Sunday Blog (26fe06)

My non-Calvinist friends occasionally challenge my Presbyterianism with a question like: "Don't you believe God gives us choices?" The issue they're getting at, of course, is election—the fact that God calls to Himself those He has chosen to accept Christ as their attoning Saviour. In other words, they're asking, when Jesus "stands at the door and knocks," as He put it, does not everyone get to "choose" whether to open the door of their hearts and let Jesus enter their lives?

My response long has been: "Insofar as human understanding can reach, we certainly make choices. But God knew what our choices ultimately would be, long before He created us. He created us all anyway—those of us who would choose to accept Christ and those who wouldn't."

One small bit of scripture perhaps clarifies my statement. Proverbs 16:9 declares: "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps." The New Century Version states it this way: "People may make plans in their minds, but the Lord decides what they will do."

By all means, make your plans. Make your "choices." The Lord says He works everything to good for those who love Him and are called to His purpose. At the very least, then, you must allow that God has the power to override our plans and choices if and as He chooses.