plained it
in spiritual language and then all could understand it. There is nothing
in the passage to support the theory of a direct operation to enable man
to understand the gospel.

9. "Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour,
to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins" (Acts 5:31). This
passage is used because it speaks of Christ giving repentance. They
infer that is done by a direct operation of the Spirit. But the passage
says nothing as to _how_ he grants repentance. Christ gives many things
that are not the result of a direct operation of the Spirit. The very
next verse says God gives "the Holy Spirit to all them _that obey_ him."
This directly contradicts the theory of the necessity of a direct
operation of the Spirit to enable men to obey him.

10. "No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and
I will raise him up in the last day" (John 6:44). This is greatly relied
upon to show the necessity of an irresistible drawing before men can
come to Christ. The word "draw," in the Scriptures, is a translation of
two words in the original. One means to draw by force, "to drag;" the
other means to "entice, allure or persuade"--that men are drawn by moral
arguments, or "allured." In the next verse Christ tells how men are
drawn. "Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned,
cometh unto me." Christ draws men by "_teaching_," and they come as
result of "_learning_." That is why he told his disciples to "go teach
all nations." That is Christ's method of drawing.

Now, I have selected ten of the strongest passages in the New Testament
that support the theory of a direct operation of the Spirit before men
are qualified to hear and obey the gospel. If it is not taught in the
above passages, it is not taught in the Bible. When rightly considered,
not one of them even leans toward the theory. Are we not justified in
saying that the theory is not supported by the Scriptures! Now, how are
persons made believers? Hear the word of God:

1. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek" (Rom. 1:16). Now, here is the unequivocal statement that God's
power to save is lodged in the gospel. In all ages of Christianity there
is not a record of a single soul ever being saved without the presence
of this power. But this is not a magical power. It must be _heard_ in