Called and Chosen References
Rom 3:10 “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” NKJV
1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Rom 6: 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. NKJV
That is you were unable to do righteousness, you had no righteous acts, because you were a slave and could only sin.
Believing in Jesus and repenting would be doing good. None can do this. None will do this. None! No one seeks God because they are blinded by sin, spiritually dead in sin and separated from God. Only God can change that and reach out to a person by 1st covering them with the blood and righteousness of Christ. Until God gives them a new birth and frees their will which is bound in sin and by their sin nature, so they become free to believe spiritual things and repent. They have a will and make real choices but only to sin, their sin bound will can not know God or choose God. They are selfish and won’t change.
Jer 13:23 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. NKJV
Sinful man is so separated from God that he is compared to dead bones that cannot help themselves or believe. But God 1st has to give them new life, THEN they know He is Lord. Breath in them is Spirit.
Ezek 37:4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”‘” NKJV
Acts 16:14 And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.
She wouldn’t respond unless the Spirit gave her the ability, free her will from bondage to her sin nature.
The only way one can begin to see or begin to enter the kingdom is they have to be born again 1st. Then they can see and understand spiritual things.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
NKJV
Enter does not mean go to heaven, it means enter the kingdom, be converted. Born again 1st by the grace of God, it is a gift, not something man gets to decide.
It isn’t given to everyone.
Matt 13:11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. NKJV
What could be clearer? One cannot know or believe that Jesus is the savior unless God 1st gives them the ability that flesh and blood does not have.
Matt 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
John 10:26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
John 6:44 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. NKJV
Note is does not say you are not My people because you did not believe, but the other way around. In fact:
John 2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them,
Wasn’t that the purpose of the miracles, so people would believe in Jesus or the prophet who did them?
And these people really did believe in the name of Jesus. But that is not enough. These were not people He had chosen and regenerated their hearts with saving faith. It hadn’t been given to them.
John 6:65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father .” 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
Its not given to everyone. It is only given to the chosen and they are the whosoever will believe. Not whosoever, but whosoever believes will be saves.
So will you also not walk with Him because of this saying and make a god of your own liking, the way you like him to be?
Or will you worship the totally sovereign God of the Bible and be humbled to admit that you would have gone to hell. You are no smarter or better than anyone else. You were in bondage to your sin nature and would not believe or do good. And that it would only be by the mercy of God choosing you and giving you a new birth by the Spirit which opened your eyes and freed your will so it would believe?
Each person God chooses to give to Christ will for sure come and be saved.
John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,
John 17:6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me,
John 17:9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.
Luke 1:68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people NKJV
Luke 1:77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God NKJV
Now here is an interesting verse. Look at all of them in the scripture that speak of the people God called to Himself. He did not call everyone. Everyone He called is glorified in Heaven.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. NKJV
God had to call people to come to Himself or they would not be willing. He saved us when we were still sinning and rebelling not after we turned to Him and repented from our sin and believed.
All that He calls he justifies and glorifies in heaven. So all the people called, can’t ever be lost. They are justified. All of them were predestinated to be called and chosen and elect and saved. So all does not mean each and every person. God just chose the Jews to be the people who could be saved and no other people of any other nation got a chance to be saved. God chose whom He would save.
So the Jews thought the Messiah was only for Jews, that is why they had to be told He was the only savior for the whole world, He is calling people of all nations, all stations in life not just Jews or rich but also poor and wicked people. All kinds of people, people throughout the whole world, not just Jews, but not every person. Read on.
Rom 1:6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: NKJV
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. NKJV
1 Cor 1:1-2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in
Christ Jesus, called to be saints, NKJV
1 Cor 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Cor 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, NKJV
1 Cor 1:26-31 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of
Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption– 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” NKJV
Yes, God chose for His glory whom He would. If the final decision of who gets saved is up to man’s will and decision and believing then God would not get the glory for giving it to him. It was the man’s choice to or not to. So it is partly up to man. This is false, salvation is all of grace and all of God, not of man’s decision ot faith. Faith is the result in one god converts and frees from the slavery of sin. The truth that man would never have sought God or listened or repented, unless, like Paul the Spirit came and opened his eyes and gave him faith and a new nature that could believe and do good, humbles the pride of man and puts the fear of God in us. We see it is not of our doing, or willing, but all of God’s grace. He gets all the glory not just for making salvation possible for men but for actually saving His people and specifically choosing and calling us even though we may have been weak and base as it says in 1 Cor 1:26-31, not for any good in us.
