We are here because we are chosen by God before the world was formed. Before the creation even started, He selected us. As stated in Deuteronomy 7:6, you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. Each one of you was individually chosen by God, and He has a specific purpose for each and every one of you. You did not volunteer to be here; you were chosen through His great love and mercy toward us. In Ephesians 1:4, Paul emphasizes that in His great love for each of us, He has chosen us to be holy and blameless in His presence. God does not make mistakes; there is no error in your presence here today, as it aligns with His purpose. Even in the first century, many questioned God's choices, yet He selected individuals like Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul, to fulfill His plans. As seen in Acts 9:15, the Lord declared Paul a chosen vessel to bear His name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Similarly, Ananias, a disciple, was chosen for a specific task to aid Paul, demonstrating that both men, despite their differences, were instruments in God's hands. Every one of you has been ordained by God for a purpose, just as Paul and Ananias were. Regardless of the responsibilities given, whether great or small, you are a chosen instrument in God's hands to bring glory to Him. As Paul states in I Corinthians 1:27-28, God has chosen the foolish, the weak, and the despised things of the world to shame the wise and mighty, showing His deliberate selection of the unlikely to fulfill His will. Finally, as affirmed in I Peter 2:9, you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, called out of darkness into His marvelous light to proclaim His praises.

God's work among mankind has been limited almost exclusively to Abraham's descendants, marking them as a distinct group through whom He chooses to operate. Abraham is not only the physical progenitor of the Israelites but also the spiritual and moral pattern for his descendants to emulate. God personally separates a small number from the masses of humanity for His purposes, designating them as the elect. Romans 11:5, 7, 28 reveals that 'elect' becomes the title of this distinct people, favored by God for His divine plan. Jesus Himself describes this calling in intimate terms, leading them out of the world where they are held captive, enslaved, and spiritually dead. Only the called are justified through repentance and the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, enabling further growth to glorification in God's Kingdom. God's calling is a humbling act of sovereign grace, arousing an awareness of Him, His truths, and His purpose in a way never experienced before, setting them apart to seek Him according to the patterns He provides.

God has chosen specific people to be His own, demonstrating His profound love and purpose for them. In Exodus 19:5, He declares that if Israel obeys His voice and keeps His covenant, they shall be a special treasure to Him above all people, for all the earth is His. Despite Israel not being a mighty or spiritually distinguished nation, God selected them to fulfill His promise to Abraham, as reiterated in Deuteronomy 7:6, where He affirms that they are a holy people, chosen to be a special treasure above all peoples on the earth. This principle of being chosen extends through the New Covenant, as seen in I Peter 2:9, where believers are described as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and His own special people, called out of darkness into His marvelous light. This selection is not based on personal merit but on God's call, transforming those who were once not a people into the people of God, now recipients of His mercy, as stated in I Peter 2:10. Furthermore, in Malachi 3:16-17, God speaks of those who fear Him as His jewels or special possession, highlighting their unique value to Him. This imagery of value is deepened in Matthew 13:45-46 with the parable of the pearl of great price, where Jesus Christ is portrayed as the merchant who sells all He has to purchase the pearl, representing His chosen people. This act underscores the immense worth He places on them, having paid the ultimate price with His life. Through this selection and sacrifice, God transforms His chosen from their base and despised beginnings, as noted in I Corinthians 1:26-28, into a new creation, covered by the righteousness of Christ, as affirmed in II Corinthians 5:17-18. This process of refinement, akin to the formation of a pearl, reflects God's patient work in purifying and perfecting His people, emphasizing their invaluable worth to Him.