What does it mean that God has a people?

When we say that God has a people, it refers to the elect—those whom He has chosen for salvation before the foundation of the world. This idea is woven throughout Scripture, including in the narratives of the Old Testament, such as God’s sovereign choice of Israel and His mercy upon the Ninevites in the story of Jonah. God's intention to save a specific people is rooted in His glory and the outworking of His grace. In Jonah 3, we see how God sent Jonah specifically to the wicked city of Nineveh, demonstrating that even the most rebellious can be recipients of His mercy when His Word is proclaimed. This is further supported by Jesus’ assertion in Luke 11:32 that the men of Nineveh will rise in judgment because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, affirming that they were indeed a part of God’s chosen people. This affirms the Reformed understanding that salvation is not random but destined for those whom God calls.