Lord said to him: Go; for he is a vessel chosen by me to bear my name before nations and kings, and the sons of Israel.
And Peter opened his mouth, and said: In truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons;
And when they heard these things, they ceased to contend; and they glorified God, saying: Then, indeed, has God given to the Gentiles also repentance in order to life.
in order to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me.
And we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
And we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew, he predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren:
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor hight, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. SECTION THIRD. God's Dealings with Israel as a People,
It is not possible that the word of God has failed; for they are not all Israel who are of Israel. Nor, because they are the posterity of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall your posterity be called. read more. That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the posterity. For the word of the promise is this: At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. Not only so, but when Rebecca had conceived by one, even our father Isaac, (the children, indeed, having not yet been born, and having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls,)
(the children, indeed, having not yet been born, and having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls,)
(the children, indeed, having not yet been born, and having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls,)
(the children, indeed, having not yet been born, and having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls,) it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger; read more. as it is written: Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What, then, shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with. God? It can not be.
Therefore, it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.
Therefore, it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.
Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day,
What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day,
For I do not wish you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery lest you be wise in your own conceit that blindness has happened to Israel in part, till the full number of the Gen tiles shall have come in.
As it respects the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sakes; but as it respects their election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes:
and salute the church that is in their house. Salute Epenetus my beloved, who is the first fruits of Asia to Christ.
For we are fellow-laborers for God: you are God's field, you are God's building.
You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; you are well known to be a letter of Christ, written by us as his ministers, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Because God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
But when God, who chose me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, was pleased
PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints that are in Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. read more. Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly things in Christ, according as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love,
according as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love,
according as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love,
for the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he has shown us favor in the Beloved,
in him in whom we have obtained our portion, having been predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
For by grace you have been saved through the faith; and this matter is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God:
for it is God, who, of his good pleasure, works in you both the will and the power to perform.
for it is God, who, of his good pleasure, works in you both the will and the power to perform.
giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit for a portion of the inheritance of the saints in light: who has delivered us from the authority of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,
Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, a merciful disposition, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering:
I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, and that you do nothing by partiality.
PAUL, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledgement of the truth, which is according to godliness;
That they may teach the young women to be sober-minded, to love their husbands, to love their children,
not stealing, but showing all good faithfulness, that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in all things.
looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant,
Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, perfect you in every good work, in order that you may do his will, working in you that which is acceptable in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory from age to age. Amen.
perfect you in every good work, in order that you may do his will, working in you that which is acceptable in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory from age to age. Amen.
Of his own will, he begot us with the word of truth, in order that we might be, as it were, the first-fruits of his creatures.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, that you should show forth the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his wonderful light:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, that you should show forth the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his wonderful light:
These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins; these are they that follow the Lamb wherever he goes: these were redeemed from among men, the first-fruits to God and to the Lamb.
Morish
??????, 'choice.' Spoken of :
1. the Lord Jesus: "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect (bachir) in whom my soul delighteth." Isa 42:1; 1Pe 2:6. He was fore-ordained to be a mercy-seat through faith in His blood. Ro 3:25, margin; 1Pe 1:20.
2. Cyrus, who was called by God to be His 'shepherd' to work out His will, saying to Jerusalem, "Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid." Isa 44:28; 45:1-4. It was Cyrus who released the captives to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Ezr 1:2-3.
3. When Jacob and Esau were born, Jacob was elected for blessing, and his descendants as the only nation chosen by God for His special favour. Ro 9:11-13; Am 3:2.
4. When God again restores Israel into blessing it will be a remnant that will be chosen, whom He calls His 'elect.' Isa 65:9,15,22; 24/22/type/anderson'>Mt 24:22,24,31; Ro 11:28.
5. Elect angels. 1Ti 5:21.
6. Election of persons to eternal life. Ro 8:29-30,33; 11:5,7; Col 3:12; 1Th 1:4; 2Ti 2:10; Tit 1:1; 1Pe 1:2; 5:13; 2Pe 1:10; 2Jo 1:13.
The reason Christians feel a difficulty as to the doctrine of election to eternal life, is because they do not see the extent of the fall of man, and his utterly lost condition. Were it not for election, and the prevailing grace that follows it, not one would be saved. Christ died for all, and the gospel is proclaimed to all, Ro 3:22; Heb 2:9; but alas, except for the election and grace of God, none would respond. Lu 14:18. God must have all the glory.
Another error that has caused a difficulty as to 'election ' is the idea which some maintain that as some are ordained to eternal life, others likewise are fore-ordained by God to perdition, called 'reprobation.' But this is not taught in scripture
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And unless those days should be made few, no flesh could be saved. But on account of the elect those days shall be made few.
For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
And he will send his angels with a trumpet of great voice, and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
And they all, with one consent, began to make excuse. The first said to him, I have bought a farm, and I must go and see it; I pray you, have me excused.
I repeat it, God's plan of justifying men through faith in Jesus Christ, which is for all, and on all that believe; for there is no difference;
whom God has set forth as a propitiatory sacrifice, through faith in his blood, in order to manifest his righteousness, in passing by the sins that were formerly committed through the forbearance of God;
For those whom he foreknew, he predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren: and those whom he predestinated he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
(the children, indeed, having not yet been born, and having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls,) it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger; read more. as it is written: Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day,
As it respects the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sakes; but as it respects their election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes:
Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, a merciful disposition, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering:
who is willing that all men should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.
I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, and that you do nothing by partiality.
