Sunday, October 14, 2018

The Chosen Few

Who are the Chosen Few?

When I was about ten years old, I attended a Baptist Church.  While there, I heard some adults talking about being part of the Chosen Few.  So, I asked them what that meant.

They explained to me, that the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) had chosen a few people for salvation, before they were born.  These He chose were called, "The Chosen Few".

They went on to explain, that it did not matter what the Chosen Few did, or how they lived their lives, they were predestined to salvation.

So I asked, did not that also mean, that everyone else was the Unchosen Many?

While my question made them uncomfortable, one of them finally said, "yes".

He went on to explain, that since many people were not chosen for salvation, the Father of Truth had chosen them for damnation, before they were born.  It did not matter what the Unchosen Many did, or how they lived their lives, they were predestined to damnation.

It turned out this idea was not limited to a single small town church in Arkansas.  This idea is a central part of the doctrine of a wide-range of large denominations in the United States and else where.

I even encountered a Southern Gospel group at Silver Dollar City named, "The Chosen Few".  This doctrine of The Chosen Few is so ingrained in American, European, and Australian society, that the term has been applied to many secular music groups, works of many secular music groups, numerous outlaw motorcycle clubs, and a book on the history of Jewish education.

So, where did this doctrine of The Chosen Few come from?

Some people will point to Abraham (Abram).

Did the Father of Truth choose Abraham at random?  Did He choose Abraham regardless of what Abraham did?  Or was there some sort of acceptance criteria for Him choosing Abraham?

The Father of Truth did choose Abraham (Nehemiah 9:7).

He called Abraham to leave his own country, separate himself from his extended family, separate himself from the house of his father, and go to the land of Canaan, which he had never seen (Genesis 12:1).

So, Abraham left his own country with his father to go to Canaan, stopped in Haran, and stayed there until his father died (Genesis 11:31-32).  Abraham then went into Canaan with his nephew Lot (Genesis 12:4-5).  Then Abraham separated himself from his nephew Lot (Genesis 13:8-12).

Abraham answered this call, because he had faith in the Father of Truth (Hebrews 11:8-10).

The Father of Truth called Abraham to continue dwelling throughout the the land of Canaan as a nomad (Genesis 13:14-17).

So, Abraham began dwelling in the land of Canaan as a nomad at Hebron (Genesis 13:18).  Later, he moved south to Gerar (Genesis 20:1).  Afterwards, he moved around in the land of the Philistines for a long time (Genesis 21:34).  Then he moved to Beersheba (Genesis 22:19).  Finally, he was back in Hebron, when Sarah (Sarai) died (Genesis 23:2).

Abraham answered this call, because he had faith in the Father of Truth (Hebrews 11:9-10).

The Father of Truth called Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac in the land of Moriah (Genesis 22:1-2).

So, Abraham took his son Isaac to the land of Moriah to offer him up as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:3-10).

Abraham answered this call, because he had faith in the Father of Truth (Hebrews 11:17-19).

So, Abraham was chosen, because he was faithful to answer the call that the Father of Truth gave him (Nehemiah 9:7-8).

Not even the call to Abraham was given at random, or for some mysterious reason.  Abraham was chosen to be called, because he met some acceptance criteria.

Abraham was called, because the Father of Truth knew that Abraham would command his children and household to walk in all of His ways for all of their days (Genesis 18:19).  Abraham was chosen to be called, because he had already answered the call to walk in all of His ways for all of his days (Genesis 26:3-5).

Abraham absolutely was not chosen for anything, regardless of what he did.  In every way he was chosen, because he answered the call by doing what he was called to do.

Some people will point the original Twelve Apostles of Truth.

Were the original Twelve Apostles of Truth chosen at random, or based on some mysterious criteria?

The original Twelve Apostles of Truth were chosen to be called out of those, who had already answered the call to be disciples of the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) (Luke 6:12-16).

Afterwards, Judas Iscariot was rejected as an Apostle of Truth, because he turned from doing what he had been called to do (Acts 1:13-16).  Since he was no longer one of the few chosen to be an Apostle of Truth, someone else had to be chosen to replace him (Acts 1:17-20).  So, two more among those, who had already answered the call to be disciples of the Man of Truth, before the call had been given to the original Twelve Apostles of Truth, were chosen to be called to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:21-23).  The one, who had answered the call to be a disciple with his whole heart, was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the original Twelve Apostles of Truth (Acts 1:24-26).

