WHY do some people come to Jesus, and some don't?

[John Zain]

If you've evangelized your family, friends, in foreign countries, etc.
you soon come to realize that ...
something extraordinary is going on here!

And it all has to do with many such verses as ...

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him/her." (John 6:44).

The only question remaining is WHY are certain people chosen, called, etc.

 

[Michae1]

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
(John 6:44 NIV)

Time is not an issue with God, so at the moment he created us, he instantly knew who would be saved and who would not be saved.

Simply put, because He knows the end from the beginning God knew everyone who would choose to come to Him before He created Adam (He foreknew). Therefore He reserved a place for us in His Kingdom (He predestined) At the appropriate time in our lives He began drawing us to Himself (He called).

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
(Romans 8:29-30 NIV)

 

[John Zain]

Time is not an issue with God, so at the moment he created us, he instantly knew who would be saved and who would not be saved.

Thanks, but this is not answering the questions raised.

 

[Michae1]

Okay, how about if I throw in that everyone has the freewill to decide to be saved or not, and in that instant that God created us He knew who would choose and who would not.

Now you have just opened a whole new can of worms for people to jump in with their opinions of freewill.

I also thought it was only one question, or is that just a misspelling?

 

[Nathan]

Its a great question. Its a question that gives an answer in itself really. Some do and some do not.

But, as we can see the real question is "why". Why indeed...

I mean, its a great proposition He has given us. Freedom from slavery to sin, freedom from the eternal consequences, promises of eternal life, promises of a close loving relationship, promises of unspeakable things that are too grand to even imagine.

All of this, and yet some come to Him, and some do not.

We could argue the fact that some are "chosen" to come and some are "chosen" to not come. Predestination/5 point Calvinism

Then there is the line of debate that says all will come at some point in time. Purgatory.

But I think that the best one to debate, the best one that addresses this situation, is freewill.

Man has been given a choice by God to accept His gift or not. And people debate the point of freewill, but loose out on the meaning behind it, which is a God who wants to show His power and love on a "free" basis.

He is a God who wants to be known as real, and even when the deepest darkest sin reveals its ugly head in the life of a believer, because that believer has freewill, and yet God chooses to forgive them, love them, teach them, welcome them......

Some come, and some do not. Some come because they see the Creator who loves them, and want to love Him back. Some do not come because they see the creation and want to love it.

The answer to the question can indeed be known for sure half way. Some come because they hear the call of God, because without the call no one can come. But even in that answer to half of the question we get a glimpse of the answer to the other side of the question.

God calls on all men. And God is God, so therefore if He calls we will hear. So the reason why some do not come is because they choose to not come to the call.

The Bible tells us that God is long suffering, not willing that any would perish, but that all would come to repentance. Coming to repentance is where the line is. Some draw the line at the call of God, which only serves to mask and camouflage the real line. It is trickery of the one whom is on the other side of the line.

People do not come because they do not want to turn to God. So, I think it moves us into another question and answer time of;

Why do some not want to turn away from sin and accept the free gift of God?

 

[theLords]

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God doesn't want anyone to perish. Everyone is given the chance to come to Christ. But many reject Him. What can God do? He's not going to force anyone to love Him or obey Him.

 

[smaller]

God intentionally blinds those He does not want saved in this present life. See Romans 11:8-9 about what God did to unbelieving Jews. He placed a SPIRIT OF STUPOR upon them so they COULD NOT believe. What they wanted to do would not matter one whit. The spirit of stupor that God put upon them was IN CHARGE of their brains (eyes and ears) on these matters.

 

[lamplady]

It may help to understand the meaning of the parable of the sower.

The seeds of the man who went out to sow corn in a field ended up being scattered everywhere.

Some were eaten by birds so that was the end of them. Some fell on rocky ground and because there was little sustenance, some grew but they couldn't root properly therefore when the sun came out it dried them up. Some fell among bushes and they choked the seeds because they were not strong enough. But some fell in good soil and were not only able to become established they produced more grain - some more then others.

The seeds is the message of God. Some hear his message and don't care - so that the end of them. Some hear but as soon as things get hard they give up - they lacked roots. Some hear but are weak, so need constant prompting to keep the faith; if some do not get that prompting they're liable to fail - and a lot do. Thus stronger stuff took over them and they choked.

Others hear and are strong and are faithful. Some hear and are able to get others to hear too; they may get a hundred to hear, some two hundred. Thus they are not only strong but they bear fruit.

 

[chestertonrules]

If you've evangelized your family, friends, in foreign countries, etc.
you soon come to realize that ...
something extraordinary is going on here!

And it all has to do with many such verses as ...

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him/her." (John 6:44).

The only question remaining is WHY are certain people chosen, called, etc.

All are drawn to Jesus. Some come, some don't. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.



Here's a question for you. I believe that market based, ie. conservative, economic principles are clearly and demonstrably superior to state based, or leftist, systems.

I can provide irrefutable evidence to make this case, yet I have friends who continue to vote for and support leftist politicians and policies.


Why is this the case?

 

[John Zain]

Who actually believes in the "foolish" Christian gospel?

Perhaps we should be asking ...
Who is able to believe in the "foolish" Christian gospel?

The gospel of Jesus Christ is “foolishness” to most people (1 Corinthians 1:18).
But, to some others, it is not foolishness. Why?

“All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me”(John 6:37)

“... of all He has given to Me I should lose nothing” (John 6:39)

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44)

“Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” (John 6:45)

“... no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father”(John 6:65)

“My sheep hear My voice … My Father, who has given them to Me” (John 10:29)

“... eternal life to as many as You have given to Him” (John 17:2)

“... those whom You have given (to) Me” (John 17:9)

“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave (to) Me …” (John 17:24)

“He (Father God) chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4-5)

“God from the beginning chose you for salvation” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

“The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will” (Acts 22:14)

“Him who called you out of darkness” (1 Peter 2:9)

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined … whom He predestined, these He also called;
whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)

WHO is called and WHY are they called?
The standard answer seems to be something like this:
-- God knows the end from the beginning (for Him, there's no time)
-- God knows the attitudes of the hearts of all people (from the beginning of time)
-- God calls people depending on their heart attitudes

Perhaps it has something to do with many such verses as:
"I dwell in the high and holy place, with him/her who has a contrite and humble spirit ..." (Isaiah 57:15)