“IT WAS NOT BECAUSE!”

Deuteronomy 7:6-8                               (ESV)

“6 "For you are a people holy to the LORD your GOD. The LORD your GOD has CHOSEN you to be a people for HIS treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

7 “IT WAS NOT BECAUSE” you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set HIS love on you and CHOSE

 you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,

8 but it is because the LORD LOVES YOU and is keeping the oath that HE swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

John 15:16  (ESV)

“You did not CHOOSE me, but I CHOSE you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the FATHER in MY name, HE may give it to you. -

1 Peter 2:9-10   (ESV)

“9 But you are a CHOSEN race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who CALLED YOU OUT of darkness into his marvelous light.

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are GOD’S people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Ephesians 1:3-4   (ESV)

“3 Blessed be the GOD and FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO has blessed us in CHRIST with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

4 even as HE CHOSE us in HIM before the foundation of the world, that we should be Holy and blameless before HIM.”

Since this Scriptural text is longer than usual, I will attempt to limit my commentary to a minimum.  Romans 3:10-11 says “as it is written: "None is righteous, NO, NOT ONE; NO ONE UNDERSTANDS; NO ONE SEEKS FOR GOD.”  To think that we have performed something worthy of GOD’S GRACE indicates that we had something to do with our Salvation?  GOD CHOSE US, WE DID NOT CHOOSE HM!  

“IT WAS NOT BECAUSE” we were more worthy, lesser sinners, and certainly not that we are Holier than others!  Old Testament or New Testament, HE initiates the CHOOSING process!  IT WAS NOT BECAUSE” of anything we had done.  GOD loved us, and that is the best we can offer!!!