More than "a little help". They simply could not and would not without His special grace in making the "inward call".
Registration is a hotly disputed concept. Some see it as an instantaneous thing. Others see it as more of a process. I have no problem with it being one or the other in certain people.
I believe that we are spiritually dead in the natural fallen nature. I believe that to be made alive is to have our spirits united in some way with the Holy Spirit. That is regeneration IMO.
Without that happening - I don't see how anyone can say that Jesus is Lord and mean it from the Heart.
Some (perhaps you) believe that all spiritually dead men are capable of calling Jesus Lord. I'm quite certain that that is not scriptural. Some (apparently you as well) seem teach that spiritually dead men say Jesus is Lord and are rewarded for being the exception to the rule stated in the Word of God with having their spirits reunited with the Holy Spirit of God.
That seems to me to be not only unscriptural. It seem downright silly. But then that's my not so humble opinion.
God knows and always has known all thing actual and all things possible. That includes what men will do in all circumstances. That is the basis for believing in predestination. It is impossible that anything that God knows for sure will happen will not happen.
But to actually happen those exact circumstances have to be created by God through His providential creation and control of all things. One leave out or change one small thing and those exact circumstances will not happen. Indeed that person may not even exist or may die before making the choice we are talking about in this instance.
It is for this reason that only God can be the one who predestines things. He is in control of all that happens as has always been the case and always will be the case.
Predestination and free will are never in conflict. It doesn't matter how often detractors cry "robot" or "puppet". It is still true that God uses the choices of men to bring about only what He has predestined to happen.
It's not a case of either or. God knows what you will choose. But He still is the one who predestinated what you choose.
Big subject - small space.
I do not believe that the idea that natural men can understand Spiritual truth and come to God through accepting the provisions of the gospel message by themselves. That is not scriptural IMO.
I do not believe that natural man is rewarded with spiritual life after they submit to God by repenting and taking the gospel message to heart.
If that were true - one might well say - "Thank you Lord. I'll take the new nature as a gift from you so that I can understand the mind of God and respond to you. But you have to admit Lord that I did pretty good without spiritual life."
I don't believe that that is how it works. Most evangelicals do. The reason they cling to that idea so tenaciously is IMO because they feel that it would be unfair of God to regenerate some sinners who stand under the wrath of God and not do the same for others.
They are IMO wrong. Salvation is by grace and is undeserved.
P.S. None of these concepts are a part of the gospel presentation that we preach to the world. No one would go into these ideas except intramurally with other Christians. That includes even the most hard line hyper Calvinist - I would think.
