Did I Choose God or Did God Choose Me?

• Many are Called, but Few are Chosen - As the Gospel of Christ is proclaimed throughout the world, “many” hear God’s “call” with their physical ears to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” according to Acts 16:31. However, the ones that heed and yield are the only ones that are drawn by God (John 6:44) and given ears to hear. In John 6:44, the Greek word for “can” conveys the idea of man’s not being able, or his inability, to do something. Why? Unsaved man is altogether absorbed and infatuated with “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life…” and entangled in the “affairs of this life” which is seen in verse 5 of Matt 22, “they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise”. Despite man’s utter helplessness, God has provided a solution as indicated by the modifier “except”. The Gospel call is only effective for those “few” whom God has “chosen” to save. “The elect”, will hear God’s “call” to believe with spiritual ears and will be irresistibly drawn into the kingdom of God. That is why Jesus often said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!”. One reason for this is found in Rom 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.

Matt 22:1-14 “And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden [nation of Israel] were not worthy. 9Go ye therefore into the highways [Gospel goes out to the whole world], and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests [Church age started which consists of saved and unsaved typified by wheat and tares]. 11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment [without the robe of Christ’s righteousness, in other words unsaved individual]: 12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? [the robe of Christ’s righteousness] And he was speechless. 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14For many are called, but few are chosen.[these few are the Elect or bride of Christ]”

John 6:44-45 “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. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”

John 8:43, 47 “43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 47He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”

John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

• Salvation - Chosen of God Before the Foundation of the World - Because man is spiritually dead, God must both initiate and execute the salvation of all those He came to redeem from their sin and Hell. The remedy depends totally upon God’s work. And when did this “choosing” take place? Eph 1:4-7 proclaims that the choosing took place, in principle, from before the foundation of the world and, experientially, at some point in each believer’s life. There are no conditions, or requirements, that an individual must meet to be chosen by God for salvation. The entire salvation process depends entirely on the sovereign grace of God completely separate from any human effort or collaboration. Because salvation is a gift from God entirely apart from human effort, God gets all the glory when He bestows it on any human being, as Eph 2:8-9 states: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”. Salvation of man is for God’s glory alone. 1 Cor 1:26-31 continues to explain that salvation is God’s prerogative so He can receive all the glory. 1 Pet 2:9 speaks so eloquently of this holy salvation, which is so grandiose, so magnificent that no other words – except God’s words in the Bible – can adequately express such divine richness and grace: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar [purchased] people”.

Eph 1:4-5 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

1 Cor 1:26-29 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

Rom 9:11 “(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)”

John 15:12-16 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

1 Pet 2:9 “But ye [God’s Elect] are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;”