God’s Chosen
Today, anyone that accepts Jesus as his personal Savior becomes one of God’s chosen people.
“But 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 marvelous light”.
1 Peter 2:9
The Jewish nation was once “chosen” to represent God on earth (Isaiah 43:10), but because of their unbelief and hardness of heart which eventually led them to crucify the Son of God, they lost their favored position. Paul in Galatians 3:27-29 affirms that the believers are God’s special people: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Salvation is now open for any Jew or Gentile who believes in Christ as a personal Savior. No one will be accepted merely because of his physical ancestors but rather for his faith in Christ. A spiritual Jew is one who possesses the spirit and character that fulfills God’s purpose in calling him to be His chosen child.
God separated that individual not merely to perform certain external rites but to be a person holy in heart and life (Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; 30:14; Psalms 51:16, 17; Isaiah 1:11–20; Micah 6:8). The fact that one is listed as a member of a church, or that he was born of godly ancestors, does not guarantee his salvation. A real Christian is one who is obedient to God, and this starts in the heart.
As the believer abides in Christ daily by study of His Word and prayer, the Lord promises, “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people” (Hebrew 8:10). Only God can “put” His law in the minds of His believers, though, not without the believer’s submission and cooperation (Revelation 22:17).
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
