Man by nature does not seek God Romans 3:11
What do you think the point of Romans 1:18-3:20 is? That may help clarify a few things for me about your view. This quote is from the culmination of that section.
My view is that he is demonstrating how the whole world is guilty of sin, and cannot be saved by the law. They had evidence of God through creation, conscience, etc., and in the case of those who received the law, direct revelation. But they nonetheless turned away, sinned, did not seek after God, etc.
Romans 3:9-20
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (NKJV)
However, verse 21 introduces the gospel, righteousness apart from law, though witnessed by the law and prophets, which is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
It is the solution to the sin problem outlined in Romans 1:18-3:20.
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (NKJV)
Man cannot be saved by the law because all sin, all turn away, etc. But through the propitiation of Jesus there is now a new righteousness.
Paul indicates that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, right before launching into this section in Romans 1:13-17:
Romans 1:13-17
13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (NKJV)
The gospel has power unto salvation. When Nicodemus heard Jesus, and saw the works, etc. He did come to Jesus to know more. But Jesus said he needed to be born again.
So whatever you call that grace working in him through the words of Jesus, it came before being born again, and was sufficient to draw him.
