This article will be another angle on God’s sovereignty and
man’s responsibility regarding coming to Christ. I recently listened to a
message where a theologian attended a college to interview students regarding
if they believed they were “good enough” to go to heaven. Most of the responses
were typical: yeah, I’m a good person. I’m not as bad as some other people. I’m
nice to people and so on.
But, what does the Bible have to say about our own
righteousness? Let’s review some passages.
Isaiah 64:6a says, but we are all like an unclean thing, and
all our righteousness are like filthy rags.
Proverbs 20:6, 9 says, most men will proclaim each his own
goodness, but who can find a faithful man? Who can say, I have made my heart
clean, I am pure from my sin?
Nobody.
In Daniel Chapter 4 King Nebuchadnezzar tragically attributed
his power and might and glory to himself. What happened to him? He lost his
mind for seven years, roamed in the grass like an Ox, grew feathers and claws
like a bird. After his humiliation, his mind was restored by God, and he gave God glory for everything. He realized all power
came from the God of Israel.
Romans 3 declares the following, there is none righteous, no
not one. There is none who understands, there
is none that seeks after God, they have all turned aside, they have
together become unprofitable; there
is none who does good, no not one (vs. 10-12).
Romans 3:20 says that by the deeds of the law no flesh (italics mine) shall be
justified in His sight.
Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God.
John 3:18-19 we read, He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light (Christ) has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
These few verses teach that man is a hopeless sinful creature
by nature. Our nature is bent toward evil, not righteousness. For anyone to
claim they are “good” is woefully
blind, and very much deceived. They have no clue about their inherent evil and
the pervasiveness of their sin.
Jesus referred to us as evil (by nature) in Luke 11:13. Any
description Jesus gave regarding man was true for He knew all men, and did not
need for anyone to tell him about man for He knows what is in man (John
2:24-25).
Now that it has been established that man is evil and bent
toward it, how can we find acceptance with God? How can man who is as hopeless
as he can be come to a point where he can become righteous, good, holy in God’s
sight? Is there some type of activity that we can perform; is there a way for
us to remove the barrier of our own stubborn resistance; if we can just dig
down real deep, analyze our dilemma and like the Buddhist rid ourselves of all
our unhealthy desires with chanting, meditation and good karma?
How many days should we engage in this purging exercise; a few
days, few weeks, a few months or years? What about fasting and prayer?
Certainly this will cleanse our bodies, souls, and minds to hear clearly what
the universe is telling us right? What If we become pantheists? Will that make
us closer to God and even gods ourselves because we have become one with the
universe?
What about giving to the poor and visiting the sick?
Certainly that will help us score points with God right? I heard a person say
once because of her “good deeds” she believed she should get “Jesus Points”.
Those were her exact words. What did she mean? Translation – her deeds should
earn her a place in heaven. All she has to do is cash in her “Jesus Rewards Card points”, and God has
to grant her entrance into the pearly gates.
See how confusing this madness sounds? That’s what I love
about the word of God. It proscribes only one way to God.
Jesus in John 14:6 said, I am the way, the truth, and the
life. No man comes unto the Father but by me.
Acts 4:12 reads, nor is there salvation in any other. For
there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.
Isaiah 43:11, I, even I am the Lord and besides me there is
no savior.
Oh the simplicity of the wisdom and knowledge of God is
amazing! Just believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).
There is nothing to figure out. No works or strenuous activity that has to be
done to earn God’s favor. In actuality, earning the favor of God is an
oxymoron.
See everyone knows they are not perfect, and everyone knows
they are a sinful to some degree or another. The problem is that most do not
know how horrible our sinful ways cost the only begotten Son of God His very
life. The Perfect had to die for the imperfect. The Guiltless died for the
guilty. The Righteous for the unrighteous. The Holy One for the unholy ones. The
Living for the dead.
This is the revelation we must get. Natural man is sinful
by birth. Natural man is also a dead man spiritually. For the wages of sin is
death. But the gift of God (italics
mine) is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 6:23).
