A Devotional for December 17
From the Pen of John Bunyan
Author of Pilgrim's Progress
"It All Depends on God"
“So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy”
Romans 9: 16.
"It is not in him that wills, nor in him that runs, but in God that shews mercy;" there is willing and running, and yet to no purpose (Romans 9: 16). Israel, which followed the law of righteousness, has not obtained it. I do not understand, it is as if the apostle had denied a virtuous course of life to be the way to heaven. But a man without grace, though he have natural gifts, yet he shall not obtain privilege to go to heaven. Though a man without grace may have a will to be saved, yet he cannot have that will God's way. Nature cannot know anything but the things of nature. The things of God knows no man but by the Spirit of God. Unless the Spirit of God be in you, it will leave you on this side of the gates of heaven—"Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." It may be some may have a will, a desire that Ishmael may to be saved. Know this, it will not save your child. If it were our will, I would have you all go to heaven. How many are there in the world that pray for their children and cry for them and are ready to die; and all this will not do? God's will is the rule of all; it is only through Jesus Christ, "which were born, not of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Men that believe in Jesus Christ to the effectual receiving of Jesus Christ, they are born to it. They are born of God, unto God and the things of God before they receive God to eternal salvation. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
This is an excerpt from Daily Readings from John Bunyan
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