Riding a Hobby Horse will get you Nowhere

A former member of one of the three churches I have pastored was somewhat of a hyper-Calvinist. Let's call them HC for the sake of this blog. HC had a real problem with free will [i.e., for some reason HC believed free will took away God's sovereignty]. After a message I preached I got a note from HC. Here are HC's comments and my responses.

John 6:44 the Father draws us

John 10:29- the Father gave us to Jesus

We cannot be saved apart from God drawing us. Since God is drawing He is the one (sic) choosing us for salvation.

Of course. But who does He draw? Here's the answer according to John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. God draws all to salvation according to that verse and not that verse alone.
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Many other verses teach the same.

If we are the ones choosing then where is the Sovereignty of God?

Where it always is... in Him! God in His Sovereignty gave man a choice. If you think about it, to say that God cannot give man a choice is to limit His Sovereignty. God can do what He wants. That is what Sovereignty is all about and God gave man a choice (many choices actually but one choice when it comes down to salvation). God's Sovereignty is intact because He, in His Sovereignty, chose that whosoever trusts Christ will be saved and whoever rejects Christ will be lost. God, in His Sovereignty, gave man free will- the ability to choose, as in "choose you this day whom ye will serve..."

My interpretation allows God the Sovereignty of giving man a choice. Your interpretation limits God and says He cannot give man a choice. In which is God really Sovereign? If I as a parent took my youngest child to her favorite fast food place (Taco Bell) and said choose anything on the menu and I will get it for you. Does my giving her a choice take away my parental sovereignty? NO! Of course not. I, in my role as a parent gave her the choice without giving up one iota of my authority or, if you will, "sovereignty" and gave her free will in the matter. Why cannot God do the same? Of course He can and furthermore, I believe the Bible teaches He did!

Election doesn't mean salv. it means chosen- angels were chosen, Jesus was chosen, we are chosen to be saved and to serve Him.

Interesting... you say Jesus and angels were chosen but then say "we are chosen to be saved..." so you lock in your pet interpretation. Why didn't you do the same when talking about Jesus and the angels? Because that would be silly. It's silly to not be consistent too. Christians are chosen to serve God as are the angels and Jesus. That's consistent. All those who trust Christ are chosen to be Christians. That's also consistent. God has always given man a choice. Since Adam & Eve. Man must face the consequences of his choice. But a choice he has.

We choose to be saved in response to God's loving and kind offer of salvation or we reject it. Christians choose to serve God or they don't and they pay the price. Else why would Joshua say, And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.