The Doctrine of Election in a Nutshell

[JD731]

How is predestination an error?
How is chosen before the foundation of the world an error?
How is election an error?

Honestly, do you have any answer to the simplicity that God is entirely Sovereign over all things?

Do you think God is not fully Sovereign?

Any religion or religious system that must add words to the texts of scripture is a false religion and it is the duty of those who understands their doctrines from the words we are given to mark those religions and avoid them. I have that command in the epistle we are quoting from, Romans.

Ro 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

"Sovereign" and "fully sovereign" are good words but they are just not in the scriptures.

Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

You guys who misuse the doctrine of election speak of your own glory at the exclusion of most all the world. Many simple ones are deceived by you.

One of the ways God presents himself in the NT is as the housholder.

Mt 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

The householder here is God. Read the whole parable.

God appoints stewards over his holdings and makes them responsible for that stewardship.

Lu 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

Lu 16:1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
Lu 16:2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward

Tit 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

1Co 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

If you are going to handle God's doctrines, you should do it with his words. The doctrine of election is not because God is sovereign, but because God is good.

 

[Van]

The Doctrine of Election is a Nutshell: "God chooses the individuals He will save."

Does this tell us whether the election is corporate or individual? Yes, our election to salvation is individual.

Does this tell us when God chooses us individually? No. But 2 Thessalonians 2:13 tells us God uses our faith in the truth to make His Election, thus individual election occurs not before creation, but during our lifetime after God credits our faith as righteous faith.

 

[AustinC]

The Doctrine of Election is a Nutshell: "God chooses the individuals He will save."

Does this tell us whether the election is corporate or individual? Yes, our election to salvation is individual.

Does this tell us when God chooses us individually? No. But 2 Thessalonians 2:13 tells us God uses our faith in the truth to make His Election, thus individual election occurs not before creation, but during our lifetime after God credits our faith as righteous faith.

Ephesians 1:3-4 tells us when God chooses us individually.

 

[Dave G]

When the Spirit puts the new believer into the body, God the Father elects them by virtue of electing Jesus Christ. The new believer is in Christ. They are justified and without sin and have the perfect righteousness in them, the Spirit, that God the Father demands and now they become his son.

In the above, what you've described is God's choice of who He saves being determined by men.
He does not leave such things up to us, as no one would choose Him, given the choice, without the new birth.

Romans 1, Romans 2, Romans 3:9-18, John 3:18-20 and many other things that the Lord has to say about our will and condition, are very specific about this.

This is how simple election is.

I agree...it is simple, but I'm sorry to say that you have it backwards.
It seems you're not believing the words of the Lord in John 6:22-65, nor do you make the vital connection that Acts of the Apostles 13:48 tells us, that David in Psalms 65:4 tells us, and especially here:

" Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. " ( John 10:25-28 ).

Belief on Christ followed God's choice of a person to salvation.
One must already be a sheep to believe, one must have been ordained to eternal life to believe, my friend.

It has to be given to someone to both come to Christ ( John 6:64-65 ) and to believe on Him ( Philippians 1:29 )...
Otherwise they never will.

 

[Dave G]

Any religion or religious system that must add words to the texts of scripture is a false religion and it is the duty of those who understands their doctrines from the words we are given to mark those religions and avoid them.

Amen.

"Sovereign" and "fully sovereign" are good words but they are just not in the scriptures.

But they do describe who God is, and the Bible does indeed teach that God rules over all.
Nothing comes to pass that He could have otherwise stopped, and nothing we say or do is buried under a rug somewhere.
Despite the seeming chaos down here on Earth, HE rules, and He has set forth the Gospel;
And it most definitely is not one of Him accepting men's persons, leaving the decision up to us to choose Him in order to reward some of us with eternal life.

My friend, salvation is by grace through faith.
It is not through grace by faith.


I urge you to go back to the Scriptures and re-read the places that specifically state which comes first...
Belief, or election.
Please pay particular attention to what Ephesians 1, Ephesians 2, Romans 8, Romans 9, Romans 11, John 6, John 8, John 10 and many others have to say.

The doctrine of election, in a nutshell, is that IF anyone is saved, it was and is the Lord's doing...
and we did nothing to earn it from His hand.
Salvation is of the Lord;
Every facet, every "angle", every approach to God is by His grace and mercy alone.



" Blessed [is the man whom] thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee, that] he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, [even] of thy holy temple." ( Psalms 65:4 ). <------ That is the Gospel.

 

[JD731]

In the above, what you've described is God's choice of who He saves being determined by men.
He does not leave such things up to us, as no one would choose Him, given the choice, without the new birth.

