An Introduction to the Doctrines of Grace: Irresistible Grace

[Johnny_B]

If you have not read the first five threads, this thread is not going to make sense, because if you do not understand the sovereignty of God, you will never understand the Doctrines off Grace. Following that line, if you don't understand total depravity with God's sovereignty behind it. You will never understand unconditional election, if you do not understand the first three, you will not understand limited atonement. Go back and look at that thread and my brother in an effort of calling limited atonement a false doctrine posted Scripture that supports limited atonement. Do not fall into this trap, anything Reformed or Calvinistic is false, without looking at the Scriptures,​

Irresistable Grace ​

God chose the elect and Christ died for them in a special way, but this redemption must be applied to them in order for them to be saved. This leads us to the Fourth Point of Calvinism. First, let us get the general picture and then the precise focus. As we have shown, there is a general sense in which God loves all men as His creatures (Matt. 5:44-45; Luke 6:35-36; Psa. 33:5,145:9, 14-16). We call this Common Grace. God gives them the bounties of life on this planet. Moreover, there is a sense in which God wills all men everywhere to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), and so He offers them salvation indiscriminately.


We call this the Free Offer of the Gospel, and it is seen in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). God issues a general “call” to all who hear the Gospel (Matt. 22:14). All who hear are invited. But because all men are totally depraved and hate God, they resist this call and the work of the Spirit (Acts 7:51).


Evangelicals agree so far, but again Calvinists go a step further. God has a special love for the elect and will do more than simply give an external invitation. He does something that guarantees that they will accept this invitation. He overwhelms them with what we call Irresistable Grace. In addition to the general call to all men, God gives them a special call (Rom. 8:28-30; 2 Pet. 1:10), or what Paul describes as a “holy calling” (2 Tim. 1:9). It is a calling by special grace (Gal. 1:15). God thereby draws the elect irresistibly to Himself with special lovingkindness (Jer. 31:3; Hos. 11:4; Song 1:4). He causes the elect to come to Him (Psa. 65:4) by turning our wills around (Prov. 21:1). This is irresistible, for God “drags” us to Christ (John 6:44) and “compels” us by divine omnipotence to come (Luke 14:23). He actually changes our wills so that we come willingly (Phil. 2:13; Psa. 110:3).


Now, exactly how does God do this? There is much mystery in how God works grace in the hearts of the elect, but the Bible tells us some definite things about the process. God sovereignly opens the dead hearts of the elect (Acts 16:14). It is not that they opened their hearts to receive Christ; Christ opened their hearts that He might enter. Only as a result can it be said that they opened the door. So, He opens our hearts, and with the doors of our hearts being opened we can hear His voice (John 10:16,27). This is not, of course, a literal voice but rather the special call of Christ in Scripture. In the process, God sovereignly gives the elect the new birth (John 3:1-8; 5:21; James 1:18). They did not regenerate themselves; they were regenerated sovereignly by God’s free grace (John 1:13). No spiritually dead man can make himself alive any more than a corpse can. Matter cannot create itself, and the new birth is a new creation that is sovereignly given by God’s grace (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal 6:15). It is a spiritual resurrection (Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13).


The elect are not born again because they believe; rather, they believe because they have been born again (1 John 5:1). The new birth is a sovereign gift, and so is faith (2 Pet. 1:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:29; John 3:27, 6:65; 1 Cor. 3:6; 4:7; Rom. 12:3). Repentance is also a free gift that is sovereignly bestowed (2 Tim. 2:25; Acts 5:31; 11:18). Because the elect now have faith, God justifies them and they are saved.


The distinctive of Calvinism on this point is that “Salvation is of the Lord”(Jonah 2:9). If any man is ever to be saved, it is only by God’s free grace from first to last. Evangelicals in general will agree that salvation is by grace and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9), but Calvinist go a step further and state that this saving grace is sovereignly given to the elect. It is not merely offered, for it is offered to all. It is sovereignly and irresistibly given to the elect and to them alone. It is not given to the non-elect.
​

 

[SovereignGrace]

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.[John 6:37]


Look at how Jesus stated the above. All that the Father gives Him will come. It is a set in stone statement, that those the Father gave Him will come to Him and be saved. So, the effectual calling of God's elect, God's ppl, will save them.

 

[Johnny_B]

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.[John 6:37]


Look at how Jesus stated the above. All that the Father gives Him will come. It is a set in stone statement, that those the Father gave Him will come to Him and be saved. So, the effectual calling of God's elect, God's ppl, will save them.

What is the fallacy of the universal atonement folk, is that they read into whosoever to mean free choice, when it simply mean that anyone of any type of people can be one of God elect, because the Jews thought that only they could be God's elect.

 

[serpentdove]

Men resist God's love and grace every day (Jer 17:9).

See:

Does God Elect Everyone?
Predestination and Will: How are predestination and election connected with foreknowledge?

 

[serpentdove]

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.[John 6:37]


...It is a set in stone statement...

