We're up to "I" in this series. We started with the problem: Man's radical depravity that cuts him off from God without any means of remedying it himself. We went to "U" which says that God, therefore, chooses whom He will save without regard to their own merits. He saves on the basis of His own purposes. Then to "L" where we see that the Atonement -- our only means to salvation -- was intended to pay for all the sins of those whom He has chosen ... and does so perfectly. And then there's "Irresistible Grace."
Remember. These are all linked. Radical Depravity requires that God chooses whom He will save without regard to their merits ... because they have none (Sovereign Election). Particular Atonement holds that those who are sovereignly elected have their sins paid for. So, the next question is, how effective is God's choice of you? Can you refuse? Does it all boil down to me and my choice? So, again, let's look at what "Irresistible Grace" does not mean. It does not meant that God's grace cannot be resisted. Clearly people all over the world resist the Holy Spirit all the time (Acts 7:51). What it does mean is that, if you are among the elect, at some point the Holy Spirit will certainly overcome your resistance and you will be saved. Does the Bible agree?
On one hand, Scripture is clear that "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him" and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:44). Jesus said, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me" (John 6:37). No exceptions. In Antioch in Pisidia Paul left the Jews and took the gospel to the Gentiles, and "as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48). Note how "appointed" precedes "believed." Jesus gave the same cause-and-effect concept when He told the Jews, "You do not believe because you are not of My sheep" (John 10:26). That is, in order to believe, you have to be first "one of My sheep." In Romans 8 where God tells us why "all things work together for good" according to God's purpose, he explains, "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified" (Rom 8:28-30). There is no break in that chain, starting from "foreknew" all the way to "justified" and "glorified" ... and there is no mention of anything we do to cause or prevent it. Paul knowingly upset his readers when he wrote, "So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires" (Rom 9:18). Nothing about us being in the loop. John wrote that we are born again "not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13). Not your birth, not your will, not your choices -- just God. Clearly, then, everyone that the Father gives the Son will indeed come to the Son and not by their own skillful efforts or willingness. God successfully overcomes the hostility of Natural Man (Rom 8:7) by first redeeming him and then applying grace ... without the permission of the recipients, as it were. We are, as we all know, saved by grace and not of ourselves (Eph 2:8-9).
Given the extent of the problem -- our "dead in sin" nature -- God requires a means of salvation that does not rest on the unsaved. He chooses on the basis of His own purposes, redeems those whom He chooses, and regenerates those He has redeemed. If left to our own devices, we would accept none of that. We couldn't understand; we wouldn't receive. So He does it. He does it all. In Paul's terms we are all "vessels of wrath prepared for destruction," ready for the wrath God so willingly has to give (Rom 9:22), and He graciously makes of us vessels of mercy (Rom 9:23). No thanks to us. No merit to us. No dependence on us. He ... just ... saves ... whom He chooses and with perfect efficiency. How about, instead of "Irresistible Grace," we call it "Effectual Grace"?
________
For your added reference: Rom 5:8; John 10:27-29; Php 2:13; 2 Cor 4:6; Rom 1:16; etc.
5 comments:
I thought of an illustration for this. We've heard of the one that says that salvation is that you have drowned and God has dove in and pulled you out. In Irresistible Grace, I add that as you break the surface and life returns to you, you cling to Christ, because what else can you do? Why would you not cling to the only thing saving your life?
Yes, “Effectual Grace” is better than “Irresistible Grace” (Sproul uses “The Spirit’s Effective Call”).
These points of doctrine continue to build upon each other. Since in my natural sinful state I will not be inclined to desire the things of God or to freely choose Christ, it would therefore take a force outside myself--i.e. apart from my will or my reasoning--for me to ever turn to God in faith in order to be saved. (I know that this did indeed happen, as I recall saying--a bit incredulously--to the woman sharing God’s Word with me 48 years ago, “I think I believe this stuff!”--when at the start of our conversations I did not.)
I have mentioned that I formerly ascribed to “decisional regeneration”--a belief that one is born again through the act of deciding to “accept Christ as Savior.” Years after my new birth occurred, I read a book called, Finally Alive: What Happens When We Are Born Again, by John Piper, through which I learned that such a belief misunderstands the proper “order of salvation.” Rather than my decision for Christ instigating my new birth, the biblical teaching is that God’s work of regeneration proceeds and enables that saving faith. This new understanding is completely consistent with the doctrines of Reformed Theology.
I found it interesting that you used the phrase, “left to our own devices,” again today (that’s 3 out of 4 installments of this series). It seems to me that that phrase should indeed factor into the overall theme of this set of doctrines--If left to our own devices within the helpless and hopeless state into which we humans are born, how can we escape our certain and just fate? Praise God He has provided the sure way--as this series is making clear.
Lorna, one of my favorite phrases in Scripture when speaking of the hopelessness of our natural state is, "But God..." We are constantly given hope that our salvation is not our own doing because we failed at it 100-fold today already. But God is rich in mercy and long suffering.
David, I agree. “But God…” holds such hope! I recall that Stan had written on that very thought, and sure enough, a quick search brought up a post dated 11/5/21, where he highlights (among other Scripture) Rom. 5:6-8 and Eph. 2:1-7 and says, These [present] massive contrasts, setting our natural, sinful, helpless, spiritually-dead, rebellious condition against the unimaginable mercy and love of God who sent His Son to die for us.” And also, "But God" gives a sharp distinction between God and other things….Things like our sin condition and His love and mercy. Such blessed truths! (Alas, the next post of his coming up in my “But God” search was titled, “Big Buts” [dated 10/2/11]. I suppose he just couldn’t resist! :)
Post a Comment