God would be just if no one went to heaven.  None of us deserve the grace of God.  We must not allow the biblical teaching on election (for which I think the term “unconditional election” is a poor choice of words), to diminish God’s just nature.  God is just.  He elects and man responds.  He chooses and man chooses.  He elects and man has free will.

I thank Jerry Seagle for this quote from C. S. Lewis, “I think we must take a leaf out of the scientists’ book.  They are quite familiar with the fact that for example, Light has to be regarded both as a wave in the ether and as a stream of particles.  No-one can make these two views consistent.  Of course reality must be self-consistent; but till (if ever) we can see the consistency it is better to hold two inconsistent views than to ignore one side of the evidence.  The real inter-relation between God’s omnipotence and Man’s freedom is something we can’t find out.  Looking at the Sheep and the Goats, every man can be quite sure that every kind act he does will be accepted by Christ.  Yet equally sure, we all do feel sure that all the good in us comes from Grace.  We have to leave it at that.  I find the best plan is to take the Calvinist view of my own virtues and other people’s vices; and the other view of my own vices and other people’s virtues.  But tho’ there is much to be puzzled about, there is nothing to be worried about.  It is plain from Scripture that, in whatever sense the Pauline doctrine is true, it is not true in any sense which excludes its (apparent) opposite.  You know what Luther said, “Do you doubt if you are chosen?  Then say your prayers and you may conclude that you are.”