Featured Calvinism: What Have We Been Elected To?

Then when we Particular Baptists talk about Unconditional Election and Irresistible Draw, why do we immediately jump to ... "forever in Heaven" (glorification) and skip over all of those verses about "suffer" and "hated" and "endure" and "go" and "make disciples" and "running the race" (sanctification)? A disciple must first run the race before he can claim the prize. We have been foreknown, elected and predestined to run the race as much as we have been foreknown, elected and predestined to cross the finish line.

[John 14:15 NASB] 15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

[Philippians 2:12-13 NASB] 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for [His] good pleasure.

 

First, the word is Strong's G1588 and defined as:

ἐκλεκτός eklektós, ek-lek-tos'; from G1586 (verb: to select); select; by implication, favorite:—chosen, elect.​

Second, Thayer's Greek Lexicon states:

ἐκλεκτός, ἐκλεκτή, ἐκλεκτόν (ἐκλέγω), picked out, chosen; rare in Greek writ:, as Thucydides 6, 100; Plato, legg. 11, p. 938 b.; 12, 948 a., etc.; the Sept. for בָּחוּר and בָּחִיר; in the N. T.
1. chosen by God, and

a. to obtain salvation through Christ (see ἐκλέγω); hence, Christians are called οἱ ἐκλεκτοί τοῦ Θεοῦ, the chosen or elect of God (cf. Winer's Grammar, 35 (34); 234 (219)), (יְהוָה בְּחִירֵי, said of pious Israelites Isaiah 65:9, 15, 23; Psalm 104:43 (Ps. 105:43), cf. Wis. 4:15): Luke 18:7; Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12; Titus 1:1; without the genitive Θεοῦ, Matthew 24:22, 24; Mark 13:20, 22; 1 Peter 1:1; with the addition of τοῦ Χριστοῦ, as the genitive of possessor, Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27 (T Tr omit the genitive); κλητοί καί ἐκλεκτοί καί πιστοί, Revelation 17:14; γένος ἐκλεκτόν, 1 Peter 2:9 (from Isaiah 43:20, cf. Additions to Esther 8:40 [Esther 8:368:12t] (Esth. 6:17, p. 64, Fritzsche edition)); ἐκλεκτοί, those who have become true partakers of the Christian salvation are contrasted with κλητοί, those who have been invited but who have not shown themselves fitted to obtain it (others regard the 'called' and the 'chosen' here as alike partakers of salvation, but the latter as the 'choice ones' (see 2 below), distinguished above the former; cf. James Morison or Meyer at the passage), Matthew 20:16 (here T WH omit; Tr brackets the clause); Matt 22:14; finally, those are called ἐκλεκτοί who are destined for salvation but have not yet been brought to it, 2 Timothy 2:10 (but cf. Huther or Ellicott at the passage).

b. The Messiah is called preeminently ὁ ἐκλεκτός τοῦ Θεοῦ, as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable: Luke 23:35, cf. Luke 9:35 L marginal reading T Tr WH; cf. Dillmann, Das Buch Henoch (übers.u.erkhärt;allgem.Einl.), p. 23:
c. Angels are called ἐκλεκτοί, as those whom God has chosen out from other created beings to be peculiarly associated with him, and his highest ministers in governing the universe: 1 Timothy 5:21; see ἅγιος, 1 b.; μαρτύρομαι δέ ἐγώ μέν ὑμῶν τά ἅγια καί τούς ἱερούς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Θεοῦ, Josephus, b. j. 2, 16, 4 under the end; (yet others explain by 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6; cf. Ellicott on 1 Timothy, the passage cited).
​

2. universally, choice, select, i. e. the best of its kind or class, excellent, preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians, 2 John 1:1, 13; with ἐν κυρίῳ added, eminent as a Christian (see ἐν, I. 6 b.), Romans 16:13; of things: λίθος, 1 Peter 2:4 (6) (Isaiah 28:16; 2 Esdr. 5:8; Enoch, chapter 8 Greek text, Dillmann edition, p. 82f).​

And finally, the verses that define the meaning through their usage of the word:

• [Mat 22:14 NASB] 14 "For many are called, but few [are] chosen."[G1588]
• [Mat 24:22, 24, 31 NASB] 22 "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect[G1588] those days will be cut short. ... 24 "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.[G1588] ... 31 "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect[G1588] from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
• [Mar 13:20, 22, 27 NASB] 20 "Unless the Lord had shortened [those] days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect,[G1588] whom He chose, He shortened the days. ... 22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.[G1588] ... 27 "And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect[G1588] from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.
• [Luk 18:7 NASB] 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect[G1588] who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
• [Luk 23:35 NASB] 35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen[G1588] One."[G1588]
• [Rom 8:33 NASB] 33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect?[G1588] God is the one who justifies;
• [Rom 16:13 NASB] 13 Greet Rufus, a choice[G1588] man[G1588] in the Lord, also his mother and mine.
• [Col 3:12 NASB] 12 So, as those who have been chosen[G1588] of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
• [1Ti 5:21 NASB] 21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of [His] chosen[G1588] angels, to maintain these [principles] without bias, doing nothing in a [spirit of] partiality.
• [2Ti 2:10 NASB] 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen,[G1588] so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus [and] with [it] eternal glory.
• [Tit 1:1 NASB] 1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen[G1588] of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
• [1Pe 1:1 NASB] 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen[G1588]
• [1Pe 2:4, 6, 9 NASB] 4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice[G1588] and precious in the sight of God, ... 6 For [this] is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE[G1588] STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER [stone,] AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." ... 9 But you are A CHOSEN[G1588] RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR [God's] OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
• [2Jo 1:1, 13 NASB] 1 The elder to the chosen[G1588] lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, ... 13 The children of your chosen[G1588] sister greet you.
• [Rev 17:14 NASB] 14 "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him [are the] called and chosen[G1588] and faithful."