A difference though, as tears of sorrow from Christ is not saving them.
Christ laments their fate because of their continual rejection.
The mercy of God for salvation is not a possibility or probability it is an actuality.
It means those with that mercy come from God do not have their sins imputed to them.
- Romans 9:15
For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”
In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations - Romans 9:16
So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations - Romans 9:18
Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations - Romans 9:23
and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
What comes first? God's mercy for you making your born again or your faith?
You cannot even see or believe in Christ unless first born again.
You had no part in being born again, that was of the will of God, independent of you.
John 1
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
The issue is you cannot even say or acknowledge Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit, that one thing removes you entirely from faith being of yourself, your faith in Christ is the gift of God.
1 Corinthians 12:3
Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
