Are we the Chosen Few?

Soulsister:

You asked :My question:

Do you believe that it is Biblically correct to say that if we have eternal life, we are the chosen of God? What does this mean? Did God know before I was even born that I would accept His Son? Are our(the saved)names written in the Book of Life? Can they be taken out of the Book of Life by what we do or not do? I just think this is an interesting topic. Any insight from you all would be very appreciated. Any more Bible verses that back up this view, or enlighten me more into the depth of what being His Chosen means would be great!

Answer to question

#1 - Yes, we who have eternal life abiding in us , we are the chosen of God.

#2 - Sons of God ----- He chose us, we did not choose our Father,nor our Father in heaven.

#3 - It is not that God knew before you were born that you would accept his Son. But the fact that you were chosen, he put his Son (Christ IN You ) in your heart crying Abba Father.

#4 - Our names are written in the -'Lamb's book of life' , all others , their names are written in the book of life. Two books !

#5 - Yes , in both books one's name can be taken out of either of the two books of life.

Because this is so power packed, and full of information. In order to answer all your questions with 100 or more verses of scripture. Why don't we start with your question number 1 and then move on to your question number 2 and so on - agreed ?

Love IN Christ - HErvey

ELECTION AND PREDESTINATION For God to predestinate (Gr. proorizo) is for him to decree or foreordain the circumstances and destiny of people according to his perfect will (Rom 8:29-30; Eph 1:11), a particular aspect of the general providence of God. For God to elect (Heb. bachar, Gr. eklegomai) is for him to choose for salvation and/or service a people or a person; the choice is based not on merit but on his free, sovereign love (Deut 4:37; 7:7; 14:2; Acts 13:17; 15:7; 1 Thess 1:4). Further, since predestination and election are both presented as acts of God, election cannot be on the basis of God's knowing in advance the reactions of people to his will. Election must be choice flowing only from God's own initiative. Believers were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4).

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My own personal beliefs are different. I prefer to belief the words of Jesus as spoken in John 3:16. However predestination does offer an answer to my question...Why would anyone not choose God?

LOVE

>>Are we the Chosen Few?

We are a called out people from a called out people. 1/3 of 1/3 of the people are the chosen. They really live the christian life as an example to others. There is no guile in them, there is no compromise in them.

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

From their witness and testimony, I believe that one third of all people will ultimately end up saved. But it will not be those who call themselves christians, it will be those who truely do the will of the father in heaven.

The harlot church says we can not live free from sin. She is a liar, because Jesus tells us to DO the will of the Father. Those who do His will will be saved.

My own personal beliefs are different. I prefer to belief the words of Jesus as spoken in John 3:16. However predestination does offer an answer to my question...

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Well, most often speak about predestination as double sided: God chose some to go to heaven, others go to hell. Biblically predestination refers to only the part that God chooses some to go to heaven. However, even that needs explanation. According to Ephesians 1:5, God "predestined us in Christ. Thus,w e can never speak about predestination apart from being in Christ.

Why would anyone not choose God?

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The issue is that we are not "neutral" before God. According to Ephesians 2:1-3 people are dead in trespasses and sin, and "by nature" sinful. Only God can make alive (Ephesians 2:4-5). Once the person is spiritually alive, then "choosing God" seems logical, but the reality is that God chose us, and made us alive - in Christ.

Without God making us alive, our desire is not to know and please God (Hebrews 11:6 "(But without faith it is impossible to please Him").

SSC - Short, for SoulsisterClaire :

We will deal with the two books of life later, but if you want to go ahead on your own, and read certain verses which contains these two books - read theses verses > Exodus 32:32 & 33 -- Psalm 69:28 & Psalm 139:16 --- Revelation 3:5 Revelation 17:8 & Revelation 20:12 & Revelation 20:15 & Revelation 21:27 Revelation 22:19 --- Philippians 4:3- take note, that this book of life, is the Lamb's book of life, because the Lamb's book of life is where all the names of those who were chosen from before the foundations of the world are written.

Question #1 - The very first thing that needs to be said. Is that neither you nor I choose who our Father would be. The same is with God , who is either our figurative Father or our literal Father. The Word tells us that we are sons of God. This can be a difficult understanding by most who claim to be Christians, and sons of God.

