conversations with my pastor

i had this discussion with my pastor today… to me, it boiled down to semantics.

ME: if only God is good, then only god can make good decisions. He argues that since his choice to turn to God was a good choice, then it was God that chose him. He, on his own accord, doesn’t believe that he made the choice, but it was the Holy Spirit working in his heart to make that choice for him.

HER: that’s sounding a little crazy. he chose not to turn away from God. no that’s also a good decision. so God chose for him not to turn away from God. God chose for him to listen this time.

ME: But this then begs the question of free will. The Scriptures affirm that we are given free will by God to choose him or reject him. How can we really make that choice if only God is Good and can make good choices.

HER: if God can do that…choose for us…then why does he not choose for all of us to turn to God

ME: he argues that he did not make the choice. But rather it was the Holy Spirit working within him that made that choice. This is because his own earthly desires are inherently evil and sinful. Both sides are supported in Scripture. I asked him how he can reconcile this.

ME: if you read the New Testament, you read that “God does not have favourites”

HER: if he doesn’t have favourites why doesn’t he choose to make all people choose to believe in him

ME: i dont’ believe my pastor..I don’t beleive he reconciled the points I brought up.