“Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.” (Jude 1,2)

The election we discussed in the previous post helps us to understand what Jude means by “preserved in Jesus Christ.” The elect are not chosen at random and set apart alone. Paul says that they are chosen in “him,” Who is Jesus. Election places a person in Christ. Paul continues his explanation in the Ephesian letter;

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:5-6)

Included with their election into Christ, the children of God are predestinated unto adoption. This means that their election secures their eternal destiny as adopted sons of God. To clarify, predestination refers to God’s adoption of His children not specific acts of men or events of history.

Many object to Paul’s staunch sovereign grace position here, but Paul says that this doctrine is what best gives glory to God alone. It is according to “God’s will and pleasure,” and it is to “the praise of the glory of his grace.”

Peter refers to God’s chosen as a “peculiar people;”

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1st Peter 2:9)

By “peculiar” Peter does not mean strange or weird, although the chosen of God are different than the world. There are certain characteristics that are peculiar or closely associated with objects or situations. For instance, there is a certain smell that is peculiar to hospitals. If you had no other senses but that of smell, you could recognize quickly that you were in a hospital. The word therefore means that something is closely identified with something else. The Greek words transliterate “a purchased possession unto oneself.” Therefore, when we are sanctified by God the Father, we are a peculiar possession of His!

Jesus confirms this beautiful doctrine Himself in John’s gospel;

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:37-40)

All of God’s elect will “come” to Jesus, and Jesus defines what He meant by that phrase. They will be raised by Him to eternal joy in the resurrection.