Our conversion, all of it, is a gift of grace to us; not part of it is up to us for deciding to believe. That is saying Man’s belief was part of His salvation. If man did not do something, he would not be saved. Scripture says it is all of God, none of man. Nothing for man to say like, well at least I decided to receive Jesus. No you did not decide to until after God chose you and gave you a new heart that could do good.
And if you think you are smarter than someone else or better so that you will decide to believe, who made you better? Would that still not have been God? There is no room for you to think it was you that made the decision to believe. It is God who chooses to have mercy on whom He wills. It is all of God, all of Grace; Amazing grace, and this truth is what made John Newton write that song. He understood it was God who saved us while we were still sinners; still not seeking Him, not willing to believe. And that is why grace is so Amazing to the chosen people to whom these things have been revealed.
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
If this happened before the world began what part could we have played in it? We only react and manifest that we have been born again by the Spirit who we can not make come to us and make born us again We respond to the faith put in us and begin to act from our new nature that loves God and hears His voice and obeys Him.
1 Cor 7:21-22 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. NKJV
Eph 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; NKJV
1 Thess 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. KJV
2 Tim 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Heb 5:10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. KJV
Heb 9:15 That those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. NKJV
Jude 1 To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: NKJV
It’s a four part deal, you don’t get one part without the others, called, justified, sanctified, glorified. It all goes together.
Rev 17:14 and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” NKJV
Rev 19:9 Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ NKJV
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. KJV
The promise is only to those the Lord will call. Not all Jews, not everyone, only those He chooses to call of us and our children. As many as He calls. Not as many as receive Him.
Mark 13:20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days NKJV
Isa 1:9 Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant ,
We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah. NKJV
John 5:21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will
To the disciples he says:
John 15:15-16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit,
John 13:18 I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; NKJV
We didn’t choose Him, He chose us, what part of, “you did not choose me”, is hard to understand? So apparently they didn’t have totally free will to decide, because God chose them. They weren’t seeking God, nor was Paul. God came to them and gave their will the freedom to believe.
John 15:19 Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. NKJV
Acts 9:15Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, KJV
Rom 16:13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
2 Thess 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV
Now any Biblical reader knows that grace is not from man. This would not be a question one would need to be told. It would be foolish to think people would think grace is from yourselves.
So any honest Biblical interpreter has to agree that it is “faith” that is described by the clause, “that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Very clear, no way to avoid this understanding and say that grace is the gift of God.
Because then the passage would be saying, Gift is the gift of God. Or grace is the grace of God. Because gift and grace have the same meaning. So saving Faith is the gift of God. That faith is not in the natural man who cannot understand spiritual things.
Salvation is 100% of the Lord, not of man, not even his faith. He is lost without Hope and God has mercy on some of us by His own choosing for His own purposes.
This is no different than the Jews being chosen by God to be the ones that got saved and all other people of other nations were rejected by God and not saved. Did God choose the Jews because of foreseen faith that they would have and other people of other nations would not? Of course not; that is foolishness.
Deut 7:6 “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. 7 The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, …
The choosing of individuals by God was already done before the foundation of the world. He predestined who would be saved. Who He would have mercy on and who He would not according to His pleasure.
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
It was for His good pleasure, not our will or decision that made Him choose us.
John 1:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 5:21…even so the Son gives life to whom He will. NKJV
Rom 9:11-12 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), NKJV
God chose who He would have saving mercy on and who He would not. And God created all the people of other nations knowing that He would not choose them to be saved, but only from the Jews. End of story.
He clearly states that it had nothing to do with the children or anything He foresaw they would do or believe, it was to prove that it is God who chooses who will be saved.
Rom 9:6 … For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. NKJV
It never had anything to do with being a Jew by birth alone. The eternal promises were never to the seed of flesh. It was only those chosen and called by God from among the Jews and other nations who were really saved and elect. So if you interpret these scriptures properly and not try to change it to mean something else, you have to come up with this question so Paul continues to answer it.
Rom 9:13As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. …18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Why would God have put this next statement in His word, if he had not expected this to be the reaction of people to the truth he had just taught, because He made it clear it is not man’s will that determines his salvation.?
Rom 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”
Only if Paul clearly meant that this was God choosing who would be saved. If you choose to try to interpret this passage any other way than God choosing who will be saved then there is no need for the reaction, Why does He find fault. For who has resisted His will?
The only reason this is here is because that is what people feel when they hear of God being the one who has the free will to decide who He will invite to the wedding, who will be His bride.
