Elect

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Elect or ELECTION: (See Predestination .)

(1) Chosen to office ( Acts 9:15;  John 6:70;  1 Samuel 10:24). Election

(2) of Israel in the Old Testament as a nation, and of the visible Christian church, to spiritual privileges ( Isaiah 45:4;  Isaiah 44:1;  2 John 1:3;  1 Peter 5:18).

(3) Of Israel to temporal blessings in their own land, both formerly ( Deuteronomy 7:6) and hereafter ( Isaiah 65:9-22).

(4) Of saints, individually and personally, ( Matthew 20:16;  John 6:44;  Acts 22:14) before the foundation of the world: to adoption ( Ephesians 1:5); salvation, not without faith and holiness, but "through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth," for He who chose the end chose also the means ( 2 Thessalonians 2:13); conformity to Christ ( Romans 8:29); good works ( Ephesians 2:10); spiritual warfare ( 2 Timothy 2:4); eternal glory ( Romans 9:23). He chooses not merely character's, but individuals to whom He gives the needful characteristics, faith and obedience ( Acts 5:31;  Ephesians 2:8), and writes them in the book of life ( Luke 10:20;  Philippians 4:3;  John 6:37;  John 6:40). Believers may know it ( 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

Exemplified in Isaac ( Genesis 21:12); Abraham ( Nehemiah 9:7;  Haggai 2:23); the apostles ( John 13:18;  John 15:16;  John 15:19); Jacob ( Romans 9:12-13); Paul ( Galatians 1:15). God's "grace was given in Christ Jesus (to the elect) before the world began" ( 2 Timothy 1:9). Its source is God's grace, independent of any goodness foreseen in the saved ( Ephesians 1:4-5;  Romans 9:11;  Romans 9:18;  Romans 11:5). The analogy of God's providence in this life choosing all our circumstances and final destination, and numbering the very hairs of our heads, illustrates the same method in His moral government (compare  John 17:24;  Acts 13:48;  Romans 8:28-30;  1 Thessalonians 5:9;  2 Timothy 2:10;  1 Peter 1:2).

The election being entirely of grace, not for our foreseen works ( Romans 11:6), the glory all redounds to God. The elect are given by the Father to Jesus as the fruit of His obedience unto death ( Isaiah 53:10), that obedience itself being a grand part of the foreordained plan. Such a truth realized fills the heart with love and gratitude to God, humbling self, and "drawing up the mind to high and heavenly things" (Church of England, Article 17). Yet men are throughout Scripture treated as responsible, capable of will and choice. Christ died sufficiently for all, efficiently for the elect ( 1 Timothy 4:10;  1 John 2:2). The lost will lay all the blame of their perdition on themselves because "they would not come to Jesus that they might have life"; the saved will ascribe all the praise of their salvation to God alone ( Revelation 1:5;  Matthew 22:12).

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

We meet with this word so very often in Scripture, that one might have been led to conclude, that it would have been received in the church with implicit faith, referring the act itself, as becometh sinful ignorant creatures to do, into the sovereignty and good pleasure of God. It is in the first and highest instance spoken of, and applied to, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Christ of God. ( Isaiah 42:1 with  Matthew 12:17-18 etc.) It is specially spoken of the church of Israel. ( Isaiah 45:4; Isa 49:22) It is also spoken of in relation to the Gentile church, gathered out of all nations. ( Matthew 24:31;  Romans 11:5;  Titus 1:1) And what endears this sovereign act of grace the more is, that it is all in, and for, Christ. ( Ephesians 1:4) The Scriptures uniformly declaring while in the very moment of establishing the truth itself, that it is all of free grace, no merit, no pretensions of merit here or hereafter, becoming in the least instrumental to this distinguishing mercy, but wholly resulting from the sovereign will and purpose of the Lord. ( Deuteronomy 7:1;  Romans 9:11-16;  2 Timothy 1:9;  Ephesians 1:6) Hence the everlasting security of the church, and of the blessings of the church, are all sure, certain and irrevocable. ( Romans 8:33) Here also the interest the Lord takes in his church, and all her concerns. Do any afflict them? he saith, "Shall not God avenge his own elect who cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." ( Luke 18:7-8) Yea, the Lord declares, that he will "shorten the days of affliction for the elects' sake." (See  Matthew 24:22) And these blessings are heightened in their personal nature. John speaks of an elect lady and her sister. ( 2 John 1:1:13) And Peter speaks of the elect church at Babylon. ( 1 Peter 5:13) I must not overlook, under this article, what%is said in Scripture of elect angels, also. ( 1 Timothy 5:21) No doubt they owe their steadfastness to Christ, as their Head and Sovereign, in election and dominion; while Christ's seed, the church, are preserved by union. But without this preservation in Christ, by election, angels are no more secure from falling than men, who have fallen. For as some angels have fallen, so might all, if not upheld by a superior power to themselves. For as we read, ( Job 4:18) "God putteth no trust in his servants, and his angels he chargeth with folly," that is, with weakness; so it is plain that their preservation is not in themselves, but in the Lord. And when we read of the elect angels, it implies their election, and upholding in Christ. Think what a glorious, blessed Almighty Lord the christian's Lord is! Well might the apostle Peter, under the deep impression of this sacred truth made upon his heart, cry out with holy rapture, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you, and peace be multiplied." ( 1 Peter 1:2)

