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NASB | John 15:16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 15:16 "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. |
Bible Question:
Is Jesus just talking to the disciples here, or is he speaking to everyone who believes? Thanks! Huron |
Bible Answer: Dear Huron, The narrative you cite involves the teaching of Christ as he departed the temple and went to the garden Gethsemane. Therefore, from a historical standpoint Jesus was speaking to His disciples. However, in a broader sense, Jesus is speaking to all of His disciples. See how in this passage He gives guidelines for the characteristics of Christ's disciples. Remember, from the Great Commission we know that the job of the Church is to make disciples. Another time I posted some of these characteristics from this passage: v8 Disciples bear much fruit (John 15:16; Col 1:10) v9 Disciples abide in the Father and Son's love (John 14:21; Jude 21) v10 Disciples keep Christ's commandments (John 15:14, 20; 1 John 5:3) v11 Disciples can rejoice in adversity (James 1:2; 1 Peter 4:13) v12 Disciples love one another (John 15:17) v13 Disciples show self-abnegating love (John 13:35; Rom 12:10; Heb 10:24) v14 Disciples know/love Word (John 10:27, 14:21; 2 Tim 3:15; 2 Pet 3:16) v16 Disciples petition the Father thru Christ (1 Cor 1:2; Eph 5:20) v15 Disciples are taught by God (Psa 71:17; John 14:26; Eph 1:17) v18 Disciples are hated by the world (John 17:14; 1 John 3:13) v19 Disciples are not of the world (1 Cor 1:21; Gal 4:3-5; Eph 2:2) v20 Disciples are persecuted (2 Tim 3:12) v26 Disciples have the Spirit (John 14:26; 1 Cor 6:19; Jud 20) v27 Disciples self propagate (Mat 28:18-20; Acts 6:7) More directly to your question, the word "choose" that Christ uses is the word from which we get the English "elect." Other passages of Scripture clearly teach the notion of the election of the saints; i.e., that all believers are chosen first of God long before they choose Him. I think you are quite safe in seeing these instructions as being personally applicable to you, if you are one of the redeemed. In Him, Doc |