God is sovereign – the Bible is clear. Yet within God’s sovereignty He has given every person a free will. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is clear: “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
After sharing repeatedly with a man named Dave, it was now clear that he understood the Gospel. He was convicted of his sin, and seemingly convinced of the evidence for the Bible’s inspiration. I asked him if he were ready to trust the Lord. His response surprised me. He said “Aren’t we predestined?” I thought for a moment and replied, “Dave, is there anything keeping you from accepting the Lord right now? Is there any invisible force preventing you from repenting?” He admitted he could if he wanted to. “Then repent and you will prove that God foreknew that you would choose heaven.” He did not repent at that time. However, we’ve prayed for him since and trust that the Lord continues to work on Dave.
I share this story to remind us that God is not lying when He tells us that every person has a true free will. Each individual can either accept or reject the gift of salvation. Denying this fact undermines the urgency of sharing the gospel and maligns the character of God. Jesus passionately persuaded sinners to repent – so must we! “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you’re a “whosoever” you can believe unto eternal life.