Divine initiative - A.W Tozer

Divine initiative

The Christian Scriptures, particularly the Gospel of John, contain two truths which appear to stand opposed to each other.

One is that whosoever will may come to Christ. The other is that before anyone can come there must have been a previous work done in his heart by the sovereign operation of God.

The notion that just anybody, at any time, regardless of conditions, can start from religious scratch, without the Spirit’s help, and believe savingly on Christ by a sudden decision of the will, is wholly contrary to the teachings of the Bible.

God’s invitation to men is broad but not unqualified. The word ‘whosoever’ throws the door open wide, indeed, but the church in recent years has carried the gospel invitation far beyond its proper bounds and turned it into something more human and less divine than that found in the sacred Scriptures.

What we tend to overlook is that the word ‘whosoever’ never stands by itself. Always its meaning is modified by the word ‘believe’ or ‘will’ or ‘come’. According to the teachings of Christ no man will or can come and believe unless there has been done within him a prevenient work of God enabling him so to do.

A W Tozer