Salvation Takes a Miracle of God!

          "A lost man is enslaved by his sin.  So even if he knows better, even if he
     knows that God is wrathful against sin, he's going to keep on doing what he's
     doing, because he's depraved, and he has no power to stop himself."

          "The essence of being lost is to know the wrath of God, to know that you
     are a sinner, and yet to continue on in sin."

                                                                                 Tom Chantry
                                                                                 Thirsty Theologian Blog
                                                                                 June 28, 2012


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                                     "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions
                                       and sins, in which you used to live when you fol-
                                       lowed the ways of this world and of the ruler of
                                       the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at
                                       work in those who are disobedient."

                                     "All of us also lived among them at one time,
                                       gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and
                                       following its desires and thoughts.  Like the rest,
                                       we were by nature objects of wrath."
                                                                                    Ephesians 2:1-3

                          
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          The lost person can never change himself enough to come to God on his own.


                                     "For those who live according to the flesh
                                      set their minds on the things of the flesh,
                                      but those who live according to the Spirit
                                      set their minds on the things of the Spirit."

                                    "For to set the mind on the flesh is death,
                                      but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and
                                      peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh
                                      is hostile to God, for it does not submit to
                                      God's law;  indeed it cannot.  Those who
                                      are in the flesh cannot please God."
                                                                                    Romans 8:5-8


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          In fact, the lost person cannot come to God unless the Father draws him.


                                    "No one can come to me unless the father who
                                     sent me draws him."
                                    
                                                                                     John 6:44a


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          Only the power of God, through Jesus Christ, can take a person who is dead
     in sin and raise him to new life!


                                    "No one can come to me unless the father who
                                     sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up
                                     on the last day."
                                                                                   John 6:44a&b


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           Because God loves His people, and is gracious and merciful, even though 
     we were dead in our sins, He makes us alive with Christ.
   


                                   "But because of His great love for us, God, who
                                     is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even
                                     when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by
                                     grace you have been saved."
                                                                                       Ephesians 2:4-5


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          God gives His people a new heart and puts His Spirit in us, so that we can
     believe in Him and follow Him.  What the lost man is unable to do on his own,
     becomes possible through God's regenerating and saving power.


                                   "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you
                                    will be clean;  I will cleanse you from all
                                    your impurities and from all your idols."

                                   "I will give you a new heart and put a new
                                    spirit in you;  I will remove from you your
                                    heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."

                                   "And I will put my Spirit in you and move
                                    you to follow my decrees and be careful
                                    to keep my laws.  You will live in the land
                                    I gave your forefathers;  you will be my
                                    people, and I will be your God."

                                   "I will save you from all your uncleanness."
                                                                                 Ezekiel 36:25-29a


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                       Salvation is a miracle from God!