if God converts he must
(and I know this is sloppy wording)
have understood that the person is freely willing the conversion?
thank you for this comment and question
so does a person have the ability to will their own conversion
or does God see that they’re going to be freely willing this conversion
and therefore act upon this person?
well let’s ask the first question
what is the state of a person prior to conversion
what is the spiritual state of a person prior to conversion?
they’re dead
Paul says in Ephesians Chapter 2 that we were dead in our trespasses and sins
now dead people can’t bring themselves back to life
they can’t make a decision to be resurrected
they’re dead think about the case of Jesus raising Lazarus
I think that’s the best example
that illustrates not just Jesus’ power over death in this case
but also what happens every time
a person is brought to life by the work of Christ
now when Jesus stepped before the tomb of Lazarus
he said Lazarus
come forth that’s an imperative
Jesus is commanding Lazarus to come forth
but Lazarus does not have the ability
he doesn’t have the will to make a decision to come back to life or not
he’s dead
but the very word of Jesus has the ability to bring that life into this dead man
and of course that’s exactly what happens
Lazarus is brought back to life again
as a result of the life giving power of the word of Christ
now what happened in that case with Lazarus
is the same thing that happens every time a person hears the gospel
you or I can say to a person
repent and believe the good news
that Jesus lived and died and rose again for you
we’re speaking to a dead person
they can’t make a decision
they can’t will themselves to life
they’re dead they’re spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins
but what happens? the very word that God speaks through us
has the ability to create faith and life in this person
that’s the way that God works
faith is created by the word of Christ
this word by which God spoke all things into existence
has that same divine power to speak life into people who are spiritually dead
so when the gospel is preached
when people hear believe
receive this good news repent
trust in Christ they don’t have the ability to fulfill that command
they’re dead but the word of Christ has the power to create this faith in people
and therefore every conversion
every time a person becomes from being dead in their trespasses and sins
to being alive in Christ it’s 100% the work of Christ
now let me add a little wrinkle here
why then every time the gospel is preached
does not every single person come to life?
you can take 10 people
who are all not believers
and you can speak the gospel to them
it doesn’t mean that all 10 are going to come back to life
so how is this so
well people can reject the gospel
this is where there’s a wrinkle
because how can dead people reject something
well we’re not only dead
it gets worse than that you might think that
that being dead is the worst possible scenario
but we’re more than spiritually dead at the same time
we are as Paul says
we were by nature children of wrath
so if you can picture a dead person who is against God
they’re not only spiritually dead
but they’re actually anti God
they’re rebelling against God
so it’s even worse than just kinda spiritually dead
they’re rebellious dead people
and some people steadfastly continue to rebel against God
and they hear that good news and they say nope
I don’t believe it they reject it
so the reason a person remains spiritually dead
is because they continue to reject the gospel
it’s their fault it’s 100% their fault
the reason a person is converted and brought to spiritual life
is 100% the work of God in Christ
giving them faith the Spirit creating faith within them
the Father calling them to Christ
and giving them that life which they can never have on their own
therefore if a person remains an unbeliever
it’s entirely their fault
they have in their spiritual death
continue to reject God but if a person becomes a Christian
if they’re brought to life
if they’re converted that’s entirely the work of the Spirit
that’s entirely credited to the work of God that he has done in them
by speaking life into them through his word
hopefully that provides some clarity
thanks for the question and peace be with you