Christians! You Did Not Choose Jesus . . .

Most Christians today believe that they are saved because they made the right choice. Salvation is presented as a result of a prayer in which we willfully choose to accept Jesus. We are taught that to lead others in such a prayer is to get them saved. This idea is not in harmony with lot’s of Scripture verses.

Like:

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Eph 1:11 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:

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,

How can this be? The requirement to receive Him by an active choice places the burden of our salvation on us and removes it from the Lord Jesus. It is a burden we are not fit to carry, nor did God expect us to ever carry such a burden as a prerequisite to salvation. Our ultimate deliverance is sure, but our immediate deliverance is what’s not guaranteed. From many, it is withheld. If we believe, it is special, it is a gift, it is not by our wisdom but by God’s mercy and grace. We don’t believe by our choice but because we are chosen.

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you,

The mistaken idea that we “receive” as an act of our will is contrary to the word of God. How did you receive your life? Were you born by an act of your will? How did you receive your physical characteristics? Did you will yourself to be a certain height? Did you choose your type of hair or the shape of your face? You "received" these things (and everything about yourself and your circumstances that you can’t change), without any say in the matter.

1Co 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Receiving Jesus is not something we do, but something we have done to us by God. If you are one who has been privileged to believe in God, rejoice! Don’t boast as if you did something. For by grace are ye saved and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God. Eph 2:8. And when you meet someone who doesn’t believe, don’t expect them to be able to see just because you explain the good news to them. Don’t assume they are stubborn, but be gentle and loving and patient. God is not yet opening their eyes. When He does, they will see. When He gives it to them, they will receive salvation, For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 1Ti 4:10

We are taught by Jesus that not all will enter into this rest in this lifetime, in fact most will not!

Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, (Notice it doesn't say "eternal life") and few there be that find it. (Jesus is the Door.)

Nevertheless, Jesus has conquered death and hades, and will ultimately deliver everyone to the Father. For it is not the Father’s will that ANY should perish but that all should come to repentance, and the Son came to do the will of the Father. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 1Jo 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Some are saved now, in this life time, some in the ages to come, but others will be delivered at the end of time.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end . . .

And again . . . Joh 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

The Father wills it this way, that some come to Jesus now, but all come at the last day and so He says:

Mt 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Now isn’t this real good news?

Has He given you the grace to believe in Him yet?

Below you will find a list of verses which illuminate the giving of God.

Mt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Lu 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Ro 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Ro 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. (Not forever, just unto this day.)

Ro 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

To recap, God has given to you such as you have. He has created you such as you are. God will give you the will and the ability to believe when He determines it best. When He does, (or did), you begin to believe and begin to know Him. To know Him is to Love Him because He first loved you. To know Him is life and that more abundant than you could ever achieve without Him. You were created to know Him and Jesus loves you as much as the Father loves Him. We are admonished in Scripture to be increasing in the knowledge of Him. We were created for His pleasure, and nothing pleases Him more than when we draw near to Him and trust Him and receive His word from Him that we might bear fruit. If we think we can claim any credit for what we’ve been given? That is pride! God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 1Pe 5:5

This grace allows it’s recipients to abide in Christ, to fellowship with Him continually, to hear His voice, to receive His words, to know Him better and better, and also to have power in prayer.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Joh 15:7

If we do not abide in Him, we can do nothing.

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (Notice men cast them into this fire? That's because it is not eternal fire.) It is so much better to abide in Jesus! The alternative is living death. Mt 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Therefore,

If God has given you life, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.Mt 5:16

God says Jesus will Successfully Save the Whole World

Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my WORD be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I SENT it.


Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1Jo 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father SENT the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Ro 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Isa 55:11 So shall my WORD be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I SENT it.