Efficacious Grace

[Foghorn]

James Boice.
If we are following the TULIP acronym, this is the doctrine called “irresistible grace,” which refers to the way God calls us to Jesus Christ. But again the words themselves are somewhat misleading, for they do not mean (as they seem to imply) that God will drag us kicking and screaming into his kingdom. Nor do they mean that grace is never resisted by us. Obviously it is. What they mean is that we do not resist effectively. Or, to put it the other way around, they mean that when God calls us to faith in Jesus Christ he calls effectively, succeeding in his purpose to save us. The grace of God’s calling is overwhelmingly efficacious. A good way of expressing this is to say that the Holy Spirit regenerates us, giving us a new nature, as a result of which we naturally do what the new nature does: that is, we believe the gospel, repent of our sin, and trust in Christ unto salvation

I especially like the way Boice explains it in this last sentence above.

Consider this verse, Galatians 1:15-16
But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, 16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:

1 Corinthians 2:10-14,​

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
14 But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

[Foghorn]

Through regeneration or the new birth sinners are given spiritual life and made God's children. The Bible describes this process as a spiritual resurrection, a creation, the giving of a new heart, etc... The inward change, which is thus wrought through the Holy Spirit, results from God's power and grace, and in no way is dependent upon man's help for success in this work.

Sinners, through regeneration, are brought into God's kingdom and are made His children. The author of this second birth is the Holy Spirit; the instrument which He uses is the word of God, not man's choice or an alter call.

John 1:12-13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

 

[Foghorn]

R C Sproul,
offers an excellent account of the Reformed doctrine, with such wonderful explanations of salvation as “[Fallen man’s] problem, which we defined as moral inability, is that he lacks a desire for Christ. He is indisposed and disinclined toward Christ. Unless or until man is inclined to Christ, he will never receive Christ. Unless he first desires Christ, he will never receive Christ. In regeneration, God changes our hearts. He gives us a new disposition, a new inclination… If God gives us a desire for Christ we will act according to that desire.”

Sproul refutes misconceptions of Reformed theology, such as his statement that: “Calvinism does not teach and never has taught that God brings people kicking and screaming into the kingdom or has ever excluded anyone who wanted to be there… Natural man does not want Christ. He will only want Christ if God plants a desire for Christ in his heart. Once that desire is planted, those who come to Christ do not come kicking and screaming against their wills. They come because they want to come. They now desire Christ.”

 

[zippy2006]

James Boice.
If we are following the TULIP acronym, this is the doctrine called “irresistible grace,” which refers to the way God calls us to Jesus Christ. But again the words themselves are somewhat misleading, for they do not mean...

I'm not sure "irresistible grace" is such a bad name for it, given that the Reformed at Dordt were reacting, in part, to The Remonstrance of the Arminians, which affirmed a kind of resistible grace.

If we look at the Canons of Dordt the idea is clearly present:

"...But this [regeneration] is in no way effected merely by the external preaching of the gospel, by moral suasion, or such a mode of operation that, after God has performed His part, it still remains in the power of man to be regenerated or not, to be converted or to continue unconverted; but it is evidently a supernatural work, most powerful, and at the same time most delightful, astonishing, mysterious, and ineffable; not inferior in efficacy to creation or the resurrection from the dead, as the Scripture inspired by the Author of this work declares; so that all in whose heart God works in this marvelous manner are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and do actually believe..." (Canons of Dordt, Heads III & IV, Article 12)​

​

"[The Synod rejects the errors of those] Who teach: That God in the regeneration of man does not use His omnipotence to potently and infallibly bend man's will to faith and conversion; but that all the works of grace having been employed which God uses to convert man, man may yet so resist God and the Holy Spirit, when God intends man's regeneration and wills to regenerate him, and indeed that man often does so resist that he prevents entirely his regeneration, and that it therefore remains in man's power to be regenerated or not. For this is nothing less than the denial of all that efficiency of God's grace in our conversion..." (Canons of Dordt, Rejection of Errors, Paragraph 8)​

 

[Mark Quayle]

James Boice.
If we are following the TULIP acronym, this is the doctrine called “irresistible grace,” which refers to the way God calls us to Jesus Christ. But again the words themselves are somewhat misleading, for they do not mean (as they seem to imply) that God will drag us kicking and screaming into his kingdom. Nor do they mean that grace is never resisted by us. Obviously it is. What they mean is that we do not resist effectively. Or, to put it the other way around, they mean that when God calls us to faith in Jesus Christ he calls effectively, succeeding in his purpose to save us. The grace of God’s calling is overwhelmingly efficacious. A good way of expressing this is to say that the Holy Spirit regenerates us, giving us a new nature, as a result of which we naturally do what the new nature does: that is, we believe the gospel, repent of our sin, and trust in Christ unto salvation

I especially like the way Boice explains it in this last sentence above.

