How can Christ die for everyone and believers be chosen before the world?
Scripture presents two complementary truths: Christ died for every man and tasted death for every man, and God is not willing that any should perish; yet believers were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. The apparent tension is not fully explained; it is accepted by faith, with the door of opportunity marked “whosoever will may come.”
Les teaches that Scripture clearly says Christ died for every man and tasted death for every man, and that God is not willing that any should perish. At the same time, Scripture says believers were chosen before the foundation of the world. Les admits he cannot explain those two facts of Scripture, but he lets them stand by faith, trusting God to settle the controversy. He illustrates it with the river of humanity and doors of opportunity along the bank: the front of the door says “Whosoever will may come,” but after a person goes through, the other side says “Chosen in Him before the world was ever created.” We must decide for ourselves, and yet the moment we decide, God says, “I chose you.”