Elected, Chosen, and Predestinated

Elected, Chosen, and PredestinatedWhat It Means to Be Elected

You are elected THROUGH sanctification of the Spirit and the application of Jesus’ blood on your soul. That does not happen before you get saved. That does not happen eons ago when you supposedly were the elect. This scripture says you become elect through these things, and this contradicts the Calvinists’ main teaching who say you were elect before those things. You were not. Not one whit according to Peter:

  • Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.  (1 Peter 1:2)

Why would Calvinists want to argue against such obvious truth? “According to” shows and means “how.” How were you elect? Did it say because God elected you in eternity past? Did it say because you happened to be one of the fortunate ones who got picked over everyone else? When was the blood of Jesus applied to your soul, Calvinists? Before you were born? Are you seriously going to entertain the notion that you were sanctified by his Spirit as it says above and that you had his blood sprinkled on your soul in eternity past? That is what is required to be his elect according to THIS verse. You have no way out, Calvinists. Your only option is to change the word of God and make it fit your teachings, and Lord knows, you are good at that. I do not have to change the word of God. I can take it for what it says and not be afraid of it in the least. I believe his words as they’re written.

What It Means to Be Chosen

  • But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (2 Thes 2:13)

Here is how one is chosen according to scripture, and here is what it means to be chosen. Notice again that it doesn’t say that you are chosen to salvation because of election. You are chosen to salvation THROUGH belief of the truth. Upon believing the truth, you are chosen and that is clear here. Calvinism has it backwards.

That scripture above destroys the whole concept of Calvinism and pre-selection. They think they were chosen millions of years ago out of some unknown, spiritually random process that only God knows. The scriptures tell us EXACTLY how we are chosen and what it means to be chosen. God chose you THROUGH BELIEF OF THE TRUTH. That occurs in the present, meaning your choosing wasn’t millions of years ago.

Here we see God choosing people who are already rich in faith. He chose them because of their faith.

  • Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (James 2:5)

Here a saint named Rufus is said to be “chosen” because he is in the Lord already.

  • Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. (Romans 16:13)

Predestined to Be in His Image

We were predestined to “be conformed to the image of his Son”, which is not salvation, but predestined to be conformed to his image because we already have salvation. Once we receive salvation by our belief, our destiny then becomes sealed, and we are predestined for many things:

  • “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” (Ephesians 1:13).

There is no mention in the following verse that we are predestined to salvation. Conforming to his image is not salvation. It is the result of salvation. Just because conforming to his image is predestined does not mean that what came before that is predestined, i.e., salvation. He foreknew who would believe in him, and because of a person’s saving faith, once a person is “in Christ” as mentioned before, he becomes predestinated at that moment to be conformed to the image of his son. It is the fact that he is “in Christ” that is the cause of his predestination. That only makes sense, for being in Christ determines everything good for you and determines your destiny FROM THAT POINT.

  • For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

The following is the very next verse and uses the word “predestinate” just defined in the previous verse. This verse is detailing what it is to be conformed to his image: calling, justification, and glorification.

We see that those who were predestinated were also called, justified, and glorified. All of these acts come at or after salvation. Again, predestination starts the second of your salvation because your destiny is determined based on your salvation, not your pre-selection.

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

Predestination and Adoption

“The Adoption” is the redemption of our bodies, not salvation. Since we are predestinated unto the adoption, we are predestinated to the redemption of our bodies, and this not the same as salvation but a result of it. This ties in to the same idea mentioned before of being conformed to his image. His image is fully accomplished when our bodies are adopted. This is not predestination unto salvation, but the destiny of everyone who has become saved already. Their destiny is to be conformed to his image and receive adoption. We are predestinated unto adoption which comes because we believed. Nothing is said about being predestinated to believe or get saved. It is like saying that “heaven is predestinated to all those who get saved.” If I said that, you could not infer that getting saved was predestinated, only going to heaven. In other words, upon getting saved, that sets off a chain of events that now all become purposed and predestinated from that point on. We are now, upon being saved, predestinated to his inheritance, his adoption, heaven itself and all the benefits of being a child of God.

  • Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15)

This is the spirit of adoption, not the adoption itself. We have not received the actual adoption, which according to Romans 8:23 is the “redemption of our bodies”:

  • And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)
  • To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:5)
  • Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;  (Romans 9:4)

He “predestinated us…by Jesus Christ”. Thus, we see that predestination only begins by the man Jesus Christ and what he accomplished. It is the work of the man that accomplished predestination of the saints. This excludes any predestination before the man Christ Jesus existed.

  • Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)

Predestination and Purpose

Here we see that predestination is again qualified by saying that we are predestined to receive the inheritance because we are “IN” him (“in whom”). The phrase “in whom” in this following verse again testifies that we have to be in Christ before we can say we have the inheritance of eternal life. We obtain the inheritance upon being “in” him-“In whom”:

  • In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11)

Again, let it be emphasized here that we obtain our eternal inheritance upon being “IN HIM” or “IN WHOM”-“in whom also we have obtained an inheritance.” Can you not see, my Calvinist friends, that your inheritance began when you were in him? That completely excluded your inheritance as the elect billions of years ago. You had no inheritance until you were in him. Calvinists will try to say they agree with that like it is not a contradiction to their beliefs. But it is. You see, if you were elect eons ago, that means you were chosen to inherit all things. You were already a guaranteed heir. But that scripture, along with many in Romans 8, shows our inheritance begins when we are in him. Romans 8 says the same thing, so please read my article on that. It shows we are heirs when we are his child- “if children, then heirs…” Calvinists have it backwards and have it perverted; thus, they are corrupting the nature and intent of God and his gospel.

Hopefully, I have shown you what it means to be chosen, elected, and predestinated. Don’t let the Calvinists intimidate you with those words. Though those words might appear to be speaking of predestination of souls, upon further investigation, they do not. It is the further study of these words that the Calvinists don’t want to participate in. It is your honor to search out a matter, and I ask that you do this before just accepting this vocabulary and the meanings that Calvinists so ignorantly ascribe to these words. If you want to be elected and chosen, you don’t have to hope you were picked by God in some spiritual lottery. It is as simple as “belief of the truth.” That is why anyone is chosen. That is why anyone is elected. That is why anyone is predestinated from that point on. Belief of the truth will always be the stumbling block to any people that are preaching a false gospel.

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16 Responses

  1. It is their deathly fear of defaming the sovereignty of God that prompts them to believe that faith as a precondition for salvation is idolatry.

  2. reyjacobs says:

    “What It Means to Be ‘Elected, Chosen, and Predestinated'”

    It means nothing because predestination is imaginary. If only people would acknowledge that, Christianity could move on and stop the pointless fighting.

  3. reyjacobs says:

    [deleted – this is a Christian blog, your words do not become a Christian]

  4. If you still do not know there is a battle raging between light (God) and darkness (Satan) for the souls of people, then you shouldn’t comment here. Are the souls of people pointless? In fact, Christianity could never have moved on if the apostles and Paul did not fight the good fight. (1 Tim 6:12; 2Tim 4:7).

    Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Eph 6:10-13).

    Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jud 1:3).

  5. reyjacobs

    >> It means nothing because predestination is imaginary.

    Errr, I am sorry but do you not understand that because you are saved you become a child of God? Is that imaginary?

    Reyjacobs you have said some very wild things on this blog, I think it’s about time you THINK before you speak.

  6. Sharon says:

    Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

    According to you, predestination is imaginary. The verse above this proves or should prove to you that predestination is not imaginary. We who are truly saved are predestinated to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

    Some of the statements you make here lead me to believe you are a Calvinist trying to frustrate us here that are not. You will not succeed. If you’re not a Calvinist then you need to truly accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior because you do not sound like you know him.

    Get into your Bible and read, read, read. Take a small break and then read, read, read. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you before you start to read and let the Word of God speak to you. You are saying too many “Biblical Dumb Things.”

    reyjacobs wrote:

    “What It Means to Be ‘Elected, Chosen, and Predestinated’”

    It means nothing because predestination is imaginary. If only people would acknowledge that, Christianity could move on and stop the pointless fighting.

  7. towpan says:

    There is an interesting view of predestination offered at http://www.prayerfaithGodswill.com

  8. Nico says:

    May I dare to suggest in bona fide belief that this may not be the full story of predestination. God damned and execrated a number of people, nations and off spring ad infinitum. God also blessed and entered into a covenant with only certain people, nations and off-spring. Is this not then ‘predestination’ subject to “chosen ….. to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” as in 2 Thes 2:13 Does this not mean that not ALL people may, by ‘salvation’, be saved ? Did God not by this, predefined whom may be saved ? Is the Forefathers-woreshippers, Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists, etc, not excluded from salvation in Christ, hence the predefined? is predestination not a sine qua non (pre-requsite) for, what you correctly described, the road to follow for salvation? With due respect, do I miss something here ?

  9. Nico,

    What do these passages in Scripture mean?

