“When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were APPOINTED for eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48)

Heard what?

"For so the Lord has commanded us, I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH” (Acts 13:47)

Not OFFER salvation, but "BRING" salvation. What we see today, 2000 years later, among Christianity is not even close to this “light”. What we see today is various Religious groups asking for you to join them in order to receive this salvation - by a free will choice of your own. And if you refuse you are said to be condemning yourself to eternal separation from God and unending punishment in the lake of fire.

Yet here is what God says about Salvation…

“For the grace of God has appeared, BRINGING salvation to all men…He made known to us the mystery of HIS WILL, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of ALL THINGS in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been PREDESTINED according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of HIS WILL,… but God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, MADE US ALIVE together with Christ - by GRACE you have been saved…” (Titus 2:1; Ephesians 1:9-11; 2:4-5)

It is not that there was not a choice made in the matter of Salvation, but it was God who "chose" - not you or me! Here is exactly how the Bible states this…

“You did not choose me, but I CHOSE YOU…” (John 15:16)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as HE CHOSE US BEFORE THE FOUDATION OF THE WORLD...In love HE PREDESTINED US to adoption as sons THROUGH Jesus Christ to Himself, ACCORDING TO THE KIND INTENTION OF HIS WILL” (John 15:16; Ephesians 1:3-5)

Back to the first verse quoted above. Who are those “appointed”? Traditional Christian theology says those who CHOOSE to accept Christ and honor God. Traditional Muslim theology says those who CHOOSE to accept Mohammad and honor Allah. The bible, however, says that ALL MANKIND has been chosen BY THE DEITY HIMSELF and appointed and predestined to eternal Salvation…not eternal condemnation.

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance…we have fixed our hope on the living GOD, who is the Savior of ALL MANKIND, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.…” (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost… All have sinned…the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord…For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us…was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are YES, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God...” (Luke 19:10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 1:19-20)

My understanding of the Scripture is that God will save sinners as a "free gift" through Christ Jesus from the penalty of sin, which is death. It is not a Yes I believe or No I don’t believe question as to salvation. God reserved for Himself the eventual eternal destiny of all mankind. He did not make it a matter of choice. God has chosen to freely give mankind “eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. 

The choice God has left for mankind during this age is to believe this, not in order to be saved, but in order to enjoy the peace and hope it gives. When people do not believe this, they worry all the time about whether God will save them or condemn them. Or they decide there is no God at all for various reasons. But the PROMISES of God are always YES in regard to the eventual salvation of mankind…as I have come to understand the Scripture.

When God speaks, it comes to pass…whether religious doctrine agrees with Him or not!

"For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass…the word which I speak will be done." (Ezekiel 12:25, 28).

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world...In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ...according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us...according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will..." (Ephesians 1:4-9)

Unfortunately Christianity has made salvation an act of man's free will rather than the will of God. All we can do is come to the knowledge and believe what God has done for us. Some come to the knowledge of His salvation in this life, ALL in the next. Either way it is a time to rejoice and to praise Him for "the glory of His GRACE".

Note above that it is God who makes "known to us the mystery of His will"… and has "predestined" us to be sons. So what is the will of God?

“…God our Savior; Who WILL have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-7 KJV)