Talking about predestination so much lately has made me think about an issue a lot more. In our discussion, the debate over predestination often boils down to "Did God choose us, or did we choose God?" These are seen to be two completely different incompatible worldviews. I have been espousing the view that we choose God, and completely ignoring the idea that God chooses us. I've been thinking and praying about this, and I believe that I need to change my views.
I now think we (meaning me) are looking at this issue way too egotistically when we say we can choose God with no qualifiers. The Bible says we are dead in our sin (Eph 2) and we have no ability to help ourselves. When we view God, we cannot help but choose darkness (John 3:19). Yet, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Beyond that, we cannot choose God, but God chooses us (John 15:15-17). And God reveals Himself to us. That is the only way we can gain eternal life: by God's grace.
I think it undermines the nature of a relationship to say we don't have a choice in the matter after Jesus chooses us. But that is besides the point. The point is that it is nothing we do that gets us saved. God bears down on us, and we can either stand stubbornly in our sin, or we can give in to his love and mercy and holiness. God is the great initiator. We still have a choice, but we do not have the choice, and it is not our choice that primarily saves us. It is God's grace that primarily and ultimately saves us.
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