    But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.(Rom 5:8)

    Unless only the elect are sinners (Romans 3:23), then Christ loved and died only for them? Really??? Stop your nonsense and stop mocking God and his Gospel. You are playing with fire.

  10. Ranner says:

    this homepage …

    http://www.prayerfaithGodsWill.CN

    … is helpful to understand predestination. It helps us to see the spirit of the words “God’s elect” and “chosen by God” . And it explains predestonatioon in context, clearly and without jargon. As you reflect on it, you will find that it is sound.

  11. Ranner

    I agree 🙂 Thank you.

  12. Anna says:

    Hello and thanks for this wonderful article.

    I have a question and I am struggling to find a Biblical answer. I understand we are NOT predestinated before we were born, and that it depends on us repenting and accepting Jesus, being born again and this changes our lives.

    However in my case, I did see that the only reason I accepted Jesus and changed my life, had much to do with God working to show me the right path. I was raised in a catholic family which also had deep links to familiar spirits due to the ancestors being witches, masons etc. I was lead to read occult books by the influence of my mother. I always felt close to Jesus, always cried when I saw movies about his passion, but I was deep into the deception of the new age and occult teachings, such as kabbalah.

    When I got even deeper in the new age, when I opened my third eye and started hearing demons ( who I used to think were angels ) I got completely lost into paganism. I even said I was now a pagan and I was believing Jesus was another ascended master. Deep inside my love for him was there, but I was just too brainwashed.

    A set of events almost ended my life, I had 4 years of very difficult times due to the influence of the occult in my life and then finding out about it and getting out, which does not make Satan very happy as he felt he already owns you.

    But what I mean is that there was NO human involved in me getting out of deception. It just happened, one day I found information on why channeling spirits was not a good idea, and all started falling apart. It was like an invisible hand was showing me the truth. It was when I was alone, when my ex boyfriend who was also newager left.. it was a very calculated timing. Not my family, not a friend… nobody took me out or told me to get out and accept Jesus and repent.

    I have always had a clear feeling I was close to Jesus even against all odds with the influence of my family, and I have always thanked him directly for taking me out of deception and the condemnation of my soul.

    I guess my question is why it seems with some people, the Lord never left them fall too deep into deception, while other people do.

    I have told the Lord in prayer : why me ? I do not feel any different from my other family members to have been the only one in my family to be born again now. I pray for them so they open their eyes. While most of them did not fall so deep into the new age as I did, currently none of them are also born again Christians, but mostly remained as lukewarm catholics.

    I guess I will know the answer some day when I see the Lord face to face !! Wink/

  13. Dear Anne

    The answer to your question is this, and a beautiful answer it is :nod:


    By Jon W. Quinn
    From Expository Files 7.1; January 200
    0

    Jesus said “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44). Many refer to this verse in an effort to support a man-made doctrine which says that only those whom the Lord “calls” in some mystical way can be saved. They will say that this calling is some sort of direct operation of the Spirit. Calvinism teaches that man is totally passive and cannot do anything until God zaps him with some special anointing, thereby enabling him to believe. Such an idea is foreign to the scriptures.

    Our Lord does draw people to Him, and no one can come to the Lord apart from God’s drawing power. But this is not a matter of God electing to save some of us and condemn others of us arbitrarily. Consider: God wants all to be saved, and the reason some are lost is not because God has unconditionally chosen them to be.

    For Whom Does God Desire Salvation?
    The good news is that God does not desire anyone to be lost. No one! God is “…patient, not wishing for any to perish.” (II Peter 3:9). God is “compassionate” (Matthew 9:36; Psalm 86:15) God is “…just” (Romans 3:24-26). God is “Sorrowful” that many are lost (Ezekiel 18:23; 31,32; cf. Matthew 23:37). To suggest that man cannot respond to God’s gospel apart from a special anointing or calling that God gives to them that He does not give to all others makes God responsible for the lost being lost. But that does not fit with the Biblical description of God’s character and nature.

    God made salvation available to all. Salvation is available for all men, not just a select few. Jesus died for everyone (Hebrews 2:9; John 3:16). God wants all to come to know the truth (I Timothy 2:4). The invitation is open to all, 24 hours a day. There’s no such thing as waiting on God’s “special call.” (Matthew 11:28-30; Revelation 22:17). He has already issued His call, and it has gone out unto the whole world. Any of us can choose to answer it, or not.

