Romans
5
“1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ:
2
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience;
4
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for
the ungodly.
7
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a
good man some would even dare to die.
8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
9
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him.
10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his
life.
11
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when
there is no law.
14
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that
had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is
the figure of him that was to come.
15
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the
offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift
by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the
judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many
offences unto justification.
17
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they
which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came
upon all men unto justification of life.
19
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
It
greatly puzzles me how anyone who reads through the Book of Romans
can come away believing man has a freewill when it comes to his
salvation from sin and the grave. Over and over the Apostle Paul
makes it clear it is not of ourselves but of God and only by the
Sovereign Grace of God that anybody would be saved. Again and again
Paul proves man in his unsaved state is spiritually dead to God and
has no desire for God until God the Father sends His Holy Spirit to
awaken us from that dead state. And then it is only by the saving
power in the blood of God's own Son Jesus Christ that salvation is
made possible. Where in all the Word of God does God give man the
glory for saving himself, or for coming before God under his own free
will?
Praise
ye the Lord!!!
