No Contingencies!

Dear Fellow Travelers,
The truth is most believers cringe even at the thought that God would exclude anyone from the opportunity of being saved (justified by faith). As a result, the overwhelming majority of those who call themselves Christians believe (1) that Jesus shed His blood for everyone; (2) that God extends the invitation for salvation to everyone; and (3) that it is up to the individual to choose whether or not he/she will accept it and, thus, experience justification by faith. Unfortunately, there is a significant problem with this mindset: it places the onus for justification on man, not on God, and it allows for man by his choice to determine the efficaciousness (the power to produce a desired and positive result) of the sacrificial blood of Jesus, not blood itself.
Allow me to place this example on our “table of discussion”: Jesus shed his blood for our beloved John Doe and extended the offer of salvation to him. John, however, repeatedly refused to accept the invitation, and he, eventually, died and went to hell. At this point, we must face a couple of theological conundrums: (1) the blood of Jesus was not efficacious for John Doe, which, to say the least, is puzzling and confusing, or (2) the efficaciousness of Jesus’ blood was in John Doe’s choice, not in the blood itself, which is just as puzzling and confusing; in fact, both are completely unacceptable. The sacrificial blood of Jesus is ALWAYS efficacious, contingent upon nothing—absolutely nothing!
Now, IF we are going to conclude, like most, that Jesus shed His blood for everyone and IF we are going to conclude that God extends His invitation for salvation to everyone, and IF we are going to conclude that it is up to the individual to choose whether or not to accept God’s invitation, then we must also conclude (1) that everyone is Heaven bound (no one is going to hell), or (2) that God is, somehow, the victim of man’s choice. Obviously, neither of these conclusions is acceptable Biblically.
Listen carefully to this passage from the ministry of the early church: “And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48; emphasis mine). Who believed? As many as had been appointed to eternal life believed! Who appointed them? Go figure!
If that doesn’t convince you, consider this: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:3-4; emphasis mine).
Indeed, you have a choice, but it is confined to the parameters of God’s providence, and for that you should be forever grateful; otherwise, you would be forever damned be-cause you would never choose Him. Remember this? “I chose you; you did not choose Me!”