His Elect !

brad

I'm we do not saying not make judgements

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You are a liar, you did say that ! Look, keep this thread about the fact that God has an Elect, all your other comments are not needed. You either believe God has an elect People, special from all others or you do not.

This thread is not about Christian duty ! What a Christian must do ! Its about what God has done !

You took my quote out of context.

Bradley D said:

You took my quote out of context.

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No I didn't, you are just trying to make amendments to what you first stated because now you realize how foolish and unreasonable it was. But you meant it, and you still do, and i am finished with it..This thread is about the biblical teaching of God's elect and then you intrude with accusations of one being Judgmental and lacking in love. God's election of people has nothing to do with Christian behaviour and duties.

bling said:

can you help me, I have been discussing this on another board:
1. Was there a time when Jewish Christians (elect) taught that a good Christian also had to be a good Jew (following especially the dietary requirements, Sabbath and circumcision)?
2. Was there at the same time these Jewish Christians teaching you a good Jew, Christians (elect) teaching you did not have to follow the old Jewish Laws (esp. Sabbath, circumcision, and food)?
3. Was this a significant issue in the first century church, did Paul address this problem in his letters, and when did this problem cease to be a problem?
4. Could there have been and were there Jewish Christians (elect) in Rome at the time of Romans teaching other Gentile Christians (elect) they had to (be circumcised, obey the Sabbath, and/or fool the Old Jewish dietary requirements)?
5. Was Roman written to non-Christians or to some non-Christians (non-elect)?

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The gut hunch that bubbles up from my studies is that there was a major schism among the Jews following the murder of Jesus; that many Jews went from Israel to Greece, and some to Rome, and others traveled into the Arab lands. The schism was about the status of Jesus. Under the pressure of this max exudus of Christian Jews, we saw the foundation of the new Christianity. At about the same time, the Christian Jews who fled into the Arab lands became the catalyst (spreading the story) for the new Islam. The Christian Jews would have been followers of the dietary laws, circumcision, etc., but I have read nothing about any controversy regarding these practices. Jesus appears to have been the prime mover with all else taking second place. In all probabilities, at least in Greece and Rome, the major controversy centered around converting people from the prevalent pagan practices and worship, and perhaps this was true in the beginnings of Islam, as well. I see no other way that Christianity could have been created the way it was, and, at the same time, to have had so much focus on Jesus in the Koran. I would like to learn more about this.

We know that there is a Elect People in the world by the designation in Rom 11:5

5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

The Remnant of the Election of Grace. Now many adversaries of this Truth will object, that this scripture is referring to ethnic jews only, but that would be a assumption, it is speaking of the remnant of the election of grace among the jews, in this context, particularly Paul's kinsmen of the flesh, however the remnant of the election of grace is not limited to ethnic jews, Paul's kinsmen according to the flesh, but there are gentiles also of the remnant of the election of grace, who are not ethnic born jews. The Election of Grace is simply Salvation by Grace through Faith. To say therefore that the remnant according to the election of grace is restricted to only ethnic jews, Paul's kinsmen according to the flesh, is tantamount to saying that Salvation by Grace through Faith is limited to only ethnic jews ! How erroneous is that ? So the Elect is comprised of a remnant out of Mankind, some jews, and some gentiles !

If there is an determined elect number that must and will be saved based upon the Person and Work of Christ, and this determined and fixed number will be no more or less than what it is, then some ask, why Preach the Gospel ? Why not Preach it is my answer ?

All things are said to be for the elect's sake Paul writing to God's Elect/Chosen in Corinth writes 1 Cor 3:21-23

21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;

22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;

23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

So the Preaching of the Gospel is for their sakes, the Elect's sake 2 Tim 2:10

10Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Paul endured much of His sufferings for Preaching, so that would be included in the all things that he endures for the Elect Sake. Just so they can hear the good news of their Salvation in Christ, their Election in Christ !

You see if there were no elect in the world, the preaching of the Gospel would not be needed, in fact, there would be no gospel if it had not been for God's Elect..

The Children !

The Children !

We should know that Salvation is for a Specified group, by the term Children of Promise. This term cannot denote or be in line with a man freewill salvation, conditioned on man.

The Children of Promise Rom 9:8

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

The Children of Promise is a seed. No one chooses by their freewill to be part of a seed.

