OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES TO THE ELECT.

“I endure all things for the elect’s sake,” writes the Apostle Paul. (2 Tim. 2:10.)

The Apostle’s sufferings whereby, as he said, he sought to “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ [were] for his body’s sake, which is the Church” (Col. 1:24) – not for the world. The reason for this is evident: The Apostle knew the Lord’s plan to be to call and to elect during this Gospel age a little flock of overcomers of the world, faithful even unto death, as a Royal Priesthood, to share with the Lord Jesus in the Millennial Kingdom.

He knew, therefore, that labor on behalf of the world before the world’s day of trial or judgment would come, would be to a large extent at least love’s labor lost; and hence he was not of those who would “beat the air” in the service of the Lord, accomplishing nothing; he would work according to the divine direction and thus be a co-worker together with God, that in due time as a member of the elect company, faithful to the Lord’s call, he would be granted a share in the Kingdom, which is to bless all the families of the earth.

“Even so, at this present time there is an election according to grace…. Israel (after the flesh) hath not obtained that which he sleekest for, but the election (Spiritual Israel) hath obtained it and the rest were blinded.” (Rom. 11:5,7.) Here the Apostle is speaking of this same elect Church, and is referring to the Jewish remnant out of all the tribes with which this elect Church was started, and to which, after Israel’s national rejection of the Lord, the special invitation went forth to the Gentiles, to “take out of them a people for his name [to bear the name of Christ]” to complete the predestinated number of the elect 144,000 (twelve thousand accredited to each of the twelve tribes of Israel). Thus, we who are being called from amongst the Gentiles are invited to fill up the deficiency in the elect number of Israel, and will be, so to speak, divided amongst the twelve tribes, though according to what rule of distinction the Scriptures do not show.

Brother Shallieu makes a suggestion based on the Breast Plate of the High Priest, the symbolisms of the names of the twelve tribes, their position on the breast plate, and the various stones in which these names were inscribed. This of course is only conjecture, nevertheless it gives us some insight into the possibilities. Please see: “The High Priest Garments of Beauty”, Parts 4 and 5

“Put on, therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering, forbearing one another and forgiving one another.” (Col. 3:12,13.)

Here we have an intimation of the character-likeness to God’s dear Son which the same writer tells us God has predestinated respecting everyone who will make his calling and election sure. (Rom. 8:29.)

God has called us with his high calling, and from the time we accept the call and make the requisite full consecration of ourselves to him he gives us the earnest of our inheritance, viz., the spirit of adoption, the spirit of sonship: it remains, however, for us to be tested, – to [prove the depth of our consecration, the sincerity of our professed love. If we love the Lord with all our hearts we will seek to do those things which are pleasing to him, and these the Apostle is specifying in this Scripture, showing us that God’s requirements are all in harmony with his holy spirit of love; that “Love is the fulfilling of the Law,” and that we must attain to this condition of perfect love in our hearts if we desire to finish our course with joy, and make our calling and election sure – making sure a share in the inheritance to the spiritual body and the Kingdom glories of which our spirit of begetting is but the earnest or foretaste.

“Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect.” (Titus 1:1.)

Here the Apostle not only reiterates that there is an elect class, but he specifically points out that this class has a special faith, a peculiar faith, that is not shared by others, neither can others know it, for “it is spiritually discerned.” – 1 Cor. 2:14.

“Shall not God avenge his own elect, though they cry day and night unto him?” (Luke 18:7.) Here our Lord himself testifies respecting this elect class. He gave a parable of an unjust judge, who, though careless respecting the doing of justice to a poor widow, nevertheless was so careful of his own convenience that he would give her justice, lest by her continual coming she would annoy him. And our Lord’s inquiry is, if an unjust judge would thus render justice from a selfish motive, could we expect less from the all-wise, all-loving and all-just Heavenly Father? Verily, God shall avenge the cause of his elect, although he has permitted them to be maligned, slandered, misrepresented, for over eighteen centuries; the time will come when he will give them justice, when he will exalt them; and when those who have willfully and maliciously injured them shall certainly be punished – in the great time of retribution in which every such evil deed of mankind shall be rendered a recompense, and every good deed receive its reward – in the Millennial day.

“He shall send forth his angels [messengers] and shall gather together his elect from the four winds of heaven.” (Matt. 24:31.)

Here our Lord not only testifies to the fact that there is an elect class, but he assures us that he himself will gather this elect class in due time; in the end of this age when he is ready to establish his Kingdom, in which, as the overcomers, the elect of God, they will be joint heirs and sharers, as in the present life they have been sharers in the sufferings of Christ. – Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12; Matt. 13:43.

“For the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matt. 24:22.)

Our Lord here refers to the great time of trouble with which this age shall end, “the day of vengeance,” the time of retribution, the day of avenging his elect; and he assures us that the trouble then coming upon the world, and which will largely, we see, be brought about by the world’s own course, would, if not interrupted by the Kingdom and its intervention with power from on high, mean the utter obliteration of the race at the hand of its own selfishness. But for the elect’s sake those days should be shortened, and the time of trouble will not be permitted to run the length which otherwise it would run. As at first, “He shall speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure,” so afterward he shall not permit their utter destruction: his Kingdom will stay the trouble, for “He shall speak peace to the heathen [peoples];” he shall say unto them, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psa. 46:10.

Continued with next post.