My Reformed Thoughts on Matthew 1:21 and the Doctrine of Election

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As Christmas Day draws near, one reason why I could at least love Christmas is that Matthew 1:21 says that Jesus came to save His people from their sins. I believe that Christmas can still be celebrated by divorcing it from paganism and worldliness. Though, Christians can also choose not to celebrate Christmas. It's just plain wrong to force people to celebrate Christmas. I have my thoughts on the usage of "His people" in Revelation 18:4 as Jesus calls His people out of Babylon the Great. I may embrace non-Calvinist Christians, David W. Cloud also embraces Calvinist Christians, and some non-Calvinist Baptists admit that the King James Version (KJV) is a Calvinist translation. I don't want to get stuck on pet issues (and I think KJV Onlyism has become a pet issue aside from Calvinism). However, I do still feel that Matthew 1:21 can at least help defend Calvinism.

Who is meant by "His people" in Matthew 1:21? The phrase "my people" can refer to the Jews. I think the New Testament refers to the elect of God. Reading through Revelation 18:4 has me thinking that people can't get out of Babylon except that God calls them first. John 6:44 says that no person can come unto Jesus except that the Father draws that person to the Son. I even believe that the doctrine of election may explain why some people grow up in a Christian school, been exposed to the Gospel since pre-school yet they're still not saved. I think election can also explain why some people didn't grow up in a Christian school yet they responded to the Gospel. Right now, I even think that I can't believe the Gospel if it wasn't for effectual calling.

It's best to know what Calvinism is and isn't. Calvinism doesn't teach that people are saved from birth. Rather, they're unsaved, they need saving, and then they get saved by God's effectual calling. It doesn't teach that people are dragged into Heaven against their will. Rather, people are made willing by their effectual calling which also fits into the doctrine of irresistible grace. Calvinism teaches that man has the inability to make a free-will decision for Jesus. Rather, people have to be elected. John 15:16 says that the apostles didn't choose Jesus. Rather, Jesus chose the apostles after Judas Iscariot left the group. Acts 9 has it that Jesus chose Saul of Tarsus and not the other way around. I don't even remember Saul choosing Jesus. Instead, Jesus told a disciple named Ananias (not to be confused with the husband of Saphira) that Saul was the chosen vessel. We never hear Jesus say in Acts 9 that Saul chose Him. 

How do I think Calvinism fits the picture from Matthew 1:21 to Revelation 18:4? You can think of how why not everyone gets out of the Great Whore of Revelation. Who is Jesus calling to come out of her as the Great Whore is marked for judgment? Jesus is calling for His people. Jesus came to save His people from His sins. Who else was called out of a life of sin except those who are chosen for salvation (2 Thessalonians 2:13)? 

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