They are all of the people God loves and who Jesus died for, men out of every tribe tongue and nation.
There are two groups within the elect, the believing elect who have already been granted faith to believe the gospel, and the lost elect who have yet to be given faith to believe, although in due time they will hear the gospel and be given faith to believe it.
God will see to it that they hear the gospel through the preach/writing of the elect who have already believed.
The gospel is a specific message regarding the way of salvation. It's a report of good news. It deals with Christ's work on the cross.
Let's say you commit a crime, and the next week you have to stand before a judge. Let's say this judge declares to you that you are free to go, no punishment is necessary, I will not take into account your sin. If we were honest, there would be an uproar over this judge. People would be crying for justice, and how it isn't fair that criminals get a free pass. In our own country we notice a complete lack of justice. Everyone would consider this judge as unjust and unrighteous.
God will judge the earth one day, according to everyone's deeds, and He will do so with the standard of perfect righteousness. Meaning of anyone is found having less than perfect righteousness, they will be condemned.
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”
— Galatians 3:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
— James 2:10
So the standard by which everyone will be judged is perfect righteousness. Think about what happened to Adam and Eve, they transgressed one time by eating some fruit they weren't supposed to, and they were kicked out of the the garden.
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
No evil dwells with You.
— Psalm 5:4
Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,
And You can not look on wickedness with favor.
— Habakkuk 1:13(a)
There is a lot to say and have barely scratched the surface, but I'll stop here just in case you have questions about any of this before I continue.
I'll answer your other questions as well but I'll go slow. If there's any questions about my response so far ask away, and then I'll address your other ones.
You'll have to start with the premise that God is just. If He is a just judge, all sin must be answered and accounted for. He will by no means clear the guilty, and will by no means overlook sin. It all must be dealt with.
‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.’
— Numbers 14:18
How is God able to forgive His people if He is just? That is the great predicament.
God justifies ungodly men, He forgives iniquity. But how can He do such a thing and remain righteous?
Let's say a murderer kills all of your family with a sword in front of you, while your house security can is running. And just before killing you, you escape with your life. You and him stand in court before a judge and he asks you, "Did this man kill your family?" And you say, "Yes, I have proof on video of him doing it." And the tape is played before court, and the judge watches and says, "Wow, this is pure evil."
Then the judge gives the verdict. He says, "I hold the defendant, not guilty! I forgive him, he is free to go."
This judge just justified a murderer. The courtroom erupts because of the lack of justice. Everyone demands justice against this evil man. He is an unrighteous judge.
So how can God be just when He justifies the ungodly?
Every sin that anyone commits against God must be paid for in order to meet the demands of God's law and justice. Since God is a just God, He cannot simply forgive anyone's sins, without those sins being paid for in some way. The gospel teaches that Christ paid for the sins of His people through His redemptive work on the cross. How did He do it?
When He was in the garden, before He went to the cross, He was praying to His Father. What did He pray? He prayed this:
And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
— Matthew 26:39
This cup is very significant. Notice what's said in Luke.
And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
— Luke 22:41-44
What was going on? What was in this cup that He was in agony over? Just the thought of this cup was enough to agonize Him. Many will say that this cup refers to the crown of thorns, the whips lashing Him, the hanging by crucifixion, after being delivered over to the hands of evil men. But something else was happening. Something much greater, and most people don't even know a thing about it.
What was in the cup?
For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams;
It is well mixed, and He pours out of this;
Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs.
— Psalm 75:8
Think about this verse:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
— Galatians 3:13
When Christ was on the cross He bore the sins of His people in His body, and the Father punished Him as if He were the one committing all of those sins. The Father poured out the cup of His wrath on Him, and crushed Him. When every last drop from this cup was poured out on Christ, He became the propitiation for the sins of His people, meaning, after all wrath was poured out on Christ for the sins of His people, the Father,'s wrath against those sins became fully appeased. Christ's atoning propitiatory sacrifice to pay for the sins of His people was an acceptable sacrifice. Payment for their sins has been made, and their redemption was accomplished, redeeming them with His precious blood.
