The Chosen

John 15

[1] I Am that true vine, and my Father is that husbandman.

[5] I am that vine: ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me can ye do nothing.

[8] Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, and be made my disciples. [9] As the father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue in that my love.

[14] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. [15] Henceforth call I you not servants: for the servant knoweth not what his master doeth: but I haue called you friends: for all things that I have heard of my Father, have I made known to you. [16] Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my Name, he may give it you.

John 15:1, 5, 8-9, 14-16 GNV

As I continue to understand the will of God and share my thoughts in my meditations it seemed only right to understand the will of God for each man as God sees them. And there are different words people understand them to be. Just to look at a few, there are the saved and the unsaved. Acts 16:31. There are those who are born again and those who are not. John 3:3 There are those who are condemned (already) and those who are not. John 3:16-18. And then the regenerate and the unregenerate. Titus 3:5 Also, they are known as the redeemed and the unredeemed. Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18; Revelation 5:9 And there are blood bought and those who are not. Matthew 26:28; Acts 20:28; Romans 3;25; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13; Colossians 1:14; Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 9:22; Hebrews 10:19; Hebrews 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 John 1:7; Revelations 1:5; Revelations 5:9; Revelations 7:14 Amazing how wonderful to be known as blood bought by the blood of Jesus Christ.

So all of these, saved, born again, not condemned, regenerate, redeemed, and blood bought all speak of that person who has come to Jesus Christ through faith even as we are told of of Abraham. These are like the opening Scripture I have above says, those whom He has chosen. They have repented of not obeying God, of their sins and have new life in Christ, sins washed away by the blood of Christ. These are those to whom my thoughts on the will of God mainly pertain. Those who are not of these God also has a will and desire for them. God does have that same will, same desire for everyone in the most important area of life.

[9] The Lord of that promise is not slack (as some men count slackness) but is patient toward us, and would have no man to perish, but would all men to come to repentance.

II Peter 3:9 GNV

Or the way I memorized much more than half a century ago:

[9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

II Peter 3:9 KJV

It is NOT God's WILL that ANY should perish, that is, be separated from Him forever, but it IS His WILL that ALL should come to repentance. (See also the first verses of I Timothy 2.)

Coming to repentance is only a beginning action of what God wants, what God's will is. There is much more beyond the beginning. Oh, to listen to what God has had written of His will for my life, the life of every one to repents, everyone who believes.

And so to the rest, those have come to repentance, are saved, who are have been born again, those who are not condemned, are regenerate, the redeemed, these blood bought are those God has His will for to show His work in their lives Jesus uses the apt example of the vine and its branches. Clearly He states, I am that vine. And without me ye can do nothing. You cannot put off the old man. You cannot put on the new man. You cannot have a conversation (your life) that becomes, agrees with, is an example of) the gospel of Christ. You cannot walk worthy of the calling by which you are called. You are not an ambassador of Christ. You can do NOTHING.

Those He has called, He has chosen are indeed to walk in newness of life. These are the chosen. Yes, Israel was and is a chosen nation by Him. But not all of Israel are Israel, His as is seen how Jesus was speaking to His disciples. Those chosen are ordained to go, to bring forth fruit (see Galatians 5:22, 23). It is to these chosen that the Lord gives more specific or general will.