God is the one who seeks humans; people do not naturally seek Him.
From the garden of Eden onward, humans hide from God rather than run to Him, so God must make the first move. If anyone has an appetite for God, God put it there first. Les Feldick roots God's seeking in His grace, not in human initiative.
John 6:37 — Jesus states that everyone who comes to Him has first been given to Him by the Father, showing that God initiates.
Ephesians 2:13 — God makes the far-off, non-seeking Gentiles near by the blood of Christ, not by their own searching.
The apostle Paul describes what the Gentiles were before the gospel reached them: "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). The next verse shows that any change in their condition came from God, not from their own seeking: "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:13). Jesus also placed the origin of the divine search in the Father's work: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). In John 10:28, He says, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand"—the whole process is sustained by God. Romans 10:14 asks: "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Calling on the Lord is a response to hearing, and hearing comes because God has arranged the message to be proclaimed.
Les Feldick repeatedly emphasizes that man does not take the first step. Commenting on the garden of Eden, he observes that Adam and Eve hid from God instead of running to meet Him: "Who had to find them? God did." He adds, "It has never changed. Mankind will never, of his own volition, go looking for God... God has to make the first move." He immediately clarifies that this does not mean the extreme-Calvinist position that God has simply chosen some and forgotten others; rather, God moves first (Clip 1). In John 6, Les points to the same truth in Jesus' words: "You and I can't seek God, it's not in us. No unbeliever is going to go running after God, it's not in him. If he suddenly has an appetite for the things of God, God put it there first... Who made the first move? God did." Jesus' promise "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" is for everyone whom God has drawn to Him (Clip 2). Les applies this to the Gentiles in Ephesians 2. They were "without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in this world." They were not searching for Israel's God; nevertheless, God brought them near "by the blood of Christ"—not by entering a covenant or coming under Judaism (Clip 0). He also stresses that although God is the initiator, He ordinarily works through human vessels. From the beginning, God arranged that His Word be promoted by humans and not angels: "Very, very seldom have I run across someone who found salvation all by themselves without benefit of some other human being" (Clip 3). Finally, Les says God is neither an ogre waiting to zap people nor a Santa Claus to be manipulated; He is "a God of mercy." God made the human race with the will to respond to His love or reject it, which is why He could bring Satan on the scene so the will could be exercised. The nation of Israel turned away repeatedly, yet in grace God always went back to them (Clips 5, 6, 7).
No. According to Les, after Adam and Eve sinned they hid from the Lord in the garden. They did not run out to meet Him and say, "Lord, You're the one we're looking for." God had to go looking for them. The basis of His search was grace, and He reached down and brought Adam and Eve back into a relationship with Himself.
Les says it is not in an unbeliever to go running after God. If someone suddenly has an appetite for the things of God, God put it there first. God also works through human instruments: "He has ordained from the beginning of the human race that He will use human beings to promote His salvation." So the one who calls on God is responding to God's prior working through His Word and His people.
The Gentiles were not concerned about Israel's God. They were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope, and without God in the world. Yet God made them nigh by the blood of Christ, not through a covenant relationship or Judaism. Because every human has within his breast the knowledge that there is a Creator, God holds even those who never heard the gospel responsible—they could have known.
Gentiles Brought Near by God
God made the Gentiles who were far off, without Christ, aliens, and without hope, near through the blood of Christ—not because they sought Him.
Adam and Eve Hid from God
After Adam and Eve sinned, they hid from God; God had to go looking for them. Man will never of his own volition seek God—God must make the first move.
God Places the Desire to Come
No unbeliever can seek God on his own; if a desire for God appears, God put it there first. God is the one who draws people to Christ.
God Uses Human Messengers
God uses human beings to promote His salvation, so the first move comes through God's provision of human messengers.
Every Human Has Knowledge of God
Even though people do not seek God, every human has inward knowledge of a Creator; therefore God holds people responsible.
Grace Causes God to Seek
God went looking for Adam and Eve on the basis of His grace, just as He kept returning to Israel in grace after they turned away.
God Is a God of Mercy
God is not an ogre waiting to zap people; He is a God of mercy. The whole human race, moral or religious, stood as enemies of God until He moved.
Humans Made to Respond to Love
God made the human race with a will to respond to His love or reject it; this is why He can initiate while still allowing a genuine choice.
Ephesians 2:12: That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
This describes the original condition of those who were not seeking God.
Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
God's initiative in the blood of Christ brings the far-off, non-seeking Gentiles near.
John 6:37: All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Jesus teaches that coming to Him is the result of the Father giving, meaning God makes the first move.
John 10:28: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Eternal life is given by God, and the believer's security rests on God's keeping power.
Romans 10:14: How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Calling on God is a response to hearing, and hearing comes because God provides preachers.
God still has to make the first move, but Les does not teach that God forces some and ignores others. He says God made the human race with a will to either respond to His love or reject it. When a person responds, it is because God put that desire there first.
Because human nature after the fall is to avoid God. Les says, "Mankind will never, of his own volition, go looking for God." They hid, and God had to go looking for them.
In the Old Testament God dealt primarily with Israel, but Ephesians 2 shows the far-off Gentiles also being made nigh by the blood of Christ. God's grace reached out to them even though they were not seeking Him.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did Israel Reject God? Romans 10:18-21 Explained