John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (NKJV)
John 6:29
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent. (NKJV)
The NLT renders is differently.
John 6:29
29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
To be honest I don’t know if I chose Jesus or he chose me.
There are bible verses that say “predestined”
The problem here is if we feel that a person has been predestined for salvation we can sit back, (not generally) but on certain occassions and just think “no point speaking the gospel to them because they won’t respond”
I have done that a couple of times and God pulled me up on it, “You don’t know who is going to respond, be the witness I have asked you to be”
A few days God placed me in a situation where I could respond to such a person.
3 times he asked me to go and offer to pray. I did on the 3rd time. This person was s fellow director, built up many a successful company and saved a few. Trust me this man did not suffer fools lightly.
So I plucked up my courage, closed the door behind me in his office.
Told him that God could work in his situation.
Asked him his things were going, then gulped and asked “Can I pray for you?
To my surprise he said yes
I prayed and when he finished he looked at me with tearful eyes.
”Bill how can I believe in a loving God who allowed a drunk driver kill my mother when I was 8 and leave a husband devestated until he died 40 years later”
My heart sank and I couldn’t answer it.
When I went for my coffee break at lunchtime I asked God what this was all about.
He said “Now you have an insight behind this man and now a focus for prayer for him”
Lesson learned.
2 years ago he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, a rare type that could be treated but the operation was complex.
Guess who asked me to pray? Yes him, but not just him.
His sister sent out updates whilst he was off work, not only to me but to all his other friends as well. A group message.
I had met her a few times but I had never told her I was a Christian.
Every update she sent she ended it with “Bill will you please continue to pray for him?
So he had obviously told her about me and now approx 40 people on the list saw that last sentence.
Now he hasn’t responded to the gospel, nor his sister, but now approx 42 people know something of the gospel.
So as I said I don’t know the answer to the OP.
Its not something I try figure out.
I just figure that cause I don’t know I must keep doing and being the person God has asked me to be.
Pray for opportunities to come alongside, even if they seem beyond hope.
If they are willing to listen then we just might get to see behind the scenes of a person not willing to believe. Just like my co-director. Personal tragedy, that now as when I remeber I pray into.
Seeds sown.
When the disciples/apostles first went out I am sure they would have no idea who would be saved and who wouldn’t.
Whether God chose them or the other way around. They went about their business as ordained by God.
