Question

I have had arguments with my friend because we don't agree on something. She believes that everyone who asks to be converted will be converted. But is that really true because if everyone in the world were to ask to be converted not all of them are going to be converted. Only God's elect. So I said that and then she said well it says in the Bible "Ask and it shall be given unto you" and then she says God is not a liar. But isn't that because we have to ask with a true desire to be converted and none of us by nature truly have that desire?

Answer

Dear friends,

Sometimes arguments are great!  They help you think better.  It is not going to help you that I agree with you both on nearly every point you raised!  The one who said that 'everyone that seeks the Lord shall find Him and be saved' is right.  The one who said that 'our seeking needs to be the right kinds of seeking' is also right.  The one who said that God saves His elect and not one of them shall be left behind, is right also.  Now, to top it off, the one who said that God is not a liar wasn't lying either!

The only thing that was a bit weak is that everyone who asks to be converted will be converted.  The reason why that is not true is because many people don't even want to be converted and are asking it only because it sounds good to ask that.  God knows exactly whether we are sincere.  When I ask the doctor, 'Please, help me to get better" and then I ignore his advice, don't eat the pills he gives, then I am not really serious about being helped.  So it with many that 'pray that they may be converted.'  They never seriously listen or seek in God's Word.  Praying for salvation while neglecting diligent use of the means of grace is not called praying but tempting God for we separate what He has joined together.

God has taken the divine initiative to redeem sinners and He is calling us in His Word directly each time when we hear or read His Word.  His election guarantees that His Word will be fruitful in bringing sinners to salvation. But we are never to take God's sovereign and hidden will as our starting point.  We are to listen and obey what He calls us to do.  His call is clear.  Jesus began His preaching ministry with the truth, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of is at hand: repent ye and believe the Gospel." Mark 1:15  The Gospel is the message about what God is doing in His Son Jesus Christ.  He is opening the door; He is paving the way; He is making the provision in His sacrifice and blood so that the hell-worthy sinners can be saved; He even makes sinners willing in the day of His power for without that no one would even seek Him.  To encourage us to seek Him He says 'seek and you shall find.'   Is He mocking?  Is He encouraging us to seek Him only to turn us away when we do so because 'we are not in the Book of election?'  Let's not have such unworthy thoughts of Him.  In Luke 11, where you can find this text about seeking, He told this parable about the man seeking for a loaf of bread at his neighbor's house.  At the end of the story the 'friend' in the house finally gets up and gives the man a loaf of bread.  Why did he give that?  Only because he wanted to get back to sleep and the only way to get rid of the fellow at the door was to give in.  Then Jesus makes several applications. And notice that all these are in answer to the question, "Teach us to pray." One of the things Jesus taught is,  "Don't think that I or my Father are like that 'friend!'  You fathers given to your children bread even though you are evil.  That friend finally got up and gave bread to his needy neighbor only for a selfish reason.  Don't ever conceive of God the Father in that way.  He is eager to give;  He stands ready to pardon;  He delights in showing mercy;  He encourages us to seek Him because He is ready to bless you."

Do you doubt that?  Then turn to Acts 3::26 and really ponder what Peter said that to those men and brethren who had participated in the murder of God's Son!  "Unto you first (!!) God [that gracious Father], having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities."  Did you notice that?  Can you conceive any earthly Father sending a  message to the murderers of His Son like that!?

So friends, seek the Lord with expectation.  He is more eager to receive sinners than any sinners are eager to seek Him.

Thanks for posting the questions.  I hope you will have a good talk (no arguments!) together.  End it though in prayer seeking the Lord's direction!

Warmly,
Pastor Vergunst