Bible Truth #203 - 1 John 5:17

1 John 5:17

All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

OK, if all unrighteousness is sin, and no one is righteous (Romans 3:10), what or Who MAKES a man righteous? Can someone who is not righteous DO anything righteous? NO! Can someone who is not righteous DO anything to attain righteousness? NO! This confirms Romans 8:8 (a lost man can never please God) and Romans 14:23 (anything not done in faith is sin). Everything the lost man does is sin because everything he does is in the flesh, everything he does is unrighteous.

So how can a lost man do a righteous act and “accept” Christ? How can he do a righteous act like believe in Jesus or repent of his sins? He can’t! He just can’t do it. His sinful nature and dead spirit prohibit him from pleasing God. His sinful nature and dead spirit prohibit him from doing anything righteous. He can do and think of only evil, continually (Genesis 6:5). The Arminian may agree that a lost man can do nothing to attain righteousness, but then turn right around and say when he believes and repents God will then MAKE him righteous.

We become children of God not by HUMAN decision (John 1:13). God draws the Elect and Jesus raises up EVERY man God draws (John 6:44), NOT every man who “accepts” the drawing.