Hi Lori,
It is my understanding that God has predetermined before the world began that He would choose out a people to be His own, Israel is a shadow of this.
Rom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
v. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Eph 1:3 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,
v. 4 even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.
v. 5 He destined us in love to be His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will,
v. 6 to the praise of His glorious grace which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
So it was God's plan to have a few chosen ones that He would specially prepare in this life, by giving those few His spirit and His truths. Then to raise them at Christ's return to rule and reign with Him. Did He have to do it this way, does Christ have to have these few helpers? Of course not, it is the way He wanted to do it.
Here is a email that Ray speaks of the elect.
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2059.0.html ------
Ray,
Thank you for your work.
Is there an article or book I can look at which will discuss "The Elect" found in the new testament from the universal salvation perspective??
Are "The elect" the sheep that Jesus talks about which will be seperated from the goats??
If so can someone be one of the elect(sheep) and then lose his way and then at the judgement be placed not with the sheep but with the goats??
Sorry, I don't write very well but hope the above makes a little sense.
Thank you again for your work.
Kelly
Dear Kelly:
Those whom God has foreordained to be the elect will always be the elect. The chosen elect cannot be lost. But you and I do not know exactly who is and who isn't an elect. Only God's knows those who are His, and therefore, we can never let down our guard, because we might only think that we are elect. I have seen and witnessed this with my own eyes where those who appeared to be elect, turned and now blaspheme the name of the Saviour they claimed to worship a short while back.
Sorry, don't know of any books that you can read on this subject.
God be with you,
Ray
------------------------------------------------------------------
mercy, peace, and love
Kat