Soli Deo Gloria- is a Latin phrase which means: 'To God Alone be the Glory.' This phrase was one of the cries of the Protestant Reformation and it has been said, that Luther's work: “The Bondage and Liberation of the Will,” was the greatest soli Deo gloria sung during the Reformation.

Are We Capable Of Saving Ourselves ?

Many today think so. We are living in a time when men have forgotten that God does the saving. O they profess it in experience, but when it comes to leading men to Christ they base it on their wills and not God's. We have a movement throughout the churches called the "Seeker Sensitive Movement". In this movement the churches conform to the world to try and save some. They appeal to 1 Cor.9:22 where it says, " To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Paul is literally saying that he lived under the law as did the Jews, 1 Cor. 9:20, that he might save some Jews and he would live without law (Not the moral law, but the ceremonial laws) while in the presence of the Gentiles that he might save some of them. In other words, the Jews thought it wrong by the law to eat certain things, so Paul would refrain from eating them things. On the contrary, certain customs of the Gentiles thought it disrespectful to not eat certain things, when invited to, so in order not to offend, Paul would eat what was set before him. This scripture does not mean that Paul dressed himself up to look like the world or to act like the world as some seeker sensitive churches say. We are to come out from among the world and be not unequally yoked together with the unbeliever, 2 Cor. 6:14,17. The church is a place for believers to hear the word of God and be taught how to live that they can grow up to maturity in Christ. We are the Church, not the building, but we call the building "church" because that is where we meet to be fed by the scriptures. The word church is "ekklesia" in the Greek and means 'the called out ones.' Secondly, I can't figure out who these seekers are when the Bible plainly declares that none seeketh after God, Rom 3:11. It's not until after we are born again, that we actually seek God.

We cannot save ourselves. It is true that the Bible offers a call to every man, but it is not true that man can accept that call without the intervention of the Holy Spirit. I can give a call for all men on the face of the earth to come to Christ, but they can't answer that call. Unless the nature is changed it is impossible for sinful men, who are bound to their sinful nature and only desire what is sinful, to seek a holy God. (Many are called, but few are chosen. Mt. 20:16; 22:14.)

Is God Trying To Save everyone?

If God is trying to save everyone, then he is utterly failing. God doesn't have to try to do anything. He is so powerful that he can speak something and it happens . So he is not failing. Some would say," he is trying to save everyone, but men are resisting him, therefore he is powerless to save.” That is the most ridiculous statement that I have ever heard come from a Christian's mouth. God uses resurrection power and creating power when he saves men from their sins. Just as God resurrected Jesus from the dead, Eph. 1:18-20, and called light out of darkness 2 Cor. 4:6, even so he uses this same power to save sinful men. It does not take God 3 days, 3 months, or even 3 years to do that. It is instantaneous. Men cannot "will" themselves to Christ. If men can resist God's saving power, then why pray to God to save anyone?

John 1:11 He came unto His own, and his own received him not. vs. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that *believe on his name: vs. 13 WHICH WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD.

*believe means have faith in. (Keep reading to see where faith comes from)

Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. AND THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY SUCH AS SHOULD BE SAVED.

1 Cor. 3:6 I have planted Apollos watered; but GOD GAVE THE INCREASE.

Some would say that God doesn't force his will upon anyone. This is ridiculous. How many have ever planned a picnic for Saturday and then it rained. Could you stop the rain? Daniel 4:35 says, And all the inhabitant's of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him What doest thou? Ps. 65:4 says, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee .......... A man cannot come to Christ unless God draws him, { drag in the greek }, John 6:44, 65. But when God regenerates a man and delivers him from his sinful nature and makes him partaker of the divine nature and changes his desires, then that man willingly runs to God out of his own FREE WILL. Until then a man will not come to Christ because he does not desire Christ. John 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

A natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them....1 Cor. 2:14. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness 1 Cor.1:18 A natural man is ignorant, blind and dead Eph.4:18;2:1. You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

In the Old Testament God only saved certain individuals out of Israel. If God is trying to save everyone then why didn't he allow the Old Testament priest to offer up sacrifices for Babylon , Egypt, or Ethiopia? We see Jesus choosing his disciples, they did not choose him. If God were trying to save everyone then why didn't he allow Paul to go into Bythinia, which is Asia, Acts 16:6? Instead he had them to go into Macedonia, which is Europe. Had they went into Asia first, then China or Tibet might be the world leaders in missions and not America. Why did God not send Paul or someone to America before the founding of America? Certainly there were people here that needed to be saved but never heard the gospel until the Pilgrims came. Just as God only allowed the high priest to offer up sacrifices for Israel , even so Jesus is only offering up prayers for his church. (See page: Jesus' sacrifice).

If men have to have faith in God to believe the gospel, then where does faith come from? Are they born with faith? If one is born with faith and another isn't, then would God be unrighteous to judge the one without faith who was born abnormally, seeing he was not born with faith and may have believed had he not been abnormal? BUT IF FAITH IS A GIFT, THEN GOD IS NOT UNRIGHTEOUS TO JUDGE THOSE OF WHOM HE DOES NOT GIVE IT. This is the case. The basics of the English language teaches that if you cannot understand a sentence, then take out what is in comas and read it. Watch this. Eph.2:8 says, "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Remove the area with comas or semi-colons. Eph. 2:8 For by grace are you saved through faith; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD. What is the gift of God? Faith! It is given to every person of whom God calls out. Abraham and his family served idols until God called him out Joshua 24:2; Gen.12:1. Not everyone has faith. 2 Thess. 3:2, but God has given to every man, of whom he calls out, a measure of faith Rom 12:3 Keep it in context. The every man in Rom. 12:3 is the Christian. Faith is a gift of the Spirit and also a fruit.1 Cor. 12:9;Gal.5:22 Many are confused and believe that first comes repentance and then regeneration, but this is not the ordo salutus or the order of salvation. Except or unless God comes on you and regenerates you and births you into the kingdom and puts his Spirit in you, then you will not reach out in faith and repent.

To this I add: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. I did not birth myself the first time and I did not birth myself the second. Both was God's own sovereign act.

Soli Deo Gloria { To God Alone Be The Glory}

A Divine and Supernatural Light, Immediately Imparted to the Soul by the Spirit of God by Jonathan Edwards

The Work of the Trinity in Monergism by John Hendryx

Regeneration Precedes Faith by R. C. Sproul