25.
The chosen, the elect, Israel, the twelve tribes are they those who are of the Law or of grace? The scriptures very definitely give us two groups, dividing them into a natural nation, a people who are what they are because of their decadency. The other, a people of faith. Those born of and filled with the Spirit. Obviously the Spiritual nation. They are termed to be a foolish nation because they are a mixture of all the nations of the world. Rom. 10:19 They have been found and accepted into the family of the Lord even though they had not followed the Lord in the way of the Law and had not previously sought after Him. Rom. 10:20.
But concerning Israel Paul called them a stubborn and disobedient people. Rom. 10:21 A further description is found in Isaiah 65:1-7 If one would want to adhere to the letter of the Law and insist that these all are members of the twelve tribes that would not be difficult. Israel of today is composed of a multitude of nations. From the fair skinned Nordic nations to the dark skinned people of Ethiopia. I doubt that the Lord would find it difficult to find twelve thousand descendents from each of the twelve tribes who now are in Christ and follow Him. To be a member of the one hundred forty four thousand they must be the chosen of the Lord. Chosen in Christ Jesus, not according to religion or the Law. Eph. 1:4 A choice which the Lord, with His foreknowledge made before the foundation of the world. This is matter which was settled from eternity. It is obviously very important to the Lord. As used by Paul and Peter chosen is not a term which may be applied to the natural people but is definitely directed to those who are of the Spirit. They are the generation of the chosen.1 Peter 2:9.
The chosen, the elect are identified as being a people who are sanctified by the working of the Spirit in their lives, they therefore are a spiritual people. The Lord approved them because of His foreknowledge. They were not picked out while others were rejected. Because He is God, He knows the end from the beginning. The spiritual people are a people of complete obedience to His Word and will. They are in complete surrender and submission to all of His instruction and purposes. They are a people who have believed in the blood of the Lord Jesus as the only source of cleansing and forgiveness from sin. They believe the Word of the Lord with all of their hearts. 1 Peter 1:2.