---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How do we know that God has elected us…"
description: "\"How do we know that God has elected us before the creation of the world? By believing in Jesus Christ.\" — John Calvin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/john-calvin-490_believe_how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-b_612134.jpg"
---

#  How do we know that God has elected us before the creation…

![“How do we know that God has elected us before the creation of the world? By believing in Jesus Christ.” quote by John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/john-calvin-490_believe_how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-b_612134.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/john-calvin-490_believe_how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-b_612134.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/john-calvin-490_believe_how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-b_612134.jpg)

> “How do we know that God has elected us before the creation of the world? By believing in Jesus Christ.”

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

God's election predates creation; belief in Christ confirms this divine choice.

**In simple terms:** God chose us before the world; faith affirms it.

Key Takeaway

Trust in divine election through Christ.

Themes

theology predestination faith

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

theological philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal devotion
- church teaching
- spiritual counseling

Key Concepts

divine sovereignty election doctrine Christology

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this belief affect daily life?
- What evidence supports predestination?

A Different Perspective

Interpretations vary across denominations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing/) [Believing Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-jesus-339981/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Creation of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation-of-the-world/) [God Elected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-elected-261938/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jesus christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-christ/) [Know God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-god/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-believing-1737908/)

## Related quotes

> [“You can become anything you aspire to be in this world Keep believing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-j-forde/you-can-become-anything-you-aspire-to-be-in-this-world-keep-believing/)

[Charmaine J Forde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-j-forde/)

> [When a certain shameless fellow mockingly asked a pious old man what God had done before the creation of the world the latter aptly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/when-a-certain-shameless-fellow-mockingly-asked-a-pious-old-man-what/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [There are some writers who feel they are elected by God. I am not. I am elected by the devil - this is clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/there-are-some-writers-who-feel-they-are-elected-by-god-i-am-not-i-am/)

[Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/)

> [“Positively it is ‘to be holy’ — that is, set apart from the world, separate, different. And negatively it is to be ‘blameless’ —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-brown/positively-it-is-to-be-holy-that-is-set-apart-from-the-world-separate/)

[Gregory Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-brown/)

> [“Now, what is the purpose of election? Ephesians 1:4 says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-brown/now-what-is-the-purpose-of-election-ephesians-1-4-says-for-he-chose/)

[Gregory Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-brown/)

> [No one goes to heaven by parroting a prayer, being baptized, or joining a church, but by believing in Jesus Christ with humble submission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson/no-one-goes-to-heaven-by-parroting-a-prayer-being-baptized-or-joining/)

[Steven J Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson/)

> [Believing in the Jesus of the Bible makes life risky on a lot of levels because it is absolute surrender of every decision we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/believing-in-the-jesus-of-the-bible-makes-life-risky-on-a-lot-of/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [The more I go to church and the more I turn myself over to the process of believing in Jesus and listening to His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/the-more-i-go-to-church-and-the-more-i-turn-myself-over-to-the/)

[Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/)

> [“The key to our progress is believing that Jesus is right about everything and therefore surrendering our own will to his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-ford/the-key-to-our-progress-is-believing-that-jesus-is-right-about/)

[Lance Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-ford/)

> [This is how you know religion is failing because people think you're bonkers if you believe in God and also because it's so uncool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/this-is-how-you-know-religion-is-failing-because-people-think-you-re/)

[Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/)

> [We are not saved by denying self, or taking up our cross, or doing anything else, we are saved by simply believing in Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-torrey/we-are-not-saved-by-denying-self-or-taking-up-our-cross-or-doing/)

[R. A. Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-torrey/)

> [Some people maybe try to justify their laziness. You take out what you put in and the more I go to church and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/some-people-maybe-try-to-justify-their-laziness-you-take-out-what-you/)

[Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/)

> [Our reasons for believing Jesus existed and also that He was who He claimed to be - the God who came down - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/our-reasons-for-believing-jesus-existed-and-also-that-he-was-who-he/)

[Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/)

> [Through faith in the Lord Jesus alone can we obtain forgiveness of our sins, and be at peace with God; but, believing in Jesus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-muller/through-faith-in-the-lord-jesus-alone-can-we-obtain-forgiveness-of/)

[George Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-muller/)

## More by John Calvin

> [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/but-a-most-pernicious-error-widely-prevails-that-scripture-has-only/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [The word "hope" I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-word-hope-i-take-for-faith-and-indeed-hope-is-nothing-else-but/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [No man can come to God but by an extraordinary revelation of the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/no-man-can-come-to-god-but-by-an-extraordinary-revelation-of-the/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [There is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb our joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-nothing-in-afflictions-which-ought-to-disturb-our-joy/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [There cannot be a surer rule, nor a stronger exhortation to the observance of it, than when we are taught that all the endowments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-cannot-be-a-surer-rule-nor-a-stronger-exhortation-to-the/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [The whole gospel is contained in Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-whole-gospel-is-contained-in-christ/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [For Scripture is the school of the Holy Spirit, in which, as nothing is omitted that is both necessary and useful to know, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-scripture-is-the-school-of-the-holy-spirit-in-which-as-nothing-is/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [“For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against-2/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [If a preacher is not first preaching to himself, better that he falls on the steps of the pulpit and breaks his neck than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-a-preacher-is-not-first-preaching-to-himself-better-that-he-falls/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [Again I ask whence it happened that the fall of Adam involved, without remedy, in eternal death so many nations, together with their infant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/again-i-ask-whence-it-happened-that-the-fall-of-adam-involved-without/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [Unless God's Word illumine the way, the whole life of men is wrapped in darkness and mist, so that they cannot but miserably stray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/unless-god-s-word-illumine-the-way-the-whole-life-of-men-is-wrapped/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

[Explore all 520 John Calvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "How do we know that God has elected us before the creation of the world? By believing in Jesus Christ.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Calvin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-before-the-creation-of-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-before-the-creation-of-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/john-calvin-490_believe_how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-b_612134.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/john-calvin-490_believe_how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-b_612134.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/john-calvin-490_believe_how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-b_612134.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“How do we know that God has elected us before the creation of the world? By believing in Jesus Christ.” — John Calvin",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Calvin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "How do we know that God...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-before-the-creation-of-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/how-do-we-know-that-god-has-elected-us-before-the-creation-of-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
