Free Will

Genesis 3:
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?"
2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Did Eve eat of the tree of her own "free" will, or dd the "devil make her do it"
If the serpent made her do it, then her will was controlled by the serpent. This mindset is the foundation of virtually all deliverance ministry. Unfortunately these ministries also teach that man freely chooses God, and His salvation, of his own will. So we have at best a partially free will. Man freely chooses or declines God's offer of salvation out of his own will power, but is controlled by the devil.
Following that line of argument, we can conclude that man's will which can be overridden by Satan, is still able to override the will of God. This then makes God's will submissive not only to man, but also to the devil.
The same ones who promote this teaching also support the interpretation, according to a flawed interpretation of 2 Peter 3:9, that is is God's will that everyone should be saved.
This is the "catch 22" of all free will philosophy.

Paul wrote in Romans 9:

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,
7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named."
8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
9 For this is what the promise said: "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son."
10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,
11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad--in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls--
12 she was told, "The older will serve the younger."
13 As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!
15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory--
24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

This passage first of all, proves that Israel is jew and gentile, and always has been so. Israel is not separate from the church, Israel is the church.
Just as important, verse 11 reveals the fact that God's sovereign process of election,which is not based on the criteria of our actions good or bad, but based on His sovereign will and foreknowledge, has also been so from before creation. Jacob was chosen over Esau, in an act of His sovereign will, so that God's purpose of election MIGHT CONTINUE. In other words, this was not the first demonstration of God's willful election on this earth. (take Abel, Enoch or Noah, as examples)
Paul then presents the heart of this revelation; All vessels are God's; some appointed to mercy and some appointed to wrath, and we have nothing to say in the matter..Since Paul is writing to the post- ascension church in Rome, we can safely conclude that this truth applies to all of mankind, past present and future. Remember that this is a letter, and all of this is based on the foundation which was laid out in the beginning of the letter in chapters 1,2, and 3.

The rhetorical question is presented: 19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"
The answer (which is implicit in the question) is; NO ONE.
Now if 2 Peter 3:9 says that it is God's will that all men be saved ,then based on Paul's point here, all men would come to saving faith and salvation would be universal. As Paul said no one can resist the will of God. The issue is the translation from the Greek. Both the word "boulēma" used by Paul, and the word "boulomai" used by Peter, are obviously related. In Peter's usage the word is better translated as wishing or desiring, (that all come to repentance). In Paul's context he is talking about the will of God that is set in stone. (see Job 42:1-2)
Peter is also addressing this specifically to the readers of his letter, and it is about them not all of mankind.

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God's will is that all the elect come to repentance. It must be recognized that repentance is not an action by which a man obtains salvation, it is the action of one who is saved already.
Peter is giving encouragement to those who are being beset by mockers who attack the saints for their belief in the Lord's imminent return, (verse 4)
The Lord is sanctifying his elect.(Hebrews 10:14)

Needless to say, not all will come to belief, as not all are elect.

Looking back at Adam and Eve and their choice to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree, the letter to the church in Rome needs to be studied one more time:

Romans 3:
10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one......"

Romans 1:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.............

Both of these passages continue on in their point.(in Romans 3 Paul is actually quoting from Isaiah and the Psalms)
The gist is however that man in the flesh can only serve the flesh.
Romans 7 is the great revelation of the believer's battle to overcome the flesh and find freedom for his will which is trapped in a body of death. The victory, which is revealed in chapter 8, is to be found only in Christ. At His return we will have incorruptible bodies and will be completely free able to do the good that we will to do. (1 Cor 15:49-50) This makes Peter's point in the passage cited from his second letter, even more salient.

Eve chose to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because it was ......

"good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate,"

The fruit appealed to the flesh. It not only satisfied physical hunger and taste, it satisfied the desire to advance oneself in life. In this case to be godlike.
Eve was not able to overcome the flesh by strength of her will. She knew what God commanded re: what could, and could not be eaten, and quoted it to the serpent verbatim. However she was unable to do the good which she knew to do. This reinforces Paul's point in Romans 7.
It does not stop with Eve as we well know.

"and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate."

Paul writes in Romans 1:

32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Eve encouraged Adam to eat, He ate for the same reasons which she did, but more so he could not refuse his wife's offer.

Neither Adam nor Eve possessed a free will. They both succumbed to the flesh and its desires. God created the serpent, and Adam named it. (Genesis 2:19-20) The whole scenario was predestined by God. They were destined to fall. They made the only choice the natural, unregenerate man could make Satan did not make them do it. He could only entice through the lie. Their "choice" was birthed from fleshly bondage.

