RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

Without a Biblical understanding of Original Sin, we will never have a right understanding of salvation by Grace Alone through Christ Alone. The natural man is so corrupt that salvation is utterly impossible apart from the Sovereign Regenerating Power of the Holy Spirit. Not only is every fallen son of Adam dead in trespasses and sins (blind and deaf to spiritual truths), the natural man cannot bring about a change in his depraved condition. The belief that this change is brought about by man's free will is as foolish as it is unscriptural. Man's will is never free. It is controlled by his nature. Man's fallen nature is enmity against God and that fallen nature dictates to the will. The will has no choice but to obey. Therefore, man, in his unregenerate state, will not seek after God (Rom. 3:11). Man, in his fallen condition, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (Rom. 8:7). Since man's will is controlled by his sinful nature, our Lord Jesus Christ, in answer to this question, "Who then can be saved?" responded with a statement that is denied by every person who believes in the doctrine of free-will - "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." When God the Holy Spirit enlightens the minds of His chosen, blood-bought children, we're made partakers of the Divine nature. God gives us a new will that is obedient to the new nature. That's when we are made aware of our sinful condition. That's when we recognize that we deserve nothing but God's wrath. The Holy Spirit makes us see our need of a Saviour. He has prepared the heart to receive Jesus Christ. We see Him as our substitute, our sin-bearer, the One Who paid the price in full for all our sins. In the day of God's power, we are made willing to come to Christ Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. We willing receive Him, not only as our Redeemer, but as our risen, exalted King, our Lord and our God. Faith, which worketh by love, makes us willing to obey our new Master. We never forget the pit He delivered us from. We know that God's sovereign grace and sovereign mercy has been bestowed upon us through the merits of our Substitute, and we give Him all the praise and all the glory for His unspeakable gift, eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. When the doctrine of Total Depravity is understood, then, and only then, will we understand what Jonah meant when he cried, "Salvation is of the Lord."