14. WE CANNOT SAVE OURSELVES

The Bible teaches that we are unable to save ourselves. Jeremiah writes: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil." (Jer 13:23)
Jesus says: "No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (John 3:3) We must be born first, before we can be reborn. Our rebirth takes place in our own lifetime.
Jesus also said: "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing." (John 6:63) Paul teaches that the Lord has made us alive, we who have been dead in our transgressions and our sins. (Eph 2:1-5) A dead person can do nothing unless he is brought back to life first. We can, therefore, not save ourselves.