Does God foreknow His elect?

Election-predestination-foreknowledge (EPF)

A very big and complicated subject.

But this is what I understand to be true.

I have held the position that God predestined people to be in Christ before the foundation of the world.

That somehow God chose us (Christians)to be in Christ before the foundation of the world. Looking at certain verses in scripture one could see why that could be possible.

But is it true? I don't believe that a person can be born again before they believe and I think this is both the position that hypa- Calvanist' hold and believe or at least would have to conclude by their TULIP statements. It comes down to not being able to tell just anyone the gospel as it can only be received by those predestined to believe. Now logically (and being honest) I can see why they would believe that. Logically, based on what they hold to be true, that God has already elected the elect before the world began, then it's a done deal. I get it.. But is it true?

In the opening verses of 1Peter1 Peter writing to Messianic believers calls them elect 1 Peter 1:2 NKJV

elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ

a better rendering is found in the NET version we read.

"according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with Jesus Christ's blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure!

God knows everything all the time. He is the eternal spirit, the Eternal life, being without end. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Once conceived a person in the mothers womb is known to God. (ps 139)

God knows the outcome of anyones life before the foundation of the world. Just to write this statement down and determine the truth of it is difficult but I believe it to be true.

So we must consider outcome. There is an outcome based on what an object or person has been placed into. The outcome of a white sheet placed into red dye is the white sheet comes out red. Now this is simplifying what our subject is about but the thing is this, all of our conclusions {when it comes to EPF } have to come down to us being in Him, Him being Christ. If a person is not in Christ they can not be chosen.

To read the verse in scripture that says "Many are called but few are chosen" has to be the difference between those who hear and reject and those who hear and believe and in turn receive new life, these are chosen being as they are now in Christ.

Furthermore we should also conclude that abiding in Christ must also be a requisite of those who are chosen. But then we must apply this fact to that point, "that He who began a good work will bring it to completion in the day of Christ."

The outcome of the white sheet being put into red dye is it takes on the colour it has been dipped into, but it must remain there to achieve the outcome. Predestination is that God predetermined that those in Christ and those remaining in Him will have no other outcome other than they become Children of God and co-heirs with Christ.

Going back to 1Peter1:2 we read that the elect have been set apart (made holy or been sanctified) by the Holy Spirit. For what reason? For obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ.

there are 2 things working in one place, Holiness and Redemption. The place is IN HIM - IN CHRIST. A life in Christ will be Holy and a life in His blood means we are clean and redeemed, set apart (unto God) and justified. It's not possible to try and separate these things out or redefine them.

continuing then in Peter 1:2-5 NET

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

God has given us everything in Jesus Christ this was and is only possible because of God's mercy, giving us new birth {having been born of the spirit} but this new birth brings us into Christs resurrection and because Christ is alive {having been resurrected from the dead} so are those in Him. Christ is our living hope. Being in Him leads us to (or the outcome of which will be) verse 4 an incorruptible inheritance that is undefiled. It will not get messed up in Christ because He is our living Hope being made alive from the dead. Furthermore it does not fade away it does not perish because it's everlasting and it's reserved in heaven (for those in Christ) 5. who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. We read in Heb 7:22-28 that God is able to save us to the uttermost. Salvation is a process concluded when Christ returns Heb 9:27-28

There is a process that goes on until the day of Christ this is difficult to understand see 1John3:1-3 it says that we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as He is. 1 John 3:3 NKJV

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

We are, yet we are not, that is until He is revealed.

reading carefully through Eph1:3-14 we find

"3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth–in Him.
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also [trusted,] after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."

It's difficult to cut down Pauls sentences without removing something important and one should grasp all that he is saying within the context.

Note in verse 11 "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will...................."

Those believing are 13-14 sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.

Note that when we read of "The Holy Spirit of promise" this can not be to do with pentecost and Jesus promising the Holy Spirit to come. No, this has to do with the outcome that the Holy Spirit of God works in the believer until the day of redemption, when our final outcome is reached and completed.

He seals us (when we come to faith) for the inheritance that is yet to come. Verse 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory (CSB)

We have been given the Spirit of adoption by which we call God "our Father" But then we become Children of God and Children become heirs of God and co heirs with Christ. Rom 8:12-17

Notice we have been given the Spirit .......of adoption ..............by which we call God "Our Father"
The Spirit enable us to be as though we were actual sons. but this as we have just read in Eph 1:14 is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession.
Gal 3:26 says "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."

So we are sons (by adoption) then we become like Him (Jesus Christ the only begotton son) at His coming when we are finally made in His image.  Rom 8:28-30 says "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

I do understand why these verses we have just read look like Christian were chosen to be in Christ before the foundation of the world. When we read "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed."

to be continued updated Sept 2020