Have you been chosen?

You may have heard the rumor told by some that God has selected who will make it to Heaven and if you are not on the list, bad luck to you. And if you are, well, there is nothing you can do to get off it.

The technical term for this belief is preselection and those who hold on to this belief came to the conclusion from Bible verses such as:

 

 

It might be interesting to note that all the people who hold this belief I’ve heard from, belief they are on the Heaven list :-)

I reckon it must make one feel very special to think you are a chosen one.

 

But is that the truth? Has God decided, long before we were even created, who will be allowed into Heaven and who not?

The answer to that is – Yes and No

Best to explain with the aid of a story.

Let’s say I am the counselor (big surprise there), in a small town and that I convince the mayor that it will be good for town moral and the mental health of the townspeople if the council were to sponsor an event where all those who qualify can go for an all-expenses paid 3-day hike in a beautiful jungle. (Cannot see this ever happening in real life, but then, this is a story.)

Every single resident of the town is welcome, and invited, to join on this town outing. But there are a few unavoidable requirements:

1. You have to be willing to go, and sign up, prior to a certain date.

2. You have to go to the town’s doctor for a medical check-up. You have to be in fairly good health, have a certain minimum weight and fitness level - or you will simply not survive the hike.

3. You have to attend a few training sessions to get ready and prepared for the trip.

 

That’s it. Now knowing people as you do, what do you think the chances are that everyone in town will show up for this trip?

You can bet good money that only a few will.

Some will simply not like the idea of a 3-day hike in a jungle.

Others will feel they are far too busy to take the time out of their busy schedule.

Others will procrastinate in completing the requirements until it’s too late.

Still others won’t even bother, even if they are interested, because they are not willing to pay the price in order to go. Price, in the way of losing weight, getting fit, attend the training sessions and so on.

 

And so the bus leaves with only a few town’s people onboard.

Did I choose/select who came?

Yes, by having set the parameters for the conditions, I chose who came.

 

Was everyone welcome to come?

Absolutely.

 

Did I know who will come even before I went to the Mayor with my idea.

Yes, I had a pretty good idea. I’m not God who is outside of time and who KNOWS who will get on the bus, but, as the town’s counselor who knows the characters very well, I had a pretty good idea. The mayor himself would never have come as he believes the town will come to an end if he is not there to manage it. His ego will not allow the concept that life will go on very well without him. A certain group of people are always too busy to take time off for this excursion, another group are couch potatoes and there is no earthly way they will exchange their TV’s or game controls for a jog in order to get fit.

You get the idea.

 

And that is how the selection matter of Heaven work.

 

Were you invited? Can you choose to go to Heaven?

Absolutely, read these verses:

 

Will you choose to do so?

This one only you can answer.

 

Did God chose who gets into Heaven.

Yes, but only in the sense that He set up the conditions for entering into Heaven. The paramaters being, that Christ gives you the go-ahead. The Bible said that for those who never heard or Christ, if their lives show that they had the Word (which is Christ) in them, that they will be given access. The Holy Spirit works in all people’s hearts, not just the few.