Making Sense of choice

This being my first post, I want to begin with a brief caveat. My posts will most likely be more “theological” than pure “biblical.” In this way I hope to open some good discussion.

For my first post, I want to deal with the whole idea of choice. Do we choose God or does He choose us? Is there such a thing a Divine Unconditional Election or does God just leave it open to our choice? I have thought long and hard about this and if I may be so bold as to say, I think I have come up with an answer that says it is both.

When does salvation happen?. Undeniably it happens before we are even born.

Ephesians 1:4-5, 11

4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will… 11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…

This goes along with so many other times in Scripture where it says of God, that HE chose. Let me just add a few notable times:

John 15:16

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Matthew 11:27

All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Psalm 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.

2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

And there are others. The Bible clearly states that we are chosen by God, and that for a reason. (See Ephesians 2:10)

So how does this square up with the many times we are called to choose, “choose you this day whom you will serve,” and “choose life that you may live.” That will be answered in later posts. For now I would like us to agree that God would not leave the wonder of our eternal salvation in our sinful hands. So He did something, He made a choice. Before we were even born, before creation was even began, He thought of us and put the whole thing together, so that you and I can with absolute confidence say to those around us, I am God’s child, He made it possible, he made it happen. Praise be to God