WHEN YOU R-E-A-L-L-Y THINK ABOUT IT, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU THAT MAN COULD DO ANYTHING TO EXPEDITE GOD’S MIRACULOUS POWER ?
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Christianity uses this one verse that says: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”That sure sounds like it’s all up to (and involves) the will of man, doesn’t it? We have to decide. We have to call upon the name. We have to do all these things, but then Paul brings all of that into question and says who could possibly do that? Who would call upon the name of the Lord? He says, “Who can call on him whom they’ve not believed?”“How can they believe in whom they have not heard?”“How can they hear without a preacher?”Then he continues on and he begins to speak about the Gospel of Peace in that section of the New Testament writing. He is NOT talking about our need to believe! Paul concludes the matter in this chapter in Romans with this: “But Isaiah was very bold and saith “I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest to them that asked not after me.”This is ALL in the same chapter. Earlier Paul says that the Lord would be available to anybody that asked for him. Then Paul turns around and quotes Isaiah and says that none of that worked. Man doesn’t have sense enough to ask for what he needs. Our will is pivotal in redemption? Really? We don’t even have the ability to ask for what we need! Paul first quotes Isaiah saying, “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.”Then seven verses later says, “But Isaiah was very bold and saith, I was found of them who sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.”Now, that is the power of God’s will! This is a great example of Paul’s style of comparative teaching.

ONE: The gospel according to Mike
~ Mike Williams