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.
Jesus Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He died in our place, it was substitutionary atonement. Since He was slain before the foundation of the world, all those who would be saved in history had to be chosen and placed in Christ also before the foundation of the world. If this is true, God had to have stated it somewhere in His holy Word.
Well He did! God stated it succinctly in Ephesians 1:4 - According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, ...
Obviously it stands to reason that if we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of world, there were many who weren’t chosen. Why? Why would God choose some and not choose others? Is it because of something we did, or something they didn’t do? NO! Just as He said (through Paul) in Romans 9:11 - Between Jacob and Esau He chose the younger before they were born and before they had done any good or evil. Besides, if God made His choice based on something man did or didn’t do, that would make Him a respecter of persons - and Peter said God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).
The bottom line is that Jesus was slain before God created the earth, it was God’s plan. He died for those placed in Him, He did not die for those who were not placed in Him. If He died for each and every single man who would ever exist, why would God put some in Christ and the rest not? Is there a difference between the two groups at all? Of course, the answer is yes, there is a difference. Those chosen in Christ are those the Father has given the Son (John 6:37). They are the same ones that the Father will draw and Christ will raise up.
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