It may seem a harsh sentiment; but he who in his soul believes that man does of his own free-will turn to God, cannot have been taught of God, for that is one of the first principles taught us when God begins with us, that we have neither will nor power, but that He gives both; that He is “Alpha and Omega” in the salvation of men.
– C.H. Spurgeon
1834 – 1892
amen π
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Amen indeed.
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Not harsh at all – simply Truth. I am having a conversation with a self professing Wesleyan and he admits that man’s free will only extends to his nature and we are, by nature enemies of God and dead in sin. But yet – he cannot let go of his man-centered theology. Pray for Bret to see the Truth.
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AmEn aMeN and AMEN!
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God is the Alpha and Omega in the salvation of men, but that in no way implies that men do not freely choose whether to submit to the grace of God in the Gospel. God forces no man to love Him, but as with Adam, gives him the choice, to obey or reject the glorious Good News. Man cannot boast in his decision because God opened his eyes and God gives faith to believe, but the choice remains for him to make.
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Two great pillars of the faith, God’s Sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Both hold up the church.
I agree it seems that we make a choice, and doesn’t that make us feel so high and mighty, but we could never make that choice if we weren’t first drawn to the irresistable grace of God!
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