Everyone does not believe. Also, those that do believe can fall into unbelief, and back into belief. The parable of the sower explains this all very well, along with Romans 11.
Romans 11
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
As far as why or why not, none would believe if God did not move or draw, but also the parable of the sower implies that the condition of people's hearts influences the effect of the gospel after God spreads His word to them(Romans 10:17). Some people, even atheists, etc, are more willing to submit to God's will, having already "obeyed" God's purposes by observing them in the natural world(Romans 2:14). Some people who think they are following God and are casting out demons in His name do not really believe. Those are just examples, let me know what you think.
Well, if there is no word of God, and God does not speak or act, then everyone would perish because they would have no savior to believe in. It's God's desire that everyone should have knowledge of Him(Jesus) and salvation, so He sows the seed/word everywhere. In a nutshell, that is God's "movement" in the world, to bring Jesus into the world and to spread the truth about His Son/Himself.
John 5
39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
1 Timothy 2
King James
1I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Romans 10
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
Now, people can reject that knowledge and perish, but that is not God's will.
Romans 11
19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
Hosea 4:6
King James
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
2 Peter 3
9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
"As far as why or why not, none would believe if God did not move or draw" Why would none believe?
There is no doctrine of drawing and justifying exclusion of some, The context in John simply teaches and confirms what is true thru out the bible, and much confusion has been sown on this simple truth. Tell me how the man on the Cross was Drawn?
TruthCarrier,
"Believing is a choice, just as unbelief is a choice." Then why do some choose to believe and others choose NOT to believe?
Becuase they have the choice, there can be many reasons why, for instance many may have been told they can not choose and then are confused because they believed a lie.
"There is no doctrine of drawing and justifying exclusion of some"
TC, I think you're making the mistake of interpreting a word in the bible by a doctrine instead of vice-versa. The concept of God drawing is very biblical, it's the interpretations of that concept that you might disagree with:
John 12:32
King James Version (KJV)
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
I agree that there is no exclusion.
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference"
"Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God."
Mark There is no interpreting on my part, and I do recognize it as scripture. What I Said is there is no doctrine of drawing of man that justifys the exclusion theory.
Scripture builds upon Scripture, it is line upon line, if you where to ask those that hold to that thought you would be hard pressed to find one to tell you what it meant.
Man can not limit God to say what it means or to say how he draws people, yes his word is the first instrument.
I am going to post a scripture that reveals itself as the gospel:
Tell me who is drawn by this scripture?
Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: �All nations will be blessed through you.�[d] 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
What is the gospel and who is included in it?
Btw you spoke of in your responses how Man is drawn, the above scripture is drawing those it speaks off.
