SALVATION IS THE WORK OF GOD

Man is neither spiritually nor intellectually capable of choosing to be saved from God's eternal judgment.  Man is spiritually dead the moment he consciously sins, and is therefore unaware of his need for salvation (Rev. 3:17, 20).  Romans 5:12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."  The very day Adam sinned, he died spiritually (Gen. 2:17),  and with the exception of Jesus, every man who has ever lived has sinned and died spiritually (Heb. 4:15; Rom. 3:23; etc.).  That is why it is necessary for a man to be born again of the Spirit (Jn. 3:3-8).  Obliviously, if one is unaware of his need for salvation, he is also ignorant of the importance of accepting God's gracious offer of salvation based upon simply receiving His gift by faith (Jn. 1:11-12; 3:18, 36; Rom. 10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9; etc).

Fortunately, God is a merciful and loving God, not wishing any to perish, but that all would repent and trust in His Son (2 Pet. 3:9; Lk. 24:47; Jn. 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; etc.).  That is why the Word of God says that He, through the death (and by implication, the Resurrection of His son) draws all men unto Jesus that they might believe in Him and be saved.  John 6:44-45 say, "No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.  It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.  Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father , cometh unto Me" (Rom. 10:9-13).  John 12:32-33 give us the scope of God's drawing of man:  "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.  This He said, signifying what death He should die."  Just as when the "brazen serpent," placed upon the pole for all to look upon and be saved, whosoever is willing to "look upon Jesus," will be saved (Num. 21:5-9; Heb. 12:2).

Because God has said He draws all men to Jesus, and therefore, draws all men unto Himself, man is without excuse, if when he dies, he is judged and sentenced to an eternity in torment.  He can not plead that, as a spiritually dead man, he was not capable of understanding spiritual truth.  He can not plead that, the plan of God is a mystery to unregenerated man, and therefore, he is not guilty.  God will have drawn every man to Jesus.  When His Son was lifted up on that rough hewn cross, nailed openly for the whole world to see, God was making it possible for the world to not only see Him, but that the whole world might see Him and be saved.  His Spirit convicts every man of sin, righteous, and judgment, and he is therefore without excuse (Jn. 16:7-11). 

Religion is the working of man; salvation is the work of God!