The original Twelve Apostles of Truth were chosen, because they answered the call to continue with the Man of Truth in his many temptations during the days of his ministry (Luke 22:28-30).

The original Twelve Apostles of Truth were not chosen, regardless of what they did.  They were chosen, because they answered the call by doing what they were called to do.

Some people will point to Paul the Jew (Shaul aka Saul aka Paul).

Was Paul the Jew chosen without regard to what he did?

Paul the Jew was a chosen by the Man of Truth to bring the Good News to the Gentiles as well as the people of Israel (Acts 9:15-17).

Paul the Jew answered the call as soon as the Man of Truth gave it to him (Acts 9:3-6).  Three days later, Ananias the Jew was sent to him (Acts 9:8-12).  He confirmed that Paul the Jew had been chosen by the Father of Truth, three days after Paul the Jew answered the call given by the Man of Truth (Acts 22:12-15).

Paul the Jew answered the call to go to the Gentiles in Cyprus with Barnabas the Jew  (Acts 13:1-4).  He answered the call to go to the Gentiles in Macedonia with other workers (Acts 16:9-12).  He answered the call to be a Apostle of Truth to the people of Rome (Romans 1:1-7).  He answered the call to be an Apostle of Truth to the people of Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:1-2).

Paul the Jew answered the call to be an Apostle of Truth by working harder than anyone else to spread the Good News (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).  He had persecuted the Called Out Ones (the church), because he had been separated from birth to be zealous for the Father of Truth, but he changed his direction when he answered the call to bring the Good News to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:13-16).  He kept doing what he was called to do until the day he died (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Paul the Jew was not chosen, regardless of what he did.  He was chosen, because he answered the call by doing what he was called to do.

So, where did this doctrine of The Chosen Few come from?

The Man of Truth did say, that few were chosen (Matthew 20:16).

However, the few were chosen out of the many, who were called (Matthew 22:14).

Twice, this is the point of a parable that the Man of Truth told.  In order to understand the point of these parables correctly, we have to examine the actual parables.

The first parable is the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16).

The parable begins with the vineyard owner calling people to work in his vineyard early in the day, and a few people answering the call (Matthew 20:1-2).  It continues with many more people being called to work in his vineyard throughout the day, and a few of them answering the call (Matthew 20:3-5).  Lastly, the vineyard owner gave a final call to work in his vineyard, when the workday was almost over, and a few people more answered his call (Matthew 20:6).  When the workday was over, it came time to pay the workers in the vineyard, those who answered his call first, were upset that they were not paid more than those, who answered his call last (Matthew 20:7-12).  The vineyard owner explained, that he could give those, who answered his call last, the same wages as those who answered his call early, because it was his to give (Matthew 20:13-15).

So the point of the parable was, that the Father of Truth could give the same salvation to the few, who answered His call by doing what they were called to do, whether they answered His call early or late.

The second parable is the parable of the royal wedding (Matthew 22:2-14).

A king prepared a feast for the wedding of his son, but those he called refused to come (Matthew 22:2-3).  He called them a second time, but they were too busy with their own business to answer his call (Matthew 22:4-5).  Some of them even attacked the messengers, so the king destroyed them (Matthew 22:6-7).  Then the king extended his call to everyone, who was willing to come (Matthew 22:8-10).  Lastly, the king found someone at the wedding that was not wearing a wedding garment, so they were thrown out of the wedding and punished (Matthew 22:11-13).

So the point of the parable was, that the Father of Truth would give salvation to the few, who answer His call by doing what they were called to do, and are clothed with the righteousness given to everyone, who answered His call.

So in both parables the Chosen Few are those, who answered the call of the Father of Truth, by doing what they were called to do.  They were chosen, whether they answered the call early or late.  Everyone was chosen, if they answered the call, and put on the righteousness that He provided.

There is absolutely nothing in these parables about the Chosen Few being chosen before they were born, regardless of what they do.  Indeed, many of the Chosen Few were only chosen, because other people did not answer the call.

So, where did this doctrine of The Chosen Few come from?

The same people that teach this doctrine of the Chosen Few, also teach several related doctrines, like eternal security.  While these doctrines are related, they are not the same.  For example, the doctrine of the Chosen Few came from a different source than the doctrine of predestination, even though the two doctrines are related.

These doctrines have been taught by many of the greatest teachers of Christianity among the Gentiles.  In their teachings, the Chosen Few in modern times are Gentiles like themselves.

