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We compare:

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:11‬: There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;

Acts 17:27: that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

Paul is writing didactic scripture on harmartiology and anthropology in Romans 3:11 but in Acts 17:27 Paul is preaching & Luke is recording a historical narrative.

Since Paul probably preached acts 17 before he wrote Romans, how do they compare now?

Q: Why would Paul assume people should seek God if they by nature don’t seek God?

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    Interesting question, +1. It's probably not worth a separate answer, but I agree with you on the chronology. Paul's Mars Hill sermon in Acts 17 took place in AD 49 or 50, and he wrote Romans in 56 or 57.
    – Hold To The Rod
    Commented May 3, 2022 at 23:59
  • @HoldToTheRod Interesting fact, I didn’t know that; but I assumed it since Paul was saved in Acts 9.
    – Cork88
    Commented May 4, 2022 at 0:34

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Firstly, let me list the two words involved:

  • In Rom 3:11, "seek" translates the verb ἐκζητέω (ekzeteo) = seek out, search for, required, etc, eg, Luke 11:50, 51, Acts 15:17, Rom 3:11, Heb 11:6, 12:17, 1 Peter 1:10. [I note that Heb 11:6 uses the same verb to describe people who seek God.]
  • In Acts 17:27, "seek" translates the verb ζητέω (zeteo) = seek, search, eg, in Matt 2:13, 20, 6:33, 7:7, 8, etc. [I note that these first few all describe people seeking God or Jesus.]

Thus, Rom 3:11, which says that no one seeks God, appears to quote Ps 14:1-3 and Ps 53:1-3.

The previous verses clarify the "problem" here because we read that:

Rom 3:9 - What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.

Thus, humans, as they are born and in their natural, unregenerate state (Ps 51:3, 5) do not seek after God. However, (and this is the imports caveat) the Holy Spirit prompts such sinners to seek God, even before conversion.

  • 2 Cor 5:14 - For Christ’s love compels us ...
  • Phil 2:13 - For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
  • John 6:44 - “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
  • Rom 2:4 - Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
  • Rom 5:5 - And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
  • Eph 2:5 - made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
  • John 16:8 - And when He [the Advocate, Comforter, Helper = Holy Spirit] comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment

Thus, it is only by God via the Holy Spirit that anyone seeks God. Put another way, Salvation is the initiative of God and the only ones who seek God are those who respond to the prompting or "drawing" of the God.

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  • solid answer except I don’t understand where you get the word “prompt” as in encouragement, when the Greek word for “draw” in John 6:44 is ἑλκύω (helkó) “to drag, draw, pull in”. If the definition by extension is “persuade” then it must be effacious given John 6:37-40, no? How does one sinner respond to the “wooing” or “prompting” and the other sinner reject it? Did God make one sinner more wise to choose Christ than another? Did The Holy Spirit illumine a greater “prompting” to one sinner than another? I’m confused where you get the word “prompt” from. Can you help me?
    – Cork88
    Commented May 4, 2022 at 0:45
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    @Cork88 - the answer to that question is what divides Calvinists from Arminians and should be the subject of another question.
    – Dottard
    Commented May 4, 2022 at 0:58

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