Elect – (v) To choose for an office, position, or duty; (adj) Taken in preference to others.
God used this word 26 times in Scripture: 4 times to Israel in their Masoretic Text Old Testament book of Isaiah; 7 times to Israel in their Koine Greek Old Testament books (Matthew thru John); 10 times to the Body of Christ in the Gospel of Grace (Romans thru Philemon); and 5 times to Israel in their tribulation books (Hebrews thru Revelation).
In Scripture, with the exception of identifying Jesus Christ as God’s elect, the elect of God are agencies, not individual people. People become elect when they become a member of one of God’s agencies.
The first occurrence of this word is in Isaiah, prophetically speaking of Jesus Christ in His millennial reign judging the gentiles; the position is King. The other 3 occurrences in Isaiah are speaking of the nation of Israel; their office is the agency serving under Jesus ruling in their Promised Kingdom over the gentiles. Their purpose is the redemption of earth.
The 7 occurrences in Israel’s Koine Greek Old Testament makes the distinction between Israel’s Little Flock and Israel’s apostate; no gentiles included. It is clear that God’s agency for the redemption of earth is Israel’s Church the Little Flock, which is a remnant of Israel.
God explains Israel’s election in the book of Romans. In the Gospel of Grace (Romans thru Philemon) God also reveals another agency (the Body of Christ), with a new purpose (the redemption of heaven), and also calls them elect. This agency consists of both Israelites and gentiles. It is clear that God’s agency for the redemption of Heaven is the Church the Body of Christ.
Christianity has ignorantly redefined this word, for their own agenda, to mean “Individuals chosen by God for salvation and eternal life”; a popular false doctrine of the Baptist. We know that this is false doctrine because …
- God refers to “elect angels”, which never die, and are not given any provision for salvation.
- This false doctrine claims that God has per-determined who will “be saved” before they are born. Wherein Scripture clearly states that every person must choose to believe God Exclusively and Explicitly according to Rightly Divided Scripture and be saved.
See also Christian, Church, Faith, Redemption, Salvation