God Sovereign Grace…what is it? we can't be saved without it.
Did Paul manufacture his faith in any way? He was on his way to destroy and conquer Christianity, impossible for him to have done so ,but God in him did the impossible…well Paul, he would have carried on. I am what I am by the Grace of God says Paul…Grace, nothing in Paul no co-operation by Paul’s good nature(if there was one) it was a fully sinful nature very anti Christian, no nothing in him would repent-believe, only through Sovereign Grace of God. Quickened to faith and belief. Born again of Gods Spirit not mans, see that’s not of the flesh and blood, old self must die ,not live and co-operate in some way, no! death sentence for him, that’s why the cross, leave old man dead on the cross says Paul (Rom 6.verse 6). No co-operation for him but death to sin, sinful old self dead, the new man alive unto God. That’s why it says if we live after flesh we will die, but we are to live in the new way of The Spirit. Flesh, the old self we must not live after it or co-operate with it in anyway so why would God want to co-operate with it in the means of salvation. Why would old flesh want to obey God in any way…it would be against our normal nature conclusion ?you must be born again. Kick against this and we kick against the Bible. Do these words hurt us? Why? For they would not if we would want God to have all the Glory.
We looked at Ephesians Chapter 2,in chapter one it spells out clearly what would follow in Chapter 2. In One we are told, Chpt. 1 v4 we were chosen in Christ before the world created and to be made holy by His Grace and God predestinated us to be adopted as His children given to God in Christ according to the good pleasure of His will !! v5 not ours. Why? v6 to the praise of the glory of His Grace, making us excepted in the beloved ..we were given to Christ by God and in Him and His work of Redemption v7 are excepted. Before the world created v4.The Elect chosen, given to the Son, and redeemed in the Son and drawn by the Father, no one cometh to me except drawn by the Father said Christ. Why did God do this? According to the riches of His Grace. Nothing in us. Chapter 1v1, Again we are told the Elect have been predestined by God according to His will, who worketh all things after the counsel of His own Will! Not ours dear friends. All things not just some. Chapter one the foundation chapter 2. the details and Paul’s prayer that there eyes would be open to this….yes they seem not to have seen this yet, we are not static in the christian life but moving forward in out understanding. Not that we are perfect in it yet but this one thing we do forgetting the past(in the sence that we seeking new blessings and light in Gods Word) we move on looking for new light for our path, may God open our weak and feeble eyes to this wonderful truth that Gives God all the Glory His due and man…..nothing.