Whosoever Will

Accepted or rejected? I agree wholeheartedly that this is the issue made so clear in these chapters in John.“The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone” (Psalm 118:22) (Matthew 21:42) and again in (Acts 4:11). Salvation is a work of divine monergism – God does the work. Narrow is the gate, despite my good intent and desire that everyone respond favorably and be saved. I need only present Jesus as He has already proclaimed in his Word. God speaks and we either take heed or we chose not to. “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice” (Rush “Free Will”). If my presentation is biblical, God’s Word is life transforming truth and shall not return unto him void. “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Why should we heed 2 Timothy 2:15? So that we don’t risk leading others astray with improvised imaginations of the gospel message, that’s why. “And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?” (Luke 6:39). We think more highly of ourselves than we ought if we see our own role in the process of salvation as any greater than this, to preach Christ and Him crucified. You stated, “Jesus' presentation was flawless, as He is God incarnate. If some chose to reject the perfect presentation, how could interest be attributed to presentation?” Your statement is precisely the central truth, the real core, of what we are discussing and I wish I could have said it as eloquently. "The mind of the flesh (carnal mind) is enmity (at war) against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be" (Romans 8:7). I expect the lost to be angry when they hear the Word of God. Sin exposes itself by its reaction to God's Word. Demons always cry out at the name of Jesus because they fear and tremble. Neither God nor His humble servants are intimidated by the angry alpha dog tough guy routine that immature persons are apt to put on in order to act hard and self important. However, if the scared and angry children would only drop the self-centered façade for just a moment, just for a single heartbeat; their fear would be replaced by a Father’s love so magnanimous that Satan himself could not deny the extent and perfection of it. “Whosoever will, let him come” Jesus says. Yet some are so angry that He is speaking. What other reaction could darkness have to the true light? Scripture tells us that this reaction of anger and hatred is to be expected. Yet, still we say “whosoever will, let him come and receive living water and the bread of life, the Great I AM! Can you be angry and sin not? Who am I talking to? God knows who you are…