We choose God or God chooses us?

[aball1035]

I’ve heard people say such things like “We don’t choose God, He chooses us to conform to his will!”

Has anybody else heard this type of thing? ow would this reconcile with our free will?

 

[Waiting]

I’ve heard people say such things like “We don’t choose God, He chooses us to conform to his will!”

Has anybody else heard this type of thing? ow would this reconcile with our free will?

My feeling on this is that God has endowed all of us with different gifts, and different abilities to work with these Godgiven gifts. He also tells us to love and accept others where they are. In other words, we can’t all be a genius in math, as we all have different amounts of talent to solve mathematical problems. Likewise, we can’t all exhibit saintlike qualities, as our gift for loving God might not be as ample as a St. Therese, or a St. John of the Cross. Therefore, we are called to exceed at some tasks, but be average, or less, in others. We need to accept others where they are, without ridicule or envy. If God seems to choose someone for a certain role, such as priest or nun, we know that He has given that person the necessary talent and desire for that role.

 

[Richca]

I’ve heard people say such things like “We don’t choose God, He chooses us to conform to his will!”

Has anybody else heard this type of thing? ow would this reconcile with our free will?

" It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain" (John 15: 16). Again, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him” (John 6:44).
God takes the initiative by his grace but it requires our free cooperation. Thus it says in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2002, " God’s free initiative demands man’s free response."
God gives everyone his grace, for he “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4).

 

[Dies_Irae_1]

I just wanted to add one verse:
“Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Predestination is a huge topic…

 

[TriciaF]

God chooses us and we choose God. Both choices required for our salvation

 

[EasterJoy]

" It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain" (John 15: 16). Again, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him” (John 6:44).
God takes the initiative by his grace but it requires our free cooperation. Thus it says in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2002, " God’s free initiative demands man’s free response."
God gives everyone his grace, for he “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4).

Exactly! Obviously, Jesus often said “Follow me…”, but he just as obviously did not grab anyone by the ear. When the rich young man went away, he was allowed to go. When the younger son in the story of the prodigal son wanted to go away from his father’s house, he was allowed to go. The father caught sight of him returning from afar, but the father did not go out to drag him back after he left. When he went out to plead with the older son who was not welcoming his brother home, the father in the story did not drag that one into the feast, either. No one can become the image of God except with the help of God, but the soul who is called must also freely choose to follow:

*Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first*. Matt. 19:21-30