This one always makes me giggle.
Dear beloved, God has plans for each of us. Saved and unsaved. And we can know for certain if we are saved, as Christ lives, we too shall live.
I answer your question with a question.
Did God give Adam and Eve a choice concerning the forbidden fruit?
Was God standing by waiting for the moment to scold and stop the two from eating it?
Beyond that, why would God ask, “where are you?” to them as they hid, as if he wasn’t sure where they were?
If we are made in God’s image, who obviously chose to create us, instead of not, then we can assume we have both a choice and a predestination.
Also, consider before responding, that you will be making a choice to reply to none, some, or all of the questions. My presenting of choices insinuates a choice must be made. And I will need to know how to respond to your response with love and kindness. But as I’ve left my mark on this thread, I am allowing for responses therefore I know I’ll be seeing this thread again.
In the same way, in a deeper and more meaningful way, in an eternal way, God has gives us breath in our lungs, a life with which we must choose to devote to God, or ourselves. He makes his mark on us and expects to watch over us until we can finally be with Him.
“If he knows what we will choose, then it’s not really a choice”, you may say.
With each situation you face, your being shaped, and it’s not up to the creation to insist on his own way but to trust that the creator will make us into something pleasing to Him.
Does God know who will trust in him? Yes. Jesus Christ came that all who believe on the Son will have salvation.
Does that make it any less of a choice? No. Because God draws near to those who draw nearer to him.
Why? This option for salvation is given, and it’s not enough that you simply accept one, but you must also deny all the rest.
Repentance is not only turning to God, but turning away from everything that is contrary.
In conclusion, to propose we have no choice because God knows all things, is to say that God himself is autonomous. In which case, we look at the cross, and ask ourselves, “was there another way?” And I’m sure you’ll see that without His willful submission to the death of the cross, you and I are left with no other choice but to pay for our own sins with eternal death.
The person of Jesus Christ is the reason we were given any choice at all, for He was slain before the foundation of the world.