Were You Destined to be Saved without having a choice?

[MatthewG]

Thank you for sharing Ronald.

Marymog, I believe that there was a choice to be made. Believe for some people there is the ability to not make the choice which is making a choice in itself.

 

[farouk]

For me, I actually have to say that I didn't have a choice. The first time I ever heard anything about the gospel, outside of Christmas stuff, was when someone read John 3:16 to me. I believed it in my heart instantly, and though later in life I tried, I couldn't not believe it. I've come to the conclusion that this doesn't happen very often, though I don't know why. Maybe because I'm so stubborn?

@Truman the Levite Such a tremendous amount of truth in that verse...

 

[Wynona]

What do you believe about your salvation?

Did you make a choice; saying yes Lord, my desire is to seek and search after you and God? Did you not make a choice and God came to you one day and predestined you to be reconciled unto salvation? What do you believe about your own salvation?

Did you make a choice or did God choose you?

How can you tell? How can you know?

So here is the thing, MatthewG.

I think the Bible supports both.

I will find the Scriptures on why I think this and post them in a little bit.

 

[MatthewG]

Hello Wynona,

You have a point and you are right about that for sure. God can work in the mind and hearts of others to turn them around to having faith; by hearing the word that causes others to have faith and believe. Thank you for your comment and sharing that with me and everyone here. Just desired to see and look into how people think and believe about these things.

With love in Christ,
Matthew G

 

[Wynona]

I lean toward choice, simply because God may know who makes the choice to be saved but that isn't the same as making the choice for them.

But lets go to the Scriptures.

In the election and predestination corner of the ring, we have Romans 9: 10-12

Romans 9:10-12
King James Version

10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.


We also have

Romans 8:29
King James Version

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

(I think this verse isn't necessarily saying that God made the choice but that He knows [foreknew] who is going to choose Him and also chooses that person.)

In the choice and freewill corner we have

Mark 1:15
King James Version

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Just think about how the gospel is presented. It never says "Come see if God has chosen you for salvation."

It's, Repent! Meaning, choose this day to turn around and serve God.

No matter if God, who is God Almighty, already can see who is going to make it, we are not God, so therefore to us, it is a choice. God exists outside of time. We do not. We have a choice to make.

I think if you read Romans 9, it becomes clear that asking who can resist God's will is not the right question.

Instead we should be making every effort to make our calling and election sure and choose this day whom we shall serve (Joshua 24:15).

Also Dueteronomy 30:19.