But if God chooses, what's the point of praying & asking for it?
Or asked another way; if you can choose to have faith what's the point in God's word? To what extent must God reveal himself to anyone since it's simply up to each person? To ask further, if it is up to the individual to make an informed decision to have faith or not, then there are tons of people left out since there are tons of people who either CAN'T make an informed decision, or do not have the option to, either by their own limitations or access to the information. Babies, the mentally ill, or indigent in some way, or deaf and blind people, just to name a few.
However, if the nature of man is sin, and the bible clearly says it is, then we have a huge problem with the idea than man can choose righteousness, because he's NOT. If his nature is sin he might as well be a helpless baby, mentally ill, indigent in some way, or deaf and blind because he doe not have the ability to make a decision he is not equip in any way to make, and he won't. Look around. Read the news. Look at this fallen world. Look at some people who claim to be Christians. Are they all?
God already says in scripture that He chooses before the foundation of the world those who will be saved, that they are predestined as such. That simply indicates that there is one reality to time and space as we know it. this is true, Because no one goes back in time to change it, and no one knows the future. He says anyone can be saved, but not all are, and when people hear this some wonder if they are saved.
People who love God know they love God. They know, and they know God loves them. They may at times feel distant, or wonder if God will effect them in some way, but they know they love God. People who don't, know they don't or they don't care. Often those who wonder if they are saved ARE saved. They are just dealing with doubt from the one who try's to confuse them. If God did not effect people then no one would be saved. All would receive perfect justice for the guilt they are. But God offers something more than justice, he offers grace to some and justice to others. Is it just that anyone not be condemned? NO. All have sinned. All deserve death. So what is it that he offers even one Grace from what they deserve? Love. That's what it is,
Those who try to save themselves by earning salvation will be judge for their efforts and they will be condemned because they can not keep the law. Those who place their faith in Christ and not in themselves will receive grace. Anyone who wants faith can have it, but it comes from God. Many will want it and try to muster it from their own self, and many who know they have no faith will just be given it, bit that course of time is written. Today is yesterdays future, and it was written before you awoke. You may have know yesterday what you where going to do today, but your will for today was limited by your own desire yesterday and is trumped by what ever God had planed to allow.
That's what this thread and just about all the others here are about. How much control people feel they have over their destiny and how much they know they don't. Fact is you don't. You don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but if you trust in you then you are only limited by you, but if you trust in God then you are limitless, because God is going to do what God has already planed, and trusting in that if faith in God.
Why pray for faith if it's already planed? Because it is already planed. That's why.So, if you want to be a part of what WILL be pray for faith in it, because you can't see it, and if you could you could not face it.
