In Matthew 22, Jesus ended his parable about the wedding feast for the king's son by saying "for Many are called but few are chosen"
This is an ominous expression.
How does it apply to you?
Are you Chosen? If so, what does it mean to be chosen? Are there any actions we can take to be among the Chosen? Or is it all God's prerogative.
Many are called but few are chosen is found within the parable about the Wedding Feast. This parable speaks of kindnesses, rebellion and finally judgement. Judgement between those accepted and those not accepted.
God says, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. He also says, Those who seek me shall find me if they seek for me with all their heart. Apparently, we must seek to be chosen. And seek with all our hearts. Let's look closely at this parable and glean what we can from it concerning this topic.
(Nicodemus, the Pharisee, sought Jesus about his standing with God. Jesus told him, "You must be born again!"
Nicodemas said, "How can this be possible?"
Jesus replied, "Hey! You're a ruler of Israel and you don't understand that there's a difference between your fleshly dealings and the Spirit of God?
Then he said to him:
...the Son of man [must] be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
If you want to be chosen . If you want this standing as a born-again child of God with everlasting life; it's available! But it's only available through God's son Jesus. See Romans 10.
So BELIEVE in the Only Begotten Son and be a chosen one. Once you have this Born-Again life you WILL NOT BE REJECTED from the kingdom.)
As with many of Jesus's parables, the story of the Wedding Feast, in Matthew 22:1-13, is symbolic and meant to be elusive yet provocative. Jesus was talking to the Chief priests and elders of the Temple--his mortal enemies. His purpose here was to confound them but teach the people who were listening in at the same time.
His message was: You priests and elders aren't going to make it to the Kingdom because you seek to kill me, but some of you other folk with that God-seeking heart--you could very well be there!
Though the parable about the Wedding Feast is full of symbols and images, there is only one big point.
Before interpreting any verse in the Bible, one must know to whom it is addressed with regard to Israel, gentile or the Church of God. In verse 32 of I Corinthians 10, these three groups of people are designated.
"Give none offense, neither to the Jews [Israel], nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God."
All scripture is addressed to one of these three groups. In some cases the Jews (or Israel); in some cases the gentiles (non-Jews, not born-again) are addressed; and in some cases the Church of God (Christian born-again believers) is addressed. A church-goer who is not born-again would be designated as a gentile. Only born-again believers belong to the true Church of God.
This book will show how "Many are Called but Few are Chosen" applies to ISRAEL not to the Gentiles and certainly not to the Born-again Church. It will show that the gentiles were not called at all (until God called on All Men to repent in the book of Acts). It will show that Israel was called but a lot aren't going to make it. It will also show how as a Born Again you are chosen at that new birth and you didn't need to be called at all. God was thinking about you personally right from the very beginning. You will be in the Kingdom no matter what!