Man's Inability to Save Himself

          This is part two in a series on "free will."

          The following passage of scripture demonstrates man's inability
     to do anything to save himself.
          Man is unable to do so without God's sovereign action causing it.


                                              *****************


                                        10"He was in the world,
                                         and the world was made through Him,
                                         yet the world did not know Him.

                                        11 He came to His own,
                                         and His own people did not receive Him.
                     
                                         12 But to all who did receive Him,
                                         who believed in His name,
                                         He gave the right to become children of God,
                                         13 who were born, not of blood,
                                         nor of the will of the flesh
                                         nor of the will of man,
                                         but of God."
                                                                         John 1:10-13


          Verse 13 is used by many to say that man must DO something to be saved,
     that we must "receive" Jesus by faith.

          Yes, we must receive Jesus by repenting and trusting in Him, but repentance
     and faith are both gifts from God. They do not come from within man.


          REPENTANCE

                                           "Godly sorrow brings repentance
                                             that leads to salvation ..."
                                                                 2 Corinthians 7:10a

          Our repentance is not our own, but comes from God. 
     We would never repent unless God granted repentance to us.


          FAITH

                                           "This (standing firm in the faith) is a sign
                                             to them (those who oppose you) that they
                                             will be destroyed, but that YOU WILL BE SAVED -
                                             AND THAT BY GOD.

                                             For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ
                                             NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE ON HIM,
                                             but also to suffer for Him ..."
                                                                       Philippians 1:28b-29


          Faith is a gift from God.  We would never believe without this gift.

                                                    
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           Now, let's go back to John 1:12-13.


          VERSE 12

          So, to be saved, we must receive Jesus through God's grace.
    
          When we receive Him we become "children of God" (v.12).

          "Fallen human beings are not children of God by nature; this is the privilege
     only of those who have faith, a faith generated in them by the sovereign action
     of God."           (Reformation Study Bible Commentary)

    

          VERSE 13
   
          We DO NOT become His children by being "born of blood" (v13).
    
          "Blood" may refer either to lineal descent (that is, blood from one's father
     and mother), or to the Old Testament sacrificial system (that is, the various
     blood sacrifices).  Neither is the basis for birth into the family of God."
                               (Holman Christian Standard Bible Commentary)
    
   

          We become His children born "not of the will of the flesh (v13). 
    "Flesh" refers to man here.  WE ARE NOT BORN INTO GOD'S FAMILY BY
     OUR OWN FREE WILL.


          We become His children "not of the will of man (v13).
    
          " 'Will of man' means not of human lineage, or of human capacity, or of
     human volition."      (HCSB Commentary)


                                                       *************
    

          We do not become a child of God through our heritage or free will,
     but only by being "born of God" (v13).

          This is regeneration, or the new birth, which is a miracle wrought by the Holy Spirit
     (John 3:3-8). 

          Regeneration is God's giving spiritual life to a dead sinner, who is unable to do anything
     to bring spiritual life to himself.

          This regeneration leads to repentance and faith, resulting in salvation,

          AND SALVATION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAN'S FREE WILL!