Now we're getting into the nitty-gritty. Man has the ability to hear the gospel, to be called by God, to understand the gospel, and to repent. Otherwise, God giving the commandment to repent is one he could not perform.
All humans can hear the good news. Those who remain dead in their trespasses and sins will not think it is good. They will think it is foolish and will resent the declaration as judgmental in declaring them to be sinners.
Humans are chosen by God. His call is only to those He chooses. "Lazarus, come forth." It I a command, not a question.
Those who are chosen will believe the good news and will repent of their sins. The one who is dead in sins will never repent. God must make them alive with Christ for them to repent.
Those who are dead in sins will often be remorseful and try to manipulate the circumstance to get the weight of sin reduced, but they do not truly repent.
Thus, the command to repent is for the child whom God has chosen, not for the child who is dead in sin. That child has no capacity to repent and will never do so on their own.
We have a fundamental disagreement where you place the cart before the horse.
You demand repentance before God gives faith. I demand God gives faith before repentance can happen.
For you, the cause of salvation is human repentance which effects God to save the person.
For me, the cause of salvation is God choosing to give a person faith which effects the human to repentance.