    How God Draws People Unto Himself
    The context of Jesus’ statement explains how God draws men and women to Himself. There is nothing mystical about it. The following verse in the context (John 6:45) reveals how God draws men unto Himself. “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” Note the words “taught” and “every man” (all drawn the same way; by being taught) and “hear” and “learn” and “come”. These are not mystical words. They are common, everyday words which are used to describe how it is that people are drawn to Christ.

    What is it that is taught and heard and learned? The means or method by which God “calls” or “draws” all men is the Gospel. “And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Thessalonians 2:14). There is no special, mystical anointing of the Holy Spirit, but rather, the Holy Spirit calls men through the gospel; and it is the gospel that is the power (Romans 1:16).

    God draws people unto Himself through the teaching of the gospel. The preaching of the gospel is God’s power, his drawing power, to save (I Corinthians 1:18-21). Therefore, all people, when they hear the gospel, at any moment, have the ability to respond to God’s gospel call. They also have the ability to reject it (Acts 13:45-48).

    Sinners are saved by God’s grace when they respond in faithful obedience to the gospel that draws them to God (Matthew 7:21). God is always ready for men to repent and obey (Acts 17:30). It is those who will do so that God has predestined for salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:9). This is an important concept to recognize. God has not predestined individuals to be saved or lost, but rather, has predestined the method by which we are saved. If we obey the gospel, we are baptized “into Christ” (Romans 6:3,4). God has predestined all those “in Christ” to be “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). But it is up to us as to whether we will obey or not.

    How To Be Drawn To God’s Son And Be Saved
    There are not many ways to be drawn to God. In fact, there is only one way to come to the Father (John 14:6). One cannot get to heaven through Jesus apart from obeying Him (Hebrews 5:9). Those who attempt to enter another way are counted as thieves and robbers and will be unsuccessful (John 10:1).

  14. Marthina says:

    Deborah
    When I read Anne’s comment and your reply in that ‘beautiful’ answer By Jon W. Quinn. That is what I believe. When I did pick up my Bible sometimes years ago… I knew it was a choice. But I did not accept that I have a dark deceitful sinners heart. I thought I was good enough for God. I was ok… I did church things. Worked in the community. But I was blinded by traditions and churchianity I am grieved at my pridefulness. I hate how I ignored Jesus all these years even when I read about the lukewarm church of the Laodiceans I am still a ‘babe’ in Christ but I can not stop reading the Word now after all these years….

  15. Jan-Hendrik Schreuder says:

    Hi

    I am recently saved, and have spent quite a bit of time on the doctrine of predestination recently as it something that I feel is fundamental to my belief and my understanding of the character of God, hence I want to be sure that I am correct in what I believe.

    Your article and other similar articles mainly focus on the reformers being “masonic”, and hence your conclusion that their doctrines are designed to corrupt Christianity.

    Just from a pure biblical viewpoint, it seems a lot harder to argue in favour of the Arminian view rather to the Calvanistic view of predestination.

    I have not concluded exactly where I am with the two views, but from what I’ve read in the Bible, it is unavoidable that God has chosen and predestined whom he wants to. If one ignores all the “freemason” comments, it still seems that the Calvanistic view is more accurate occarding to scripture than that of the Arminius.

  16. Dear Jan-Hendrik Schreuder

    Not sure which article you posted your comment. We had a glitch, so I have edited the settings and posted your comment under the following article that explains Biblical predestination very clearly for all who want to know the gospel truth.

    You said our articles focus mainly ony reformers being freemasons. Not true, we only have 3 maybe 4 articles out of 100+ articles that focus SOLEY on reformers being masonic.

    The above article for instance explains Biblical predestination vs. Calvinsts version of predestination.

    By the way, you have fallen for the age old Calvinst lie that everyone that is not a Calvinist is Arminian. No, not true. Arminianism today is Methodism. John Wesley followed the teachings of Jacob Arminius, along with his Calvinist friend George Whitefield.

    We are not not Arminian, we are bible believing born again Christians. And that goes for every redeemed believer who is not a Calvinist.

    Calvinism is a cult that states that some were saved before the foundation of the world by this Calvinstic sovereing God, who then choses to send the rest to hell because it please him to do so.
    All a person needs to do to realise they are a Calvinist (Elect before the foundation of the world) is to believe in Calvinism’s warped doctrines of grace (TULIP).

    Calvinists are elect by their own sinful PRIDE (believing that they are so special that God would chose them, and doom others to hell for fun.)
    It’s sick.

    Calvinsts like to use this ‘soverignty’ thing to back people into a corner. Well the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is so SOVEREIGN that He gave everyone free will to choose.

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