Glory to God that the undoing of all that had been wrought was also foreknown.

Acts 4:
24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,
25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'--
27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.


John 1:
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who WERE born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3:3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

We receive Him and the right to be called His children only if we are born again by His will.
Thank the Lord for all who are born again by that sovereign will and power of His Spirit. He did not leave the choice up to you and me. Had he done so, we would have never chosen Him.

Romans 7:
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.
22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Soli Deo Gloria

Soteriological Cogitations #2

The Foundations Of Grace

Genesis 6:
5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

The story of Noah and the ark is one that is well known. It is so well known that there are those who do not hold to belief in God, or His Word that are familiar with many aspects of it. It holds a certain fascination, and has been depicted in film, song, cartoons etc.; even in a television commercial. (Remember the buckle up/carpool advertisement of some years ago)Sadly the actual revelation and truth of the story are glossed over, more so in a church which should have understanding of this The premise of the flood, and its’ consequences reveal man’s depravity, and God’s incredible, and irresistible grace.

Genesis 6

First and foremost man is wicked. The thoughts and intents of the hearts of man are evil. I use the present tense here, as nothing has changed since Noah’s day in terms of the unregenerate. Total depravity manifests in man’s fallen state. God sees it all. Nothing is hidden from Him.
This portion of scripture is NOT saying that God was unaware of this, evidenced by His creation becoming a grievous thing to Him.
Those who promote “open theism” say this passage proves that God is not prescient, i.e. completely omniscient, but that is not the case at all. A good example would be a military leader who has to send an army into battle, knowing full well that many will be killed. Yet in that foreknowledge, he sends them in, and it is a grievous thing.
As Robert E Lee is reported to have said, and I paraphrase; to be a good soldier you must love the army, and to be a good general you must also order the death of the thing you love.The all knowing
God is a greater and more perfect example than this. He foreknows the names of all who will fall, and all who will live.God’s nature requires the destruction of all that He has made.
Wicked men, and a creation that is tainted by rebellion and sin, cannot stand in the sight of a holy and righteous God. However one man, Noah, finds favor, i.e. grace in God’s eyes.
Let us please have understanding here. Noah is not being portrayed as being perfect. He did not find God’s favor in his own efforts. It is bestowed favor, that is, grace.
The Hebrew word “found” ( מצא ;mâtsâ' ;maw-tsaw') denotes an acquiring such as gift is acquired, something that comes to you.
Noah was a sinner, as all men are sinners and fall short in every way. (Romans 3:9-18)
Noah’s being called righteous and blameless, just as we are found to be righteous and blameless, does not speak of sinless perfection. This can only be accomplished by sovereign grace, through the atoning death of Christ.
Noah was foreknown from before the foundation of the world, just as Jesus is the Lamb foreknown from before the foundation of the world. This is God’s will concerning salvation.
(1 Peter 1:20-21; Eph 1:4; Phillipians 1: 10 and 2:15;Colossians 1:22;1 Thess 3:11-13 and 5:23;Jude 1:24; 1 John 1:8-10)
We are even shown one of Noah’s weaknesses depicted later in Genesis 9:20-21
It can then be rightfully concluded that God’s choosing of Noah and his household, as well as all the remnant of creation that was saved in the ark, received unmerited favor. Grace!

The Hebrew for favor, (חן ;chên ;khane) is defined as grace, graciousness, being favored. It is taken from the same root that gives us the names Hannah and John/Jochannan; Hannah meaning the favored one and John denoting the “I Am” who bestows favor. This is an interesting word study in and of itself.Needless to say Noah was not righteous of his own accord. God chose him, and he discovered the grace of God in being chosen. This is the nature of true revelation.

