The Total Sovereignty of God in Salvation
The Pride and Boastfulness of the Human Heart
Christians who believe that the Bible teaches free-will (or freed will), personal-ability salvation (Arminians/provisionists), believe that every person who comes into the world has the capacity to choose to receive Christ as their Savior upon hearing the gospel message. They believe that our salvation ultimately depends on us at the point of decision, not on God alone. However, they must answer this question: is one heart of one sinner more spiritually inclined than another (which affects the will)? I’ll answer that question now. No, no one’s heart is more spiritually inclined than another, because all sinners have the same sinful, spiritually depraved, sick heart.
However, in the context of the non-Calvinist belief system (Arminian/provisionist), where the will of each person can choose to either accept Christ or to reject Him, it indeed suggests that the hearts of those who accept Christ are more spiritually able than the hearts of those who don’t accept Christ. But how does such a notion square with Scripture? Where do we see that one depraved sinner has a heart (will) that is more spiritually inclined or able than other depraved sinners? Where is that taught? The answer is, no where (which I will say more about later).
Furthermore, if such is the case that one heart (will) is more spiritually inclined than others, how do they obtain such a heart? Where did it come from? How does one person just happen to have a heart that is more inclined toward Christ than another? Do we as human beings have control over the inclinations of our hearts? Do we operate in a vacuum where we operate independently of God? These are the types of questions we must ask if we truly believe that every sinner is spiritually able to make a right decision about Christ, or that one sinner is more spiritually inclined to do so than others.
Moreover, where there’s such a difference between the hearts and wills of depraved sinners, doesn’t that give those who accept Christ as their Savior a reason to “boast,” since they made the right decision from the will of their own hearts, while the others didn’t when they had the opportunity? Sure it does. But what does Paul say?:
(Ephesians 2:8-9 – BSB) – “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8-9).
ESV — (Ephesians 2:8) – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Also: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (please read)
The point is, all people are prideful by nature. Thus, if people believe that they made the choice to receive Christ solely according to the will of their own hearts, are they not going to think that it was “their own doing” at the point of decision that they obtained salvation? Does that not give people an open door to that kind of “boasting”—even if someone just thinks it, but never verbalizes it? That sort of temptation most certainly exists within that belief system (non-Calvinist).
On the other hand, when we’re fully aware that our faith in Christ originated within the heart and will of God Himself, rather than within our own sinful heart and will, then such an awareness could never result in “boasting.” Such awareness knows that our salvation is all God’s doing, that it was God Himself who “gifted” or “graced” us the required “faith” (Eph 2:8-9).
If we know that our salvation is completely by God’s grace alone, that it’s all His doing – from start to finish – then we know that it’s “not of ourselves.” Thus, the door to boast doesn’t even exist. When we truly understand the total grace of God in our salvation, it results in total humility, not in boasting. Total grace equals total humility—where the possibility for boastful pride doesn’t exist. We only have this type of situation if we realize we’re saved according to unconditional Sovereign grace election where each of us are “chosen before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4)—which points to total grace salvation.
On the other hand, if we know that our salvation ultimately relies on us, in our own ability to make the right decision about Christ, then the possibility and tendency (temptation) to “boast” will always exist within us.
Since we all have the same prideful, spiritually dead, spiritually depraved hearts, humbling ourselves to the point of faith in Christ is not possible. Even if God provided the required faith to those He sees as having “humble and willing hearts,” it would still be in response to something God saw within them that merited His favor. That would not be true grace, but a reward for their humble and willing hearts. Grace by definition is unmerited favor, something we don’t deserve. Grace is one hundred percent something that God Himself chooses to do for us, regardless of anything He sees or doesn’t see within us or within our lives. For sure, as born-again believers, God does reward humility in our lives (Ja 4:6; 1 Pe 5:5) as we seek to live for Him. However, even then it’s the “fruit of the Spirit” within us (Ga 5:22-23; Ga 5:16,18; Col 3:12; Eph 4:2). Therefore, we must conclude that in the matter of salvation, it’s all God—which includes the “grace” of “faith.” It’s a total “gift” (Eph 2:8; Ro 5:15-16; Ro 6:23).
