Total Inability
Romans 3:10-11 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.When a sinner seeks God and comes to place his faith and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ, this person receives the free gift of eternal life. In Romans 3:10-11, Paul is stating unequivocally that no one seeks God. That means 0.0% of sinners seek God on their own. In Romans 8:8 Paul even says it is impossible for sinners to please God, which would certainly include seeking God. Jesus says it is impossible for sinners to seek God unless God has enabled them (John 6:65). Paul refers to this condition as being dead in sin (Eph. 2:1). He means that sinners are not just seriously ill, but they are dead to spiritual concerns such as seeking God in and of themselves.
Therefore, it is evident that man is unable to come to salvation unless God does something. Man has a total inability in and of himself to seek or come to God unless God intervenes. The cat (Jazzy's sister Cuffy) in the above picture may appear to be reading the book, but she does not have the ability to do so. She may as well be blind as far as reading and understanding anything in the book. Sinners are also blind to the things of God because they are spiritually dead and must be quickened by the power of God to new life before they can respond in any way. This quickening power of God is called grace, and it is irresistible as John 6:37 points out.
Conclusion: Nobody seeks God in and of themselves because they are dead in sin and unable to respond unless God intervenes. This intervention is called grace and is applied by the Holy Spirit.
Praise God that he does not leave sinners in their hopeless condition of total inability.
This is part one of five parts of a series that originally ran at Bluecollar Team Blog on the doctrines of grace.
8 comments:
I agree, only God can "quicken" a dead spirit.
Good post.
I have a Scripture I'd like to run by you, and let me know your thoughts.
"That they should seek the Lord ..."
Seems here Paul is saying God established the nations the way He did so that people would seek Him.
" .. if perhaps thsy might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us". Acts 17:27
Good analogy, Wayne.
I have no doubt whatsoever, however, that Jazzy can read your mind! She gets what she wants, doesn't she?
What is that saying - Dogs have owners, cats have servants, or something like that?
Your analogy is good here. We are bound by our natures. To God and God alone be the glory! Man cannot save himself, nor is God bound by our "free will" (puh!).
Don,
Good question. I am not sure how you reconcile Romans 3:10-11 with Acts 17:27. In Romans it seems Paul is speaking of spiritual seeking and understanding while in Acts it is more of an acknowledgement that a supreme being God exists and a longing to understand more since special revelation was not yet available. What do you think?
Susan,
I thought at first glance I had a new commentor at Jazzycat, but I see it is the same Susan with a later picture.
I believe our will is free in every respect and that until God intervenes fallen human beings will not choose the spiritual things of God.....
Jazzy illustration: Jazzy has for a couple of weeks been watching squirrels and all kinds of birds feed on sunflower seeds that my wife throws out to them. Yesterday Jazzy went outside and I looked out the front window and she was laying right in the middle of the seeds daring anything to come. Even though she has never missed a meal, she has a predator nature that kicks in. Her "free will doesn't allow for her to deny her nature."
I got a photo of it that I will probably use by and by.....
I suppose there may be a spiritual missing link here.
No one seeks, but God wants us to seek Him.
It's as though we are blind, and yet reaching out with our hands to feel for God in the darkness.
Aaaahhhhh...I made it back!
So good to read your concisely written thoughts again. I believe it is human pride that prevents us from understanding that the Holy Spirit MUST be behind any movement toward God. We think far too highly of our "ability." I wish we still used good old words like "quickening!"
Good to see you again, bro!
I gots to quote da man here..."I believe it is human pride that prevents us from understanding that the Holy Spirit MUST be behind any movement toward God. We think far too highly of our "ability." I wish we still used good old words like "quickening!"
Good stuff!
Dave and Mark,
Thanks so much. Dave, good to see you back.
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