Matthew 16:
17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

James 1: 17 EVERY good gift and EVERY perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Paul received such revelation from Christ Himself. (Galatians 1:11-12)

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Noah. Peter, James, Paul, all received the knowledge of saving grace. Favor, calling, election, all speak of that which comes from outside of ourselves.As we continue on in Genesis 6, the original point is driven home;

Genesis 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”

The Lord then gives detailed instruction re: the construction of the ark, and all that would be brought aboard be it man, animal, or foodstuff. The rest of the story is well known. The rains came, and the earth was flooded resulting in the destruction of the rest of mankind, all animals, and plant life. The earth was wiped clean.
God’s grace is demonstrated in the preserving of a remnant that represents the whole. This is what the tithe speaks of; the tenth is a representation of the entire. This is why the resurrected Christ is the first-fruits of all who are in Him ( 1 Cor 15:20-23), the saints are a type of first-fruits of creation (James 1:18; Rev 5:9-10;Rev 7:9-10), and true biblical Israel,i.e. the elect is the remnant of both jew and gentile, ( Romans 9:11-13;11:1-11; 11:25-27; Acts 15:13-21; Amos 9:9-12; Eph 2: 11-22)
After the rain and flood waters subside, the Lord makes a covenant with Noah, who is symbolically, the federal head of the new creation.
Genesis 9: 1-7 is a virtual repeat of the instructions given to Adam. (Genesis 1: 27-31)
The Lord then makes known His covenant to Noah and his sons.

Genesis 9:9 "Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of 12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." 17 God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

What we call a rainbow, is a sign that never again will all mankind be destroyed by flood. However that does not mean that all mankind and creation will be spared destruction in any other form:

2Peter 3:5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

The everlasting covenant given to Noah, speaks only of destruction by water.
This brings understanding to the prophetic declaration of Christ in speaking of His return.

Matthew 24:
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 36 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

One will be taken and one remain. After all was said and done, Noah and those aboard the ark remained. Corrupted creation including the rest of mankind was swept away, that is, taken.The unregenerate are unaware of their fate.Those who are called to “board the ark” are those who have been baptized, into His death, and united with Him in His resurrection. They are those who have been saved by grace, through faith, created in Christ by the working of the Holy Spirit, for the works which glorify God. This is the favor we “find” in the eyes of the Lord. Grace testifies that it is all His doing.

Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Our salvation finds completeness in His return.

Matthew 24:
43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The warning to be ready is given only to the elect. What if Noah had been found to be disobedient and tarried in building the ark?
There will be those that are His, like the 5 foolish virgins and the slothful servant, who will find themselves unprepared for His coming.

2Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Obedience to the call which comes by election is the testimony of its authenticity. He desires the obedience which walks in the works prepared beforehand, not sacrifice which speaks of OUR good intentions and works. Sovereign grace carries the responsibility of obedience. It requires not only hearing, but doing.

James 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

May we like Noah be blessed in our doing.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Soteriological Cogitations #1

2 Cor 2:
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

2Cor 4:
1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

Paul alludes here to the roman custom of triumphal procession. Part of the ceremony and pomp involved in welcoming a conquering hero was, the burning of incense and the tossing of flowers, hence Paul's use of "aroma" as a way of describing the effect of the Gospel message.Christ leads the procession as the "conquering ruler" and we the apostolic church, intercessors and prophets, evangelist, shepherds and teachers spread the fragrance of the Gospel and the person of Christ everywhere.For those who are under the rule of the conqueror it is a time of joy and pageantry. Sadly for those who are the wrong side of the battle it brings death.

Rev 19:
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

The Gospel is the fragrance of life to those who are alive, i.e. the regenerate.It is the aroma of death to those who are dead in their sins, therefore they hide from it John 3:1-21
It is a veiled message to the dying. They refuse to see and hear.

Mark 4:
11 And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that "they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven."

Acts 28:
24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. 25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: 26 "'Go to this people, and say, You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. 27 For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their 28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen."

The sovereign and unconditional election of God is the only "way" to salvation and eternal life ,i.e. the new creation. This election is summed up in Christ who is the Truth and the Way. The religious of the day twisted scripture and taught a form of salvation by works.
Matthew 23;John 5:19-47;Eph 2:8-10

However there is Christ alone, by grace, through faith alone, preached through the Word alone, for the glory of God alone.

John 5:
21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

John 10:
25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of 30 I and the Father are one."

This is the Gospel Paul preached. The smell of death to the dead,(no wonder they run from it), and the aroma of life to the living. Only those born again by the Holy Spirit hear the Word that brings faith. The unconditional election of God is not based on man's goodness or choosing, and most certainly not withheld because of our sins. Where has the church gone off track in evangelizing? Christ did not save by having coffee with the sinner, but by dying for them. May the church lift up Christ crucified and may the Father draw those who are being saved, to the Messiah. Acts 2:42-47

"I may be called Antinomian or Calvinist for preaching a limited atonement; but I had rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is not efficacious for anybody, except the will of man be joined with it."
Charles Spurgeon