Your Election by God - 1 Thessalonians

1 Thes 1:1-10 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Before Silas and Timothy came I believe Paul wrote Galatians. Cf. Galatians 1:1-2

Gal 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:

When Silvanus, and Timothy joined Paul, he wrote 1 Thessalonians.

Acts 18:1-5 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. 3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

V. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,

V. 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

2 Sam 21:6 "let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose."

Saul was chosen by the Lord, but he did not remain faithful. So, God's election was not effectual here.

1 Chr 16:13 O seed of Israel His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones! (Similar statements in Ps 105:,43; Isa 43:20; 45:4)

But later we see in Rom 11:30-32 that many of these chosen ones did not receive righteousness. "For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Rom 9:30-10:4 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Isa 42:1-4 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law."

Here, Christ is God's elect. When we are in Christ, we are God's elect. Are we ever chosen to be in Christ? (God's elect from the previous scripture is Israel and Christ. Now we will see a very important passage which shows that election is conditional.)

Isa 65:1-25 "I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here I am, here I am,' To a nation that was not called by My name.

Paul quotes verse 2 in Rom 10:21 to support the temporary rejection of Israel.

2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; 3 A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens and burn incense on altars of brick; 4 Who sit among the graves, and spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine's flesh, and the broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Who say, 'Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!

He answers with rejection and judgment according to the principles laid down in Jer 18:1-18 and Eze 18.

5b "These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day. 6 "Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will repay -- Even repay into their bosom -- 7 Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together," Says the LORD, "Who have burned incense on the mountains and blasphemed Me on the hills; Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom."

He says He will not destroy them all. Why?

8 Thus says the LORD: "As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, 'Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,' So will I do for My servants' sake, That I may not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, And from Judah an heir of My mountains; My elect shall inherit it, And My servants shall dwell there. 10 Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, (The key is right here.) For My people who have sought Me. 11 "But you are those who forsake the LORD, Who forget My holy mountain, Who prepare a table for Gad, And who furnish a drink offering for Meni. 12 Therefore I will number you for the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter; Because, when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear, But did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight."

He continues comparing the disobedient to my servants, but remember, they were all elect.

13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed; 14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And wail for grief of spirit. 15 You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen; For the Lord GOD will slay you, And call His servants by another name; 16 So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes. 17 "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying. 20 "No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD, And their offspring with them. 24 "

The blessings are clearly given to the elect. The elect are those who respond to the Lord from among the elect. In other words, some who could have been elect, because they were among the elect, did not remain elect because they did not respond in faith. God elected the whole nation, but only those who responded remeined elect. A further principle of election is found in Isa 43:10 "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He."

Rom 11:5-7 Shows us election is by grace. Those who respond are called the election.

Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. 7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

If God's election was irresistible, why didn't all Israel "know and believe" Him? Why were some broken off? Because of unbelief, verse 20, Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. (The calling of God is irrevocable, v. 29, but only those who respond to the call are the called or the elect.)

In the N.T., we have to deal with six words. They are I choose, eklegomai; a chosen one, an elect one, eklekto"; election, eklogh; I call, kalew; invited one, called one, klhto"; invitation, a calling, klhsi". oi keklhmenoi means among other things, "invited guests." (Gingrich & Danker, pp 399,400).

We find that He chose twelve (Lk 6:13; John 15:16; Acts 1:2), but one was a devil (John 6:70). Here we have a man who was chosen (elected), but he did not become an elect one.

Paul uses eklegomai four times in his epistles. The three times it is used in 1 Cor 1:27-28 it refers to God's use of foolish and weak things to confound the wise. The only other time Paul uses this word, it is found in Ephesians 1:4. What is the purpose of election here?

The elect of Matthew 24:22-24,31 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. 23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. 24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 31 "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

And 1 Peter 1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

And the called of 2 Peter 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue

must be diligent to make it sure. 2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble

Our election is sure because we are in Christ and sealed. 2 Cor 1:21,22; Eph 1:3-14; 4:30

The called of Mat 22:1-14 were called [keklhmevnoi means among other things, "invited guests."], but they did not respond to the call and were rejected.

V. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. 5 o{ti toV eujaggevlion hJmw'n oujk ejgenhvqh eij" uJma'" ejn lovgw/ movnon, ajllaV kaiV ejn dunavmei, kaiV ejn Pneuvmati JAgivw/, kaiV ejn plhroforiva/ pollh'/, kaqwV" oi[date oi|oi ejgenhvqhmen ejn uJmi'n di· uJma'".

6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 6 kaiV uJmei'" mimhtaiV hJmw'n ejgenhvqhte kaiV tou' Kurivou, dexavmenoi toVn lovgon ejn qlivyei pollh'/ metaV cara'" Pneuvmato" JAgivou,

7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 7 w{ste genevsqai uJma'" tuvpou" pa'si toi'" pisteuvousin ejn th'/ Makedoniva/ kaiV th'/ jAcai?a/.

8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 8 ajf· uJmw'n gaVr ejxhvchtai oJ lovgo" tou' Kurivou ouj movnon ejn th'/ Makedoniva/ kaiV jAcai?a/, ajllaV kaiV ejn pantiV tovpw/ hJ pivsti" uJmw'n hJ proV" toVn QeoVn ejxelhvluqen, w{ste mhV creivan hJma'" e[cein lalei'n ti.

9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry [1 Thes 2:5-12] we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 9 aujtoiV gaVr periV hJmw'n ajpaggevllousin oJpoivan ei[sodon
e[scomen proV" uJma'", kaiV pw'" ejpestrevyate proV" toVn QeoVn ajpoV tw'n eijdwvlwn, douleuvein Qew'/ zw'nti kaiV ajlhqinw'/,

10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. [Rom 5:9; 1 Thes 5:9; 2 Thes 2:13] 10 kaiV ajnamevnein toVn uiJoVn aujtou' ejk tw'n oujranw'n, _ o}n h[geiren ejk nekrw'n, _ jIhsou'n toVn rJuovmenon hJma'" ajpoV th'" ojrgh'" th'" ejrcomevnh".