This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Imagine for a moment that you knew everything about everyone. I'm not so sure that I would like to be omniscient if I could be. I would hate to know what people think of me sometimes. But if you knew what the future would be – and if you were a betting person – I'm sure you would bet on a winner, not a loser.

God, being omniscient, chose us. Before our parents were born before their parents were born, and before our first parents ever were on planet Earth, God Almighty, in the councils of eternity, chose us to be his children.

But why? What merit or quality did God see in us that caused him to choose us?

I hope the answer doesn't disappoint you. God's choice is not based on anything that you or I did. You don't deserve it. I don't deserve it. And I think the reason God chose us is the same reason he chose the nation Israel.

He said to the Israelites, "The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors" (Deuteronomy 7:7–8 NLT).

Why did God choose us? Because he loves us. That's mind-bending when you stop and think about the fact that God knows all things.

So, do we have any influence as to who gets chosen?

The greatest theological minds have debated this for centuries, and there are good people on both sides of this theological conversation. But I'm not going to worry about who the so-called elect are. Rather, I'm going to preach the Gospel. And I believe the ones whom God has chosen will believe.

If you want to know whether you're one of the chosen ones, then believe in Jesus Christ, and you will confirm it.

The Bible tells us, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13 NLT), and "Let anyone who hears this say, 'Come.' Let anyone thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life" (Revelation 22:17 NLT).

The apostle Paul spoke of how much he cared about his fellow Jews and his desire for them would believe in Jesus. He wrote, "My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed – cut off from Christ! – if that would save them" (Romans 9:2–3 NLT).

Paul was effectively saying that he'd be willing to go to Hell if they could go to Heaven. I'm so glad that we don't have to trade our salvation for the salvation of someone else. Salvation already has been purchased for everyone who asks Jesus Christ to forgive their sins and come into their lives.

No matter who they are, everyone needs to hear the Gospel. Of course, people think that down-and-outers need Jesus, and they do. Thank God that we are never so down or so out that he won't reach out and save us. But the up-and-outers need Jesus, too.

What's more, religious people need the Gospel as much as nonbelievers do. Some people think that because they were raised in a Christian home, they're Christians by default. No, they simply were raised in a Christian home. Some of the worst sinners are raised in Christian homes. That's because they rebel against it. On the other hand, some of the greatest saints come from Christian homes as well. It depends on the person.

We love to blame our parents for what's wrong in our lives. But we do have a say-so about the course we take in life, regardless of how we were raised or not raised. We need to have our faith. We can't live off the faith of our parents or the faith of anyone else. We need our relationship with Jesus Christ.

One of the easiest places to get a heart that is hardened toward the Gospel is in church. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. And as we hear the truth of the Gospel, we decide whether we will be responsive or resistant to it.

Every time we hear the Gospel and don't respond to it, our hearts can get a little harder. In a sense, we can develop an immunity to the Gospel. Don't let that happen, because everything you're looking for is available to you in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

It's the missing piece that people are searching for in life.

Addressing believers, the writer of Hebrews said, "Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still 'today,' so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God" (Hebrews 3:12–13 NLT).

That's why every generation needs to hear the Gospel. I think the challenges and pressures young people face today are, in many ways, unprecedented. And I think a lot of that has to do with social media.

I was an early adopter of smartphones, but I believe that in many ways, they are ruining our lives and having a detrimental effect on young people. We've never been more connected yet disconnected at the same time.

Experts have described Generation Z, those born from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, as the loneliest generation. They communicate through texting more than through face-to-face conversations. Perhaps that's one reason anxiety and depression are so high among members of that generation.

The psalmist David wrote, "Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power" (Psalm 145:4 NLT).

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The answer is Jesus – for every generation.