Jesus’ 12 disciples were evil
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13).
Do you think Jesus specifically chose evil men to be His disciples?
Jesus knew man’s spiritual condition, so He could trust no one
“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His
name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them,
because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should tell Him about man,
for He knew what was in man.” (John 2:23-25)
This was months before Jesus departed and the Holy Spirit took His place (John 14:16-26),
at which time born-again Christians (with the Holy Spirit inside them) could be better trusted.
David said that he (and everyone else) are born sinners
“They have together become corrupt; here is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 14:3)
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5)
“The wicked are estranged from the womb;
they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.” (Psalm 58:3)
There are about 20 Scripture verses that teach all humans are born with a sin nature.
Paul just repeats what the older Scriptures say
“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one’ ” (Romans 3:10)
“The Scripture has confined all under sin …” (Galatians 3:22)
“… through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin,
and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned …” (Romans 5:12)
For this reason, God considers that no man is suitable for spending eternity with Him.
And this is where God’s grace comes in.
Because of His compassion, mercy, and grace …
God devised a miraculous plan of salvation, and chooses some to go to Heaven.
“Some” is certainly a whole lot better than none, isn’t it?
Who is chosen? And who gets to know God?
There are dozens of verses which explain that God chooses His “elect”.
This is what happens:
1) Father God draws (gives) the elect to Jesus
“All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me” (John 6:37)
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44)
“Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (John 6:45)
“No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (John 6:65)
2) Jesus reveals Father God to the elect
“I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things
(spiritual truths, the gospel, etc.) from those who think they are wise,
but have revealed them to the humble and simple.
Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
All things have been delivered to Me by My Father,
and no one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and no one knows who the Father is except the Son,
and the one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” (Luke 10:21-22)
”And I will pray (to) the Father, and He will give you another Helper,
that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth … you know Him,
for He dwells with you and will be in you … and We (God) will come
to him (the believer) and make Our home with him.” (John 14:16-23)
The Greek word here for ”another” is ”allos” meaning ”another of the same kind”.
God laughs at those who think they are so wise
“Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? … it pleased God through
the foolishness of the message (gospel) preached to save those who believe.
… not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise …” (1 Corinthians 1:20-27)
