It is God who works in people to hear and accept Christ. God does not 'just ask people to let Him in'. He draws them to Christ, and Christ saves them. All work of God, not God begging men to please let Him in.
John 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Romans 9:16
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
There are different perspectives which are all true, but sound contradictatory.
Does a teacher make the pupil learn? Does an ox yoked to an older ox chose to copy what the old ox is doing?
So when you are talking about the Creator, everything we do is a gift and through His will, and by His choice.
But to say people believe, have faith, walk, declare allowed Jesus is Lord, repent, share love, abide, is also true
and part of who we are.
What is the sticking point is to admit both are needed for love to work.
If we were robots, preprogrammed to say and do what we are told, there would be no love and only obedience.
Clearly man is not a robot, and is given choice, whether the consequences are bad or good.
If there was no choice involved there would be no judgement or guilt, and no point in repenting, because you just
run the righteous program and you are good.
To bring free will message home, you choose to read and respond to this post, I do not force you, or the Lord force
you. What you write is your understanding of your faith and belief system, not someone elses.
Jesus underlined in all this influences and choice, still He initiates everything, "I chose you"
Judas demonstrates that Judas chose to reject and betray the Lord, which is the dark side of free will.
By the way Judas was described as being lost, not turned by Gods will to betray,
None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
John 17:12
God bless you