Does God Make People Believe In Him?

Jesus Chose His Disciples and Appointed Them to Bear Fruit

In John 15 -16 Jesus said, You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit. Now some have argued this doesn't apply to everyone, only the disciples. God appoints messengers, but He does not appoint others to believe that message.

So when Paul said, God set me apart before I was born, and called me by His grace, and revealed His Son to me. Or when God said to Jeremiah, Before you were born, I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

That's unique to them because they're messengers. But God doesn't choose anyone to receive the message against their will, right?

God Chooses People to Believe the Gospel

Wrong.

That's the only way anyone receives that message. 1 Thessalonians 1 -4 We know, brothers, loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction.

In other words, they were chosen not only to hear the message, but believe it also. As Moses said to the Israelites, as Jesus said to Nicodemus, as Paul said to the Romans and Corinthians, you're only able to understand God's message when the Spirit of God has made you to understand.

Human Inability and God's Sovereign Grace

Consider this another way. On your own, you can't believe the gospel. The natural man cannot understand spiritual things. The mind that is set on the flesh cannot please God, and is hostile toward God.

If Romans 3 -12 says no one does good, how can anyone choose to follow God, which would be a good thing? By God's wonderful, amazing grace, He chose us when we could not choose Him. He absolutely does work against our will to receive His gospel.

We would perish if He didn't. Praise God when we understand the text.