To use your analogy, are you saying that God doesn’t know who is going to get in the boat and stay in the boat? And that His Will is secondary to man’s will?
Not to mention how they get in the boat, being dead to their trespasses and sin.
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>> “To use your analogy, are you saying that God doesn’t know who is going to get in the boat and stay in the boat?” <<
Its not what he knows, but how we obey what he has commanded. We are creatures with a free will; no other people could be purified to be with Yehova for eternity.
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God knows. But yes, God has given men the ability to decide. Thus the call to repent is a real call and not a lie. It involves a real choice, as is clearly taught in scripture.
"Not to mention how they get in the boat, being dead to their trespasses and sin."
That contradicts its clear meaning in scripture.
1 And He said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. 13 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.
14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.
17 But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’
20 So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15
How could the Prodigal Son decide to return to his father? How could he pick himself up and walk? After all: he "was dead", and no one went to him and forced life into his dead body.