The Lost are able to Trust in Christ without supernatural alteration.

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

This is the opening line used in Edwards' sermon : A Divine and Supernatural Light Immediately Imparted to the Soul by the Spirit of God, Shown to be Both a Scriptural and Rational Doctrine

If you're serious, I'd recommend reading it because it brings in scriptures, explains the difference between common and special grace, and the role of naturally acquired knowledge as opposed to "light" directly imparted by God. It's worth the effort to read this because he gives the rationality of his position and doesn't just sling verses as often happens.

Edwards is more interested in this sermon in describing how the Spirit works than in making the case that it is impossible for a person to be saved by hearing the word only. Surprisingly, elsewhere, he says "Yet how few there are who are effectually wrought upon by the word of God! They are very thinly sown; there is but here and there one."

So he seems to be saying that while it may be possible for someone to hear and believe yet how does it normally happen. Does God choose to use the method of laying out the information or the propositions of the gospel and then leave it up to man to respond or not, as he wills on his own? I say no.

 

Apologies for my blank post. I can't remember what I had intended to write, and now my message has no "delete" option.

 

People seek the path to life in many ways and it's "in" now to say something like "there are many paths going up the mountain but they all lead to the same summit". No, they don't, and Jesus said so. Jesus himself said he was the way, the truth, and the life. The passages you mentioned are about that, not whether or to what extent the Holy Spirit helps or causes someone to look for the narrow gate.

But you do bring up a good point. I am not saying that God is shooting out lightening bolts and hitting select people who are infallibly saved and leaving others to be infallibly lost. The process of the enlightening and conviction that leads someone to salvation varies between individuals, can occur instantly or over time, and always involves the conscious rational thought processes of the person. I know there are Calvinists on here that don't believe that but I am not defending their theological methods. But what I am describing is described in detail by Jonathan Edwards and others, for what that is worth.

I agree with you that we are able to understand the facts about the work of Christ and the state of our condition, enough to render us without excuse and guilty, by our natural intellect. Where we have trouble is that we don't like what we hear, or put it off, or think it's foolishness, or we just get sidetracked with other things or we don't desire to have our plans and pleasures interfered with. I believe you can be in such a state, and unable (as well as unwilling) to respond to the gospel, and yet it is indeed your fault that you don't. The Holy Spirit is necessary in those cases to enlighten or draw you or you will not choose to come.

 

Lol:

48 And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Acts 13

 

Only in your imagination.

 

"Does scripture say no one would ever make the right choice unless God supernaturally intervened and caused that choice?"
The answer is yes scripture teaches that it takes a supernatural work of God before anyone can be saved.
John 6:44 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.

No one has ever turned to God only by their own volition and no one has ever turned to God without exercising their volition. God draws, and man exercises his volition to accept. If a person is not drawn by God they will never accept Him on their own.