I Have Chosen You

Jesus Christ made the claim that He is the only way by which mankind can gain access to God.

John 14:6
"Jesus said to him I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." ESV

It was agreed, even before God laid the foundations of this world and put man on it, that Jesus Christ would be the only means of salvation for all mankind.

1 Pet.1:18-20
"Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God." NKJV

Acts 4:12
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." ESV

This being so, it is important to consider the significance of another statement Jesus made.

John 6:44
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day...
But there are some of you who do not believe. (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
And he said, This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him." ESV

Jesus made it quite clear that God the Father decides who will be drawn to Christ. When He began His ministry of preaching the gospel of the coming kingdom of God, He called on some men to join Him.

Mark 1:14-20
"Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
And Jesus said to them, Follow me, and I will make become you fishers of men. And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending nets.
And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him." ESV

A moment's thought about this account would suggest that this was not the normal reaction one would expect from fishermen busy with earning a living when called upon by a stranger to drop everything and follow Him on a rather nebulous venture. These men were moved by God to answer the call. See also Mark 2:13-14.

On the eve of His death, as He held the last supper with His disciples, Jesus said to them,

John 15:16
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." ESV

What a privilege to be chosen by Jesus!

This calling of men to follow Christ did not end with the twelve. On the Day of Pentecost, when the disciples received the Holy Spirit, Peter addressed the multitude.

Acts 2:38-39,47
"And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself...
And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." ESV

God called Paul to work for Him:

Rom.1:1
"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God."

Acts 13:2-3
"While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them."

All Christians are called by God; otherwise they would not be Christians. God does the choosing. His choice is based on criteria that are unusual, to say the least.

1 Cor.1: 26-31
"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
Therefore, as it is written, Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." ESV

God is calling some people in this lifetime to the knowledge of Christ, an understanding of His plan of salvation for all mankind, and adoption into His family as co-heirs with Christ. They are called to be "lights to the world" - examples of what God can do with surrendered human beings. These people, called and chosen by God, are referred to in Scripture as "the elect" or "the saints", meaning "those sanctified." The word "church" is translated from the Greek, "ekklesia", meaning "a calling out; an assembly of called-out ones." Therefore, the saints, the elect, those called and chosen by God, are the Church of God.

Acts 2:47
"And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

When Paul wrote his letters to the churches, he greeted them as such:

"to all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints." Rom 1:7
"to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints ..." 1Cor.1:2
"to the saints who are in Ephesus.." Eph.1:1
"to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi.." Phil.1:1
"to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:" Col.1:2

He reminded the Thessalonians of their calling:

"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you ..." 1Thess.1:4 "But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, beloved by the Lord, because God chose you to be the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess.2:13-14

The writer of Hebrews mentioned this "heavenly calling" which Christians share, in Heb.3:1, and went on to say this of Jesus Christ:

Heb.9:15
"Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant."

Peter wrote to "those who are the elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:" 1Pet.1:1-2

Paul wrote to "all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:", and said this about their calling:

Rom.8:27-30,33
"And he who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
And those whom he predestined he also called. And those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified...
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies." ESV

In his letter to the Ephesian saints, Paul summed up the calling of Christians, pointing out that God has determined beforehand that those who respond to the call, and believe in Christ, will be adopted into His family and conformed to the image of His Son. Paul emphasised that God has selected in advance those whom He will call, in accordance with His plan to bring everything and everyone into harmony with Him through Christ in the fullness of time. Those called and chosen in this lifetime must live as God's children, bringing glory to the Father.

Eph.1:3-14
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love:
he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things to him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of his glory." ESV

Eph.2:10
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." ESV Paul reminded Timothy that God calls us, not because of what we can offer Him, but to show what He can do with us.

2 Tim.1:8-9
"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began."

Paul encouraged the Philippian saints to "work out", or better, "see through to accomplishment", their salvation, knowing that God was working in them to fulfil His purpose and pleasure.

Phil.2:12-15
"Therefore, my beloved, , as much as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." ESV

Paul expressed to the Thessalonian saints his constant prayer that God would make them worthy of their calling, by His power.

2 Thess.1:11-12
"To this end we always pray for you, that God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfil every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power; so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." ESV

What should be the response from those called by God? - deep gratitude, enthusiasm, joy, confidence, peace, contentment and a desire that others may be called to share in the blessing of being chosen to be on the winning side for eternity. No one should regret being called, "For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance." Rom.11:29

Col.3:12
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." ESV

Some people accuse God of being unjust, and playing favourites, because He has not called everyone. Paul addressed this in his discourse on the blinding of Israel.

Rom.9:10-26
"And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad - in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call - she was told, The older will serve the younger.
As it is written, Jacob I loved, bur Esau I hated. What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.
So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very purpose I have raised you up, that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will? But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is moulded say to its moulder, Why have you made me like this?
Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honoured use and another for dishonourable use?
What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory - even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
As indeed he says in Hosea, Those who are not my people I will call my people, and her who was not beloved I will call beloved. And in the very place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be called `sons of the living God'." ESV

God knows what He is doing. He planned it before the world was created. He has His reasons for calling and choosing whom He does. The fact that He refers to them as the "firstfruits" implies that others, the great majority of people not called during their lifetimes, will be offered salvation at a later date.

Having been called and chosen by God in this lifetime, the elect should be ever conscious of the privilege God has granted them and behave as God's children.

2 Pet.1:3-11
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who has called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practise these qualities you will never fall.
For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." ESV

1 Thess.5:23-24
"Now may the God of peace sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." ESV