First. No to everything you said.
The scriptures say plainly that God wants all to repent of their sins and live.
John the baptizer, Jesus Christ himself, and the apostle preached the same one and only gospel, and it is to repent of your sins and have faith in Jesus.
Jesus came first for those who already had faith in God.
Anyone can come into the covenant.
They chose to be that way.
You butcher God's word into little sentences and ignore the whole. What you claim the text means is not supported by the context around it. You are supported by weak crutches that fall upon further inspection. Do some inspection before posting such poor prooftexts.
Only the elect will respond. Dead men cannot repent or respond.
I've learned to appreciate Menno
, reading in context makes any single verse even sharper. The context and significance we can gather throughout the bible suggest and reveal that all mankind is completely and utterly deprived of seeking the goodness and fullness of God on their own, this is due to the events ascribed to us in Genesis. Man was perfect and just in the eyes of God and walked side by side with God and in is own image, in a beautiful paradise with no thorns, weeds, or thistles... Just like the angels before were kicked out of Heaven due to their rebellion, so was man from the garden after he and his wife rebelled, and as a result of mans rebellion against God freedom is always geared toward unrighteousness. I've learned to appreciate Menno
No one is capable of choosing their own pathway to God in Heaven, nor can we help another do so, we are completely dead in our sin. An unjust God would give humans the cold shoulder and that kind of creator is a careless kind, the good news is that God IS Just and Holy and Sovereign and Loving and merciful and forgiving, he has given eternal Life to his people, his people are as those who sing the Lords song in a strange land... we know and can sense wickedness abound but it's because God has regenerated the souls of his own Elect, his sheep, and as his we are thus Saved and assured and are aware that the rest of mankind is set solely on destruction.
So as a Christian, what we do is not of ourselves or of free will, we share in his Glory because he chose us, we do good because he chose us, we are blameless before him because we are his and he chose us, he made us!
God has sent prophets and kings for you!
God sent his only begotten Son to die on the cross, enter hell for 3 days, resurrect, ascend to Heaven with the keys and deed to Heaven for YOU the believer!
Nothing you can do can impress the potter, he loves you and made you to share in his glory and because you believe.. you can believe that he is Sovereign and has always loved his meek and humble servants who listens when he calls.
That's absolutely true, we obey in our belief and faith in Christ and not through mans sole obedience to what he feels fit for
In regards to free will
Mankind does not have the power to obey God, we must be regenerated (reborn) for our works to be pleasing to God, we can't just skip over the work on the cross and put our salvation at the risk of our own doings, that attitude implies "well Christ did most of the part but without my help he has no chance in redeeming me"... Faith is given by God and not by man.
Amen brother, we have a role indeed but it's God who comes first in all that we do.