The Ones God Has Chosen

The Ones God Has Chosen

I will preserve a remnant of the people of Israel and of Judah to possess my land. Those I choose will inherit it, and my servants will live there.

Isaiah 65:9

It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened.

Romans 11:5-7

Perhaps one reason some people are turned off by Christianity is that they’ve talked to some Christians who seem very proud that they are “in” while others are “out.” Some Christians act as if they are better or smarter than those who haven’t come to Christ, and that turns people off.

But if we really understand what God does and what we do for our salvation, there’s no room for pride—just gratitude. We don’t turn to Christ because we are savvy enough to figure out on our own that we need to. We respond to God when he gets ahold of us and draws us to himself through his gift of grace. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God” (Ephesians 2:8).

We see this calling from God numerous times in the Old Testament when he says he will preserve a remnant. The remnant is a small number from the whole nation that he will keep faithful to him. He was saying, in other words, that while the majority of people may reject or refuse him, he will always preserve at least a few faithful followers who will not turn away from him. He can do this because he is the one enabling people to respond to him. This shows us that he is the initiator. He is the one who calls us to him in the first place, and he’s the one who makes sure we make it all the way home.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

Are there some things you have saved that you want to keep for yourself because you love and enjoy those things?

What are ways Christians can come across as arrogant to unbelievers?

How is God’s ability to preserve a remnant obvious throughout history?