King James Dictionary

Elect', L electus, from eligo e or ex and lego Gr. to choose.

1. Properly, to pick out to select from among two or more, that which is preferred. Hence, 2. To select or take for an office or employment to choose from among a number to select or manifest preference by vote or designation as, to elect a representative by ballot or viva voce to elect a president or governor. 3. In theology, to designate, choose or select as an object of mercy or favor. 4. To choose to prefer to determine in favor of.

ELECT', a. Chosen, taken by preference from among two or more. Hence,

1. In theology, chosen as the object of mercy chosen, selected or designated to eternal life predestinated in the divine counsels. 2. Chosen, but no inaugurated, consecrated or invested with office as bishop elect emperor elect governor or mayor elect. But in the scriptures, and in theology, this word is generally used as a noun.

ELECT', n. One chosen or set apart applied to Christ.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.  Isaiah 42 .

1. Chosen or designated by God to salvation predestinated to glory as the end, and to sanctification as the means usually with a plural signification, the elect.

Shall not God avenge his own elect?  Luke 18 .

If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  Matthew 24

He shall send his angels--and they shall gather his elect from the four winds.  Matthew 24

2. Chosen selected set apart as a peculiar church and people applied to the Israelites.  Isaiah 45

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) Those who are chosen for salvation.

(2): ( a.) Chosen; taken by preference from among two or more.

(3): ( n.) One chosen or set apart.

(4): ( v. t.) To pick out; to select; to choose.

(5): ( v. t.) To select or take for an office; to select by vote; as, to elect a representative, a president, or a governor.

(6): ( v. t.) To designate, choose, or select, as an object of mercy or favor.

(7): ( a.) Chosen as the object of mercy or divine favor; set apart to eternal life.

(8): ( a.) Chosen to an office, but not yet actually inducted into it; as, bishop elect; governor or mayor elect.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ē̇ - lekt ´: That is, "chosen," "selected." In the Old Testament the word represents derivatives of בּחר , bā̄ḥar , elegit  ; in the New Testament ἐκλεκτός , eklektós ̌ . It means properly an object or objects of selection. This primary meaning sometimes passes into that of "eminent," "valuable," "choice"; often Thus as a fact, in places where the King James Version uses "chosen" (or "elect") to translate the original (e.g.  Isaiah 42:1;  1 Peter 2:6 ). In the King James Version "elect" (or "chosen") is used of Israel as the race selected for special favor and to be the special vehicle of Divine purposes (so 4 times in Apocrypha, Tobit and Ecclus); of the great Servant of Yahweh (compare  Luke 23:35; the "Christ of God, his chosen"); compare eminent saints as Jacob, Moses, Rufus ( Romans 16:13 ); "the lady," and her "sister" of 2 Jn; of the holy angels ( 1 Timothy 5:21 ); with a possible suggestion of the lapse of other angels. Otherwise, and prevalently in the New Testament, it denotes a human community, also described as believers, saints, the Israel of God; regarded as in some sense selected by Him from among men, objects of His special favor, and correspondingly called to special holiness and service. See further under Election . In the English versions "elect" is not used as a verb: "to choose" is preferred; e.g.  Mark 13:20;  Ephesians 1:4 .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

a term sometimes applied in the ancient Church

(1) to the whole body of baptized Christians, who were called Ἄγιοι , Ἐκλεκτοί , Saints, Elect;

(2) to the highest class of catechumens Elected to baptism;

(3) at other times to the newly baptized, as especially admitted to the full privileges of their profession, and sometimes called the perfect.

Ascetics, who at one time were considered the most eminent of Christian professors, were called the elect of the elect. — Bingham, Orig. Ecclesiastes book 10, chapter 2, § 5. (See Catechumens).