I trusted Christ as my Lord and Savior many years ago and I can safely say I am saved beyond a shadow of a doubt.
But I am not one of His elect. I am not an angel, I am not a Jew, I am not Jesus Christ. I cannot be elect.
Ephesians 1:5-7 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Forgiveness of sins and redemption comes only to the elect, those who have been predestinated. The passage is clear.
Take a look also at the city of Ephesus, a city in Asia Minor whose claim to fame was the great goddess of Diana, a goddess known throughout the known world at that time--one of the wonders of the world. People came from all over the world to worship this huge idol and to prostitute themselves as temple prostitutes here. It was an ungodly pagan city. The make up of this church would have been primarily Gentile.
However there were Jews and Gentiles. Paul addresses both groups.
Ephesians 2:12-13 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
--These Gentiles were strangers from the covenant of promise (the elect), but now they are in Christ (the elect), are are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us;
--There is no difference any longer. There is no Jew any longer as far as salvation is concerned.
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,
even the law of commandments
contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man,
so making peace;
--Those things that make a Jew, a Jew, are abolished. They do not follow their religion any longer once they are saved. Their ordinances and laws have been abolished, nailed to the cross.
Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
--Now both Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God in one body by the cross.
Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
--The Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. They are part of the household of God. The Jews needed to understand to that. They were one in Christ--the elect of God.
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner
stone;
--The churches foundation:
The apostles and prophets, but the chief cornerstone was and is Christ. There is our foundation which the elect build upon.
After having said all of that, go back to 1:4
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
--How can you not say that we are not the elect of God.
He has chosen us (elected us) before the foundation of the world.
Choose the Word of God.
Don't put your trust in the words of men who have a chip on their shoulder and have written an article only to attack a particular position. They wrest the Scriptures, sometimes to their own destruction.
2 Peter 3:16 As also in all
his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as
they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
