God has a people.
But
you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own
possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are
God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
(1 Peter 2:9-10)
He chose them before the foundation of the world.
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. (Ephesians 1:3-4)
He predestined to adopt them as his own children.
In
love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to
the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)
God’s people include Gentiles as well as Jews.
“And
I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they
will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John
10:16)
He wrote each of their names in the book of life before the
foundation of the world.
…and
all who dwell on earth will worship [the beast], everyone whose name has not
been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb
who was slain. (Revelation 13:8)
He knew their every deed, word, and thought before they were born.
Your
eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm
139:16)
Though they were sinful, God loved and acted to save them.
…but
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us. (Romans 5:8)
God the Father gave those he chose to the Son.
“…since
you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom
you have given him.” (John 17:2)
Every person chosen will come to Christ in faith.
“My
sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)
Not one of those chosen will fail to come to Christ.
And
when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of
the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)
No one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him.
“No
one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise
him up on the last day.” (John 6:44)
Those who are not of God cannot even hear God’s word.
“Whoever
is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that
you are not of God.” (John 8:47)
Those who have not been given to Christ cannot believe in him.
“…but
you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.” (John 10:26)
Those outside of Christ cannot please God.
Those
who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:8)
None of those who come to Christ will ever be cast out.
“All
that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never
cast out.” (John 6:37)
None of those chosen by God will ever perish.
“I
give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them
out of my hand.” (John 10:28)
God gives them new birth and will keep them to the end through
faith.
Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy,
he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled,
and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded
through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter
1:3-5)
Their salvation is the work of God, not a result of their works.
For
by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it
is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians
2:8-9)
They trust in God’s work, and their faith is counted as
righteousness.
Now
to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And
to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his
faith is counted as righteousness, (Romans 4:4-5)
They have nothing to boast of except the salvation God has accomplished.
But
far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)
They can be patient knowing that repentance is the gift of God.
And
the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach,
patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may
perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may
come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured
by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
Look at God’s work, and be astounded. To God alone be all the
glory!
“Behold,
God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is
my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2)
-JME
