We all know that YHVH chose Israel as his nation of people. Whether people choose to believe it or not, believers are chosen by YHVH also. The choosing took place however, in the eternity past. I call it divine election. In Romans 8:29-30, it says, for whom he (YHVH) “foreknew”, he “predestined.” The rest of this passage contains a succession of verbs in the past tense: foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Some people would say, if he predestined us, then we didn’t get an opportunity to choose for ourselves. But wait, look at the first word used there, it’s “foreknew.” He already knew that given the chance, you “would” choose him here, because you already chose him “there.”

He also knew the ones who would not choose him. In John 15:16, Yeshua is speaking to his disciples when He says, “You did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you.” The apostles did not become followers of Yeshua because they made the right choice, but because “He chose them.” In second Timothy 1:9, Paul said that YHVH saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works. If we look at Jer: 1:5, it clearly says that YHVH chose and ordained Jeremiah a prophet “before” he was formed in his mother’s womb. We also know that John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit in his mother’s womb. So what does this all tell us? It says that YHVH knew you before creation took place. By this “foreknowledge”, he determined your calling and your destiny.

So I believe nothing happens in our lives strictly by coincidence. See Psalms 139: 13-16. There are only “YHVH incidences.” We don’t have quite as much free will as we’d like to think we do. Nothing happens in your life that doesn’t go through YHVH first. If you think it doesn’t, just read the story of Job. YHVH knew everything the enemy even “wanted” to do to Job. So how does all this effect your salvation? How can you lose something that was chosen “ for eternity” before you were created? Some people are so afraid they are going to commit a sin that will cost them their salvation. Not so. If people only realized this, they would be a lot more peaceful in the here and now. So relax, you’ve already won the election, don’t worry about someone stealing your vote!