“And yet Christ Himself explicitly taught that men must make the choice.”
It is true, ShadowAce. God elects; yet it does not absolve us of the responsibility of choosing.
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” -Romans 8:29-30
yet:
“The 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.” - 2nd Peter 3:9
and what shall we say to these truths?
“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.” Romans 9:13-14
I can’t deny either the election of God, nor the free will of man. I confess all of Scripture to be true, whether I can perfectly understand it or not.
So, if God elects me to Hell, and I choose to follow Him, I still go to Hell?
Sounds pretty arbitrary to me. I would never follow a god like that. Luckily, my God is much more powerful than that.