But someone might think of what happens among men. When a powerful person gives something to someone and promises more, the recipient’s ill-wishers creep in and slander him with all kinds of accusations. They cause the giver not only to cancel his promise of giving more, but also to diminish what he has given, or take it away altogether.
Supposing that such a possibility might occur to someone even in the realm of faith, the Apostle exposes its impropriety. Or, by exposing this impropriety, he turns away even the possibility that such a thought might arise. He says, as it were, “Do not be troubled. No one will dare raise a voice against you.” The word is enkaleisei. You are God’s chosen. If among men, when experts in a given matter choose or appoint something, no one dares speak against it, can contradiction be expected against God’s choosing?
But God has not only chosen you, He has also justified you. He justified you not merely by declaring you pardoned, but by making you substantially righteous. Thus, even if people eager to raise a voice against you should be found, they would have nothing to seize upon. You are righteous by the grace of God. Therefore there is no reason for you to waver in hope, either that what you have received will be preserved in you, or that what was promised on that foundation will be taken from you.
St. Chrysostom says, “See how the Apostle closes their mouths by pointing to the dignity of the one chosen. He did not say, ‘Who will accuse the servants of God?’ but, ‘the chosen of God.’ Election is a sign of virtue, that is, of the dignity of the one chosen. If one who trains young horses recognizes them as fit for running, no one will dare fault his choice. On the contrary, anyone who begins to dispute it will be ridiculous. Much more ridiculous are those who accuse when God Himself chooses souls. ‘God is the One who justifies.’ The Apostle did not say, ‘God forgives sins,’ but, what is far greater, ‘God justifies.’ Does the one who condemns such a man deserve any attention? Therefore we must fear neither temptations, because God is for us and has proved this by His deeds, nor Jewish empty talk, because God has chosen and justified us. What is still more wondrous, He justified us by the death of the Son.”
Ambrosiaster writes, “That God’s foreknowledge and decree concerning us can in no way be taken back is evident. For who is there who could disapprove what God has approved, when there is no one equal to God? Therefore there is no other who could disapprove what God has approved. Unless perhaps God Himself will condemn us? But how will He condemn what He has justified?”
THEOSIS