There is one truth that has been continually present in my own life as I pursue God in His Word – I am confronted with how wicked I truly am.  Some of you who know me might be saying “I could’ve told him that”, but let’s just give one example – The Bible tells me I should love my neighbor as myself.  The problem is, I don’t.  I would question the honesty of anyone who said they truly did all the time.  We see in how we spend our time and money that we value our own comfort above those around us.  How did we get to be so selfish?  Was this something we were taught?  Is it televisions fault?  Was it our parents fault?

The reality for anyone who has children or has been around children for any amount of time, is that you can see this behavior from the earliest of age.  While it’s true that society, parents, friends, and others may have a negative influence over us, they are not establishing our bent toward selfishness, only reinforcing it.  They may plant seeds, but the soil of our soul was already sinful.

Professing Christians even want to inject themselves into salvation by saying “I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior” or “I put my trust in Jesus”.  Now, if they are talking about their experience, then ok, but if they mean that they believe they actually did something in themselves to “effectualize” salvation for themselves, I would want to ask them a question.  Can an orange come from an apple tree?  Can a leopard change his spots?  How then could you, being a sinner, awaken yourself to see the glory of God in Jesus Christ, and follow Him?  You couldn’t.  Can’t happen.  Some people say that Jesus died for every sin, except for the sin of unbelief.  Well if that’s true, we’re all in big trouble, we’re all going to hell.  Why?

Genesis 6:5 – “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

Romans 3:10-12 – “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

If we as man, are left alone to “choose to believe”, then no one will.  The good news of the gospel is that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  There is NOTHING good in you, that is in your flesh.  Why is this good news?  When Christ died on the cross, He ACTUALLY saved you.  In that moment, every one of your sins past, present, and future (most importantly your unbelief) were crucified on a cross, that our boast before God would not be that “we chose right”, but that Jesus Christ has saved us.

So why evangelize?  God has chosen to sanctify us, and glorify Himself, through using us as ambassadors for Christ.  We are the means  by which God will call many to Himself.  It means that when I preach the gospel, I am not anxious over my word choice, to wonder if someone will make a “decision”, but I am wholly confident that from beginning to end, God is the author of salvation.

Philippians 1:6 – ^“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” 

God began the work of salvation, and He will complete it in the presence of the Lord.  When you see Him, you will be like Him.

1 Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Philippians 3:20-21 – “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

So if we die, and we find ourselves in hell, whose fault is that?  Our fault.  If we die and find ourselves in the presence of the Lord for eternity, whose fault is it that?  God’s fault.   No one comes to the Lord willingly; He (she) is ripped from the bondage of sin, given a new heart with new affections for the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, to delight in obedience to Him and fellowship with Him.  Even the words spoken to confess Jesus Christ as Lord are given to a person, not by the flesh, but by the Spirit that now indwells him (her).  1 Corinthians 12:3 – “Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”

My hope is for your hearts to be encouraged, that from beginning to end, God is the author of salvation, 100%.  Let your assurance rest solely in the work of Christ.  Let your boast be not in a confession, but the finished work of Jesus Christ.  Dwell on His finished work, and let your love for Him be manifested to those around you.  “It is Finished”.  God did not die to make us saveable, but He actually saved us.  Let us each, be eager for all those around us to know the Lord, and trust in the goodness of God in salvation.  10 people will hear the gospel, to 9 it will be foolishness, to 1 it will be the means God uses to lift the veil from their eyes to know their God.

Grace and Peace,
Adam