That's the line that all pre-tribbers fall for. Other than the LIES comment.
The truth is...
The word
"elect", always refers to Christians in the New Testament and never to non-Christian Jews.
The word elect is 'eklektos' and is Strong's # 1588 which means...
1) picked out, chosen
a) chosen by God,
1)
to obtain salvation through Christ
a)
Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God
2) the Messiah in called "elect", as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable
3) choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent:
applied to certain individual Christians
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1588&t=KJV
The word elect and chosen are the same word. It's the word 'eklektos' is used in the following verses where it always means Christians... whether Jew or gentile! Look at them and notice these verses are talking about christians whether Gentile or Jew.
Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few
chosen.
John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have
chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
John 15:16 Ye have not
chosen me, but I have
chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send
chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
Acts 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send
chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's
elect? It is God that justifieth.
Romans 16:13 Salute Rufus
chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.1 Corinthians 1:27-28
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the
elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God
chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the
elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's
elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
1 Peter 1:2
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1 Peter 5:13 The church that is at Babylon,
elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.5:13 and,
Revelation 17:14 ¶These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and
chosen, and faithful.
If God wanted the elect of Mathew 24 to mean Jews, He would have used a different Greek word. Probably this one...
1445. Hebraios heb-rah'-yos from 1443; a Hebræan (i.e. Hebrew) or Jew:--Hebrew.
Evangelical pre-tribbers have always argued that since the word elect (chosen) always means Jews in the Old Testament, it means Jews in the New Testament. Of course that was the case in the OT because the church had not yet been formed, and the OT was written mostly in Hebrew and Aramaic. AND, there is no longer Jew or gentile after the crucifiction. The NT Greek text shows that 'elect' denotes CHRISTIANS and there's no getting around it!
In the following passage we are told to suffer tribulation even up to the time when Christ shall come to be glorified in His saints.
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that
we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that
we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for
your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: [Which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing [it is] a righteous thing with God to
recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.