Christians who believe that God has given us the free will (or freed will) to either choose Christ or to reject Him, have to realize that this indicates personal ability in the matter of our salvation, where each one of us has the spiritual capacity to obtain salvation for ourselves at the point of decision—even if we know that it’s through Christ and what He did for us on the cross. But the truth is, that element of personal ability to choose wisely is outside the grace of God (Ps 53:2-3; Ro 3:10-12)—because at the point of decision, it places our eternal destiny completely in our own hands. Either Christ Himself completely provided for our salvation, or He didn’t. If He did, then there is no addition in this equation. There is no “me” in this process.
One may reply, “yes, I know that Jesus provided for my salvation through what He did for me on the cross, but………” It’s that “but” that conflicts with the grace of God in our salvation, because it adds an element of ourselves in obtaining our salvation. Yes, “we’re saved by grace through faith” (Eph 2:8), but the question is, how do we come by the faith that is required of us? Is it from within our own “incurably-sick” heart (Jer 17:9), where we’re “unable to submit to God’s law (to God),” where we “cannot please God (Ro 8:7-8), where we’re “not able to understand” spiritual truths on our own in our “natural” state (1 Cor 2:14)? No! It can’t be. Because according to Paul, that’s not possible.
So, if faith does not and can not originate from within our own spiritually dead heart, from where then? Paul answers that question in the same sentence of Ephesians 2:8, which is by God’s “grace.” It comes from God’s own heart. This means God “grants” us (Jn 6:64-65) or “gifts” us or “graces” us the faith that is needed. Instead of originating from within ourselves, it originates from outside of ourselves, from God Himself, “so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:9).
A Gift That Can Be Refused?
In regard to this “gift” (salvation, faith), I want to talk about a common misunderstanding about it. There’s a notion that this is a gift like any other gift, that we either reach out and accept it, or we refuse it—that it’s up to us. However, that idea is in conflict with the true nature of this gift. It removes the “grace” aspect of it, where it’s simply given to us, where the option of refusal doesn’t exist. Rather, God places it into our eternal bank account, where He is the sole manager of our account.
If it’s a gift that can be either accepted or refused, then it’s not a true gift of grace where it’s gifted to us without the option of refusal. The option of refusal is not the nature of this gift. Rather, salvation is all one-sided, where God simply chooses to give it to us—and that includes the required faith. Thus, the gift of salvation, as well as the accompanying faith, is something that will always be welcomed with total conviction of our sins and of our need for Christ as our Savior. This is the “drawing” of sinners to God’s Son that Jesus Himself describes in John 6:37-45. This drawing includes the “granting” of faith, which Jesus reveals in the same chapter:
(John 6:64-65 – BSB) – [64] However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.) [65] Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”
I’ll shorten this so we can see it better:
“However, there are some of you who do not believe. This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”
So we see that the drawing of sinners to God’s Son directly involves the “granting” of faith. Which means that “everyone” who is drawn (called), will believe (Jn 6:45).
When we as Christians come to fully realize that the faith we placed in Christ came from the heart of God Himself, and not from within our own sinfully depraved hearts, then that completely removes all possibility for “boasting,” because we know that our salvation was all His doing. The mere fact that the opportunity and temptation for prideful boasting exists in the non-Calvinist position, indicates that this cannot be the correct understanding regarding the doctrine of election and the extent of the atonement, or the means of salvation.
In free-will salvation, it essentially has Jesus saying, “I’ve done My part, now it’s up to you to do the rest.” That’s the true picture we have with this type of understanding regarding the doctrine of election and the means of salvation. It’s a position that is at odds with the grace of God and the totality of Christ’s provision for us. He either did it all for us, or our salvation ultimately depends on our own sin-infected heart to make the right decision. The older I get and the more I learn, the more aware I become of how one-sided the grace of God really is.
