* 1 John 5:1 says, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God." The verb tenses are very revealing. As Dr. John Piper points out, a literal translation reads: "Everyone who goes on believing (pisteuon, present, continuous action) that Jesus is the Christ has been born (gennesanta, perfect, completed action with abiding effects) of God." Faith is the evidence of the new birth, not the cause of it. Since both repentance and faith are possible only because of the regenerating work of God, both are called the gift of God." ________________________________________________ Some people seem to have a hard time accepting the truths of God's Sovereign Grace in election (the truths brought out in column three in the chart above) when they first hear them, because in their minds, they tend to think that the column one scriptures concerning man's responsibility negate those in column three. They think that because God commands us as human beings to do something, man must therefore have the power within himself to do it. This was precisely the controversy that raged in the fifth century between the British monk, Pelagius, and St. Augustine of Hippo. Pelagius recoiled in horror when he read Augustine's famous prayer: "Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou dost desire." The prayer seemed harmless enough, but it outraged Pelagius. He vehemently opposed the idea that a divine gift (grace) is necessary to perform what God commands. For Pelagius and his followers, responsibility always implies ability: if man has the moral responsibility to obey the law of God, he must also have the moral ability to do it. On the opposite side in this debate was Augustine, who was equally determined to counter Pelagius' teachings, knowing that Scripture shows clearly that Divine grace is indeed necessary to empower us to do what God has commanded. The heated debate ended, at least officially, when the Church condemned Pelagius as a heretic. Augustine's doctrine of grace had triumphed. However, Pelagianism did not just go away, and indeed it will always have its adherents in every generation, for mankind is man-centered by nature. This is, perhaps, a fundamental reason as to why the truth of Divine election is often opposed. As one man commented, "we are all born as Pelagians." (For a brief review of the issues here, see our article "Three Views on Man's Condition" ). I believe in many ways, gaining a correct understanding of God's word concerning election requires a work of God's grace in our hearts, for it doesn't come naturally to us. Naturally, we tend to think that we as human beings are in charge, or at least should be given the deciding vote concerning our destiny. That's our right in a democracy, and we tend to think this is the way God would work in His kingdom too. We do not usually get overjoyed when we learn that in fact, He is the King and we are His subjects, He is the Potter and we are the clay. We tend to be champions for the cause of the clay's inherent rights and freedoms rather than the freedom of the Potter to make what He likes with the clay (which is the main point of Romans chapter 9). We tend to think of God's eternal decrees as a complete violation of our rights as clay to be what we want to be. Well, we could demonstrate, lodge a formal complaint, and even take a million signed petitions to God's throne, but perhaps the only thing that we would hear in reply would be: "Who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles." Romans 9:20-24 Indeed it is unspeakable mercy that a single sinner will be found in heaven. We should remember that no provision was ever made for sinful angels. The rebellious angels are doomed forever to destruction and darkness. The fact that the number of the redeemed is a number no man can count (Rev. 7:9), out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation (Rev. 5:9), is amazing beyond words. What mercy! What grace! This truth about election in no way negates the Christian's responsibility to evangelize. Quite the opposite, in fact. Without Sovereign election, evangelism would be the most futile activity imaginable. It would be much like a salesman trying to sell his products in a graveyard. The dead have no interest in skin cream, double glazed windows, hair loss prevention treatments, air purifiers or the latest and greatest vacuum cleaner. They are not moved, even by the greatest of sales pitches! Why not? Because, the dead are, in a word.... dead! The dead need to be raised to life before the salesman will make any sales! The same is true regarding a person coming to Christ on hearing the proclamation of the Gospel. We need to be born again (be made alive or regenerated, spiritually) before we can see or enter the kingdom of God. As Ephesians 2 tells us, man left to himself, though physically alive, and up and about walking around, is actually spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. He may or may not have an interest in some kind of religion, but one thing is certain, he has no interest in a relationship with the real God of the Bible. He walks according to the course mapped out for him in this world. He is doing what he does, because he wants to do it. He makes choices everyday about what he will eat, what he will wear, where he will spend his vacation... but one choice he will never make is to respond to the Gospel of Christ. Why? Because he doesn't want Christ. He might want some of the benefits of a walk with Christ (like peace, joy, and having purpose to life) but he doesn't want the Christ of Scripture. It is only the direct intervention of God while men are in this state of death, that changes the disposition of man's heart to desire God and to be right with Him. Hearts are changed from God haters into God lovers by His all conquering grace alone. The Apostle Paul tells the Christians at Ephesus: And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)... (Eph. 2:1-5) There is one thing, and only one thing that differentiates the redeemed in heaven and those who will suffer the eternal punishment of hell. It is not something found within the creature, but