Are some people simply not chosen?

4/25/14           Paul, Jesús , Marcilano
 

 When Jesus said “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them”, did this imply that some people simply are not chosen to be drawn to the Father? That’s a question that has caused a lot of debate over the centuries, and I can’t say anything new here that hasn't been said.

But a few conversations have shown me what a difference it can make. First was Paul, a computer science student on the IIT campus, with a question about his views on eternity. “Why does it matter?” he asked. “Why are you doing this?”

I told him that as a Christian it is important for me to talk about our beliefs outside of church walls, to better understand what others think and to share what the Bible says about eternal life.

Paul wasn't interested, but because he values critical thinking and having an open mind we went on to talk about his beliefs and the claims of Christianity. At every point in the conversation, he responded not with acceptance or rejection of biblical truth, but indifference.

I found his apathy to be a more impenetrable defense than the ridicule of the most hardened atheists. At least these atheists care enough about the Gospel to fight against it.

It seemed like Paul was not being drawn to the Father, and in the end I felt the need to "shake the dust from my feet" and move on.

But every so often I cross paths with people who do indeed seem to be in the midst of being drawn to the things of God, much like Phillip found the Ethiopian Eunuch to be as he found him reading from the book of Isaiah while traveling in the royal carriage. The Eunuch told Phillip that he needed someone to explain it to him, so Phillip “began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.”

I arrived very early to a church home group Bible study and noticed two guys across the street relaxing for a smoke on their front steps after their days work so I walked over and startled them with a question about eternity.

They quickly reacted, saying “We’ve been talking about that!” One, Jesús, has been watching the "Son of God” video, (I hadn't seen it; he went into his house to get me a copy - bootleg version I think) and the other guy, Marcilano, showed me the episode of the “Bible” series he has been watching from Netflix on his phone.

I asked them both how what they were seeing meant to them personally. Jesús was a little more opinionated and set in his beliefs, but Marcilano expressed that both he and his wife have been amazed by it all and it has really got them thinking about following God. Jesús and I talked about “the good news about Jesus” while Marcilano listened in.

I didn’t get as far as Philip, who ended up baptizing the Eunuch in a river they were passing by, but it was a joy to speak with these two men as they were in the process of being drawn to God, and feeling like I could be a part of His plan for them as well!

But as for Paul and his indifference, do I believe Paul has not been “drawn by the Father”? It sure didn’t seem like it. But it’s not for me to judge and there is still hope - God isn’t through with him yet.