Salvation Begins with God not with Man

Photo by Nathan Reading

Scripture: Luke 10:21-22

At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.  “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

Insights: Versus like today have often been seen as controversial in church history.  Ever since Arminius wrote his theology there has been a debate surrounding the doctrine of soteriology, salvation. For many the sovereignty of God and the free will of man are two irreconcilable belief systems.  At different stages of church history we have leaned heavily to one end or the other of this spectrum. In C.H. Spurgeon's England hyper Calvinism was running rampant until he came on the scene. In this hyper Calvinistic mindset the sovereignty of God was so over taught that one did not participate in evangelism. In other words, because God is sovereign whoever was going to be saved, would be saved and no human activity was required.  To the other extreme, however, there were individuals in human history who believed it was all based upon man's free will and his innovation. These individuals would use whatever technique was available and advantageous to them for the manipulation of the gospel. As a result of their extreme, many individuals experienced false conversions or even doubted their own salvation. The reality is both God's sovereignty and man's free will are a part of the salvation process. In today’s verses we see that only those whom the Son wills to reveal God are able to know God. In John chapter 6 we are even told that no one comes to the Son unless the Father first draws him.  So the place where salvation is birthed is in the heart of God. No one seeks after God until the Father first puts this drawing in their hearts toward Him. Once God puts this drawing in their hearts, however, then man's free will comes into play and this individual must receive this gift. As Spurgeon once said these two friends do not have to be reconciled.

Questions:

1. Have you felt God's drawing upon your heart?

2. Have you embraced God’s amazing grace as He has drawn on you?

Prayer: Father, thank You for being the savior of my soul. Continue to draw on my heart and help me to walk humbly with You as my God.  Amen.

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