July 31, 2019
READING TIME: 2 MINUTES
Romans 3:9-12 – an unbeliever can’t do righteous deeds?
Paul is not teaching in this passage that an unbeliever can’t do righteous deeds since Isaiah 59:6 acknowledges the righteous deeds of the unregenerate.
Paul’s point is that all our righteous deeds combined cannot accomplish our regeneration. This is an important passage on the inability of a man to accomplish his justification. But even this passage does not address the question concerning the ability of man to respond or even to initiate a relationship with God. There is a big difference between saying, “No one seeks after God,” and, “No one can seek after God.”
Paul does indeed say in Romans 3:11 that no one seeks, but he does not say that no one may respond because of an inherent inability as many Calvinists teach. As a rule, man left to himself does not seek God, but when He seeks and “woos” the unbeliever and intervenes in his life through the Spirit’s conviction, all may and many have believed. Praise the Lord that regarding unbelievers, He takes the initiative (John 12:32) Acts 17:27), gives natural revelation to all (Romans 1:19-20), reveals Himself through His Word, and convicts all of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11). There’s a major difference between seeking and responding. Paul categorically states that unbelievers do not seek God. They are not the initiators of reconciliation toward God. God seeks and God initiates.
There are many other case studies in the NT which supply examples of unbelievers who sought after God.
• Andrew and John who sought the Lord after hearing the Baptizer’s witness and Nathaniel came to check out Jesus (John 1:35-51).
• Nicodemus sought Jesus out and ultimately came to faith (John 3:1-21; 19:39-40).
• The Ethiopian eunuch, though an excluded Gentile, traveled to Jerusalem to worship and found Christ through Philip’s ministry (Acts 8:26-38).
• The noble-minded Bereans examined the Scriptures daily to verify Paul’s message and “therefore” believed (Acts 17:10-12).
Sources Used
Anderson, David R. Free Grace Soteriology: 3rd Edition. Grace Theology Press.
Hodges, Zane C. Romans: Deliverance from Wrath. Grace Evangelical Society, footnote 4 for Romans 3:11, by John H. Niemelä.
Kissler, Brad. Personal conversation. July 30, 2019.
Meisinger, George E. “The Issue of One’s Ability to Believe: Total Depravity/ Inability.” Chafer Theological Seminary Journal Volume 11.1 (2005): 65-96.
Olson, C. Gordon. Beyond Calvinism & Arminianism: An Inductive Mediate Theology of Salvation. 3rd Edition Expanded, Revised, & Updated.