The word "elect" sounds cold and doctrinal, and it certainly has been used that way. The way some people use the term it refers to those few, happy, dare I say "lucky" souls who have been arbitrarily picked by God for salvation based on absolutely nothing in their lives. Those who teach this type of election say it is a wonderfully comforting doctrine that assures the "elect" that they did nothing to earn their salvation. But the picture of God it presents is very different from the Person we see when we look at Jesus or listen to His passionate calls to come to Him to be saved. The God He shows us is a loving God who longs to save all who will come to Him.

On this episode, from a passage containing many important theological terms, we're going to look at two: we'll focus on the word which is translated here as "elect" and then on the word "called." When we're done, we'll find a beautiful and remarkable picture of God emerges–not a God who arbitrarily chooses to save one and ignore another, but a great-saving, promise-keeping God who loved us before the worlds were made.

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