Romans 1, Romans 2, Romans 3:9-18, John 3:18-20 and many other things that the Lord has to say about our will and condition, are very specific about this.

I agree...it is simple, but I'm sorry to say that you have it backwards.
It seems you're not believing the words of the Lord in John 6:22-65, nor do you make the vital connection that Acts of the Apostles 13:48 tells us, that David in Psalms 65:4 tells us, and especially here:

" Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. " ( John 10:25-28 ).

Belief on Christ followed God's choice of a person to salvation.
One must already be a sheep to believe, one must have been ordained to eternal life to believe, my friend.

It has to be given to someone to both come to Christ ( John 6:64-65 ) and to believe on Him ( Philippians 1:29 )...
Otherwise they never will.

I cannot express how much biblical ignorance you are displaying in this one post, and the day you become aware of this ignorance you will be ashamed of yourself.

Two things about this post; 1) you guys are deceived by those who came before you and who made ridiculous statements and then posted scripture references as proof rather than the scriptures themselves. You know that no one will look them up and so you have proven nothing and if someone did look them up they would understand how you were pulling their legs. 2) It probably does not move you one bit to know that the church of Jesus Christ, founded upon his death, burial, and resurrection, is nowhere referred to as "sheep." The apostle Paul wrote 13 letters to gentiles, revealing the mysteries of this age, and nowhere did he say we should think of the people who are baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ as sheep. We are called the family of God, the temple of the Spirit, the house of God, the bride of Christ, the children of God, the body of Christ, but we are not called sheep.

Paul uses the word "sheep" in one verse in 13 letters, and that one time is in a context of quoting an OT scripture and where the context is him referring, not to gentile Christians, but to Jews. The metaphor of sheep is never used to denote gentiles in the scriptures and it is not used for the church. The word sheep in the gospel account is in a former age = aion = world, where the operative principle of divine dealing with Israel, to whom Jesus Christ was sent, was the law of Moses and the responsibility of that generation was to recognize through their OT scriptures and the evidence of his work among them that he was the promised Messiah and to receive him.

There is not a single reason to believe that those who would not believe him in the gospel accounts were not sheep, just not his sheep. They were not chosen in John 6 to be sheep, because they were already sheep.
Those who came chose him. How? They came to eat the Bread and to live forever by doing so. The idea that you can teach that we, the church, are sheep from the gospel accounts is purely ridiculous and it would take some one who is gullible to believe that kind of teaching. All the sheep belonged to God but he gave all the sheep to Jesus that would come to him. All those who were taught of the Father came to him. Jesus had already said for them to "search the scriptures, for they are they that speak of me." The Father teaches through the scriptures. Those who would not come to him were no less sheep.

Why was he sent to Israel only in the flesh?

The following records Jesus speaking to a gentile woman. It is a real event but it is also a metaphor. It is a prophesy in type.

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Jesus had come to offer himself a Israel's King. It was legitimate for Israel to make an appeal to Jesus as the son of David because of the OT covenants, the King covenant being with the family of David of which Jesus was a member. But a gentile had no such claim and so when this gentile sought a blessing on this Jewish appeal, Jesus did not answer her. There are two categories of people in this story. It is sheep and dogs. Guess who the gentiles are in the estimation of Jesus Christ. You are right if you say dogs.

When this woman called him Lord, then he acted towards her by his grace, not because of any promise he had ever made to her that she could hold him to.

This is the manner in which he dealt with gentiles in the following age when he was forming his church.

(For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved)

It was the lost sheep of the house of Israel to whom he was sent in the flesh.



It does not show discernment to miss the divisions of scripture and to follow false teachers. I recommend a reset of your theology and to demand your money back from these false teachers.

Jer 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

 

[AustinC]

Amen.

But they do describe who God is, and the Bible does indeed teach that God rules over all.
Nothing comes to pass that He could have otherwise stopped, and nothing we say or do is buried under a rug somewhere.
Despite the seeming chaos down here on Earth, HE rules, and He has set forth the Gospel;
And it most definitely is not one of Him accepting men's persons, leaving the decision up to us to choose Him in order to reward some of us with eternal life.

My friend, salvation is by grace through faith.
It is not through grace by faith.


I urge you to go back to the Scriptures and re-read the places that specifically state which comes first...
Belief, or election.
Please pay particular attention to what Ephesians 1, Ephesians 2, Romans 8, Romans 9, Romans 11, John 6, John 8, John 10 and many others have to say.

