because only a few are chosen by Him (God) to believe the gospel.
Rom 1:16 ....you cant get around that
the natural man which is spiritually dead in his sins cannot call upon the Lord, it is impossible unless the Lord draws him first and those He draws He will raise them up on the last day (the elect).
And he draws the same way he calls....by the gospel. If we choose to adhere, then we have been drawn by the saving power of the gospel.
The natural man CAN call upon the Lord, because the Ephesians did exactly that:
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 1. were they really dead?
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 2. were they not natural in this state?
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 3. By nature, meaning they were natural sinners, who did what? answered to the gospel see below.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
They were dead in sins, they repetned by the message of the gospel, then obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine ---thus saving them. They could NOT HAVE BEEN SAVED BEFORE THEY WERE SAVED.
If they were dead in sin, they were not saved.
They as all who choose to obey God are predestined as heirs according to the promise:
Eph1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 1
2 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise
See if you just keep reading, you can see the meaning. Eph is a deathblow to your heresy.
"YE" trusted after "YE heard the word of truth" which is the "gospel of your salvation". Rom 1:16.
It's amazing how much you fight this, is that you don't know what to do, if your view is not correct? You were not chosen, your going to find that out, just because you close your eyes and wont accept truth, does not mean God is going to just overlook your willful ignorance. Sincerity, does ont save us, you are sincerely wrong.
there is no freewill in justification, no one seeks for God.
Then why are we told to seek, if none seeks?
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
So your saying he does not reward anyone, since no one seeks him. Did the Hebrews writer not know that no one seeks him? Did Matthew tell us to do what no can nor will do? I think not.
Paul was citing Isa, and applying it to give the message, we are undeserving of God's grace. Nothing more, yet you use this over and over knowing the way you interpret it, it contradicts other passages, as teh ones above. Like I said "willful ignorance".
Every point you have made has easily been refuted with a few passages kept in context.
God must fist draw us - Rom 1:16 shows us he draws us by the gospel, and to "everyone", well we are not unversalists, so "everyone" must mean what it says, and must be by choice, since the gospel is the power of salvation - not a lack of freewill.
The natural man cannot call upon God's help - Eph 2 showed those who were dead in sins called upon his name and were saved by the message of the gospel.
No one seeks God - cant be true, two passages that show your interpretation is wrong.
Salvation is 100% from God - duh.
So instead of choosing to listen to this, you will choose to stay in willful ignorance, hoping if your wrong God will see you were sincere. NOPE Paul was sincere while persecuting the church, yet was he saved in this state?
salvation is 100% the work of God.
Straw man. No one is taking credit for the grace of God.