We Neither Choose Nor Work For It

“God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.”

This statement is a stumbling stone to the religious, the self righteous, the rebellious, the proud, and those who are blind to the depths of the grace and mercy of God.

This answer comes from the question:

Why did God love Jacob and hate Esau?

To which Romans 9 answers:

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
Romans 9:11 ESV

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth😉
Romans 9:11 KJV

But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”
Romans 9:11‭-‬12 NLT

This explanation continues:

In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
Romans 9:13‭, ‬15‭-‬16 NLT

A man might say, “But I made a decision for Christ when I was ___ years old.”

To which I would say, “If you have truly confessed the name of the LORD, and you have laid down your old life of sin to joyfully be an obedient disciple of Christ, going forth to share your testimony of this Good News to the ends of the earth and to all nations, loving and serving your fellow man and glorifying God — then these things are simply outward evidences of the work God is doing in and through you, as a vessel chosen for His use, so rejoice!”

But if what I have described beyond my first comma sounds nothing like the ‘Christian life’ you know of and walk everyday, I encourage you to examine yourself to see whether you are actually called and chosen as a Child of God to be His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. Because many have spoken promises to God that they could not keep, and many have said aloud and publicly that they were vessels of light but were actually agents of darkness.I wil encourage you to seek God like your eternity friends on Him, because it does! If you have no real interest in seeking God, in knowing Him, in learning of His glory, His righteousness, His grace, and His mercy then you won’t know His peace nor will you be grateful to see Him one day face to face. And if you can’t stand spending time with Him now and would rather chase after the world and refuse Him today, are you not longing to be free from Him for eternity? I couldn’t say such things ti those who haven’t known of and tasted of the sweet things of God, but for you who are backsliding, I say, remember His great live for you, and choose today who you will serve. Your freedom is given not so that you might choose the sinfulness of the world, if you say you are “free indeed”.

If you have never truly recognized and admitted your need for God as LORD and Savior over your life. If you have never felt as if you “must choose God or I wil die in my own sins” and that you “cannot stand before a holy ands righteous God and live”, I’m telling you these things now — not because I think that you must choose God in order to earth His favor — but because I know that if you are His chosen, that you will hear the call and will respond. You see, even when we who are His think that we have “chosen God” and our whole lives are irrevocably changed and we are “born again” into a different life (not just signed up for a ceremonial participation) — it is a seed planted and watered and light shone upon us to not only break through the soil of these clay pots, but to bear the fruit of a unique nature and character far beyond our childish, selfish prideful ways. It is the glory of God shining through even such clay pots as me and you.

Do you long for the LORD? I know you do, betrothed of the off the LORD! Do not wait to get oil for your lamp. Do not hide your light. Be filled ands let it shine today. Amen!