They are all of the people God loves and who Jesus died for, men out of every tribe tongue and nation.
There are two groups within the elect, the believing elect who have already been granted faith to believe the gospel, and the lost elect who have yet to be given faith to believe, although in due time they will hear the gospel and be given faith to believe it.
God will see to it that they hear the gospel through the preach/writing of the elect who have already believed.
The gospel is a specific message regarding the way of salvation. It's a report of good news. It deals with Christ's work on the cross.
Let's say you commit a crime, and the next week you have to stand before a judge. Let's say this judge declares to you that you are free to go, no punishment is necessary, I will not take into account your sin. If we were honest, there would be an uproar over this judge. People would be crying for justice, and how it isn't fair that criminals get a free pass. In our own country we notice a complete lack of justice. Everyone would consider this judge as unjust and unrighteous.
God will judge the earth one day, according to everyone's deeds, and He will do so with the standard of perfect righteousness. Meaning of anyone is found having less than perfect righteousness, they will be condemned.
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” — Galatians 3:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. — James 2:10
So the standard by which everyone will be judged is perfect righteousness. Think about what happened to Adam and Eve, they transgressed one time by eating some fruit they weren't supposed to, and they were kicked out of the the garden.
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You. — Psalm 5:4
Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. — Habakkuk 1:13(a)
There is a lot to say and have barely scratched the surface, but I'll stop here just in case you have questions about any of this before I continue.
I'll answer your other questions as well but I'll go slow. If there's any questions about my response so far ask away, and then I'll address your other ones.
It's honest to ask questions, all are welcome.
You'll have to start with the premise that God is just. If He is a just judge, all sin must be answered and accounted for. He will by no means clear the guilty, and will by no means overlook sin. It all must be dealt with.
‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.’ — Numbers 14:18
How is God able to forgive His people if He is just? That is the great predicament.
God justifies ungodly men, He forgives iniquity. But how can He do such a thing and remain righteous?
Let's say a murderer kills all of your family with a sword in front of you, while your house security can is running. And just before killing you, you escape with your life. You and him stand in court before a judge and he asks you, "Did this man kill your family?" And you say, "Yes, I have proof on video of him doing it." And the tape is played before court, and the judge watches and says, "Wow, this is pure evil."
Then the judge gives the verdict. He says, "I hold the defendant, not guilty! I forgive him, he is free to go."
This judge just justified a murderer. The courtroom erupts because of the lack of justice. Everyone demands justice against this evil man. He is an unrighteous judge.
So how can God be just when He justifies the ungodly?
Every sin that anyone commits against God must be paid for in order to meet the demands of God's law and justice. Since God is a just God, He cannot simply forgive anyone's sins, without those sins being paid for in some way. The gospel teaches that Christ paid for the sins of His people through His redemptive work on the cross. How did He do it?
When He was in the garden, before He went to the cross, He was praying to His Father. What did He pray? He prayed this:
And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” — Matthew 26:39
This cup is very significant. Notice what's said in Luke.
And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. — Luke 22:41-44
What was going on? What was in this cup that He was in agony over? Just the thought of this cup was enough to agonize Him. Many will say that this cup refers to the crown of thorns, the whips lashing Him, the hanging by crucifixion, after being delivered over to the hands of evil men. But something else was happening. Something much greater, and most people don't even know a thing about it.
What was in the cup?
For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams; It is well mixed, and He pours out of this; Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs. — Psalm 75:8
Think about this verse:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— — Galatians 3:13
When Christ was on the cross He bore the sins of His people in His body, and the Father punished Him as if He were the one committing all of those sins. The Father poured out the cup of His wrath on Him, and crushed Him. When every last drop from this cup was poured out on Christ, He became the propitiation for the sins of His people, meaning, after all wrath was poured out on Christ for the sins of His people, the Father,'s wrath against those sins became fully appeased. Christ's atoning propitiatory sacrifice to pay for the sins of His people was an acceptable sacrifice. Payment for their sins has been made, and their redemption was accomplished, redeeming them with His precious blood.