2Co_8:19. - Chosen To Travel With Paul; Not Chosen To Salvation!

10. 2 Corinthians 8:19. - Chosen To Travel With Paul; Not Chosen To Salvation!

“And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind.”- 2 Corinthians 8:19. When we back up we find out that Paul was writing to the Corinthians and you will see in 2 Corinthians 8:16 that the churches chose one to travel as they would support him as a missionary to represent Christ. God did not choose anyone here for salvation. It is hard to believe that this verse is used as a reference in support of election to salvation.

Notice 2 Corinthians 8:16, if you will:

“But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.” In other words, God had directed His love into Titus for those in Corinth.

“For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.”

2 Corinthians 8:17 tells us that Titus also had a desire of his own.  2 Corinthians 8:18-19 continue:

“And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; (18) And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace…” (19)

Here we find the churches had chosen a brother to travel with Paul.  God had nothing to do here with choosing anyone for salvation.  It is hard to understand why one would use this verse to support election to salvation.  In fact, the Greek word for “chosen” in 2 Corinthians 8:19 is a different Greek word than is usually used for “chosen.”  It is Greek word “cheirotoneo.”  It is a combination of two words.  It means to be a “hand reacher” or “voter by the raising of the hand.”  Literally, it means to “select or appoint.”  So he was selected or appointed by a vote in order to represent the churches and to be sent out by the churches.  How in the world anyone could use this as a leverage verse to support election to salvation is beyond me!  This is the extreme to which men will go with the Bible in order to prove a man-made doctrine.