Conversation With Myself

Me:"You can't choose God. He chose you before the foundation of the world."

Myself:"You are causing division. Why can't we just be brothers in Christ?"

Me:"Because the Truth is important to me, and as a believer, it should be important to you also. If God is sovereign, which I believe, then He controls all things, allows some things, and is omnipotent. And how can man' s" free will "be stronger than God's power?"

Myself:"But, people walk away from God all the time and reject Him. They chose to walk away of their own free will."

Me: "They walk away because they are dead in their sins, slaves to sin, and the Holy Spirit has not softened their heart from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. Without the illumination of the Holy Spirit, no one would come to Christ at all."

Myself: "But it's still my choice. I can decide to accept or reject Him. What about the rich young ruler who came to ask Jesus how he could be saved? He walked away."

Me: "Jesus, being God,  knew what was important to this man, and what his priorities were. That's why He said to sell all he owns and give it to the poor. Some do not have a genuine interest in being a Christian, and when they learn the true cost of dying to self, they are not willing. If the rich ruler really wanted to become a Christian, he would have done what Jesus asked him to. He would have said " Yes, I will do that right now." There is no indication that he ever did. The Holy Spirit did not work in his heart, otherwise he would have come to repentance and believed. Jesus said No one comes to the father unless he is drawn to Him."

Myself: "So you are saying that God has to draw me to Himself, but I am still responsible for my action? That doesn't seem fair."

Me: "Yes, you and I are still responsible regardless. We are all depraved sinners, and who's concept of fair are you considering? As John MacArthur says, " You don't want fair. Fair would be the destruction of everyone in Hell."

To be continued. . . . .