PAUL, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledgement of the truth, which is according to godliness;
not stealing, but showing all good faithfulness, that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in all things.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, that he might, by the grace of God, taste death for every man- we see him, on account of his having suffered death, crowned with glory and honor.
who was indeed foreordained before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for you,
Watsons
ELECTION. Of a divine election, a choosing and separating from others, we have three kinds mentioned in the Scriptures. The first is the election of individuals to perform some particular and special service. Cyrus was "elected" to rebuild the temple; the twelve Apostles were "chosen," elected, to their office by Christ; St. Paul was a "chosen," or elected "vessel," to be the Apostle of the Gentiles. The second kind of election which we find in Scripture, is the election of nations, or bodies of people, to eminent religious privileges, and in order to accomplish, by their superior illumination, the merciful purposes of God, in benefiting other nations or bodies of people. Thus the descendants of Abraham, the Jews, were chosen to receive special revelations of truth; and to be "the people of God," that is, his visible church, publicly to observe and uphold his worship. "The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." "The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you, above all people." It was especially on account of the application of the terms elect, chosen, and peculiar, to the Jewish people, that they were so familiarly used by the Apostles in their epistles addressed to the believing Jews and Gentiles, then constituting the church of Christ in various places. For Christians were the subjects, also, of this second kind of election; the election of bodies of men to be the visible people and church of God in the world, and to be endowed with peculiar privileges. Thus they became, though in a more special and exalted sense, the chosen people, the elect of God. We say "in a more special sense," because as the entrance into the Jewish church was by natural birth, and the entrance into the Christian church, properly so called, is by faith and a spiritual birth, these terms, although many became Christians by mere profession, and enjoyed various priviledges in consequence of their people or nation being chosen to receive the Gospel, have generally respect, in the New Testament, to bodies of true believers, or to the whole body of true believers as such. They are not, therefore, to be interpreted according to the scheme of Dr. Taylor of Norwich, by the constitution of the Jewish, but by the constitution of the Christian, church.
2. To understand the nature of this "election," as applied sometimes to particular bodies of Christians, as when St. Peter says, "The church which is at Babylon, elected together with you," and sometimes to the whole body of believers every where; and also the reason of the frequent use of the term election, and of the occurrence of allusions to the fact; it is to be remembered, that a great religious revolution, so to speak, had occurred in the age of the Apostles; with the full import of which we cannot, without calling in the aid of a little reflection, be adequately impressed. This change was no other than the abrogation of the church state of the Jews, which had continued for so many ages. They had been the only visibly acknowledged people of God in all the nations of the earth; for whatever pious people might have existed in other nations, they were not, in the sight of men, and collectively, acknowledged as "the people of Jehovah." They had no written revelations, no appointed ministry, no forms of authorized initiation into his church and covenant, no appointed holy days, or sanctioned ritual. All these were peculiar to the Jews, who were, therefore, an elected and peculiar people. This distinguished honour they were about to lose. They might have retained it as Christians, had they been willing to admit the believing Gentiles of all nations to share it with them; but the great reason of their peculiarity and election, as a nation, was terminated by the coming of the Messiah, who was to be "a light to lighten the Gentiles," as well as "the glory of his people Israel." Their pride and consequent unbelief resented this, which will explain their enmity to the believing part of the Gentiles, who, when that which St. Paul calls "the fellowship of the mystery" was fully explained, chiefly by the glorious ministry of that Apostle himself, were called into that church relation and visible acknowledgment as the people of God, which the Jews had formerly enjoyed, and that with even a higher degree of glory, in proportion to the superior spirituality of the new dispensation. It was this doctrine which excited that strong irritation in the minds of the unbelieving Jews, and in some partially Christianized ones, to which so many references are made in the New Testament. The were "provoked," were made "jealous;" and were often roused to the madness of persecuting opposition by it. There was then a new election of a new people of God, to be composed of Jews, not by virtue of their natural descent, but through their faith in Christ, and of Gentiles of all nations, also believing, and put as believers, on an equal ground with the believing Jews: and there was also a rejection, a reprobation, but not an absolute one; for the election was offered to the Jews first, in every place, by offering them the Gospel. Some embraced it, and submitted to be the elect people of God, on the new ground of faith, instead of the old one of natural descent; and therefore the Apostle, Ro 11:7, calls the believing part of the Jews, "the election," in opposition to those who opposed this "election of grace," and still clung to their former and now repealed election as Jews and the descendants of Abraham; "But the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded." The offer had been made to the whole nation; all might have joined the one body of believing Jews and believing Gentiles; but the major part of them refused: they would not "come into the supper;" they made "light of it;" light of an election founded on faith, and which placed the relation of "the people of God" upon spiritual attainments, and offered to them only spiritual blessings. They were, therefore, deprived of election and church relationship of every kind: their temple was burned; their political state abolished; their genealogies confounded; their worship annihilated; and all visible acknowledgment of them by God as a church withdrawn, and transfer red to a church henceforward to be composed chiefly of Gentiles:
and thus, says St. Paul, "were fulfilled the words of Moses, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish," ignorant and idolatrous, "people I will anger you." It is easy, therefore, to see what is the import of the "calling" and "election" of the Christian church, as spoken of in the New Testament. It was not the calling and the electing of one nation in particular to succeed the Jews; but it was the calling and the electing of believers in all nations, wherever the Gospel should be preached, to be in reality what the Jews typically, and therefore in an inferior degree, had been,
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What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day,