If the element of choice is removed, why are any held responsible for the choice/s they make?
If the unregenerated are specifically made not to choose God, why would He then punish
them forever after for failing to make a choice that was never given to them in the first place?
We get mocked for posing this question
But truly, such a position as "no choice" makes a mockery of God's mercy, justice, and love.
Hi Magenta!
The answer is, because all of have sinned which leads to condemnation. God, according to His love, grace and mercy, chose to save some from the human race to inherit eternal life throughout all of history, which He foreknew, predestined, called, justified and glorified. Their names were written in the book of life before the world began and there were those whose names were not written in His book before the world began. Is God being unfair because of this? No! Because everyone is guilty of sin and are therefore worthy of condemnation.
""The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come." - Rev.17:8
Therefore, those who were chosen to be saved before the world began, was according to God's Sovereign will and not by man's choice. If I'm standing out on the corner handing out $20 bills, but only to those whom I choose, am I being unfair to the other people? No! Because it's my money, it's not owed to any of them and none of them is entitled to it, not even the ones that I'm giving it to and I can give to whomever I want.
No one is entitled to salvation! Not even those who are being saved. As Paul stated regarding this very issue, "God has mercy upon whom He has mercy and hardens whomever He hardens."
If God decided from the beginning not to save anyone, He still wouldn't be unfair, because once again, no one is entitled to be saved. Simply stated, the people that God did not chose to be save, are getting what they naturally deserve because of their sins.
Jesus said, "No man comes to the Son except the Father draws him." This infers that the Father does not draw everyone. Consider the followings scriptures:
"When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord spread throughout that region." - Acts 13:48
"To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—
and to this they were appointed. - 1 Peter 2:8
"Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Their salvation was predetermined
Paul speaks about this when He says, "Before either of the twins were born (Esau and Jacob), before they had done anything bad or good, God said, 'Jacob I have loved, but Esau I hated.'
Again Paul uses Pharaoh as an example:
"So then,
it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden."
God is in charge of who is being saved and that by His grace. Our part is faith.