Q163_101926 Rom. 9:16 How God Goes About Saving PeopleQ163_101926 Rom. 9:16 How God Goes About Saving People
How it Happens with Colin Cook
Colin Cook explains Romans 9:16, arguing that salvation and election are rooted in God’s mercy for all rather than human choice or willpower. He connects this message to people battling addictions and other struggles, and shares that his long-running radio ministry is coming to an end while expressing deep gratitude to his audience.
14:32•19 Oct 2026
God’s Mercy, Election and Hope for Every Addict
Episode Overview
- Salvation is described as centred on God’s mercy, not human willpower or endurance.
- Election is presented as God choosing all humanity for salvation, rather than selecting only a few.
- God “maneuvers” people into a place where resistance to Christ becomes futile, especially at life’s lowest points.
- Righteousness is said to come by faith in Christ’s righteousness alone, not by human works.
- The radio version of Colin Cook’s programme is ending after 29 years due to financial constraints, with gratitude expressed to supporters.
“It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”
What insights can experts and survivors share about addiction? Here, longtime pastor and counsellor Colin Cook unpacks Romans 9:16 and links it to the struggles of people wrestling with alcohol, drugs, food, sex and obsessive worry. The episode has a calm, reflective feel, mixing Bible teaching with gentle honesty about human weakness. Colin questions a common Western church idea: that salvation is simply “all a matter of choice”.
He calls that “bogus and nonsense” and walks through Paul’s teaching on election, stressing that “election is not for just a few, but for everyone.” You’ll hear him emphasise that God’s choice is rooted in mercy, not favouritism: “It is not of him who wills… but of God who shows mercy.” For anyone in addiction recovery who has ever wondered why some people seem to change and others don’t, Colin’s focus is on God as “the author of salvation”.
He expresses heartfelt thanks to his audience and to those who supported the ministry over the years, and he reminds them that his teaching has especially targeted “people who struggle with addictions or depressions or sorrows or griefs.” If you’re craving a bigger picture of grace while fighting addiction or shame, this conversation may help you see salvation less as a test of strength and more as evidence that “God… will redeem this race, this humanity.” Could that shift in perspective change how you see your own recovery story?
He explains how God “maneuvers us into that place where resistance is futile” so that accepting Christ becomes the only way forward, especially when life has hit a painful low. That message can be especially reassuring if you’ve felt like a failure because your “willpower” wasn’t enough. The episode also carries a bittersweet note. Colin announces that, after 29 years, the radio version of his programme is coming to an end due to financial pressures.
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