1.  The answer to the hostility of the world toward believers and our values, morals, goals, ethics, doctrine is to remember that we are chosen by God and we are accepted by God.

2.  “Though we are not at home in the world we are at home with God—we are His elect….even if all the world should shout a different message at [believers].  Whether [we] feel like it or not, [we] are a royal priesthood, a holy nation.”  (Stephen Motyer)

3.  “This election was not based on anything we had done, because we were not even on the scene.  Nor was it based on anything God saw that we would be or do….It was based wholly on His grace and love.  We cannot explain it (Romans 11:33-36), but we can rejoice in it.” (Wiersbe)

4.  This election or choosing is based on God’s foreknowledge (Greek, prosginosko).  In its major uses in the New Testament, prosginosko means more than God’s simply knowing what will take place in the future.  It refers, rather, to God’s predetermined plan.  This is illustrated in Acts. 2:23 and 1 Peter 1:20.  “Thus in the few relevant passages both the verb and the noun speak chiefly of God’s action towards Christ or towards men, and witness to His activity as planned and directed.” (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology)

5.  “It is interesting to note the operation of the three Persons of the Godhead in their election—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The first, called them, the second redeemed them, and the third satisfied them or set them apart for God forever.” (Gray)