ELECTA or ECLECTA (Gr.'EKNEKr7), ek-lek-tay', chosen).
She was, as is generally believed, a lady of quality, who lived near Ephesus, to whom John addressed his second Epistle, cautioning her and her children against heretics, who denied the di vinity of Christ, and his incarnation. Some think Electa, which signifies chosen, is not a proper name, but an honorable epithet ; (elect lady, Eng. trans.) and that the Epistle was directed to a church. The same apostle salutes Electa, and her children, in his third Epistle; but the accounts of this Electa are as confuse[ as those of the former. The Authorized Version translates t1l words in 'the elect lady,' an interpreta tion approved by Castalio, ill, Wolf, Le Clerc, and Macknight. Most modern critics, how ever, Schlcusner and Breitschneider in their Lexi cons, Bourger (1753), Vater (1824), Goeschcn (1832). and Tiseliendorf (1841), in their editions of the New Testament, Neander (History of the Planting of the Christian Church, vol. ii, p, 7t, Eng. transl.), De \Vette (Lehrbuch, p. 339), and Lucke (Commentary on the Epistles of St. John, PP. 314-32o, Eng. transl.), agree with the Syriac and Arabic Versions in making Ritpict a proper name, and render the words 'to the elect Cyria.'
Lardner has given a copious account of critical opinions in his Ilistorr of the .1postles and E•an gelists, c. xx. II 'orks, J. E. R.
ELECTION (6-161c'shiln), (Gr. /ao771, choice, a picking out).
The act of choice. This word has different ap plications in the scriptures. (t) It signifies God's taking a whole nation, community, or body of men, into external covenant with himself, by giving them the advantage of revelation as the rule of their belief and practice, when other nations are without it (Deut. vii :6). (2) A temporary designation of some person or persons to the fill ing tip of some particular station in the visible church, or office in civil life (John vi :70; t Sam. x :24). (3) The gracious act of the Divine Spirit, whereby God actually and visibly separates his people from the world by effectual calling ( John xv :19). (4) That eternal, gratuitous, sovereign, and immutable purpose of God, whereby he select ed from among all mankind, and of every nation under heaven, all those whom he effectually calls to he sanctified and everlastingly saved by Christ (Eph. 14; 2 Thess. ii:13). (For the distinct Arminian and Calvinistic views see PREDESTINATION.)