If salvation is a gift (grace), then is it up to us or God to decide who goes to heaven?

Question

Does the giver decide who to give the gift to, or is it hands up for a hand out?

Answer 1

mankind has made too many mistakes to be trusted with something as valuable as salvation. No my dear fellow, God alone will decide who is saved. We can decide for ourselves which path we follow but we cannot decide for others.

Eph.2

[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:


Hope that helps

Answer 2

This is a long debated issue. I look at it like this.

God made the gift of salvation available to everyone, anyone as the potential and option of accepting it. However just like if you've seen a movie and are watching it again you know what the character is going to do ( even if the character had a choice), God has seen the end of time so he knows who's going to accept salvation and under what circumstances.

He interacts with our world as much as possible without interfering with our free will, to make it so as many as possible will accept salvation but because of free will he can't make everyone accept.


So yes we are predestined but it doesn't effect our decision and God can't force us one way or another.

Answer 3

The gift of salvation is offered to every single human being alive. The Bible says God is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentence, however the choice is up to each individual person. God will not force you to accept the gift, but he will encourage you to take it.

Answer 4

God decides. The wonderful thing is that his decision is about those who will go to Heaven to be kings and priests with Christ. Kings need subjects and priests need people to guide spiritually. Therefore, the little flock (those who are chosen to go to Heaven) will be joined by a great crowd of other sheep here on Earth who will live forever in peace and harmony.(The meek will inherit the earth and live forever upon it.)

Answer 5

It is up to God, but if a person asks for the gift of faith in God and tries to live in a loving relationship with Him, he will not reject the person. He wishes to offer salvation to everyone.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

God will decide. Not only don't we know if we are going, but we cannot judge who else will go....with some people it is REALLY obvious!

Luke 25
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

Answer 8

Things are never quite as simple as we might like to think.

Salvation comes by faith in Christ and by works.

Faith without works is dead.

No works = no real faith.

No real faith = no salvation.

Jesus can tell the difference, and he will, on judgment day:

Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

It's how you choose to use the gift, that makes the difference.

Use it or lose it!

Answer 9

Both. God sacrificed His son...the gift.
The Holy Spirit convicts the sinner to repentance through the Word.
But ultimately it is our choice to accept or decline the gift of eternal life.
I accepted...I hope you have too!

Answer 10

There are two different views on this. one side says that we as humans can make the decision; others say that we can get to the edge of the precipice but it is only the holy spirit that can push us over the edge, metaphorically.