within the Sovereign heart and purposes of God himself. It is a five letter word called GRACE. It is by God's grace alone that any of us are saved. Christ chosen sheep will hear Christ's voice (John 10: 26). That in fact is our only hope in evangelism - but it is a certain hope, for Christ will make sure that His sheep hear and respond to His voice. Jesus said, "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd." (John 10: 16) The truth is that God ordains both the ends - His chosen sheep who will hear Christ's voice, and the means - prayer, and the preaching of the Gospel to all. We don't know who the elect are. They are not walking around the countryside with the letter "E" for Elect stamped upon their foreheads. We are therefore to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone, knowing ahead of time, that only His elect will respond to the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 13:48). "But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. 2:13-14 (NASB) "... just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace..." Ephesians 1:4-6 (NASB) "...for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls..." Romans 9:11 (NASB) "So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy." Romans 9:16 (NASB) 2551 W. Orange Grove Road Tucson, AZ 85741 |
YOU MUST... YOU CAN'T... BUT GOD! MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY, INABILITY AND GOD'S ENABLING GRACE Pastor John Samson |
The Responsibility of Man Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near: Isaiah 55:6 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ... 1 John 3:23 God...commands all men every where to repent. Acts 17:30 . . . whoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17b You must be born again. John 3:7 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,... John 1:12 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord Romans 10:9 ...make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 18:31 Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved... Acts 16:31 |
The Inability of Man No one can come to Me.. John 6:44a men loved the darkness rather than the Light...and will not come into the light... John 3:19, 20 There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God. Romans 3:11 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so. Romans 8:7 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God. John 8:47 ...the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him John 14:7 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy Romans 9:16 . . .unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3a But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 1 Corinthians 2:14 no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," 1 Corinthians 12:3b The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick Jeremiah 17:9 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. John 10:26 (This chart is loosely based on one by Lamar McKinney) |
The Enabling Grace of God ...unless the Father who sent Me draws him: and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44b But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. John 3:21 Note: Some people do come to the Light. Who are they? Those whose deeds are "manifested as having been wrought in God." "Wrought in God" means worked by God. Men come because of God's working and enabling. I was found by those who did not seek Me, I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me Romans 10:20b ...and these whom He called, He also justified; Romans 8:30 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. Acts 13:48 ...if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 2:25 Your people shall be willing in the day of Your power... Psalm 110:3a Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. 1 John 5:1* (see note below) who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:13 ...except by the Holy Spirit.. 1 Corinthians 12:3b Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. John 10:27,28 For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake Philippians 1:29 When he (Apollos) arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed. Acts 18:27 |
The Bible clearly teaches that man is responsible to repent and believe the Gospel. Yet the same Bible also reveals man's inability to do so. While dead in trespasses and sins, man's nature is that of a child of wrath, he loves darkness rather than light, will not come to the light, and has no desire to seek after God. In the following chart I seek to portray this (in the first two columns) and then in the third column, show how God's effectual grace is given to those He has predestined to show such amazing mercy. Therefore, "salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9), and all the glory for it goes to God: |
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* 1 John 5:1 says, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God." The verb tenses are very revealing. As Dr. John Piper points out, a literal translation reads: "Everyone who goes on believing (pisteuon, present, continuous action) that Jesus is the Christ has been born (gennesanta, perfect, completed action with abiding effects) of God." Faith is the evidence of the new birth, not the cause of it. Since both repentance and faith are possible only because of the regenerating work of God, both are called the gift of God." ________________________________________________ Some people seem to have a hard time accepting the truths of God's Sovereign Grace in election (the truths brought out in column three in the chart above) when they first hear them, because in their minds, they tend to think that the column one scriptures concerning man's responsibility negate those in column three. They think that because God commands us as human beings to do something, man must therefore have the power within himself to do it. This was precisely the controversy that raged in the fifth century between the British monk, Pelagius, and St. Augustine of Hippo. Pelagius recoiled in horror when he read Augustine's famous prayer: "Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou dost desire." The