Being the Lord’s Chosen People

[dreadnought]

People sometimes want to know who the Lord’s chosen people are, but what does it mean to be the Lord’s chosen people? Does it mean the Lord gives you special privileges?

I believe you will find being the chosen people means you are held up as an example to others. If you are obeying the Lord’s will, you will be blessed, and everyone will see. If you are not doing the Lord’s will, that blessing will be withheld, and people will see that, too.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

People sometimes want to know who the Lord’s chosen people are, but what does it mean to be the Lord’s chosen people? Does it mean the Lord gives you special privileges?

I believe you will find being the chosen people means you are held up as an example to others. If you are obeying the Lord’s will, you will be blessed, and everyone will see. If you are not doing the Lord’s will, that blessing will be withheld, and people will see that, too.

Sodom and Gommorah were held up as examples,...... but obviously are not/ were not God's chosen....

"special privileges" , like being arrested, beaten , subject to humiliation, imprisoned, mocked, martyred, belittled, scoffed at , tortured, ....
Yes, as Jesus promised: if you follow Me, you will necessarily suffer painful persecution.
and shown throughout the NT and history.......

"blessed" ? as King David cried "why do the wicked prosper!?" ..... while the ones faithful to God are hunted in the woods and mountains like criminals (oh, Jesus was classed with criminals, and said to His disciples to expect no better treatment) ...

 

[PROPHECYKID]

People sometimes want to know who the Lord’s chosen people are, but what does it mean to be the Lord’s chosen people? Does it mean the Lord gives you special privileges?

I believe you will find being the chosen people means you are held up as an example to others. If you are obeying the Lord’s will, you will be blessed, and everyone will see. If you are not doing the Lord’s will, that blessing will be withheld, and people will see that, too.

I agree and in addition to that, the intention is to be able to reach everyone by your life. Jesus said, ye are the light of the world. His chosen are supposed to reflect him and therefore others can have a knowledge of him and be drawn to him. The ultimate goal is to save as many as possible. It is disappointing that many here cannot see that.

 

[TuxAme]

Special privileges? Well, assuming that we persevere until the end, we'll be saved. One heck of a privilege.

 

[dreadnought]

Sodom and Gommorah were held up as examples,...... but obviously are not/ were not God's chosen....

"special privileges" , like being arrested, beaten , subject to humiliation, imprisoned, mocked, martyred, belittled, scoffed at , tortured, ....
Yes, as Jesus promised: if you follow Me, you will necessarily suffer painful persecution.
and shown throughout the NT and history.......

"blessed" ? as King David cried "why do the wicked prosper!?" ..... while the ones faithful to God are hunted in the woods and mountains like criminals (oh, Jesus was classed with criminals, and said to His disciples to expect no better treatment) ...

I suppose you could make that argument for anything that's ever happened on this earth - it is an example for the rest of us. I still think, though, that being the chosen race doesn't mean you are entitled. I think it means you are held up as an example, for better or worse, for others to see.

 

[dreadnought]

Special privileges? Well, assuming that we persevere until the end, we'll be saved. One heck of a privilege.

I guess one cannot argue with that.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

I suppose you could make that argument for anything that's ever happened on this earth - it is an example for the rest of us. I still think, though, that being the chosen race doesn't mean you are entitled. I think it means you are held up as an example, for better or worse, for others to see.

Most people in religious groups anywhere, do not see what the Ekklesia in the New Testament/ 1st centuries and later/ saw /see - experience daily..... to be sure, read the description in the New Testament.... it is extraordinary/ supernatural/ divine and 'rare' today... (as it was then also - always "few" , not many)

 

[dreadnought]

Most people in religious groups anywhere, do not see what the Ekklesia in the New Testament/ 1st centuries and later/ saw /see - experience daily..... to be sure, read the description in the New Testament.... it is extraordinary/ supernatural/ divine and 'rare' today... (as it was then also - always "few" , not many)

But I'm not talking about the Ekklesia. I'm talking about a group of people such as Christians or Jews. I see the Jews as the chosen race, but I don't think it makes them special or better than anyone. I think it means they are held up as an example.

 

[JCFantasy23]

People sometimes want to know who the Lord’s chosen people are, but what does it mean to be the Lord’s chosen people? Does it mean the Lord gives you special privileges?