When we realize that God chose each one of us for salvation (Eph 1:4 Ro 8:29-30; 1 Cor 1:26-31), that it was God Himself who called us to His Son (Jn 6:37,44), who “gifted’ or “graced” us the very faith we needed (Eph 2:8; Acts 18:27; Jn 6:45,64-65), then it completely humbles us—because such an understanding leaves no opportunity or temptation for boasting. The very possibility is eliminated. Not only that, but when we realize that our salvation is completely by God’s grace alone, then it gives us a type of humility and compassion for the lost we wouldn’t have if we believed that it was the will of our own heart that produced our faith in Christ.
I’m not saying that free-will Christians don’t have compassion for the lost (I’m speaking from personal experience as a former free-willer). I’m just saying that when we truly know that our salvation is all God from beginning to end, it gives us compassion for the lost on a much deeper level. Why? Because when we truly understand the totality of God’s grace in our salvation, it completely humbles us. Because we know that it was not because of anything we did or have within ourselves (including the faith that originated from within our own hearts). When we fully realize the full extent of God’s grace in our lives, then we can’t ever look upon others who reject Christ with any kind of disdain, but only with compassion. This kind of understanding can only lead to a humble attitude about ourselves and toward others who turn away from Christ.
What’s The Common Denominator Among Believing Sinners?
If all sinners have the same spiritually depraved, spiritually dead hearts (wills) how is it that one sinner can be more spiritually inclined to believe in Christ than others? What’s the common denominator (shared trait) among those who place their faith in Christ as their Savior? How can one sinner have it, while another doesn’t? Because they either have it or they don’t. From whence comes that kind of faith?
As we’ve already discussed, the common denominator has to be God Himself. Most Calvinists believe that when God draws sinners to Christ, He does so via regeneration, where a sinner is born-again with a new nature and a new heart, and a new will that is spiritually inclined toward Christ (Jn 3:3-8; Jn 6:63; 1 Cor 2:14). It’s during this time God commands or shines His light within their souls (2 Cor 4:6), enabling them to hear the truth and the voice of Christ when He calls. This always results in faith, because everyone drawn will believe (Jn 6:44-45).
However, while regeneration may indeed be the vehicle God uses to shine His light of truth and draw sinners to His Son, I don’t believe that regeneration is necessary for God to do that. In fact, I believe there’s a stronger biblical case to be made that God does that apart from regeneration. I believe that’s something that follows faith upon conversion. But I won’t make the case for that here. I’ll save that for a separate article.
The most important thing we must agree on is that God must intervene in a sinner’s life to open their eyes and affect their hearts in a manner that always results in faith, granting them the gift of faith (Eph 2:8-9).
This, of course, points to Unconditional Sovereign election, where God has chosen certain people for salvation “before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4). Since God Himself must affect our spiritual inclination, and since He doesn’t do that for everyone, it follows that He only does so for those whom He has chosen for it. This is the only reasonable explanation of how one person can be more receptive and inclined toward Christ than others. Unconditional Sovereign election is the only sensible way we piece all this together.
Final Note
Even if you believe that God provides understanding of the truth and grants grace to those who respond humbly and favorably to the gospel of Christ, the question still remains: how can one spiritually dead and spiritually depraved sinner be more spiritually inclined toward Christ than other equally spiritually dead and spiritually depraved sinners? How is any given sinner more spiritually able to respond in humility, while others can’t or don’t? What’s the common denominator among those who do? If they all have the same spiritually depraved will, there can’t be. In such a belief system, there is no common denominator.
Which means, in such a belief system, there is no sensible answer why one sinner has a heart that is more spiritually inclined than another. There is no answer why one sinner believes and another doesn’t. There is no answer why one sinner comes to Christ and another doesn’t.
The only sensible answer is God Himself, who affects the hearts and wills of certain individuals (His elect), granting them the grace to understand and believe the gospel of Christ, drawing each of them to His Son. Such a move upon a sinner (calling) always results in faith (Jn 6:44-45) as a gift from God (Eph 2:8-9), which is never refused.
