The human heart, as described in Scripture, is deeply flawed and incapable of seeking God on its own. This truth lies at the core of understanding salvation as an act of God’s sovereign will, not human effort. Through key biblical passages, we see that salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace, initiated and completed by His divine will.
The Deceitful Heart of Humanity
Jeremiah 17:9 declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” This verse paints a stark picture of human nature, revealing our inherent sinfulness. Similarly, Romans 3:10-12 reinforces this truth: “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.’” These passages make it clear that humanity, in its fallen state, is wholly incapable of righteousness or seeking God without divine intervention. Our natural inclinations lead us away from God, not toward Him.
Given this reality, how could anyone choose to believe in Christ’s completed work on the cross through their own free will? The answer is simple: we cannot. Our sinful nature renders us spiritually dead, unable to initiate faith or salvation on our own.
Drawn by the Father’s Will
Jesus Himself affirms this in John 6:44: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” This verse underscores that it is God who initiates the process of salvation. Human will is insufficient; only the Father’s drawing power can bring us to faith in Christ. Salvation, therefore, is not a result of our desires or efforts but of God’s sovereign will.
This truth is further clarified in John 1:12-13: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Our salvation does not stem from human lineage, personal desire, or effort—it is entirely a work of God’s Spirit.
Born Again by God’s Spirit
The necessity of being “born again” is central to the Christian faith. In John 3:5-7, Jesus explains, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” This spiritual rebirth is not something we can achieve through our own will; it is a divine act of God’s Spirit, regenerating us and enabling us to respond in faith.
The Apostle Peter echoes this in 1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” God’s mercy is the catalyst for our regeneration, granting us a living hope through Christ’s resurrection.
God’s Spirit Enables Obedience
God’s transformative work continues beyond initial salvation. Ezekiel 36:27 promises, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live in obedience to God, a task impossible for the unregenerate heart. Even when we were “dead in trespasses,” God’s mercy made us alive in Christ, as Ephesians 2:4-5 declares: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”
Salvation: A Gift of Grace
Salvation is not something we earn or achieve. Ephesians 2:8-10 beautifully summarizes this: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Faith itself is a gift from God, not a product of human effort. Our good works flow from this salvation, not as a means to earn it but as evidence of God’s transformative grace.
Predestined by God’s Sovereign Choice
God’s plan for salvation was established before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4-6 states, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” This passage highlights God’s sovereign choice in electing those who would be saved, not based on human merit but according to His divine will.
God’s mercy and grace are His to give as He wills. Romans 9:15 quotes God’s words to Moses: “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” Salvation is not a universal entitlement but a gift bestowed upon those whom God has chosen.
Christ’s Sacrifice for His Elect
While Christ’s crucifixion was sufficient to atone for all sin, its efficacy is applied only to those God has chosen—His elect, the Church. Jesus says in John 10:14-16, “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” Christ’s sacrifice was specifically for His sheep, those predestined for salvation.
This is further emphasized in Acts 20:28: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Christ’s blood was shed to redeem the Church, ensuring its sanctification and purity. Ephesians 5:25-27 elaborates, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
Perseverance of the Saints
Those whom God has chosen and redeemed will persevere in faith. Philippians 1:6 assures us, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God’s saving work is not temporary; it endures to the end. Jesus confirms this in John 10:27-29: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” The security of the believer is rooted in God’s unyielding power and faithfulness.
Conclusion: Soli Deo Gloria
Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace, from beginning to end. Our sinful hearts cannot choose God, but His Spirit draws us, regenerates us, and enables us to walk in His ways. Christ’s sacrifice was for His elect, securing their salvation and sanctification. Those whom God has chosen will persevere, held securely in His hand. To Him alone belongs the glory—Soli Deo Gloria.