figurative. One of God's chosen people; a member of the spiritual Israel.

A chosen one; one of the elect.

Chiefly Theology. A person predestined to salvation or eternal life; one of God's elect. Also as plural with the: God's elect as a class.

One ‘chosen’ by God, esp. one chosen for eternal salvation; one of ‘the elect’ (cf. A. 2).

A member of a religious group believing in an idealized society or Zion (Zion, n. 2a). Now historical.

One who has attained to full comprehension. (In 17th cent. Divinity, with reference to Philipp. iii. 12–13: cf. the Vulgate.)

One who has attained ‘entire sanctification’ (see sanctification, n. 1a).