Predestination And Free-Will

Which Comes First, Salvation Or Turning To Christ?

 
You’ve heard the expression: “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” In a sense, that is the issue that has been addressed in this paper – “Which comes first: A. Our obedience to God’s commands to repent, believe the Gospel and receive Christ? OR B. God granting us repentance and salvation?” In other words:

1. Do we first accept Christ and His lordship, and then God rewards us by saving us? OR
2. Does God first save us and impart His Spirit into us, and then we become able to accept Christ and His lordship?

If we ignore all the scriptural evidence in this paper and assume that the first statement above is true, then man has something to boast about – namely, that he has made the right choice and he has exercised his will to turn to God. If we believe that the second statement is true, then God and God alone, receives all the glory. And that is how it should be, for he who glories, let him glory in the Lord! Amen!
 
Summary: This article is a section of a much larger article on the Bible doctrines of Election and Predestination called “Who accepts Whom?“. You are urged to check out that larger article for many other thought provoking questions pertaining these “Doctrines of Grace”. — RM Kane