Predestination or free wiil.
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The scriptures say. Those who have ears to hear, let him hear. The natural man does not have ears that will discern spiritual things, such as the gospel. God says, my sheep (children of God) hear my voice, and I know them. The natural man is not his child until he is regenerated as explained in Eph 2, especially in verse 5.
Romans 8
KJV
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
NIV
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
AMPC
5 For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.
6 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].
7 [That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot.
8 So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.
KJV
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
NIV
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
AMPC
5 For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.
6 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].
7 [That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot.
8 So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.
What do you think Eph 2:1-5 means? To me, it says that the natural man has nothing to do with God regenerating him, because he was "DEAD (spiritually ) in sins" when God regenerated him. He had no ability to respond to spiritual things, such as, repenting of a spiritual law that he could not discern., confess, accept,believe etc. These responses come only from the disobedient child of God, who has already been regenerated. The men that were converted were regenerated children of god. The Jews that were accused of consenting to Jesus's death were PRICKED in their heart. The natural man, who has no guilt of spiritual wrong doing, cannot be pricked in his heart. The people who stoned Steven to death were CUT to the heart and did not ask for forgiveness. So, your answer is NO, the natural man can not be converted. Conversion comes after you have been regenerated.
The scriptures teach that after you have been regenerated and are trying to follow God's commandments, that you do not lose your fleshly nature, but every child of God struggles with the desires of flesh and sometimes loses his battle to his fleshly desires. That is why the child of God is commanded to repent. When we give in to our fleshly desires and sin we Die to our fellowship with God until we repent. Death, according to the Greek is "a separation- literally or figuretivley". Paul talks about his struggles with his fleshly nature in Galatians.
Ever hear of the great commission?
Mathew 28:16 to 20 (great commission) AMPC (Amplified Classic)
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed and made appointment with them.
17 And when they saw Him, they fell down and worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).
Mathew 28:16 to 20 (great commission) AMPC (Amplified Classic)
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed and made appointment with them.
17 And when they saw Him, they fell down and worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).
Jesus completed what God sent him to earth as a man to accomplish and that was to be a sacrifice for the sins of those that he choose before the foundation of the world and gave to his Son. This was a sacrifice that was offered to God for man, and not a sacrifice that was offered to man. God was pleased with his Son's sacrifice. God said that his Son would not be sacrificed a second time for the sins of those that he gave to him. When Jesus was on the cross, he said "IT IS FINISHED", meaning that those that he died for, he would not lose any of them but raise all of them up at the last day. Those that he died for on the cross are the only ones that will live in heaven.
God has not instructed us to preach to eternally save souls, Jesus accomplished that on the cross. The inspired scriptures are instructions written to his regenerated children of God, instructing them as to how he wants them to live here in this world. The preacher's obligation is to inform God's people of those instructions. As I have said before, salvation according to Greek is "a deliverance" God has informed his elect through the scriptures how that they were saved eternally by Christ's death on the cross, and how they are regenerated from being dead spiritually to being spiritually alive. His instructions for their lives here on earth is how they can be delivered from their wrong doings when they repent, confess, accept, believe etc. Where you fail to understand, is your are not rightly dividing the salvation (deliverance) scriptures, and are failing to understanding that "death" is a lot of the scriptures is referring to a spiritual separation from our good standing with God when we yield our bodies to the desires of our flesh, until we repent.