"And I, if I be lifted up,will draw all unto me." (KJV)
"And I, when I am lifted up, will draw all people to myself." (TNIV)
There's that world ALL again. Does all mean all? Once again, we have the crisis of literalism. If we choose to interpret certain scriptures literally, namely, the ones that seem to claim that not everyone is saved, then we are forced to once again believe that Jesus didn't really mean ALL when He says ALL. That he only meant some, his special dudes.
I'm sorry to those of you who favor either election (meaning, God has pre-destined a certain number of people to be saved, and the rest were sunk from the start; or those who believe in the free will doctrine, which in the end puts US in charge of the Universe and not God. If I get to CHOOSE to follow Christ, then God in Christ is NOT my savior -- I am. To me that doesn't make any sense at all either.
I choose to believe in MY version of selective literalism -- namely the one that makes God infinitely merciful, infinitely powerful, infinitely loving. But that'sjust me. You are entitled to another interpretation of the data.