Featured Can You Come to Christ on Your Own

Everyone that comes to Christ comes to Christ. We all agree on that. A person will believe or trust in Christ whereas before that time they did not. So where the controversy comes in is every time you see a verse that talks about people believing or repenting, "why did they do that".

I think everyone would even agree that it was by our will. In other words we choose to come. But the question again is why does this happen. I think that in our natural state we don't have a clear picture of our own sin, God's holiness, our inability to pay for what we've already done much less stop this constant offense. Worse than that, in our natural state we actually tend to oppose God and have a ruling principle of selfishness and defiance toward God. Now in my opinion, this is describing our free will. Obviously something has to happen or such a person will not decide to come to Christ. They don't see any need, and they don't think much of God anyhow. So I think there has to be work by the Holy Spirit on the inner being or mind or soul of the person.

This thread I wanted to be about the details of how this occurs. We know people have a natural conscience. We know there is a basic ability to know right from wrong. We know the Bible talks about the word giving discernment, and being sharper than a two edged sword. (I think those descriptions of the power of the word include the work of the Holy Spirit). The question was, is there enough there to allow a natural person to realize their need and come to Christ by faith. I don't think there is, myself.

The other question I had was if someone does believe that their desire to come to Christ was based only on their conscience and powers of reasoning after hearing preaching or reading God's word - in that case, is that just a mistake, or is it a sin, or is it so serious that it indicated they are not in reality, saved?

Romans 9 is a powerful chapter on election, even individual election and I have no problem with the standard reformed understanding of it. But a person who feels they chose on their own to accept the gospel still gives all the credit for being saved to the work of Christ and they understand the blessed opportunity they had in hearing the gospel.

Bottom line. Does the supremacy of God go beyond the provision of saving grace with the choice being ours? Is that really a horrible heresy? And, if the supremacy of God does go beyond that then in what way? In helping some and passing over others or in actually denying some and actively being a primary cause of their damnation.

 

You know. That's a very powerful verse because it kind of answers the original question. A person who believes in Him believes in Him. If you hear the gospel, and believe, then you are saved and if you are condemned it is because you do not believe. It does all come down to those that believe are saved and those that are not saved are not saved - because they do not believe.

I mean, it seems clear that that's the reason. They that don't believe are also not elect or not predestined but the real reason is that they do not believe. And their opinions on election and predestination or free will don't seem to be relevant either except as background information no matter how true. Does anyone have a verse that would refute that?