We have a most serious problem. Since natural man is spiritually
dead, how can we be made alive from our deadness?
Can these bones live?
The Lord asked the prophet Ezekiel that very question in
chapter 37 of his book. The prophet was caught up in a vision by the Spirit and
saw a valley of dry bones which represented the nation of Israel- currently
regarded as dead at that time. Once Ezekiel spoke to the bones, they began to
connect, bone by bone, along with the sinews, skin and flesh. Once the prophet
spoke to the wind the bodies became alive again (or was born again), and stood
up on their feet. What was going on here?
The vision Ezekiel saw was the future rebirth and salvation
of the nation Israel. Ezekiel lived during the Babylon captivity and was taken
captive himself in 597 B.C. by King Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel was a contemporary
of the prophet Daniel and mentions him in 14:14, 20; 28:3.
The point the writer wants to make regarding this account is
that the only way these bones could
come to life is that God had to command through the power of His word for them
to do so. Obviously the dead can never come to life on their own. Only the
power of God can raise the dead and give new life. This is exactly what Ezekiel
saw in his vision.
Jesus and Nicodemus
When the Pharisee Nicodemus met Jesus at night in John 3,
Jesus explained to him how he must be born again (literally born from above) in
order to see the kingdom of God (vs. 3). Nicodemus totally clueless as to what
Jesus meant by the phrase born again replied, “how can a man be born when he is
old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (vs.4).
Jesus answered, “most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is
born of water (not water baptism), and the Spirit he can not enter the kingdom
of God. Listen to the next verse very carefully, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the Spirit is Spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be
born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but
cannot tell where it comes from where it goes. So is everyone who is born of
the Spirit” (vs. 5-7).
Jesus teaches Nicodemus a masterpiece of instruction on
salvation in just a few verses. Let’s review them.
In verse 4 Nicodemus has no idea what Jesus is talking about.
He would later for he eventually became a believer, and along with Joseph of
Arimathea gave Jesus a proper burial (John 19:39).
Jesus in verse 6 indicates that as everyone has a natural
birth (the flesh), in order for one to be born again, one MUST have a spiritual
birth (the Spirit). The spiritual birth is being born again or being born from
above, or being born from heaven.
How can this
rebirth take place?
Jesus gives us an illustration of the wind that blows. The
wind blows wherever it wants to blow. We can never see it; it is invisible to
us, but we can feel it’s effect and power when it blows upon us. No one can
tell the wind where to blow or what to do. Likewise with the Holy Spirit. He
brings to life whomever He wants to. No one tells the Spirit what to do. He is
autonomous. We do not know when the Spirit initially falls upon a person for
the initial transformation of a life He affects is invisible, but we know
afterward when we see the many lives transformed by His power.
This is the message Jesus was conveying to Nicodemus to which
he said, “how can these things be?” (vs.9).
That same question Nicodemus asked Jesus is the same one most
of the world is asking today.
The idea that God has to save us, and the way He does it is
foreign to our corrupt finite minds.
Who chooses who?
Mankind are control freaks. It is inherent in our nature. The
idea that someone, namely God Almighty tells us that in order for us to obtain
eternal life we must go through Jesus Christ is repulsive to us. It leaves us
totally helpless, powerless to contribute to our own destiny. When it comes to
our life and eternity, we control nothing at all. Anything we do is by divine
allowance and authority. We are here to serve God. Those that refuse to do so
will be eliminated – remember that! God refuses to share his glory with anyone
(Isaiah 42:8).
Proverbs 19:21 says, there are many plans in a man’s heart,
nevertheless the Lord’s counsel will stand.
Isaiah 46:10 says, declaring the end from the beginning, and
from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying My counsel shall stand,
and I will do all my pleasure.
Psalm 115:3, but our God is heaven. He does whatever He
pleases.
Jesus said in John 15:16a to the disciples, “you did not
choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.
Jesus in talking about the inability of man says this, “no
one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him (John 6:44a).