The great irony of this is, that the people of Israel are actually called the Chosen People (1 Chronicles 16:13).  If anyone is the Chosen Few, then it is the people of Israel (1 Chronicles 16:16-19).

Yet, many of these same people, who refer to themselves as the Chosen Few, teach that the people of Israel have been replaced as the Chosen Few, because they did not answer the call to follow the Man of Truth!  This is completely hypocritical!

The fact is that the Man of Truth is first and foremost the Messiah of Israel!

These Gentiles sought to be the Chosen Few, instead of the Jews.

Where did the Jews get this doctrine of being the Chosen Few, regardless of what they did?

This doctrine came from the same source as the customs the Rabbis use in celebrating the last four Feasts of Truth.

The Rabbis started saying, "Happy New Year" at the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), because the Babylonians did this.  They adopted Babylonian customs for atonement on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), instead of it remaining simply a feast without food.   They adopted Babylonian harvest festival rituals, instead of building Sukkah in the manner prescribed by the invitation of "Let's go camping!" for the Feasts of Tabernacle (Sukkot).  They adopted the customs of the wedding of Tammuz and Ishtar as the customs of Simchat Torah, instead of truly rejoicing in Torah on the eighth day assembly (Shemini Atzeret).

The kings and priests of Babylon taught that they were the Chosen Few, regardless of what they did.  This was essential to the rule of Hammurabi when he issued his code.  The Rabbis then applied that same concept to the Chosen People, to teach that the Jews were the Chosen Few, regardless of what they did.

Most of the people of Israel came to forget, that being chosen came from answering the call to do something.  They forgot that being chosen was for a purpose, and that it has always been about the Gentiles.  They came to believe that they were the Chosen Few, and it did not matter what they did.

One of the reasons that Paul the Jew wrote the epistle to the Romans was to refute this doctrine, that the Jews were the Chosen Few, regardless of what they did (Romans 2:3-5)!

Everyone, whether Jew or Gentile, will be chosen for salvation or damnation, based on whether or not they answered the call of the Father of Truth to obedience (Romans 2:6-10).  Jews were never chosen for salvation, regardless of what they did, and Gentiles were never chosen for damnation, regardless of what they did (Romans 2:11-16).  Jews were never chosen for salvation, regardless of what they did (Romans 2:17-25).  Gentiles were never chosen for damnation, regardless of what they did (Romans 2:26-29).

The call of 9-11 in Romans is a call to repentance.  It warns that if people do not continue to answer the call of obedience, then they will not continue to be chosen for salvation (Romans 11:20-22).

Those who adopted this doctrine of the Chosen Few from the Rabbis, and modified it to apply to the Gentiles, are proud and know nothing, for their teaching is contrary to that of the Man of Truth (1 Timothy 6:3-5)!

No one is so special, that the Father of Truth chooses them, regardless of what they do (Romans 12:1-3).  It is extremely prideful, to say that you are part of the Chosen Few, regardless of whether or not you answer the call to submit to the Father of Truth (James 4:6-10)!

This doctrine of the Chosen Few did not come from rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  It is another example of the partial deception.

This doctrine of the Chosen Few is not part of the Doctrine of Truth.  This doctrine of the Chosen Few is part of the Doctrine of Lies.

This doctrine of the Chosen Few is based on another doctrine, that the original Chosen Few, composed of Jews, was replaced with a new Chosen Few, composed of Gentiles.  This doctrine of the Chosen Few did come from the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost)!  This doctrine of the Chosen Few came from the Spirit of Anti-Jewism!

So, how is there any such thing as the Chosen Few?

The Chosen Few are those, who have the evidence of faith in their lives from answering the call!  It is how people end that matters! 

The fact is the Father of Truth has never been a respecter of persons, and chooses people of every ethnic group (nation), who answers His call to walk in all of His ways for all of their days (Acts 10:34-35)!  He chooses to save both Jews and Gentiles, who answer His call (Romans 10:11-13)!  He desires for everyone to answer His call to come into the House of Truth, so they can be part of the Chosen Few (2 Peter 3:9)!

It is not complicated to become part of the Chosen Few.  You just have to complete the One Step Program.  That is the simplicity of the Gospel.

If you will answer the call to make the Man of Truth be lord of your life, because you believe that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead, then you will be part of the Chosen Few (Romans 10:9)!

Come into the House of Truth!

 

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