"...Election and free will are both in this verse. “All that the father giveth me shall come to me” states a truth, and that is election. But wait a minute! “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” is also true, and “him that cometh to me” is free will..." McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (John 1-10) (electronic ed., Vol. 38, p. 107). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

 

[John146]

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.[John 6:37]


Look at how Jesus stated the above. All that the Father gives Him will come. It is a set in stone statement, that those the Father gave Him will come to Him and be saved. So, the effectual calling of God's elect, God's ppl, will save them.

“Irresistible Grace” gives no glory to God because that means people only accept Jesus because God predestined it.

John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This is easily answered with the below verse, which says if He is lifted, He will draw ALL men.

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

When a man is "drawn" to the Lord it does not mean that man will believe the gospel and be saved. A man is drawn to the Lord by the Holy Spirit and given enough faith to believe by hearing the gospel. The man has a choice to head the call or reject it. God does not force Himself upon anyone but is willing that all men(not all the elect or all types of men) be saved and come unto the truth.

 

[serpentdove]

“Irresistible Grace” gives no glory to God because that means people only accept Jesus because God predestined it.

Like a robot.

 

[serpentdove]

God won't demand you love him.

 

[notuptome]

R.C. Sproul wrote a book Grace Unknown. He states that Irresistible grace is not only unknown to the non-elect but it is unknown to the elect as they are wholly passive when God applies irresistible grace.

Joh 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

If grace cannot be resisted why did Jesus ask?

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Rockrz]

Joh 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

If grace cannot be resisted why did Jesus ask?

Excellent point... I'm sure calvin's cult followers will have some far out stories of scripture twisting to explain this away.

This is why I'd always best to go by what God says in His Word.

 

[SovereignGrace]

"...Election and free will are both in this verse. “All that the father giveth me shall come to me” states a truth, and that is election. But wait a minute! “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” is also true, and “him that cometh to me” is free will..." McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (John 1-10) (electronic ed., Vol. 38, p. 107). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

J.V.M. was off his rocker to state it that way.

 

[SovereignGrace]

“Irresistible Grace” gives no glory to God because that means people only accept Jesus because God predestined it.

John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This is easily answered with the below verse, which says if He is lifted, He will draw ALL men.

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

When a man is "drawn" to the Lord it does not mean that man will believe the gospel and be saved. A man is drawn to the Lord by the Holy Spirit and given enough faith to believe by hearing the gospel. The man has a choice to head the call or reject it. God does not force Himself upon anyone but is willing that all men(not all the elect or all types of men) be saved and come unto the truth.

This God-robbing stuff needs swept out the front door. Those drawn will come. Period. Do a word study on the Greek word helkuo. It means to literally drag off. He does not drag us kicking and screaming but effectually. That word is used when Peter drew the sword. By you posting, Peter tried the draw that sword from its scabbard, but it exercised its free will and allowed Peter to draw it.

It is used when Peter dragged the net to shore that was full of fish. By your posting, Peter was only allowed to drag the net to shore because that net allowed him to.

God does not need ppl's permission to save them, nor does He ask them.

Man's exultation is what the churches are all about today.

God can't, God can't God can't. Bah!!

The God you guys post about is foreign to God's holy writ. Shame on you!

 

[SovereignGrace]

“Irresistible Grace” gives no glory to God because that means people only accept Jesus because God predestined it.

John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This is easily answered with the below verse, which says if He is lifted, He will draw ALL men.

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

When a man is "drawn" to the Lord it does not mean that man will believe the gospel and be saved. A man is drawn to the Lord by the Holy Spirit and given enough faith to believe by hearing the gospel. The man has a choice to head the call or reject it. God does not force Himself upon anyone but is willing that all men(not all the elect or all types of men) be saved and come unto the truth.

When I read of posts like this, it makes me think of times when parents say they have a hard time making their kids mind, and someone looks at them and asks, "Who's the parent here?"

I'll ask all of you this, "Who's God here?" You guys say man, we say God. YUGE difference.

 

[ForthAngel]

“Irresistible Grace” gives no glory to God because that means people only accept Jesus because God predestined it.

Actually, it gives all the glory to God and robs man of any glory they'd want to claim as their own.

John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This is easily answered with the below verse, which says if He is lifted, He will draw ALL men.

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

When a man is "drawn" to the Lord it does not mean that man will believe the gospel and be saved. A man is drawn to the Lord by the Holy Spirit and given enough faith to believe by hearing the gospel. The man has a choice to head the call or reject it. God does not force Himself upon anyone but is willing that all men(not all the elect or all types of men) be saved and come unto the truth.

John 6
37 All that the Father gives me will [not "might if they so freely choose by their own will"] come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, [not "that freely decided to choose me of their own will"] but raise it up on the last day.

44 No one can [man's inability shown here] come to me unless [there is a way man can, which is:] the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Context. We seem to have a problem here. Jesus said earlier in John 6 that all who are drawn by the Father will come to him and Jesus says later that he will draw all men to him. Must mean universalism or free will. OR probably that Jesus is saying that salvation is not only for the Jews but the Gentiles and people far off as well.

