In biblical times, they won't say that they chose to believe God. Instead they said that God chose them. 2000 years ago, when people were far far less knowledgeable thabn today, when they were farmers who prayed to their gods for good harvest, they had an element of humility towards divine elements -- which we don't have today. It was not only the Jews that felt subservient towards God, even the ancient Persians, Babylonians, Chinese, Egyptians, Mayans etc felt the same as they worshipped different gods.
So even though Scriptures said, ".. He gathered those that He called and chosen..." (Revelation 17:14), dont take it so literally. We need to understand that the Scriptures assert God's sovereignty and was written with element of humility.
Here is more about predestination if people chose:
A reasonably detailed answer is necessary to explain predestination. If you merely gloss over the following , you will not grasp the significant points.
Predestination is mentioned in the letters of Ephesians, Romans and Peter.
In biblical CONTEXT, predestination means that God had predestined or preplanned to offer redemption to the Jews first, and then the Gentiles - which means everyone. Note that i am NOT saying everyone is saved, but instead, everyone is now being offered redemption --- CONDITIONAL upon repentence (in the context of Scriptures).
The most detailed explanation of predestination is in
Ephesians 1, 2 & 3 (SEVENTY verses). Too many people focus on the words "He predestine us" (Eph 1:12) only and start thinking of individual predestination. However we really need to understand 70 verses to see Paul explained how God had chose the Jews first, and then also offer redemption to the Gentiles - and all these were preplanned by Him from very early on, even before the foundation of the earth.
Ephesians was written to Gentile Christians. The 3 chapters are paraphrased here, and the entire 70 verses is in the next post (so that people won't say I am cherry picking verses)
[Eph 1:4-13] just as
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world ... having been
predestined according to the plan of him …. (1:
12) in order that
we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, ...(1:1
3).
Here, who did Paul mean by "we" and "us"? He was referring to the Jews. We know that God chose Abraham and his descendents first: Israel was the chosen nation, the Jews were chosen people. Paul, writing as a Jew, used the word "we" and "us" as he identified with the Jews.
Then, from Ephesians 2:13, the apostle used the adverb "you" and "you who were Gentiles" as he referred to them.
(Ephesians 2) And
you also were included in Christ when
you heard the message of truth …... Therefore, remember that formerly
you who are Gentiles by birth and “uncircumcised” ….. excluded from Israel… (Eph 2:13) ..... For
He... has made the two groups one... His purpose was
... in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross… (3:18).... through the gospel
the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel,
members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ."
(The entire 3 chapters, with same verses highlighted in bold, is in next post.)
Used to be that Gentiles did not have access to Jehovah. Considered unclean, they were shunned by Jews. We don't feel it today, but back then, Jews and Gentiles won't eat at same table or go to each others houses. After Christ’s atonement, however, both Jews and Gentiles now have access to God. This offer of redemption has been pre-planned or predestined by God. Predestination means to pre-plan something: More important is what did God plan for? In biblical context, God preplanned or predestined to redeem theJews first, and then the Gentiles.
Why did Paul address Gentile believers as 'the Elect' (Eph 1)? Israel was the first chosen people of God. After Christ's atonement, the apostles initially thought that God chose to save the Jews only. After Peter's vision, however, the Gentiles were allowed to believe too. But as more Gentile Christians outnumbered Jewish believers, the Jews resented it and insisted that Gentiles should observe Sabbath and circumcision. Jews also claimed that God had just suddenly decided to offer redemption to the Gentiles after most Jews would not believe Jesus, implying that Gentiles were actually less favored. Refuting such allegation, Paul said that God does not show favoritism between the circumcised and uncircumcised [
Galatians 2:6].
By refering to Gentiles as the Elect [Eph 1], Paul was placing them on equal footing as the Jews. Now, Gentiles are also chosen, thats what Paul implied.
Elect or chosen is a status, it does not mean being chosen to be saved individually.
In the beginning -- before the foundation of earth -- God chose the Jews. The words, '
Before the foundation of the earth" acknowledge the Jews ancient heritage but it really means "initially" or 'way, way back, long time ago'.
By paying attention to context, we see that 'He predestine us' means God preplanned Israel n Jews to be His chosen people, not selecting individuals. And 'you are also predestined' and 'you who are Gentiles and uncircumcissd' (2:13) refer to how He had also planned to offer redemptive to the Gentiles.
At that time, Peter, Paul anf surely all apostles and Christians would have the same view of predestination. Ephesians offer the most detailed explanation. and in other Letters, the few verses regarding predestination and chosen should be read with the same concept as Ephesians 1,2 3.That is how Scriptures should interpret Scriptures: Passages and verses in different Letters are related.
In
Romans 9:11, God said He loves Jacob and hate Esau. God was referring to these 2 persons only, specifically, so how does this verse become a blanket statement to cast everyone else as chosen or otherwise ??? Seriously, i just don't see the connection.
In Romans, Paul as a Jew saluted Israel's heritage, but he went on to say the new order of Christ is here, things have changed. He was being nice and firm at the same time: He acknowledged his fellow citizens' rich traditions but say it was time to change, don't live in the past only, do turn to Christ.
Romans 9:18-23: Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will hardeneth .... " Paul said that God could choose to have mercy on Gentiles. It does NOT mean that God had mercy and chose some particular individuals.
Romans 8:29 : "For those God foreknew He also
predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son... He who predestined, He also justifies" means that God foreknew would also justified the Gentiles (if they accept His offer of redemption which He knew ahead that He would offer to them). If we appreciate that the Gentiles were considered uncleaned before, we will understand the depth of what it means to be now justified through faith in Jesus.
