John 1:9-13

“There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3:6-8

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Titus 3:5

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,...”

1 John 2:29

“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.”

Two Schools of Thought

a) God pursues all of us, but some do not respond out of “free will” or the personal choice not to respond to His “voice” or His love. Some find this answer unfulfilling to explain why some respond and others don’t.

b) God pursues some (the “elect” or “chosen”) but not others. All have sinned - “no one seeks after God”- not one - so if this is true, than why do some respond and others don’t? Some are responsive, while others aren’t. What causes this?

If we can freely choose God, why can’t we freely un-choose God? If we truly have “free will” then are we not “free” to leave God just as easily as we chose to “choose” Him? (Or “accept” the offer of His love? Are we then not able to reject His offer of love?) Even though having experienced it, why would we want to leave, should someone wish to, why couldn’t they? Is Jesus holding them captive? Or under this thought of “free will” we are able to come and go at our leisure?

What is the alternative? That God chooses us, and that because of His choosing us, as Jesus says in John