I believe you will find being the chosen people means you are held up as an example to others. If you are obeying the Lord’s will, you will be blessed, and everyone will see. If you are not doing the Lord’s will, that blessing will be withheld, and people will see that, too.

I think we are instantly blessed by having a relationship with God. I agree with you that followers of Christ should be examples for others - but I don't believe further blessings fall on those who obey the Lord's will. Sometimes the most faithful struggle or have horrible things in their lives happen. If we depend on the theory that blessings = obedience, then many may start to doubt their standing in God's eyes if trouble comes their way.

 

[dreadnought]

I think we are instantly blessed by having a relationship with God. I agree with you that followers of Christ should be examples for others - but I don't believe further blessings fall on those who obey the Lord's will. Sometimes the most faithful struggle or have horrible things in their lives happen. If we depend on the theory that blessings = obedience, then many may start to doubt their standing in God's eyes if trouble comes their way.

The advantage of obeying the Lord is that we don't have to face the consequences of sin.

 

[justbyfaith]

We can begin to obey the Lord and still face the consequences of sins committed in days past...if we are not actually redeemed by the blood of the Lamb but are seeking to obey the Lord out of some other reason than that He has saved us and we are thankful, love Him, and want to please Him because of it.

 

[dreadnought]

We can begin to obey the Lord and still face the consequences of sins committed in days past...if we are not actually redeemed by the blood of the Lamb but are seeking to obey the Lord out of some other reason than that He has saved us and we are thankful, love Him, and want to please Him because of it.

I think obeying the Lord is obeying the Lord. He told us to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls, and love our neighbors as ourselves. If we do that, I think we will be okay.

 

[justbyfaith]

No one is saved through law-keeping, Galatians 2:16, Romans 3:20, Galatians 2:21.

 

[justbyfaith]

If there had been a law given that could impart life (including the two greatest ones), verily righteousness should have been by the law. Galatians 3:21.

 

[Wordkeeper]

If there had been a law given that could impart life (including the two greatest ones), verily righteousness should have been by the law. Galatians 3:21.

Galatians 3
21Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.22But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Gal 3:21 says that if getting into a relationship with God was the advantage Jews had, then Law would have been the way that the advantage was gained. However, Law actually pointed out Israel's sin, non qualification.

No one is saved through law-keeping, Galatians 2:16, Romans 3:20, Galatians 2:21.

Galatians 2
14But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

15“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; 16nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

Galatians 2
21“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

Gal 2:16 says there is no salvation advantage in being a Jew. It does not say a person will not be saved by doing good works. Ditto verse 21.

Romans 3
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:20 says that the law, instead of giving Jews an advantage, actually shows Israel she is sinful. It doesn't say that people aren't in a good relationship with God if they do good works.

 

[Paidiske]

I think it's even more than being an example; we're called to carry out God's mission in and to the world.

 

[justbyfaith]

Galatians 3
21Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.22But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Gal 3:21 says that if getting into a relationship with God was the advantage Jews had, then Law would have been the way that the advantage was gained. However, Law actually pointed out Israel's sin, non qualification.



Galatians 2
14But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

15“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; 16nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

Galatians 2
21“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

Gal 2:16 says there is no salvation advantage in being a Jew. It does not say a person will not be saved by doing good works. Ditto verse 21.

Romans 3
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:20 says that the law, instead of giving Jews an advantage, actually shows Israel she is sinful. It doesn't say that people aren't in a good relationship with God if they do good works.

You have added your interpretation to these scriptures. For they say clearly that no flesh shall be justified by the works of the law.

 

[dreadnought]

No one is saved through law-keeping, Galatians 2:16, Romans 3:20, Galatians 2:21.

Yes, the Lord forgives us for our sins, but he expects us to repent:

[12] Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phili 2:12-13 RSV

 

[dreadnought]

If there had been a law given that could impart life (including the two greatest ones), verily righteousness should have been by the law. Galatians 3:21.

Actually, that IS the law, isn't it? If we resist the temptation to sin, we have peace. That has been my experience.

 

[dreadnought]

I think it's even more than being an example; we're called to carry out God's mission in and to the world.

That would be true of all of us, but does the Lord hold up the Jews as an example for us all, for both good and bad?