Hi Anne,
This is an excerpt from Ray's part 11 article.
It gives a explanation of the called and chosen, but there is much more in that article.
http://bible-truths.com/lake11.html --------------------------------------------------------
A FEW DEFINITIONS
"Synagogue" [Greek: sunagoge means "an assemblage of people, a gathering place for the Jews"
"Church" [Greek: ekklesia] means "a calling out."
"Called" [Greek: kletos] means "invited." The word called is found over six hundred times in Scripture, but the word kletos appears only about a dozen times in Scriptures and always refers to those whom God has invited.
"Chosen" [Greek: eklektos] means "select, chosen out; by implication favorite."
Translated "chosen" sixteen times and "elect" seven times.
Can we not easily see the progression in how God uses these words? God first GATHERS all His people—there was a synagogue in every city. He then CALLS OUT a people (a church) from that huge gathering, and many others from among the Gentiles. He then INVITES many of the called out ones (from the Church) to be His True Followers. But in the end only those whom God SELECTS OUT of the INVITED, of the CALLED OUT, from the gathering of the whole ASSEMBLY will be in the First Resurrection to reign with Christ in the Kingdom of God. And thus we start with a huge number and end up with but a "FEW"! "For MANY are called [‘invited’ from the ‘called out’ church], but FEW are chosen" to reign with Christ as Judges, Priests, Lords, and Kings. (Matt. 22:14).
"But Ray, are you telling us that if we should be chosen from among the invited ones in the called out church, that we are no longer a member of the Church?"
I was hoping some one would ask that question. For most of Church history, clergymen have been trying to materialize away things that are spiritual. And then in their spiritual ignorance, they accuse God’s servants of spiritualizing away things that are supposedly literal and physical. Never mind the fact that it is impossible to "spiritualize away" material things. Material things pass away on their own, whereas spiritual things never pass away.
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mercy, peace, and love
Kat