Isaiah 55:7

MAN’S ABILITY TO TURN TO GOD AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL

Isaiah 55:7. Let the wicked forsake his way, &c.

God has done and is doing, in the work of Christ and in the work of the Holy Spirit, all that is needful for the salvation of every child of Adam, and having done this He now commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel. That man is able to turn to God and believe the Gospel is evident from the following considerations:—

I. The distinction between the work of God and the work of man in conversion. A clear distinction between them is manifest from what God is said to do, and what man is required to do. God says that He will teach man in the way he should go; man’s work is to learn of God, &c In short, God’s work is to enlighten, to renew, to beget, to change the heart, to turn man to Himself; man’s work is to hear, to repent, to believe, to turn to God. Hence it is that conversion is ascribed sometimes to God, and sometimes to man; sometimes to the Word, and sometimes to the sinner himself. And all this accords with the nature of the case. [1692]

[1692] Suppose a traveller is on a wrong road, and another calls him to turn, and he believes and obeys the call. What then? The other turned him, his word turned him, and he turned himself. There is no contradiction here. So in conversion. God calls all men to turn from their wicked ways; one hears and obeys the call. What then? God turned him, His word turned him, and he turned himself. Suppose the traveller refused to hear and believe the call, he would not have turned. So, in like manner, if the sinner refuse to hear and obey the call of God, he is not converted; God does not turn him, because he would not turn. In what sense the work of the fall was Satan’s, the work of conversion is God’s; in what sense the work of the fall was our first parents’, the work of conversion is man’s.—Johnston.

II. Conversion to God is a duty required of man. Conversion is a command binding upon all men. God commands all men to turn to Himself. Is not man bound to obey the moment God calls? Every moment he refuses, he is adding to his rebellion and guilt. But if man cannot turn to God, he cannot obey the call, nor is he bound to obey; and consequently, he is not guilty of disobedience should he not turn. It is impossible to prove man’s guilt in not being converted, and deny his ability to turn to God. Nothing could be more striking and remarkable than the words of Ezekiel 18:30; Ezekiel 33:11. See also Acts 3:19, “Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out;” or more properly, “Change your mind and turn, that your sins may be blotted out.” To change the mind is the same as to make a new heart and a new spirit. And surely man can change his mind when God shows him something capable of working a change. Man can change his mind regarding anything he learns from man; and surely he can change his mind regarding what he learns from God. The words, “be converted” in this verse, ought to be simply “turn.”

III. God never requires impossibilities. He requires and commands man to turn to Him, but if man cannot do so, then He requires an impossibility, a thing which God cannot do. God requires man to love Him with all his heart, and soul, and mind, and his neighbour as himself; but He requires no man to love Him more than with all his might; that is, more than he is able: nor his neighbour more than Himself. [1695]

[1695] We refer to this both as an apt illustration, and because some entertain the most extraordinary notion that this is an instance of God’s requiring of man an impossibility. Such a notion is a positive slight against the character of God. We are told that man is fallen and depraved; true, but still God does not require man to love Him beyond the strength which He has given him. The word is “with all thy might,” not beyond thy might. There can be only two cases in which man cannot turn to God and believe in Jesus. The one is the case of those who have not the truth—the means by which God turns man to Himself. The other is the case of those who have not faculties of mind capable of understanding and receiving the truth.

The former are destitute of objective ability; the latter of subjective ability, without both of which it is impossible to believe in Jesus. Any man who comes under one or other of these cases will never be punished for unbelief. This is plainly taught by our Lord, in John 9:41; John 15:22. All those, therefore, who have the truth, the gospel, and the faculty—mind, are able to turn to God and believe in Jesus. God commands them to do so, and He will not command what is not duty; and that cannot be duty to a man which the man is not able to do. It is not a blind man’s duty to see; nor a deaf man’s to hear; no more is it the duty of man to believe if he cannot believe. Our Saviour frequently alludes to this very thought, when He so often says, “He who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” And mark how He remonstrates with His disciples (Mark 8:18).—Johnston.

IV. Conversion requires resolute determination. If a man is not determined, he will never turn to God. Nothing is more necessary to conversion than earnestness and resolution; and perhaps nothing is a greater hindrance than want of decision. Many allow the religion of Jesus to be a good thing, and absolutely necessary to salvation, yet for want of manfully making up their minds, they live and die unconverted. Nothing could more clearly show man’s activity in his own conversion, and his ability to turn to God. The necessity of resolution is clearly seen from the following Scriptures: Lamentations 3:40; Hosea 5:4; these verses show what man wants in order to his conversion. Let him only search and try his ways, &c. But no, he does not like this. Here is the reason why he does not turn. It is not because he is not able. Our Saviour shows the necessity of resolution, when He says, “Strive,” &c. Mark the difference between seeking and striving; agonize, as the Greek has it. Now if man has nothing to do in his own conversion, if he is unable to turn to God, if he is as passive as a stone, such an exhortation has no meaning; the half of the Bible becomes meaningless. [1698]

[1698] The prodigal son affords a pleasing illustration of resolution, and of man’s ability to turn to God. The rich young man is an affecting illustration of the fatal consequences of wanting resolution. He came to our Lord, asking what he must do to inherit eternal life; yet when he found that he must sell all which he had and follow Jesus, he was not ready to make such a sacrifice. The truth is, his mind was not made up to have eternal life at all costs; and, for want of this resolution, he lost all. What a fatal choice! Will you make the same, or resolve, come what will, to have eternal life?—Johnston.

V. Unconverted Gospel hearers are those and those only who refuse to turn to God at His call. This refusal is the only reason why every Gospel hearer is not a Christian, &c. Men harden their hearts lest they should turn, and God should save them. [1701]

[1701] This is evident from our Lord’s quotation from Isaiah, in Matthew 13:15. Paul also quotes the same words as being the reason why the Jews at Rome believed not his preaching (Acts 28:17). Those who hear the Word and are not converted, are those only who put it away from them, judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life, as Paul told the Jews at Antioch (Acts 13:46). Those who hearths Word, and turn to God, are those and those only who take it to themselves, and are bent upon everlasting life at all hazards. The manner in which some account for the difference between gospel hearers, ascribing it to election and the sovereign withholding or bestowing of a special influence, arises from mistaken views of Scripture statements, and is utterly subversive of the responsibility of man. We believe that upon no other view of the case than that which we have stated can the calls and invitations of the Gospel, and the promises and threatenings attached to them, have any meaning or consistency. Mark the words of the glorious invitation in Isaiah 55:1. In the same manner we might examine all the calls, promises, and threatenings of the gospel; all teaching the same thing—man’s duty, ability, and consequent responsibility. What is the difference between him who believeth, and him who believeth not (John 3:18; John 3:36)? But if the sinner is not able to believe, these promises and threatenings have no consistency. But no, the sinner who believes not is righteously condemned, because he is able to believe, but stubbornly refuses to obey God.—Johnston.

Conclusion.—What is your state? Have you believed on the Lord Jesus? Have you forsaken your evil ways and thoughts and turned to God? If so, happy are you; your sins are all forgiven; eternal life is yours. But if not, except you repent, &c., there is nothing for you but everlasting woe. Let me ask you: why have you not believed? Do you think you are unable? How strange that you should be able to believe man, and not be able to believe God! &c. “Awake, thou that sleepest,” &c.—F. Johnston: The Work of God and Man in Conversion, pp. 110–124.