Accuracy in the Chosen Series and its Biblical Representation
The term "chosen" in a biblical context refers to God's act of selection, which applies to various entities and for different purposes. This concept is foundational to understanding God's relationship with humanity and specific individuals or groups.
God's election is described as being "of God" [1], and it is "in Christ" [1]. This choice is eternal, sovereign, and based on God's purpose and foreknowledge, rather than on human merit [1]. For instance, the Scripture is depicted as "foreseeing" events, which some interpretations attribute to God's foreknowledge [6].
The concept of being "chosen" applies broadly:
- Christ as Messiah God chose Christ as the Messiah [1].
- Angels Good angels are also described as chosen [1].
- Israel Ancient Israel was chosen by God, with Deuteronomy 32:9 stating, "For the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance" [1, 5]. This choice made them a "special and peculiar people" [5].
- Ministers Individuals are chosen for specific ministries, such as the apostles [1].
- Churches Entire churches can be referred to as chosen [1].
- Saints/Believers Believers are considered "elect" of God, similar to Christ [3]. This election is personal [1]. John Gill, in his commentary on Ephesians 1:4, clarifies that this choice is not merely national or for an entire church, but applies to individual saints [4]. Adam Clarke notes that believing Jews were "re-elected" to possess blessings promised to Abraham [10].
The "chosen" are often contrasted with the rest of the world, forming a distinct spiritual "generation" [3]. They are described as a "royal priesthood," reflecting both kingly and priestly roles [3]. The number 144,000 in Revelation is interpreted as a symbolic representation of the complete and fixed number of the chosen, drawn from every tribe, signifying the worldwide extension of God's people [8].
The assurance of one's election is a privilege for saints [2]. This assurance is produced by faith, made full by hope, and confirmed by love [2]. It is an effect of righteousness and is abundant in the understanding of the Gospel [2].
While "chosen" refers to election, the term "predestinated" is considered more specific, relating to the ultimate end and precise means by which the inheritance is secured [9]. Calvin distinguishes between a "secret election" for a few and a "common adoption" that extends to all who hear the external preaching of the word, particularly when discussing an entire people [7].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Election — Of Christ, as Messiah -- Isa 42:1; 1Pe 2:6. Of good angels -- 1Ti 5:21. Of Israel -- De 7:6; Isa 45:5. Of ministers -- Lu 6:13; Ac 9:15. Of churches -- 1Pe 5:13. Of saints, is Of God. -- 1Th 1:4; Tit 1:1. By Christ. -- Joh 13:18; 15:16. In Christ. -- Eph 1:4. Personal. -- Mt 20:16; Joh 6:44; Ac 22:14; 2Jo 1:13. According to the purpose of God. -- Ro 9:11; Eph 1:11. According to the foreknowledge of God. -- Ro 8:29; 1Pe 1:2. Eternal. -- Eph 1:4. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:15,16; 1Co 1:27; Eph 1:11. Irrespective of merit. -- Ro 9:11. Of grace. -- Ro 11:5. Recorded i”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Assurance — Produced by faith -- Eph 3:12; 2Ti 1:12; Heb 10:22. Made full by hope -- Heb 6:11,19. Confirmed by love -- 1Jo 3:14,19; 4:18. Is the effect of righteousness -- Isa 32:17. Is abundant in the understanding of the gospel -- Col 2:2; 1Th 1:5. Saints privileged to have, of Their election. -- Ps 4:3; 1Th 1:4. Their redemption. -- Job 19:25. Their adoption. -- Ro 8:16; 1Jo 3:2. Their salvation. -- Isa 12:2. Eternal life. -- 1Jo 5:13. The unalienable love of God. -- Ro 8:38,39. Union with God and Christ. -- 1Co 6:15; 2Co 13:5; Eph 5:30; 1Jo 2:5; 4:13. Peace with ”
- 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 2:9: Contrast in the privileges and destinies of believers. Compare the similar contrast with the preceding context. chosen--"elect" of God, even as Christ your Lord is. generation--implying the unity of spiritual origin and kindred of believers as a class distinct from the world. royal--kingly. Believers, like Christ, the antitypical Melchisedec, are at once kings and priests. Israel, in a spiritual sense, was designed to be the same among the nations of the earth. The full realization on earth of this, both to the literal and the spiritual Israel, i”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:4: According as he hath chosen us in him,.... This choice cannot be understood of a national one, as Israel of old were chosen by the Lord; for the persons the apostle writes to were not a nation; nor does he address all the inhabitants of Ephesus, only the saints and faithful in Christ that resided there; nor are they all intended here, if any of them. However, not they only, since the apostle includes himself, and perhaps some others, who did not belong to that place, nor were of that country: nor does this choice regard them as a church; for though the saints at Eph”
- Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 32:9: For the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. This is the reason why the Lord so early provided a portion or inheritance for the children of Israel in the land of Canaan; because they were his part, his portion, his inheritance, which he chose by lot for himself, or allotted to himself; whom he chose to be his special and peculiar people; for though all the world is his, he only reserved a part for himself, which he separated from all the rest, and considers as his portion and inheritance, see Psa 33:12; thus the spiritual Israel of G”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 3:8: And the Scripture foreseeing,.... This seems to agree with the Jewish forms or citing passages of Scripture, , "what does the Scripture foresee?" and , (n) "what does the law foresee?" The Scripture here, by a "prosopopeia", is represented as foreseeing an event that would come to pass, and accordingly spoke of it before hand, and designs God the author of the Scripture; and so the Syriac version renders it, "for seeing" , "that God" foreknew, &c. and means either the Holy Spirit, who searches the deep things of God, is privy to all his counsels and decrees, and to ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 (Gen 24-50), section 2.17: the mere grace of God himself. But when an entire people is the subject of discourse, reference is made not to the secret election, which is confirmed to few, but the common adoption, which spreads as widely as the external preaching of the word. Since this subject, thus briefly stated, may be somewhat obscure, the readers may recall to memory what I have said above in expounding the seventeenth chapter ( Genesis 17:1 ) namely, that God embraced, by the grace of his adoption, all the sons of Abraham, because he made a covenant wi”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 7:4: Twelve is the number of the tribes, and appropriate to the Church: three by four: three, the divine number, multiplied by four, the number for world-wide extension. Twelve by twelve implies fixity and completeness, which is taken a thousandfold in 144,000. A thousand implies the world perfectly pervaded by the divine; for it is ten, the world number, raised to the power of three, the number of God. of all the tribes--literally, "out of every tribe"; not 144,000 of each tribe, but the aggregate of the twelve thousand from every tribe. children--G”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 1:5: predestinated--more special in respect to the end and precise means, than "chosen" or elected. We are "chosen" out of the rest of the world; "predestinated" to all things that secure the inheritance for us (Eph 1:11; Rom 8:29). "Foreordained." by Jesus--Greek, "through Jesus." to himself--the Father (Col 1:20). ALFORD explains, "adoption . . . into Himself," that is, so that we should be partakers of the divine nature (Pe2 1:4). LACHMANN reads, "unto Him." The context favors the explanation of CALVIN: God has regard to Himself and the glory of Hi”
- Ephesians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ephesians 1:11: In whom - Christ Jesus; also we - believing Jews have obtained an inheritance - what was promised to Abraham and his spiritual seed, viz. the adoption of sons, and the kingdom of heaven, signified by the privileges under the Mosaic dispensation, and the possession of the promised land, but all these privileges being forfeited by the rebellion and unbelief of the Jews, they are now about to be finally cut off, and the believing part to be re-elected, and put in possession of the blessings promised to Abraham and his spiritual seed, by faith; for without a re-elect”