Jan 15
10
Things of which man is able
The enemies of the free and sovereign grace of God claim that those of us, who believe and preach it, take away sinful man’s responsibility. We believe that he is totally unable apart from Divine Grace to do anything good in the sight of God that he is unable apart from being born again to do anything spiritual towards God. Though we believe and preach man’s spiritual and moral inability to save himself or commend himself to God there are some things we believe he is able by himself to do apart from being influenced by anything but his own wicked nature;
1. He is able by his own power to sin. He was conceived in sin, shapen in iniquity. (Ps .51:5)
2. He is able because of his nature to be in rebellion against the rule and commands of God Almighty. (Ex. 5:2)
3. He can hate God and righteousness as revealed in Christ; it is shown by his unwillingness to come to Christ for pardon and life.
4. He is able to perform “good works” (though unacceptable to God) as long as he can be recognized for them and get a pat on the back from his fellows.
5. He is able by his own ability to reject the testimony of God concerning his absolute sinfulness, God’s absolute Sovereignty, Christ as absolute Savior.
The scriptures say that man is DEAD in his sins. Dead men cannot give themselves life. Our message is this; “Sinner cast yourself at the feet of Christ saying; “if you WILL thou canst make me clean” for He alone can give life to a dead sinner. If men won’t come to Christ for life, why should they be angry with God for putting them in hell?
Don Bell