The Greek is eklektos and a proper English translation could have been: elect, select, chosen......We were not candidates running against one another for the choosing based on our qualifications. But we were selected (called out of something) based on the foreknowledge of God who knew us before we were born, knew all our days, knew all our choices, knew our heart. And knowing our heart, He tendered us but allowed us to choose to respond to His calling...a calling that was certainly made not because we deserved it or were qualified for it but simply because He chose us first because He loved us!
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Note: Strongs 1537 'ek' means "out from and to' (see more). The Greek word for 'church' is ekklesia is is the cognate of 'ek' and 'kaleo' meaning 'to call'...properly people called out from the world and to God...the outcome being the church.
Definition: chosen out, elect, choice, select, sometimes as subst: of those chosen out by God for the rendering of special service to Him (of the Hebrew race, particular Hebrews, the Messiah, and the Christians).
Cognate: 1588 eklektós (an adjective, derived from 1586 /eklégomai, "to select, choose," also used as a substantive/noun) – properly, selected (chosen from, out of), especially as a deeply personal choice – literally "chosen, out of a personal preference (intention)." See 1586 (eklegomai).
Typically, 1588 /eklektós ("select, chosen") describes people who choose to follow the Lord, i.e. become God's choice by freely receiving faith (4102 /pístis) from Him. Accordingly, these two terms are directly connected (see Tit 1:1; Lk 18:7,8).
According to John 15: 16, God chose us FIRST.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last-
When it says that people who choose to follow the Lord; this is a reference to the fact that men do not always choose to respond to the Lord's drawing. But we would never have chosen God if it weren't for Him wooing us. We are selfish in nature and would have elected ourselves god.
According to Matthew 22:15, MANY are CALLED but FEW are CHOSEN
Mathew 22:14-15 Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot and throw him outside into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.
But if we were "chosen out" by God, doesn't that mean that He chose some and not others. God is definitely making an election by calling us out of something....but I believe this election is calling us out of darkness because 1 Peter 2:9 tells us: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We were called out of darkness
We were chosen because we answered His call
We were then chosen and called for a specific purpose: to declare the praises of Him!
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We were not chosen because of something we did OR something that we were going to doing (as in meriting God's favor). We were definitely not in God's favor and were actually called enemies. God also didn't call us because of something that we were going to do....as if God depended on us to fulfill His purposes. We are invited to participate in His plans and miss out out on the blessing if we don't.
My question is, does "believing" constitute meriting. I think some of the arguments against saying that God chose because He foreknew those who would believe. The Scriptures do call "believing" the "work" that we are to do (REF) but I think the point of that Scripture was to emphasize that we don't DO (merit, clean our selves up, do something good) anything, rather we believe on the work that Jesus Christ did on our behalf.
We also have to remember that God exists outside of time and Scriptures indicate that He knew us before the creation of the world (none of us were accidents) and that He chose us before the foundations were set. Before time....He knew us...and everything about us was laid out before Him.
Look up Scriptures about Judas - I remember someone pointing out a Scripture that seemed to indicate that God chose Judas to betray Him. I'd have to examine the Scripture reference but this could mean:
- God in His sovereignty could have chosen Judas for this "position" independently of Judas' choice which would be the Calvanistic perspective. While I have a hard time with that, I trust in God's sovereignty and know that Judas who denied Christ, like Peter, could have been forgiven but chose to kill himself instead under the weight of what he had done.
- God did choose Judas to be in the inner circle but Scriptures also indicate that Jesus knew who would believe in Him and who would betray Him. (Ref: )
- God was in control and predicted that Jesus would be betrayed (Ref) but who's to say that God made that prediction because He knew Judas' heart or God set a plan in place and then chose Judas to fulfill that plan. I think the power of prophecy is to show that God is in control and there are no coincidences. I also know that the betrayal could have been fulfilled in a number of ways as the religious leaders sought to kill Jesus multiple times and coerced some to even lie at his trial (Ref: ). God didn't need Judas to betray Jesus....there were many in line that would have been candidates for the position.
I think it is possible that God may not choose someone to believe or not believe (that is our choice) but I believe He can, knowing our heart and all about us, can choose to put us in certain positions or not put us in positions. That is also why I believe that the Holy Spirit gifts as He determines (Ref: ).