By Nick Bibile
Jonah 2:9 — “Salvation is of the LORD.”
We are living in a time when many churches teach that salvation is a cooperative effort between God and man—that man must first do his part, and then God will respond with salvation. In this scheme, the initial act belongs to man: man believes first, and as a result God saves. This teaching is not biblical. It is the error of Arminian theology, which places faith before regeneration and makes man, not God, the decisive cause of salvation.
Scripture teaches the exact opposite. The plan of salvation is entirely of God—from beginning to end. No human being assists God in this work. Salvation originates in God’s eternal purpose and is executed in time by God alone.
As Jonathan Edwards rightly said:
“The whole of salvation is dependent on the determination of God’s will, and not on the determination of the will of man.”
Before proceeding, we must clearly define our terms. Thinking Christians must not be gullible, swallowing whatever comes from the Arminian pulpit, but must test all teaching by the Word of God.
To say that God is sovereign means that He is God—the supreme King of the universe. He answers to no one. He is not obligated to the will, decision, or cooperation of man. He “doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth” (Dan. 4:35).
Salvation, in the biblical sense, means deliverance from the wrath of God that is to come. Because of sin, mankind stands under divine judgment, and the punishment is eternal—“the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15).
When these two truths are joined together, the conclusion is unavoidable: man cannot save himself. As Jonah confessed, not in a classroom but in the belly of a fish:
“Salvation is of the LORD.” (Jonah 2:9)
As John Owen wrote:
“The first cause of salvation is the free grace and sovereign will of God; the whole of it from beginning to end must be resolved thereinto.”
Jonah learned the theology of sovereign grace the hard way. God commanded him to preach to Nineveh—a wicked, pagan nation. Jonah hated the idea. He believed salvation belonged to the Jews alone and that Gentiles deserved judgment, not mercy. So he fled from the presence of the Lord (Jonah 1:1–3).
Yet Jonah could not escape God’s will.
When Jonah finally preached, the people of Nineveh repented (Jonah 3:1–5). Heaven rejoiced—but Jonah did not. Instead, he was angry that God showed mercy to wicked Gentiles (Jonah 4:1). The prophet of God was displeased that sinners were saved through his own preaching.
Here we see a striking contrast:
A disobedient prophet,
A wicked people,
And a sovereign God who accomplishes His saving purpose anyway.
Nineveh was not seeking God. God sought Nineveh. Among countless pagan nations, God sovereignly chose this one city to receive mercy. Even Jonah’s rebellion could not frustrate God’s saving purpose.
As Matthew Henry observed:
“God can make use of the sins of men to serve the designs of His providence, without being the author of sin.”
This book stands as a clear testimony to the sovereignty of God in salvation—God alone receives the glory.
Pause and ask yourself honestly: How did I become a Christian? Was it because you first chose God, or because God first worked in you?
Charles Spurgeon answered this with piercing clarity:
“I
ascribe my change wholly to God.”
(Defense
of Calvinism)
Spurgeon realized that behind every prayer, every desire, every movement toward God, there was a prior work of God Himself. Faith did not produce grace; grace produced faith.
Scripture repeatedly affirms this:
“Salvation
belongeth unto the LORD.”
(Psalm
3:8)
“It
is he that giveth salvation unto kings.”
(Psalm
144:10)
The Bible is unmistakable: no one seeks God by nature.
“There is none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:11)
Why? Because man is spiritually dead.
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1)
Dead means dead—not weak, not sick, not wounded. Spiritually dead men do not seek God.
When Adam sinned, he died spiritually (Gen. 2:17). Instead of running to God in repentance, he hid from God in fear. Ever since, fallen man flees from God unless God intervenes.
“The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)
As Thomas Watson wrote:
“Till God opens the heart, the Word will not enter. A blind man may as well judge of colors as a dead sinner of spiritual things.”
Consider Lydia:
“Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” (Acts 16:14)
Lydia worshiped the true God externally, yet she did not know Christ. Her heart was closed until the Lord opened it. Only then could she understand and believe the gospel.
Faith comes by hearing the Word (Rom. 10:17), but hearing alone is not enough. God must give understanding.
As John Calvin said:
“Faith is not produced by the mere preaching of the Word, but by the inward illumination of the Spirit.”
Jesus Himself taught this plainly:
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.” (John 6:37)
Not may come—but shall come.
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” (John 6:44)
This drawing is not mere persuasion. It is an act of divine power. God makes the unwilling willing, enlightens the mind, bends the will, and brings the sinner to Christ.
As Psalm 110:3 declares:
“Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.”
When Paul preached to the Gentiles:
“As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48)
They did not believe in order to be ordained; they believed because they were ordained.
Faith is the fruit of election, not the root of it.
“For all men have not faith.” (2 Thessalonians 3:2)
“God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
As John Flavel wrote:
“Faith is the gift of God, not the work of man; the effect of election, not the cause of it.”
No one deserves salvation. All deserve hell. If any are saved, it is solely by grace.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)
Even faith itself is God’s gift.
“Unto you it is given… to believe on him.” (Philippians 1:29)
As Augustine, often quoted by the Reformers, said:
“God does not choose us because we believe; we believe because God has chosen us.”
Arminian theology ultimately gives man room to boast. Heaven will not tolerate such theology.
In
heaven, no one sings, “I
decided wisely.”
All
creation sings:
“Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Revelation 5:13)
Salvation
is of the LORD—
from eternity past,
in time present,
and
unto eternity future.
Soli Deo Gloria.