What do these verses tell us? Everything that has to do with
salvation is God’s doing not man’s. It is God’s plan so it will be successful
and is continually being successful. When God decides to save a life, that life
will be saved – no matter what. How? Because only God has the power to raise
the dead to life. We covered that earlier.
When did God choose us? Ephesians 1:4 says before the world
was created. This is also mentioned in I Peter 1:20 and Acts 13:48.
Why did God choose some
for salvation before the world was created? Why not choose them after they
believed on Jesus?
Had God chose man after man believed on Jesus it would have
destroyed God’s predetermined plan of election. As I have mentioned in previous
articles, man’s faith cannot dictate God’s election. God’s election is what
dictates man’s faith.
Man also can not exercise saving faith before he is born. If
that were true, it would be no need for man to be born again. Man would be
saved before he exited the womb; meaning he would have been born spiritually
before he was born naturally (please bear with me. I’m taking this thought to
it’s most illogical conclusion). Remember man is born spiritually dead, and we
know a corpse can not do anything but be dead (Eph 2:1; Col 2:13). So, just
like Jesus commanded by the power of His word for Lazarus to rise from death
(John 11:43-44), the Spirit of God raises the spiritually dead out of their
graves to brand new life (Rom 6:4; Eph 2:1; Col 2:13). After man has been regenerated
(made alive), then God grants him faith to believe the gospel and be saved.
Once again that powerful text in Ephesians 2:8-9, for by
grace (unmerited favor) you have been saved (how) through faith, and that not
of yourselves; it is the gift (italics
mine) of God, not of works (i.e. human effort) lest anyone should boast.
So these verses answer the question as to why God chose us
before the earth was formed. So He would get all the glory and praise. Man does
not get the glory, but definitely receives all the benefits. The verses above
tell us that both faith and salvation are gifts God grants to man. This proves
that God has to choose man first. Man is dead until God prophesies over him
with the power of his word like Ezekiel did when he saw the valley of dry
bones. We had no control over when we were naturally born, and we have no
control over our rebirth. Let’s take a look at the life of Paul (formerly Saul)
for a clear illustration.
Saul was one of the ring leaders of the Pharisees who was
persecuting Christians. As he was on his way to Damascus to arrest believers
the Bible says a light shone from heaven, he fell to the ground and heard the
voice of Christ say to him, “Saul Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he
said, “Who are you Lord?” Then He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he (Saul) trembling and
astonished said, “Lord what do you want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him,
“Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must (italics mine) do”. (Acts 9:4-6).
In verse 15 of this same chapter Jesus appears to His servant
Ananias and tells him that Saul is a chosen
vessel of Mine to bear His name among the Gentiles, kings, and the children of
Israel.
How did Paul’s transformation take place?
Jesus literally knocked him off his high horse, and told Paul
what he had to do. No choice in the matter. Paul was a chosen vessel of God’s
before the world was created despite the fact he was a persecutor of the Church.
When Jesus encountered Paul He brought Him back to life (regenerated). When he
was healed from blindness by Ananias, he also received the gospel and was
baptized into the body of Christ (saved) (Acts 9:18).
Another view I need to point out is this; if God decided to
choose man after he believed in Jesus none of the verses in the Bible that deal
with predestination and sovereign election would make any sense. Man would be
controlling the strings in the whole salvation process which would make God
impotent and dependent upon man who is dead in trespasses and sins to activate his
own salvation. If man could activate his own salvation; that is give himself
life, what does he need God for? Man would become his own deity.
Conclusion
No man can boast about his salvation. We did not invent it,
and naturally we do not want it as it is proscribed in the Bible. The only way
we desire biblical salvation is that God resurrects us and gives us a heart a
flesh removing the heart of stone (Ezek 36:26-27). When this happens we become sensitive
and experience genuine remorse when we hear the gospel and our most desperate
need for contrition and forgiveness of our sins. All of this is contingent upon
God making us alive. If God does not resurrect the dead spiritually, salvation for
man is impossible.
So when Nicodemus asked Jesus, “how can these things be” making reference to being born again, it is indeed impossible with man, but not with God. For with Him all things are possible (Matt 19:26; Luke 1:37).