I think we should start out by looking at Romans 8:14 - "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God". Here is where the surrounding verses are so critical. This of course is called context. You can not be led by the Spirit unless you have a contact with the Spirit. The Prophets had spirit upon them. This was a spirit from God to the Prophet to communicate with the Prophet directly. This however did not give them eternal life abiding in them. Christians , in order to have eternal life abiding in them, "must" have the Spirit that God gives you, which makes you a son of God. Only a son would listen to his Father , because he was his Father. The same is true in the literal realm. To be a son of a Father, you must be of his seed. WE will come back to Romans 8 shortly. But let us go to Galatians 3:16 to see, and understand this "seed". We as sons of God have the seed of his Son in us. Which is the one seed Christ. In verse 16 it tells us "thy seed" which is "Christ". As Isaac was the promised seed, so was Christ the promised seed.

Galatians 4:28 says - "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise"

Turn back to Romans , but look at Romans 9:7 "In Isaac thy seed shall be called" - Which is a figurative way of saying that Christ who is the promised seed of/from God, so also was Isaac promised by God unto Abraham to be the promised seed of Abraham and Sarah. Romans 9:8 tells us - "They that are the children of the flesh, are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed". Isaac was chosen to be the promise seed of Abraham and Sarah. We as Christians, who have Christ in us, are the promise seed of/from God. This is what "makes" us sons of God.

Now back to Romans 8:14 , those who are led, are those who have the promise seed, and walk by faith, who are led. You can have the seed, but stop walking by faith, which means you will not allow yourself to be led.

As I said before -Context. This context of Romans 8:14 actually starts in verse 4 and ends in Romans 8:30.

Romans 8:9 tells us that If we be in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God that dwells in you. You can not be in the Spirit, unless the Spirit of God dwell in you, which is the promise seed. God himself is not in us literally. His "seed" is. The second half of this verse tells us that --- "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ , he is none of his".

The understanding of eternal life abiding in you is in Romans 8:10 & 11 - "But if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin ; but the Spirit (Christ in you) is life because of righteousness" ----- Verse 11 says that our seed of Christ in us, is a "mortal" body, that will be quickened . "Mortal" means , that which has life, and does not need to be raised from the dead in a literal sense. That is why the word "quickened" is used here. Spirit can not die, and the Spirit of His Son in us, Christ IN us, goes to the grave with us, but is "Mortal" - that which has life in. There are two resurrections #1 - corruption unto incorruption, and mortal unto immortality - I Corinthians 15:51 thru verse 54.

Ephesians 1:4 - 13 Predestined

When Christ died, we died with him, and when he was raised, we were raised with him, and when he ascended up into the heavens, and was seated on the right hand of God, we were seated with him - Reference: Romans 6:3 thru 11 & Ephesians 2:6 & I Corinthians 6:14 & 15

Galatians 4:6 - "And because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father".

The Spirit of his Son in our hearts, is also the promise seed, as was Isaac. This "seed" has eternal life abiding in it. It is mortal. And it is only given unto those whom God has chosen to be his children. This is not our choice, but only the Father's choice. We choose to believe, because we have the Spirit of his Son in our hearts - which is Christ in us, the hope of glory - Colossians 1:27. We do not believe to receive the Spirit of His Son, we believe because we have the faith of Christ , and the mind of Christ in us.

I told you it would not be simple, but the understanding is simple !

Love IN Christ - Hervey

SSC - Short for -- well you know

Can we live a sin free life ? No !

I John 1:10 - "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar , and his word is not in us"

I John 1:8 - "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us"

I John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"

We are suppose to consider ourselves dead to sin. But we know that every man falls short of the glory of God. God knows this also, so we have an advocate in Christ Jesus.

Love IN Christ - Hervey

I believe that what was predestined was The Way, not the individual. He decided, before he even created the world, that since man would introduce sin and suffering into it, that he would make a way to erase sin. Thus, he predestined the way to be redeemed, but did not decide ahead of time who would elect to accept his plan; he left that up to us in the form of freewill!

SSC:

Come to think about it. I could not answer question #1 without answering question 2 & 3 also.

But to be totally honest. Question #3 can be explained a little further. There are going to be those who are called, and those who are chosen. The called are followers, and the chosen are those whom the called follow. The chosen have Christ in them, which is the light of life. In Adam all die, and IN Christ , all shall be made alive. Christians are ambassadors for Christ. Those whom have been called, are those who hear the calling through these ambassadors for Christ. Many are called, but not all, but also, few are chosen, but also not all. All will be raised from the dead. Christians are brothers, followers of Christ are the brethren. I suppose I could also type here for another half an hour. But this should be sufficent for now.

So , I guess we are on question #4 now , but that will have to wait, as my day is coming to a close.

Love IN Christ - Hervey

SSC

Did you have the time to read the verses I gave you pertaining to the two books of life ?

Love IN Christ - Hervey