The "Children of the kingdom" evidently refers to Israel, the called and chosen of God. The passages are numerous in which Israel is called the "Chosen of God;" "The elect according to the covenant." "Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called;" Isa. 48. 12.
Jesus, when he predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, and the scattering of the Jews, declared that for the elect's sake those days should be shortened; Matt. 24. 22.
The elect could only mean according to the covenant with Abraham for the remnant who were saved in the flesh were of a wicked generation, and they and their children became a hiss and a by-word among all nations, consequently they could not have been the elect through faith and good works.
David said to the congregation, "Solomon, my son, whom alone God hath chosen;" 1 Chron. 29. 1. Yet Solomon did not fully prove himself by good works, for he fell into transgression and corrupted Israel; 1 Kings 11. 9-11.
The Book of Mormon is plain on this subject: "Being called and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil;" Alma 13. 3-7.
Their calling and preparation from the foundation of the world were evidently based on their faith and good works, previous to their being called, and not on the possibilities of their future good conduct.
This idea is verified by the apostle who, speaking of Christ, says, "And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. * * * Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows;" Heb. 1. 6, 9. "Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you;" 1 Pet. 1. 20. Christ was chosen before the foundation of the world, because he had already proven himself worthy.
Men exercised their free agency in the first or spiritual estate, as well as in this. That the character of their works in that estate shaped their destiny in this is evident. The Lord said to Abraham, "They who keep their first estate, shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate, shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate;" P. of G. P., page 32.
There are some foreordained to condemnation: "There are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation;" Jude 4.
"The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day;" Jude 6. That is, those angels who, voluntarily, by their own acts, forfeited the glory prepared for them.