Man’s Moral and Natural Ability, Part 11

We do not believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to be born again; we are born again in order that we may believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Those who still desperately want to see man with a little bit of moral, natural and spiritual ability to exercise faith in God will go to the same chapter of John 3 and point out verse 16:  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Does this famous and often quoted verse teach that man has at least some ability to choose Christ? No. Arminians will say that according to this verse, everyone in the world has within their power the ability to accept or reject Christ.

But if you look carefully at the passage, it teaches no such thing. All this verse is saying is that “everyone who believes in Christ will be saved.”  That is, “Whoever does A (believes in Jesus) will receive B (everlasting life).”  The verse says nothing about who ever believe.  It teaches nothing about fallen man’s natural and moral ability.

All bible-believing Christians agree that all who believe in Jesus will be saved. What we disagree on is “WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO BELIEVE.”

“But pastor Rich, doesn’t John 3:16 imply that man has the ability within himself to believe in Christ?”

Yes, the implication of natural ability to exercise faith in God may be seen within the verse.  However, what you must not forget regarding the proper rules of bible interpretation is that, “an implied interpretation always gives way to an interpretation that is explicit.”   If you raise man’s natural ability to choose Christ above Jesus’ explicit teaching about man’s inability to come to the Father without one hundred percent divine enablement, then you have broken a fundamental rule of bible interpretation and have raised a teaching contrary to the Scriptures.

End of Part 11