Do we choose God or does God choose us?

God says He chose us from the beginning - before the foundation of the world actually, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of HIS WILL, to the praise of the glory of His grace by which HE HAS MADE US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED (Ephesians1: 3-6)

In addition, Jesus Himself said "YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME, but I CHOSE YOU etc.. (John 15:16)

So that is just about conclusive although I am sure there must be other scriptures to confirm these two but they are sufficient on their own. The others would be such things as the fact that we cannot come unto salvation unless the Father DRAWS US (John 6:44) - that sort of thing because then Jesus said He will raise us up at the last day (John 6:44)

I agree, know the verse....it is not flesh and bone that reveals this unto thee but my father who art in heaven? Or something along those lines. It is all given to us by him and also this is synonymous to the Holy Ghost who's is one in purpose with the father, testifying of him to the children here on earth. Heavenly Father sees things in us that we cannot see ourselves, truly crazy when you realize this. How much are we just following his designed plan for us? Hopefully all that we can consciously be aware of at least, or at least a plan with his spiritual blessing bestowed upon it, that can only be given through a humble and seeking heart, to do good, to do justly according to his laws, and to ultimately follow the example of his beloved son Jesus Christ.

faith is a basic set of ideals and practices many times agreed upon by capacity of a team of folk. lots of the folk stick to the religion of their parents, question of identifying on the God comes if one replace its faith different smart one would not have functionality to decide on parents so is the case with God. those set of ideals challenge the reason, nature, and purpose of the universe, and contain devotional and formality observances. in addition they often incorporate a ethical code governing the habit of human affairs. Ever with the aid of fact the worldwide began, guy has verified a organic inclination in the direction of faith and worship of something he considered more suitable/confusing to understand. faith consisted of attempting to assuage and get favours from the main suitable Being one fears. This led to performing rituals (a number of them barbaric) and protecting traditions or regulations to earn goodness and/or eternal existence. faith, or a minimum of non secular inquiry, is a few thing that only approximately all human beings have in elementary. In all corners of the worldwide and in all eras of historic previous, human beings have puzzled with regard to the which capacity of existence, the thank you to make the better of it,

God chooses us. We are but dust on this pebble in the vast universe. How on earth could we believe and know God is without His pursuit of us? It is impossible for us to know God let alone choose Him without Him choosing us first.

"We love him, because he first loved us." - 1John 4:19

Or to put it another way -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9t5ZqeHcYk

Welcome back Mandolyn Monkey! I'd wondered where you'd gone! :)

God chooses us in Christ; but He never deprives us of our free will, and in fact He awakens the faculty of free will in sinners to enable them to choose Him. Unless He did, none could be saved.

We respond or don't to His invitation. And that has various preambles. Like Reason and self-knowledge etc.

God did we return

St Augustine shows the true answer, maybe unsuspected to you :

Take heart, friend, for you would not have sought Him had you not already found him

(And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.) ---Yes He is sovereign yet also merciful and kind in sending Him who is the "Way, the Truth, and the Life"

Welcome back

Both~"Many are called but few are chosen."~Bible