God had a particular design in mind when He determined to save someone from their sin. That design includes being conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. This includes living a life that is consistent with Jesus' life and with the whole teaching of Scripture.

The apostle Paul teaches that sinful man does not have the ability, nor does he even desire, to come to Christ for salvation. Because of this reality only divine intervention can bring a sinner to salvation.

Paul teaches that unrepentant sinners have never been on the path of righteousness. Not only is every person born into this world with a fallen nature (Rom. 5:12–21), but every person willingly sins against God's law and rebels against Him.

Unbelievers are not only controlled by the sinful desires of their flesh, but they follow after the course of this world. In other words, unbelievers don't participate in the things of God; rather, they adhere to a worldview that is shaped by the culture.

According to God Himself, before a person becomes a Christian, he lives his life not only in lockstep with the thinking of his age, but also in step with, or influenced by, the devil himself.

Satan earnestly desires to corrupt the true gospel and distort the true Jesus. Satan is not just into paganism and idolatry, although he does thrive in those areas. But he is also involved in distorting and perverting the worship associated with the true God of the Bible.

Paul teaches that all unrepentant sinners—those who have not bowed the knee to Christ—live in active disobedience against God, their Creator. This means that all unbelievers are rebels against a holy God.

There is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ to free people from the controlling, dominating and enslaving power of sin. Such power brings people out of the darkness of their sin and into the light of eternal life found only in Jesus Christ.

The gospel of Jesus Christ operates under a divine initiative. In other words, salvation, from beginning to end, is solely a work of God in the heart of wretched sinners. Only a sovereign act of grace will ever bring a sinner to Christ.