This is a great question and often a hard one to answer. In life we are used to knowing things simply. You know if you have money in your bank account, because you can check it, and if the first zero is followed by a bunch of other zeros, you know you are in trouble!
But how can we know if we are chosen? The simple answer is that you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. This revelation, if you truly believe it, has not come to us by years of Bible study alone.
You know.
It is innate in you because when you are born again, you are born of the spirit and you belong to God.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6)
The harder question to answer then is how can we tell the difference between someone who believes and someone who does not. The answer to that question the Bible says is that,
“You will know them by their fruit.” (Matthew 7:16)
This question however can rise from our struggle with the doctrine of election. If God does the choosing, naturally we want to know, are we chosen? When I was a kid in school, I was always relieved when I was chosen to be part of a team, and when I was doing the choosing, I felt relieved because I was automatically in.
But to picture God’s election in this way will not help us. We know that we are living beings and so we can easily picture humanity lined up before God, with knees buckling hoping to get picked or chosen.
But this is not how the world actually is.
The Bible teaches us that we were “dead in (our) trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Humanity is not lined up before God hoping to be picked or chosen, humanity has “exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:25).
When a person, who claims to be a Christian and professes Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, asks the question: How do I know I am chosen? The question itself becomes somewhat of a proof.
Spiritually dead people do not care to be chosen by God because they hate God (see Romans 1:30). And while some unbelievers may have a “spiritual bent,” the core of their desire to be chosen by God is a selfish one.
They are like the one criminal who was hanging on a cross next to Jesus “hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39)
Meanwhile the other criminal who was there, “answered (him), and (rebuked) him (saying), “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23: 40-41)
This same criminal, guilty as the next man turns to Jesus and calling out to Him by name said “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” (Luke 23:42) You remember the great promise Jesus made to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
The difference between those two criminals was God’s election. The one, even while in the very presence of God did not see Christ as God, while the other, not only was he in the presence of God, but had been illuminated by His light, he had been chosen by God, and that criminal’s only words were not “choose me” but, “remember me.”
If your question then arises from a heart that says remember me, from a heart enlightened by Gods light, doubt no more that God has chosen you.
As a practical way of applying the truth of Gods words, I would recommend reading through the book of 1 John. What a small tiny little letter, packed with eternal truths it is!
As you read it, underline all the times you see the word “know.” Read the whole book, only five short chapters, and do this exercise and it will change your outlook on what you “know.”
I pray this helps. Be encouraged in our Lord! God bless you!
Wow Miz! This was very insightful and very touching, and very easy to understand. I thank you for breaking it down. I clearly understand and although I do feel a little intimidated because I’m really learning the word of God correctly, I am hungry to learn more, but I am more eager to apply this in my life and continue to grow. There is so much that I have to learn, and I won’t be caught up on how much I have to learn, but I will do my due diligence to abide in the word, and be dependent of the Holy Spirit to help me every step of the way. I thank God for you Miz, thank you for taking the time to answer this. May the Lord bless you and enrich abundantly. You were right the book of Romans has so much to unpack, but man, take your time. I am in no hurry to finish. Lol!!
Amen! I'll be answering your other question on the forum as well. Thank you for your support we value it tremendously!
This is a great question and often a hard one to answer. In life we are used to knowing things simply. You know if you have money in your bank account, because you can check it, and if the first zero is followed by a bunch of other zeros, you know you are in trouble!
But how can we know if we are chosen? The simple answer is that you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. This revelation, if you truly believe it, has not come to us by years of Bible study alone.
You know.
It is innate in you because when you are born again, you are born of the spirit and you belong to God.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6)
The harder question to answer then is how can we tell the difference between someone who believes and someone who does not. The answer to that question the Bible says is that,
“You will know them by their fruit.” (Matthew 7:16)
This question however can rise from our struggle with the doctrine of election. If God does the choosing, naturally we want to know, are we chosen? When I was a kid in school, I was always relieved when I was chosen to be part of a team, and when I was doing the choosing, I felt relieved because I was automatically in.
But to picture God’s election in this way will not help us. We know that we are living beings and so we can easily picture humanity lined up before God, with knees buckling hoping to get picked or chosen.
But this is not how the world actually is.
The Bible teaches us that we were “dead in (our) trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Humanity is not lined up before God hoping to be picked or chosen, humanity has “exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:25).
When a person, who claims to be a Christian and professes Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, asks the question: How do I know I am chosen? The question itself becomes somewhat of a proof.
Spiritually dead people do not care to be chosen by God because they hate God (see Romans 1:30). And while some unbelievers may have a “spiritual bent,” the core of their desire to be chosen by God is a selfish one.
They are like the one criminal who was hanging on a cross next to Jesus “hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39)
Meanwhile the other criminal who was there, “answered (him), and (rebuked) him (saying), “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23: 40-41)
This same criminal, guilty as the next man turns to Jesus and calling out to Him by name said “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” (Luke 23:42) You remember the great promise Jesus made to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
The difference between those two criminals was God’s election. The one, even while in the very presence of God did not see Christ as God, while the other, not only was he in the presence of God, but had been illuminated by His light, he had been chosen by God, and that criminal’s only words were not “choose me” but, “remember me.”
If your question then arises from a heart that says remember me, from a heart enlightened by Gods light, doubt no more that God has chosen you.
As a practical way of applying the truth of Gods words, I would recommend reading through the book of 1 John. What a small tiny little letter, packed with eternal truths it is!
As you read it, underline all the times you see the word “know.” Read the whole book, only five short chapters, and do this exercise and it will change your outlook on what you “know.”
I pray this helps. Be encouraged in our Lord! God bless you!