187. Why can I not come to faith in Jesus by my own reason or strength?
A. Apart from the Holy Spirit, I am spiritually blind and dead and thus cannot trust in Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.
1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.
B. Apart from the Holy Spirit, I actively resist the Gospel's call to faith in Christ.
Acts 7:51 You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
Romans 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's Law; indeed, it cannot.
Galatians 5:17 The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Note: This is why Lutherans do not speak in terms like "making a decision to accept Jesus," instead emphasizing the Holy Spirit's work of calling us and bringing us to faith through the Gospel. When Jesus says, "Follow Me," His Word, by the Holy Spirit, has the power to turn us from our sin and to move us to trust Him and follow after Him. See Matthew 9:9; John 10:27-28.
Eventual commentary
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