Are the elect created to belong to Christ and is the choosing that God does choosing to
create those specific persons for Christ, for His glory, and as His inheritance? That would certainly change one's perspective from redemption being man centered to being God centered. I have been trying to work through this to see if it is compatible with the things that we do know doctrinally and keep hitting possible snags---and then my mind wanders off to other things less taxing.
I do not want to lean on my own understanding and call it good. And I don't want to singularly arrive at a doctrine and consider it truth.
I am asking for help in working through this, from fellow Reformed, well versed in scripture, theology, and doctrine, of which there are many on this forum.
Sounds like the debate between supralapsarian and infralapsarian controversy.
This is what I know:
God commanded Moses to build an [earthly] Tabernacle and pattern it according to the Heavenly Tabernacle.
So, now we have the revelation of a Heavenly Tabernacle. So, let's look at what transpired in the Heavenly Tabernacle.
1. A Redeemer was foreordained before the creation of heaven, earth, and man.
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1 Pe 1:18–20.
2. This Redeemer is loved by the Father who sent Him to the people foreordained and chosen to be redeem.
24
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. Jn 17:23–24.
3. This Redeemer will often suffer in the discharging of His mission to redeem this foreordained and chosen people named in this "charter."
26 For then
must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb 9:26.
4. A "book" or unwritten "charter" was determined that included names of a people the Redeemer was sent to redeem.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. Rev. 13:7–9.
5. As the Redeemer discharges His mission, He will say things that have been kept secret since the beginning but enough upon which those He came to redeem may identify Him as Redeemer and His particular mission to redeem the people named in the "charter."
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Mt 13:35.
6. A kingdom was prepared for a people to inhabit it.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Mt 25:34.
7. A people were foreordained and chosen to inhabit this kingdom.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Eph 1:3–4.
8. Messengers sent from God would be killed in the presenting of varying messages to this foreordained and chosen people named in the "charter."
50
That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; Lk 11:49–50.
9. Everything revealed concerning this Redeemer, His mission, and the redeemed were all completed "It is finished" in eternity before God created heaven, earth, and man.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Heb 4:2–3.
From my understanding of Scripture God in eternity deemed a people in Himself (which is where His foreknowledge of us rests), but by virtue to "blowing" this deemed and chosen people into the nostrils of the man and into his loins this people became "lost" in the sense that we are no longer IN God but "outside" Him and the best He can do for us in this existence is dwell IN us as down payment until the end and we are again restored back into God from whence we were first contemplated. So now God must now RE-deem us from this existence in time and translate us into eternity which is what happens the moment we die.
Does this answer your initial question?
