You CHOSE to believe?
Of course I chose, but notice the order. I did so in the day of His power. I did so in the day He made me willing. I knew only basic Bible stories and doctrine, so at the time I thought I had made a decision on my own. It would be many years before I understood what really happened and just how gracious He had been to me.
Now I know the Bible teaches I would never have chosen Him had He not first chosen and drawn me. That’s how it is for every single person who will ever be saved. And all the Father chose in eternity past will one day choose Christ, but they do so not on their own power, but His. Natural men cannot and will not choose Him. If He draws a man, that man will come to Christ. He makes you willing. He overcomes your natural will by giving you ears to ear and eyes to see. He teaches those He is drawing. Once a sinner can really see his spiritual poverty, his ruin in Adam, he will run to Christ.
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. (John 6:44-45)
“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)
Again, we are born again not by an act of our own will, but His.
“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13)
When God gives to a man a heart to see, hear and believe, a heart of flesh, in other words, replacing the dead heart of stone, the man responds by faith. In other words, he indeed chooses Christ, but only after Christ first chose Him.
Joh_15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.