"Free will I have often heard of, but I have never seen it. I have always met with will, and plenty of it, but it has either been led captive by sin or held in the blessed bonds of grace."
- C. H. Spurgeon
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Powerful quote, keep this in mind when you are living the Gospel. You don't set people free, God does, and when he does, he draws them to himself so that they are in his blessed bondage. It is an amazing love that holds you captive, I'm reminded of Luther's quote of "my heart's held captive by the Word of God". Isn't it blessed Christian to live in that? To desire God in a way that you not only in bondage but that you cling to the King of Glory with your renewed heart.
This also needs to play out in how you talk to the unregenerate as well, remember you cannot convince a slaved will to go to a new master. That is not what you do, only God compels a sinner to run from sin and cling to him. You are to preach the Gospel, you are to tell of your witness. You however cannot break hearts of stones and put in hearts of rocks. God's word is the manner in which he implemented for us, the Blessed of Christ to call people to the Gospel.
We can only bring the external call, God is the one who calls one inwardly. Thanks be to God! Imagine if at the end of your life you are told, "Why didn't you convince them of me?" I wouldn't let a sinner leave my presence until they were convinced of the Gospel if this was our duty. How amazing is it to know that you can go out and preach the gospel to everyone and God is the one who draws them in? How amazing is it to know that God is the one that does the work, including the work to send you! You indeed need that compelling in order to go to the unregenerate and speak!
Blessed Lord, may you compel our hearts, draw us to thee, help us to run the race and put aside any weight that would slow us down to tell of your Glorious Son, Jesus Christ. You are forever to be praised, Amen.
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