Only your construct tells you that the Savior of Men knocks, like a foolish drummer, at the doors of those who He has rendered deaf.
No, the clear import of the language is that the householder must "... hear [His] voice and open the door ..." of his heart. Now, it is sadly true that some will not do both. But Christ is no liar and He makes no false offers.
"IF ANYONE hears [His] voice and opens the door, [He] will come in ..." I know you hate this verse because it is the very essence of the Gospel. Every person who has ever lived -- all the messy, non-Calvinist riff-raff -- all of us get that precious Offer. And it is a True Offer, not some false bottom offer made by a three-card monty con-man that is incapable of acceptance. Nope. A real offer to everyone.
Let me just say one more thing. That was understandable to me when I was little boy of 5 or 6 watching a flannel-graph of Jesus standing at the door of my heart and knocking. It was Good News to me then. And, more than half a century later and 20-odd years of schooling and 30-odd years of the rough-and-tumble of professional life and it is STILL understandable to me -- and it is STILL Good News.
Let me ask you this Winston..Why did the Holy Spirit put the IF there??? It isn't necessary with your "construct":>))...He could have said anyone that hears my knock ...wait a minute that still implies that some may not hear it...well Lets just look at the IF right now..Why is there a question about that?
Amen!
What is amazing mr. churchill is that something that is so mysteriously complex is at the same time so profoundly simple and beautiful.
Amazing!
[knock, knock, knock]
wc perverse little heart now not bringing forth from its abundance, but rather "goodness and righteousness": Oh, hi Jesus, I accept you as my God!
winston, you really do need to examine yourself to see if you really are in the faith and haven't deceived yourself into a false faith.