prayer seemed harmless enough, but it outraged Pelagius. He vehemently opposed the idea that a divine gift (grace) is necessary to perform what God commands. For Pelagius and his followers, responsibility always implies ability: if man has the moral responsibility to obey the law of God, he must also have the moral ability to do it. On the opposite side in this debate was Augustine, who was equally determined to counter Pelagius' teachings, knowing that Scripture shows clearly that Divine grace is indeed necessary to empower us to do what God has commanded. The heated debate ended, at least officially, when the Church condemned Pelagius as a heretic. Augustine's doctrine of grace had triumphed. However, Pelagianism did not just go away, and indeed it will always have its adherents in every generation, for mankind is man-centered by nature. This is, perhaps, a fundamental reason as to why the truth of Divine election is often opposed. As one man commented, "we are all born as Pelagians." (For a brief review of the issues here, see our article "Three Views on Man's Condition" ). I believe in many ways, gaining a correct understanding of God's word concerning election requires a work of God's grace in our hearts, for it doesn't come naturally to us. Naturally, we tend to think that we as human beings are in charge, or at least should be given the deciding vote concerning our destiny. That's our right in a democracy, and we tend to think this is the way God would work in His kingdom too. We do not usually get overjoyed when we learn that in fact, He is the King and we are His subjects, He is the Potter and we are the clay. We tend to be champions for the cause of the clay's inherent rights and freedoms rather than the freedom of the Potter to make what He likes with the clay (which is the main point of Romans chapter 9). We tend to think of God's eternal decrees as a complete violation of our rights as clay to be what we want to be. Well, we could demonstrate, lodge a formal complaint, and even take a million signed petitions to God's throne, but perhaps the only thing that we would hear in reply would be: "Who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles." Romans 9:20-24 Indeed it is unspeakable mercy that a single sinner will be found in heaven. We should remember that no provision was ever made for sinful angels. The rebellious angels are doomed forever to destruction and darkness. The fact that the number of the redeemed is a number no man can count (Rev. 7:9), out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation (Rev. 5:9), is amazing beyond words. What mercy! What grace! This truth about election in no way negates the Christian's responsibility to evangelize. Quite the opposite, in fact. Without Sovereign election, evangelism would be the most futile activity imaginable. It would be much like a salesman trying to sell his products in a graveyard. The dead have no interest in skin cream, double glazed windows, hair loss prevention treatments, air purifiers or the latest and greatest vacuum cleaner. They are not moved, even by the greatest of sales pitches! Why not? Because, the dead are, in a word.... dead! The dead need to be raised to life before the salesman will make any sales! The same is true regarding a person coming to Christ on hearing the proclamation of the Gospel. We need to be born again (be made alive or regenerated, spiritually) before we can see or enter the kingdom of God. As Ephesians 2 tells us, man left to himself, though physically alive, and up and about walking around, is actually spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. He may or may not have an interest in some kind of religion, but one thing is certain, he has no interest in a relationship with the real God of the Bible. He walks according to the course mapped out for him in this world. He is doing what he does, because he wants to do it. He makes choices everyday about what he will eat, what he will wear, where he will spend his vacation... but one choice he will never make is to respond to the Gospel of Christ. Why? Because he doesn't want Christ. He might want some of the benefits of a walk with Christ (like peace, joy, and having purpose to life) but he doesn't want the Christ of Scripture. It is only the direct intervention of God while men are in this state of death, that changes the disposition of man's heart to desire God and to be right with Him. Hearts are changed from God haters into God lovers by His all conquering grace alone. The Apostle Paul tells the Christians at Ephesus: And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)... (Eph. 2:1-5) There is one thing, and only one thing that differentiates the redeemed in heaven and those who will suffer the eternal punishment of hell. It is not something found within the creature, but within the Sovereign heart and purposes of God himself. It is a five letter word called GRACE. It is by God's grace alone that any of us are saved. Christ chosen sheep will hear Christ's voice (John 10: 26). That in fact is our only hope in evangelism - but it is a certain hope, for Christ will make sure that His sheep hear and respond to His voice. Jesus said, "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd." (John 10: 16) The truth is that God ordains both the ends - His chosen sheep who will hear Christ's voice, and the means - prayer, and the preaching of the Gospel to all. We don't know who the elect are. They are not walking around the countryside with the letter "E" for Elect stamped upon their foreheads. We are therefore to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone, knowing ahead of time, that only His elect will respond to the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 13:48). "But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. 2:13-14 (NASB) "... just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace..." Ephesians 1:4-6 (NASB) "...for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls..." Romans 9:11 (NASB) "So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy." Romans 9:16 (NASB) 2551 W. Orange Grove Road Tucson, AZ 85741 |