Gal 4:28

Now we, brethren[Jew and Gentile Believers], as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

The Children of promise are not Children of promise because they believe on Christ, or because they accepted Jesus Christ in their heart, or because they repented of their sins, in fact, they did not do anything to be Children of Promise. Did Isaac do anything to be a Child of Promise ? Now who are the Children of Promise ? Rom 9:8

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

The Children of Promise and the Children of God are the exact same Children. Now that means, they did not do anything to be the Children of God. They did not believe , they did not accept Christ as their Saviour, they did not repent of their sins, they did not do anything to become the Children of God, no more than they did to become the Children of Promise as Isaac .

Its by Election!

Salvation is for the Children, the Children of Promise ! Or the Children of the Covenant. Remember Peter said in Acts 3:25

Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

Yes, The Children of the Promise and of the Covenant are the Same, and they are the Elect of God, Abraham's Children.

The scripture makes it quite clear that God has a Elect People, A Special People whom He set His Love upon from Everlasting, and it is all those He Loved and Chose in His Son before the world was Jn 17:23-24

23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

God Loved them [The Church] as He Loved His Son ! And as He Loved His Son before the foundation of the world, so Loved He all those Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world !

Lets notice how that phrase "before the foundation of the world" is used here and in Eph 1:4


4According 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:

Now we see how and why The Chosen were Loved by the Father before the foundation of the world, because they were One with Christ then, He the Head, they His Seed. For it is written Heb 2:11

11For both he that sanctifieth[Christ] and they who are sanctified [Those He offered Himself for]are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Just Like Adam and Eve were of One ! Gen 5:2

2Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

So it should not be any misunderstanding who it is that is God's Special Chosen People Loved in Christ before the foundation of the world. These are not ethnic jews either, though some of them included, but its everyone, gentile or jew Chosen in Christ. Now was the book of Ephesians wrote only to ethnic jews ? No sir, but both jew and gentile believers in Christ ! Now these Chosen ones Eph 1:4 are God's Elect, a People He has Chosen to Salvation, and the Only People that God will Save, His Israel. It is these only that have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, because they were God's Elect or Chosen. Writing to them in 1 Pet 1:2,18-20

2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Peter tells them [The Elect] this in verses 18-20


18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Notice, but was Manifest in these times FOR YOU ! That is the Elect of vs 2, not everyone without exception..

Now it should be noted that the Chosen in Eph 1:4 and the Elect in 1 Pet 1:2 are the same Persons, the same greek word is used in the greek ! The word in Eph 1:4 is:eklegomai and means:

to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one's self

a) choosing one out of many, i.e. Jesus choosing his disciples

b) choosing one for an office

c) of God choosing whom he judged fit to receive his favours and separated from the rest of mankind to be peculiarly his own and to be attended continually by his gracious oversight

In 1 Pet 1:2 it is the word eklektos:

picked out, chosen

a) chosen by God,

1) to obtain salvation through Christ

a) Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God

This word is from the preceding one of Eph 1:4 The obvious connection is picked out, Chosen by God.

This is just as the Israelites were Chosen or picked out separate from all other People of the Earth Deut 7:6-7

6For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

7The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

As we can see, God's Love and God's choosing go hand and hand. God does not Love whom He did not Choose in Christ !

A word about Deut 7:6-7, God was talking about His Elect in Christ here that He Loved and Chose, and not the whole Nation as a Whole, remember, many were called, but only few were Chosen ! The words of those verses therefore could not apply to all of that Nation without exception, because all without exception were not Chosen ! It was only a remnant according to the Election of Grace Rom 11:5

5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

That would be those ethnic jews who were given Grace in Christ Jesus before the world began, along with elect gentiles 2 Tim 1:9

9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

1 Peter 1:1-3

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Pet 2:9


9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Many adversaries of the Truth try to tell us that 1 Peter is written to only ethnic jews, and so would have us to believe that where Peter calls them the Elect and a Holy Nation, that this is only to the ethnic jews. There is two reasons for this. #1 Because of the designation of an Holy Nation found in Exodus 19:6

And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

And because Peter calls them strangers scattered in vs 1

They believe it only pertains to jewish believers who were scattered from the persecution here Acts 8:1

1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Scripture here plainly informs us that it was the Church scattered. Yes it may have been comprised early on with believing ethnic jews, but nevertheless it was still the Church. What Church ? This One Matt 16:18

18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

It was Christ's Church, His Body !