The doctrine of election, in a nutshell, is that IF anyone is saved, it was and is the Lord's doing...
and we did nothing to earn it from His hand.
Salvation is of the Lord;
Every facet, every "angle", every approach to God is by His grace and mercy alone.



" Blessed [is the man whom] thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee, that] he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, [even] of thy holy temple." ( Psalms 65:4 ). <------ That is the Gospel.

*Isaiah 45:5-7*

I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.

 

[canadyjd]

This is the biggest nut (shell) I’ve ever seen.

peace to you

 

[Silverhair]

Ephesians 1:3-4 tells us when God chooses us individually.

Ephesians 1:1 The "us" of verse 4 are the saints who are faithful in Ephesus. Context there Austin context.

 

[JD731]

This is the biggest nut (shell) I’ve ever seen.

peace to you

But, at what time in human history did God begin to put believers into Christ, according to the scriptures.


The epistle to the Ephesians was written in 60AD.

Now look at the only person who was ever chosen before the creation.

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

What does the following mean? It means he will not be present when he gives the Spirit, which is exactly what happened. We have 100% hindsight and we can testify that those who believe receive the Spirit and the Lord is still in heaven.

2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

This following is when he returns;
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

The following verses are a reaffirmation from God the Father to his Son.

5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

It remains that God will elect any and all that the Spirit baptizes into Jesus Christ because he has elected Christ.

 

[AustinC]

But, at what time in human history did God begin to put believers into Christ, according to the scriptures.


The epistle to the Ephesians was written in 60AD.

Now look at the only person who was ever chosen before the creation.

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

What does the following mean? It means he will not be present when he gives the Spirit, which is exactly what happened. We have 100% hindsight and we can testify that those who believe receive the Spirit and the Lord is still in heaven.

2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

This following is when he returns;
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

The following verses are a reaffirmation from God the Father to his Son.

5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

It remains that God will elect any and all that the Spirit baptizes into Jesus Christ because he has elected Christ.

So apparently Jesus lied to us when he had Paul write these words
*Ephesians 1:3-4*

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.

Us
God chose us
God chose us before the foundation of the world.

I'm not making it up, JD, I am just quoting scripture.

 

[JD731]

So apparently Jesus lied to us when he had Paul write these words
*Ephesians 1:3-4*

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.

Us
God chose us
God chose us before the foundation of the world.

I'm not making it up, JD, I am just quoting scripture.

The theme of the epistle to the Ephesians is "the mystery of Christ." It has been hidden from other ages, we are told in chapter 3, verse 5, now revealed to the apostles and prophets of Jesus Christ by the Spirit. The purpose of Paul in this epistle is to put the explanation of this mystery in written form, making it scripture. It is an explanation of the history of the beginning of the church of Jesus Christ in this age, not local assemblies of believers in Christ, but the collective body of believers as one body of Christ everywhere.

Having said that, and assuming you will believe it, do you think it is wise and prudent to allow all the words in this epistle to bear upon the theme, including the word "us" in Eph 1:3?

The nutshell verse where Paul defines the mystery is in Ep 3:6. This verse has context. The context must be honored. A careful look at how the history of the beginning of this age from the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the writing of this epistle in 60 AD, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles will demonstrate the wisdom of context and the advantage of understanding in the man who will believe it. It will teach one how it is that Christ was chosen before the foundation of the world to accomplish the purpose of the Godhead, which is to put the believers in this age "in Christ," meaning in this body, when they believe his gospel and receive his Spirit making them one with him.

This will give clarity to the phrase that is used here: "FROM the beginning" (of gentile salvation).

2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Thessalonians were gentile believers. Notice how they were saved, beginning in Acts 10, when God sent the Israelite preacher, Peter, to Cornelius, the first gentile who was saved in 40 AD.

Consider these things and we can talk some more.

 

[Van]

Ephesians 1:3-4 tells us when God chooses us individually.

Utter fiction as scripture precludes reading that bogus view into the text.

 

[Silverhair]

So apparently Jesus lied to us when he had Paul write these words
*Ephesians 1:3-4*

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.

Us
God chose us
God chose us before the foundation of the world.

I'm not making it up, JD, I am just quoting scripture.

Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
Eph 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

The "us" Paul is referring to are the Ephesians in vs 1. Remember Austin as you keep saying, context.

 

[tyndale1946]

This is the biggest nut (shell) I’ve ever seen.

peace to you

Let me clarify it for you!... GOD ALONE SAVES HIS OWN!... Brother Glen

 

[AustinC]

Utter fiction as scripture precludes reading that bogus view into the text.

