…though he [Nicodemus] had in general owned Christ to be divine teacher, yet he was unwilling to receive his teachings when they did not agree with the notions he had imbibed. Thus many people who claim to be Christians profess to accept the doctrine of Christ in general, and yet will neither believe the truths of Christianity nor submit to the laws of it further than they please. Christ shall be their teacher, provided they may choose their lesson. [Matthew Henry]

Need I say more than Matthew Henry has stated here? This is truth. Most supposed Christians insist on choosing the lesson and thus limit the topic only to subjects and doctrines they like. In other words, they really don’t know Christ at all because they exemplify Paul’s words to the Corinthians-

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 ESV But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— (10) these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

In order to be truly taught by Christ, we must be born again. We MUST be born again. Otherwise the so-called Christianity we profess is simply a man-made theology written and accepted by fallen flesh.

Salvation is of the Lord. It is of the Lord. It leaves no room for boasting on our part. And this is a truth that the majority of religious people, including most members of Christian churches, reject. They find it unpalpable that man cannot contribute to his salvation. Their cry of course is “free will.” No gospel that does not admit this is accepted by them. And yet the sinner’s will is not free. In his fallen state, man’s will is enslaved so that he only desires to sin. In that sense, yes – he is free – free to do what he wants. But what he wants – ah there is the problem. He wants sin. He freely sins. But will he choose faith in Christ? Will he choose repentance? Never. No one can do something that they do not desire to do.

Salvation is of the Lord and if your “christian” play book teaches anything else, you can be sure that its author is man, not Christ.