This Church Acts 20:28

28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.


It is the Church that was purchased with His own Blood ! Now, is this Church restricted to only ethnic jews ? If not, then neither is the Church in Acts 8:1

So the question is asked again, was 1 Peter written only to ethnic jews ? No it was not, it was written to believers in Christ, His Church, where there is neither jew or gentile, but both are One in Christ Eph 2:14

14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

This letter was written to believers, Christ Sheep, scattered throughout the Roman Province, Pontus, Galatia [as in Galatians where we know gentile believers existed] Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. This was a very ethnic diverse province, influenced by Grecio Roman Culture. That some of the recipients were probably gentiles is true because of 1 Pet 1:14

14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

The term former ignorance is a gentile perception Acts 17:30

30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Acts 14:15-16

15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

16Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

We are also aware that ethnic jews ,who before conversion, though very zealous in the jews religion, also were in Ignorance Rom 10:1-3

1Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

3For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

So 1 Pet 1:14 can actually apply to either or, jews or gentiles, but the point is now, that they are Believers in Christ, together they make up an Holy Nation 1 Pet 2:9..

All Spiritual Blessings will be given the Elect !

Eph 1:3-4

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4According 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:

All of the Elect, the Chosen of God shall be given in time, all necessary spiritual blessings to save them experientially by Grace, By Grace through Faith. They will be given a New Birth, they will be Called, and shall be experientially saved because they are the Special Chosen of God, and through Christ death all has been secured for them, He is a Complete Saviour unto them ! For God hath raised up unto Israel [ Elect People] a Saviour ! Acts 13:23

Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel[His Elect] a Saviour, Jesus:

All of these Elect shall be preserved unto Eternal Glory, simply because they are God's very own Elect.. 1 Thess 5:23

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who is Paul writing to here but those Chosen of God 1 Thess 2:13

13But 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:

1 Thess 1:4

Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

BTW, this statement indicates for sure that Paul preached Election to them in His Gospel, how else would he refer them back to that subject ? " Knowing your election of God ? The word knowing here is the greek word eido and means:

to see
to perceive with the eyes
to perceive by any of the senses
to perceive, notice, discern, discover
to see

They had discovered their Election of God, they perceived it. The word also is in the perfect tense in the greek, it was perceived in the past, a completed perception, once and for all, resulting into present perception, they will always know it !

They know it to be an act of the Father, He having Chosen them in Christ before the foundation of the world, this was Gospel Truth !

This also was can be understood as the Knowledge of the Apostle had of them being of God's Election by the way they received the word of God. They had received it as the Word of God and not of men.. 1 Thess 2:13

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

This is the same way the Elect Disciples received the word of God from Christ ! Jn 17:8

For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

Thats an evidence of Election when one receives the words of God, His Gospel..

The Election of Grace !

Rom 11:5

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

First of all, the Election of Grace is not jewish people. Yes it includes some of them, as the context where this verse is found implies, but the Election of Grace simply means and applies to everyone who is saved by the Grace of God ! For Salvation is by Election of Grace, not of works, lest any man should boast. The Election of Grace merely are all those that the Father hath Chosen in His Dear Son before the foundation of the world, for the Praise of His Grace Eph 1:4-6


4According 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:

5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Now what does God do for these The Election of Grace, who by nature as other men, are children of wrath Eph 2:3 but are not of the Election of Grace ? Note: Though all men without exception are sinners by nature, not all men without exception are of the Election of Grace !

Now God by Grace, and for the Glory and Praise of His Grace, He imputes their sins to Christ, and imputes Christ Righteousness to them, so they are Justified by His Grace Titus 3:7

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

" justification is an act of God's gracious will conceived in his mind from eternity, by which he wills not to impute sin to his people, but to Christ their surety; and that they should be accounted righteous through the righteousness of his Son;" John Gill

Its through the Work of the Holy Spirit and the Preaching of the Gospel of God's Electing Grace Acts 20:24, when the Lord reveals this Truth to the redeemed sinners heart; and so Paul says that through the Gospel a Righteousness of God is revealed 2 Cor 5:21; Rom 1:16-17 Now who is it revealed to ? To those who are believing Rom 1:16. This Righteousness is being revealed to them having God given Faith, so its from Faith to Faith. The fact that this Righteousness is being made known, makes it clear that the Righteousness existed for that one believing before it was revealed or made known to them, and this shall be True of the Entire Election of Grace,Jew or Gentile !

