The concept of whether God chooses us can be quite sticky for some people. Many reformed denominations believe that only a select few are chosen by God. In other words, if you never place faith in Jesus, then He never chose you in the first place. This is an erroneous belief as God does choose us; however, He doesn’t only choose a select few.
We All Have Choices
God has created mankind with free will. This means that we have the freedom to make choices. With our free will, we can choose either to make the right decision or the wrong decision. In the same way, with our free will, we can choose whether or not we will place faith in Christ.
God wants all people to be saved, which means He has chosen everyone. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 tells us this truth, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Similarly, 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
God is kind, caring, and loving. He is full of mercy and is eagerly waiting for us to accept Him. There is not a limited number of “spaces” available for individuals as God wants us all to come to know Him. The Lord wants all people to place faith in Him.
We can do this because we have free will. God did not create us as robots because he wants us to come to accept Him freely. He has given us everything we need to know Him. The Bible has revealed Jesus to us in a way that we can know Him.
In fact, God made Himself knowable to us in the Person of Christ. Jesus is the second member of the Trinity, which means He is God. The two other members of the Trinity are the Father and the Holy Spirit.
All Three are Distinct Persons, yet one God. Since God wants us all to be saved, He does choose us. He has chosen everyone throughout the history of the world as well as everyone in the future to come to know Him.
Since He has chosen us, we all can be saved if we place faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. God chooses us, but we have to also choose Him.
Choosing God
As we have established, God chooses everyone because He wants us all to be saved. It is up to us to choose Him as our Savior and Lord. There are many false gods in the world, such as Allah, Krishna, and ourselves; however, the only true God is the God of the Bible.
We have to freely choose God with our own free will. Nobody can force us to accept Christ as we have to make the intentional decision to know Him as our Lord. Choosing to accept Christ as our Savior and Lord is a huge decision that shouldn’t be shrugged off.
For many people, such as those coming from other belief systems, following Christ will come with many costs. This should not surprise us because Jesus tells us to consider the costs of following Him (Luke 14:25-33).
No matter what the costs are, following Jesus is always the right choice to make. No other belief system will provide forgiveness, redemption, and salvation. Apart from Christ, there is no salvation (Acts 4:12).
Before a person accepts Christ as their Savior, they are already chosen by God. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
It is up to the individual to choose God by placing faith in Jesus. It is important to note that even though God has chosen all people to be saved, it is up to each person to choose God. If a person never places faith in Christ during their life, they will not automatically go to heaven when they die.
If a person never accepts Jesus as their Savior, they will never receive salvation from Christ. This is why it is important for everyone to choose God. Place faith in Jesus and you will never have to fear death or separation from God ever again (John 3:16-17).
Everyone who fails to place faith in Christ will be eternally separated from Him in hell. When we choose to place faith in Jesus, we are given eternal life with Him forever. There is nothing better than spending forever in paradise with God.
Salvation is not based on works or following rules but rather based in faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Chosen to Represent Christ
As believers, we are chosen to represent Christ throughout our lives. John 15:16 tells us, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last — and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
We are chosen because of God’s deep love for us. With the election of God, He has chosen us to take His Name out to the people across the world (Matthew 28:18-20). In addition to spreading His name across the world, we are also chosen to bear fruit for God.
This type of fruit is not fruit that you consume, but rather the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Since God has chosen us and dearly loves us, we should extend the same love to others. Believers are representatives of Christ to the lost world.
We are to shine His light to the world as Jesus tells us,
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
God has chosen us to help others come to know Him.
When we become believers, God wants us to help others know Him by showing His love in our actions and sharing the gospel. If you are reading this today, know that God chose you and He dearly loves you.
Even if the world rejects us or we don’t get chosen by someone we admire, God still chooses us and loves us each time. We don’t have to look a certain way or act a certain way in order for God to love us.
The world tells us we must look a certain way or accomplish great feats in our lives in order to be chosen and loved. It doesn’t matter what we look like or what we accomplish in order for God to choose and love us.
Even if you have a bad past, know that God still loves you and chooses you. Paul had a horrific past of persecuting Christians, yet God chose Paul to take His name to the world (Acts 9:15).
In the same way, God chooses us despite our past and He makes us new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Thus, God chooses us, but we must choose Him too by placing faith in Christ.
For further reading:
What Is Free Will in the Bible?
How Do God’s Sovereignty and Our Free Will Work Together for Salvation?
What Does it Mean to 'Seek the Lord While He May Be Found'?
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