John 10 helps shed some light on the issue:

John 10
10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

This passage displays a sense of ownership between Jesus and his sheep. They know him, they follow him, they recognize his voice. This ownership is clearly displayed in John 6 as well where we get a crystal clear understanding of God the Father giving a certain group of people to Jesus apart from the will of those people.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

Uh oh, verse 9 says that any who enters by him will be saved. Must mean free will - except that would contradict John 1, John 6, John 10, Romans 8-11, Ephesians 1, Ephesians 2, and the plethora of other verses that deny free will.

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

That whole ownership thing again. Not to mention, in Jesus' own words, he claims to lay his life down for the sheep. What sheep? His sheep. The ones that are given to him by the Father.

13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

There he goes saying it again in case you didn't hear him the first time.

16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

And there it is. Other sheep not of this fold he must bring in. Must be what he means by drawing all men. It couldn't mean literally all men or Jesus has lied and very blatantly contradicted himself. Plus, not everyone who has ever lived has had a chance to hear the Gospel, therefore there is no means of salvation for them. So again, Jesus could not have meant every single person who ever lived or will live. He defines what he means. He laid his life down for the sheep. All that the Father gives to him will come to him. His sheep know his voice and will follow him.

But maybe you want to make a distinction between Jesus drawing and the Father drawing, that maybe this is two separate drawings? However, Jesus goes on in chapter 10 to say:

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.

Interesting how this is worded. He claims they do not believe because they are not of his sheep. He could have said instead "You are not among my sheep because you do not believe", but that would completely reverse what he was saying to them wouldn't it? Completely change the meaning. This, again, shows the inability of man apart from God.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

There is absolutely no evidence in any of these verses to support free will. To the contrary, they support an ownership, God being the owner, who freely chooses those he gives to Christ and they by default, because they are born again of the Spirit, and through the Gospel call, will follow him. This theme is prevalent all throughout John. The book even begins with:

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

This verse flat out denies man's will playing a part in salvation. Compare with John 3, just two chapters later:

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Looks like God chooses. And one last one denying the will of man:

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

Free will is a fairy tale. A myth. Anyone who wants to be honest with the Word of God will not deny this very simple truth. The closest thing we see to a will that is not in bondage is Adam and Eve and even in their free state, they chose sin that put them in bondage as well as the rest of mankind.

 

[Johnny_B]

“Irresistible Grace” gives no glory to God because that means people only accept Jesus because God predestined it.

John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This is easily answered with the below verse, which says if He is lifted, He will draw ALL men.

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

When a man is "drawn" to the Lord it does not mean that man will believe the gospel and be saved. A man is drawn to the Lord by the Holy Spirit and given enough faith to believe by hearing the gospel. The man has a choice to head the call or reject it. God does not force Himself upon anyone but is willing that all men(not all the elect or all types of men) be saved and come unto the truth.

John 12:32 NKJV "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” Notice people in in italics, it is not in the Greek "κἀγὼ ἐὰν ὑψωθῶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς, πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν." Notice that "ἄρσην=men" or "λαός=people" neither word is in the context of John 12:32, so it literally reads "If I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Myself" Which all can very easily mean, all of those that believe or the elect. Also you mentioned that "God does not force Himself upon anyone" The word for draw in the Greek "ἔλκω", which is in the word, "ἑλκύσω" which means "drag" from BAGD.

Here are some Scriptures to consider on God not forcing Himself on anyone Joshua 24:2-3 "And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac." Notice the Lord took Abraham out of the land, once the Lord had Abraham in the promise land He led Abraham.

Also Acts 9:1-4 "Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Verse one Saul was doing what he taught was doing God a service, verse 4 the Lord knocked him to the ground (no horse my addition) by the light from heaven, to get his attention. Would you say knocking someone down is not forcing yourself on that person knocked down?

Can you post the Scriptures that say that people have a chose to receive or reject the Gospel when the Lord draws then to the Son or Himself? Here a Scripture that says that this Grace glorifies God. Ephesians 1:3-12

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.


7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

He made us acceptable in Christ, made us, that sound like He forces or is not asking to receive or reject. Ephesians 2:4-7 "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

The Lord made us, alive, acceptable and seated in heavenly places, there's no asking to reject or accept,why? So that "He might show the exceeding riches of His grace", Noticed He made us acceptable, how are we acceptable by grace through faith, if you have a problem with that, here's what Paul by the Spirit says to you "But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Romans 9:20

Man in the flesh can not see the kingdom of God, they do not understand and they can not please God. John 3:3 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

I Corinthians 2:14 "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

Romans 8:8 "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

God has to make us alive/born again/acceptable so we can see the kingdom of God, so that we can understand spiritual things and to please God or repent, why? "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed." John 3:18-20

This is why the Lord has to knock us to the ground or make us or cause us, I Peter 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"

Now can you posted the Scriptures that say we have a chose to accept or reject the Gospel and please do not use the whosoever or whoever because these Scriptures define that term. Acts 2:39 "For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Revelation 7:9 "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands," These are the whosoever/whoever that the Scriptures are talking about and in the whoever/whosoever Scriptures have no idea of chose is in them, if it does please show us.