Chessmaster,
Minds smarter, more intelligent than mine and probably yours too, have contemplated such paradoxes in the Bible, ie. free will verses pre-destination.
It is a subject that has been contemplated from many angles.
I do not intend to try to reconcile this contradiction. But if God's knows what choice you make, you don't know and I don't know. And no one else in the universe knows. So for all intents and purposes do you not have the freedom?
The evangelist D.L. Moody, I believe, said something to the effect that on the outside of the kingdom of God is a sign that says
"Whosever wills". But once one steps inside and turns around to look at the gate the sign says
"Chosen before the foundation of the world."
Reconciling this is too difficult for me. However, I would suggest that when a Christians tells you of your choice to be saved, that you consider that person as your friend.
In fact I often feel that for that moment when a Christian is sharing with you the gospel of Jesus you are looking at your best friend in the whole world, at least at that moment.
And they are your friend because they are telling you the truh.
It is not easy to be put in a position to be quickly scorned, rediculed, rejected. He or she is doing so most often because the love of Christ within them will not allow them to have peace to ignore you and not warn you that the Gospel is important.
One other thing. Salvation is not a matter of going away to a happy place called heaven. It is really about "going" into God to be transformed into His son - a brother of Jesus, in life, nature, and expression.
The "going" to the Father is a transformation of the personality to live as Jesus. Or better yet to live Jesus. That is live out the Jesus who has come to live in your heart.
The nature of God in Christ is that HE can come to live in you and dwell in your innermost being.
Edited by jaywill, : No reason given.
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