The Problem of Free Will: Do We Choose God, or Did He Choose Us?

There was an interesting story about a month or so ago in "the Christian Post." According to the ministry "Campus Crusade For Christ," there were 1 million "decisions for Christ" in June alone. Now, this actually begs the question: do we choose God and are we saved by our "decision for Christ", or was it God who chose us and indeed saves us? Well, I guess we have no choice but to look at the Bible and what it says about Salvation and God's choice.

Concerning God's Role in Salvation:
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 8:44)

Now, concerning predestination/election:

"And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days." (Mark 13:20)

"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:29-30)

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:3-7)

"In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:11)

So, it seems perfectly clear that it is God who has chosen us, as Ephesians 1:4 puts it, "before the foundation of the world." Now, why did God choose some of us. Well, according to Ephesians 1:7 & 11, to bring Himself glory.

Now, I know that this will drive Arminians absolutely nuts, I think namely because they would argue that it's unfair that God saves some and not others. In fact, I used to be of that mindset. However, when it was explained to me that God wasn't under any obligation to save ANYONE, I truly feel that was God working in my heart.

Furthermore, even if the doctrine of election and predestination wasn't even addressed in the New Testament, one could make a case for God's sovereign choice just based on Old Testament precedent. I mean, if we look, all the great saints of the Old Testament like Abraham, Moses & Aaron (in fact, in Psalms 105:26explecitly states that Moses & Aaron were chosen by God), the prophets like Ezekiel, Samuel, and others were chosen by God.

So, I don't think that anyone really had "free-will" to choose God. Furthermore, given the fact that we are evil sinners, and of our father the devil, if, or until, God saves us, unrestrained "free-will" is the last thing we want.