Election is the Father's Sovereign Choice from Everlasting, of a Special Loved People, Chosen in Christ for Salvation.

Eph 1:3-4

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4According 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:

Jer 31:3

3The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Deut 7:6-7

6For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

7The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:


Predestination is God's pre arrangement of all the decree's from everlasting, to bring about the experiential Salvation of His Elect in Christ !

Earnestly contend for the Faith !

Jude 1:3

3Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

The Doctrine Election is revealed in the scriptures, and His People will take their stand and contend for this Blessed Gospel Doctrine, regardless of what men may say or think !

Even Angels were Elected of God 1 Tim 5:21

charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

The word is eklektos

picked out, chosen

a) chosen by God,

1) to obtain salvation through Christ

a) Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God

2) the Messiah is called "elect", as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable

3) choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians

The Elect Angels are the ones Chosen by God as to associates with the Heirs of Salvation among Chosen men Heb 1:13-14

13But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?


Yet there were angels whom God decreed to destroy for their sin 2 Pet 2:4

4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Its the same with men, some of them God determined to spare them not for sin, they are the non elect of men !

Our Covenant Head was Chosen or Elected !

The bible teaches Election even of the One who died for His Seed Isa 53:10

10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

The Lord Jesus Christ . Scripture records the Father saying Isa 42:1

1Behold 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.

Peter writes as well 1 Pet 2:4,6

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

Christ was Chosen of God to be the Head of the Church, His Body ! So now, if the Head is Chosen, so must be His Members, His Body ! Unless the Father chose a bodiless Head ! And because of this, He had to be the Saviour of the Body Eph 5:23


For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.

He is the Chosen foundation stone, and Those He is Saviour, His Body, are the chosen stones 1 Pet 2:5

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

A Chosen Priesthood at that 1 Pet 2:9

9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Election is taught by the Type the Nation of Israel Isa 65:9

9And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

Deut 7:6-8

6For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

7The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

8But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

This language is fitting to Spiritual Israel comprised of both jews and gentiles 1 Pet 2:9

9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Message Board Evangelanine! -what's up, man?

Preaching to the , who. what? -and better yet, why?

Yo. the lord teacheth (ps: the th equils [=] an 's') my hands to war.
To WAR man! what's the deal with that?

Yea, hey. Hi.
long-time-listener, first-time caller,
uh, um, yea, right, like, it's um like yea, ya know?

Seriously though, two peanuts are walking down the street, and one is a salted.
-get it!
a salted!
~pffttt, yea, high-brow humor... TOTALLY LOST on the aerostrocratic power elete.

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submitted for your acadeny consiteration:
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Behooved58 said,

Election took place in Eternity,
God hath from the beginning Chosen you to Salvation
also see Eph 1:4
------------------------------

Wrong again.
------------------
God did not choose them individually Before the Earth was created.

God decided to choose a group of people down through History

to Receive His Holy Spirit and Represent Him on the Earth.

God chose certain people that He thought would be Receptive to

His Bible and Humble and Obedient before Him .

Jesus proclaims Election !

Jesus in His very first sermon recorded in Holy Writ Preached God's discriminating Election of some and the passing by of others who had the same needs of blessing !

Lk 4:25-27,28

25But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

26But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

And the wicked natural mind was enraged at the teaching vs 28

28And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

Jesus preached a doctrine that God only chooses some out mankind to bestow His Saving Mercy upon, though all need saving !

Christ and the Elect [His Body] are One in Election !

Many of the adversaries of the biblical and Gospel Doctrine of election of individuals to mSalvation like to explain it away by just stating that Election exclusively applies to the Lord Jesus Christ; however what these deceivers do not know is that He and they [His Body] were Chosen by the Father in the same Election, hence we have Heb 2:11

11For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:[/B] for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

And Paul writes Eph 1:4

4According 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:

So True Gospel Believers were in Christ [His Spiritual Seed] from before the foundation of the world. God the Father chose Him as the Head and all that shall believe as His Body, His Members. Psalm 139 a Messianic Psalm of Christ alludes to this Ps 139:14-17

14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

See Spurgeons Comments on Ps 139:16

http://www.studylight.org/com/tod/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=139&verse=016