(So again if you really understand what Paul says you will also say)
19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”
(Yes here is the difficulty, how can God find fault with us if it is He who chooses us and we have no choice? This is the correct understanding of the passage, so Paul answers this objection)
20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
So it is clear that we don’t have a logical answer for this mystery, we just submit to God as the creator who made us for His purpose to magnify His glory or justice and mercy.
Verse 22 is better rendered, So what if God wanted to show His wrath…
It is the rhetorical, What if, not a question, that would not make sense. But even if it was a question the point is clear, that would not be wrong if all were going to hell and He chose some to show His justice on and some to show His mercy on. God created man for His purpose not for man’s benefit. This is not a man centered religion as false christianities are; but a God centered, God focused faith.
Do you think it is more important that man have free will and it would be wrong for God to be free to choose His bride? That would be a humanistic, man centered religion.
And further he even points out a specific individual that He chose to go to hell, just to show His power. He even hardened pharaoh more so he would not repent and believe at the miracles.
Rom 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Yet He still hold’s man responsible because man does not feel God’s predestinating work. Man sins because he wants to thus He says, though God hardened Pharaoh’s heart He also says: Ex 8:32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go. NKJV
Both are true at the same time. Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. NKJV
God has chosen to bring salvation to His people in the new covenant through the preaching of the gospel. We do not know who the elect are so God has us offer it to all who get to hear it or read His word. God doesn’t even give all people that chance. So it is presented as an offer that each person must accept or reject, but they would all reject if God did not make them willing by His Spirit working in them, opening their eyes to see spiritual things.
Therefore people are held responsible for their choices because they do not feel the effect of God’s choosing. In their mind the decisions are real. People have a will and makes real choices, but the will is not totally free, it is limited by sin so it will not believe God until God changes the person’s nature. Making them a new creature. People are trapped in sin and separated from God and cannot reach God. Man is dead in sin and can do nothing to save himself. God must first come to man and give him a new birth so he can understand and believe spiritual things. All people deserve hell and God has mercy on some people He chooses for his own good pleasure. He would have been fair letting us all go to hell.
Yes all men deserved hell, God could have let them all go to hell but He called some to be saved. This was His plan from before the foundations of the earth. Just as He made sure the Jews would not repent and follow Christ. They had to kill Christ or we would not have had an atonement and all would have gone to hell.
Eph 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Rom 9:23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 As He says also in Hosea: ”I will call them My people, who were not My people, NKJV
Enjoy in this passage the glory of God’s sovereignty over all and how God tells us He chose us and wrote the names of His people in the book of life before the foundations of the world.
Ps 139:4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. NKJV
Prov 1:28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, 30 They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.
Heb 12:17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. NKJV
What a glorious truth. Man was helpless, dead in sin, no hope, deserving hell, unable to believe or receive or have faith in God and not even able to understand the things of the Spirit 1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But God had mercy on some people and by grace gave them a new nature, a spiritual nature, that could understand spiritual things and have faith.
A man must be 1st born again and have the Holy Spirit in him to be able to see spiritual things. He is dead, can do anything to get saved, can’t see, can’t believe, can’t receive, He is dead. God must awaken Him and draw Him to Christ and then He is able to repent and believe and obey. God makes him alive 1st. Man cannot make himself alive.
Preaching is only foolishness because dead men can’t respond to it, unless God gives them life 1st. They have to be born of the Spirit.
Salvation is ALL of the Lord and not from man. Wow! You would have gone to hell, if it had not been for God deciding by His will for His good pleasure to choose you to salvation before the foundations of the world and that is why you give all your life to Him, for He has saved you.
This prophecy is about salvation. The Israel of God in the new Jerusalem not just the temporal earthly fulfillment.
Ezek 37:4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”‘”
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.’” NKJV
It is God who does it not us. All thanks go to Him, not our decision.
“There is no broader way to apostasy than to reject God’s sovereignty in all things concerning the revelation of himself and our obedience, refusing to ‘bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ’. From the refusal to submit to God’s sovereignty over all things, including our eternal salvation, arose Pelagianism, Arminianism and every present-day heresy – John Owen”
The Sovereignty of God is the stumbling block on which thousands fall and perish; and if we go contending with God about His sovereignty it will be our eternal ruin. It is absolutely necessary that we should submit to God as an absolute sovereign, and the sovereign of our souls; as one who may have mercy on whom He will have mercy and harden whom He will. — Jonathan Edwards
