Appealing to the Scriptures, those who believe in the doctrines of sovereign grace emphasize the total helplessness of man and for good reason. The Bible reveals the extreme and desperate condition of natural man. That is to say, he is in a terrible state of bondage to sin. By nature men are dead in trespasses and sin. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1).
The eyes of the natural man are blinded to the truth so that he cannot “see” spiritual truth. “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded” (Rom 11:7).
The will of the natural man is enslaved to a harsh taskmaster. Satan takes men captive at his will (2 Tim 2:26). Therefore, Jesus was right when he looked at a group of religious leaders one-day and pronounced judgment upon them saying, “And you will not come to me that ye might have life” (John 5:40). Those who do come to Christ realize that they did not come because of their will but because of Sovereign grace. John speaks of those who are born, “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).
The heart of the unregenerate is as hard as stone. “Yea, they have made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets; therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts” (Zech 7:12).
The thoughts of the ungodly are evil continually. “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”(Gen 6:5 cf. Rom 1:21).
The emotions are depraved. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet” (Rom 1:26,27).
Every inclination of the un-righteous is away from God. “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God” (Rom 3:11).
By himself a man can do nothing to contribute to his own salvation. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil” (Jer 13:23).
The natural man is saved only when God does something for him. “But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble” (Ps 37:39 cf. Exod 14:13; 2 Chron 20:17; Lam 3:26).
So the great questions remain. “Who is to be credited with man’s salvation? God? Man? Both? Who is it that will get the glory?” In considering these important questions, those who embrace the doctrines of sovereign grace believe that the following gospel principles should be affirmed.
No one can come to Christ except the Lord draws him. “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” (John 6:44).
Christ has come to call the helpless to salvation. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). And sinners do come to Christ, by faith. They come saying:
“Lo! I come; and Thou, blest Lamb,
O take me to Thee as I am;
Nothing but sin I Thee can give;
Nothing but love may I receive.”
Until a person comes to comprehend the dark side of their soul, they will not repent, nor can they change for they will not to change. Therefore, the doctrine of human depravity is a helpful doctrine, though hurtful to man’s pride and ego.