Ephesians 1:3-4 is utter fiction?
Well, we have Vanology on display with that post.

 

[AustinC]

The theme of the epistle to the Ephesians is "the mystery of Christ." It has been hidden from other ages, we are told in chapter 3, verse 5, now revealed to the apostles and prophets of Jesus Christ by the Spirit. The purpose of Paul in this epistle is to put the explanation of this mystery in written form, making it scripture. It is an explanation of the history of the beginning of the church of Jesus Christ in this age, not local assemblies of believers in Christ, but the collective body of believers as one body of Christ everywhere.

Having said that, and assuming you will believe it, do you think it is wise and prudent to allow all the words in this epistle to bear upon the theme, including the word "us" in Eph 1:3?

The nutshell verse where Paul defines the mystery is in Ep 3:6. This verse has context. The context must be honored. A careful look at how the history of the beginning of this age from the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the writing of this epistle in 60 AD, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles will demonstrate the wisdom of context and the advantage of understanding in the man who will believe it. It will teach one how it is that Christ was chosen before the foundation of the world to accomplish the purpose of the Godhead, which is to put the believers in this age "in Christ," meaning in this body, when they believe his gospel and receive his Spirit making them one with him.

This will give clarity to the phrase that is used here: "FROM the beginning" (of gentile salvation).

2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Thessalonians were gentile believers. Notice how they were saved, beginning in Acts 10, when God sent the Israelite preacher, Peter, to Cornelius, the first gentile who was saved in 40 AD.

Consider these things and we can talk some more.

What you wrote is utter rubbish, removing the truth of Ephesians to fit your philosophy.

 

[JD731]

Let me clarify it for you!... GOD ALONE SAVES HIS OWN!... Brother Glen

This is true to a point, God justifies the repentant sinner, but there is a clear statement concerning whose are God's.

First, look at this.
Ro 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? [It is] God that justifieth.

Ro 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

If the Spirit of God does not dwell in the body, then he does not belong to God. That is the deciding factor as to who belongs to God.

Why is that? Do we know? are we told in the text? The answer is yes, we are told why we do not belong to God if the Spirit of God and of Christ does not dwell in our bodies.

Here is the answer;
Ro 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

We are told here what death is, how it is defined by God. It is the absence of the Spirit in the body where sin is.
We are told here what life is, how it is defined by God. It is the presence of the Spirit of God in the body.
We are told here what righteousness is, how it is defined by God. It is the Spirit of Christ.
Therefore, those who have the Spirit of Christ has his righteousness.

Ro 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

In Romans 8 two things we learn.
1) We are in Christ, that is, in his body, where there is no longer now no condemnation.
2) And Christ is in our bodies in the person of his Spirit.

Look;

Ro 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Ro 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Ro 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

This is what election is. This is only possible after our Lord died and rose again and it is not true of anyone who lived in the previous four thousand years of human history before Jesus Christ came into the world, and then left.

Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Once again, God elects those who are in the body of Christ because he has previously elected Christ.

May the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified and lifted up with this post and I pray God will open blind eyes to this glorious truth.

 

[Dave G]

The "us" Paul is referring to are the Ephesians in vs 1.

" Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 grace [be] to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ." ( Ephesians 1:1-2 ).

Did you read where Paul addresses all believers, " ...and to the faithful in Christ Jesus"?
Is not the context precisely where it ought to be...focused on all those who are the faithful in Christ Jesus?:

" Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:
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:
5 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." ( Ephesians 1:3-6 ).

Please read the above again, keeping in mind who the entire letter is addressed to...

To the saints at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.

 

[Dave G]

It probably does not move you one bit to know that the church of Jesus Christ, founded upon his death, burial, and resurrection, is nowhere referred to as "sheep." The apostle Paul wrote 13 letters to gentiles, revealing the mysteries of this age, and nowhere did he say we should think of the people who are baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ as sheep. We are called the family of God, the temple of the Spirit, the house of God, the bride of Christ, the children of God, the body of Christ, but we are not called sheep.

" Know ye that the LORD he is God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture." ( Psalms 100:3 ).

" When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats:
33 and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." ( Matthew 25:31-33 ).\

" Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." ( Matthew 26:31 ).

" Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. " ( Romans 8:35-36 ).

" For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." ( 1 Peter 2:25 ).

" Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21 make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen." ( Hebrews 13:20-21 ).


Sir,
Then who is being spoken of in the above?
Is it not God's people?


His elect, His children, the bride of Christ, the saved, the "whosoever believeth in Him"?