Bible Verses on Natural vs. Moral Ability

For an exposition of many of the passages below, see Matthew Henry on Natural and Moral Ability.  For the theological significance of many of the other verses, see Isaac Watts on the topic at the Natural vs. Moral Ability Mainpage.  

 

 

Gen. 37:4

And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.”

 

Ex. 5:6-16

“Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.  And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof…  Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein… And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.  And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten…  Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.”

 

Deut. 30:11-15

“For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.  It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?  Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?  But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.  See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;”

 

Josh. 24:19

“And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannotserve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.”

 

Luke 11:5-8

“Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves… And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.  I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him…”

 

Luke 14:16-20

Then said He unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come…  And they all with one consent began to make excuse…  And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”

 

John 3:19-20

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

 

John 6:44

“No man can come unto Me except my Father draw him,”

 

John 5:40

“Ye will not come unto Me, that ye may have life,”

 

Rom. 2:4-5

Or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?  But after your hardness and impenitent heart treasure up unto yourself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

 

Rom. 10:6-9

“But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)  Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

 

1 Cor. 2:14

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

2 Peter 2:13-14

“Spots they are and blemishes… having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin…”

 

 

 

Related Pages

Natural vs. Moral Ability

Total Depravity