Consider this verse, Galatians 1:15-16
But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, 16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:

1 Corinthians 2:10-14,​

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
14 But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The phrase "combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words." is appropriate. For years I have noticed the strange precision of God's Word by use of human language. It is human, but this is God's Word. How he manages to communicate fact in words that WE get wrong, meanings the WE misunderstand, thoughts beyond our comprehension, and put them into human language, is amazing. And it will not return to him void, but will accomplish everything for which he sent it.

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

The phrase "combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words." is appropriate. For years I have noticed the strange precision of God's Word by use of human language. It is human, but this is God's Word. How he manages to communicate fact in words that WE get wrong, meanings the WE misunderstand, thoughts beyond our comprehension, and put them into human language, is amazing. And it will not return to him void, but will accomplish everything for which he sent it.

Amen !

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

Through regeneration or the new birth sinners are given spiritual life and made God's children. The Bible describes this process as a spiritual resurrection, a creation, the giving of a new heart, etc... The inward change, which is thus wrought through the Holy Spirit, results from God's power and grace, and in no way is dependent upon man's help for success in this work.

Sinners, through regeneration, are brought into God's kingdom and are made His children. The author of this second birth is the Holy Spirit; the instrument which He uses is the word of God, not man's choice or an alter call.

John 1:12-13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

Ezekiel 18:30-32
“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Notice what comes first

1- Repent , turn away from sin
2- the after you repent you get a new heart/spirit
3- repent then you live, have life- ie new heart, spirit.

John has the same order in in his opening of the gospel and in his purpose statement for writing his gospel.

John 1:12-13
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Same order as above receive, believe, call on Him then the new birth follows.

John 20:31
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Once again the order is consistent with the OT- belief/repentance precedes life.


Romans 10:8-13
But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Again above we see its hearing the gospel, believing the message , confessing then calling upon the Lord results in salvation.

Acts tells us the same order in 11:18- "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” Repent precedes life.

Paul confirms the order in Ephesians below as well. Hearing and believing precedes the Holy Spirit that we were sealed with not before belief.

Ephesians 1:13
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit

James and Peter have the same exact order in James 1:18 , 1 Peter 1:23.

See how scripture is consistent in the biblical order !

conclusion: as we read in these SALVIFIC passages there is a consistent order.

1- hearing the word, the gospel
2- believing the gospel
3- receiving the gospel
4- calling upon the Lord
5- confessing Jesus is Lord
6- resulting in the new birth, born of God, salvation, eternal life

hope this helps !!!

 

[Mark Quayle]

1- Repent , turn away from sin
2- the after you repent you get a new heart/spirit
3- repent then you live, have life- ie new heart, spirit.

How do you know the order —does he say that is the order, or is that just the order it is written? You haven't shown that it is possible to repent with a bad heart, in such a way as to get a new heart. You have not shown what induces one lost person to beg for a clean heart, and another to turn away.

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

How do you know the order —does he say that is the order, or is that just the order it is written? You haven't shown that it is possible to repent with a bad heart, in such a way as to get a new heart. You have not shown what induces one lost person to beg for a clean heart, and another to turn away.

The scriptures I posted have an order where faith and repentance precedes life. Salvation, life, the spirit, new birth, regeneration comes after faith in those scriptures not prior to believing.

 

[Mark Quayle]

The scriptures I posted have an order where faith and repentance precedes life. Salvation, life, the spirit, new birth, regeneration comes after faith in those scriptures not prior to believing.

So the fact that it states one then the other, and that, repeatedly, to you implies causation from the first to the second. You still haven't shown that, nor HOW, it is possible to repent with a bad heart, in such a way as to get a new heart. You have not shown what induces one lost person to beg for a clean heart, and another to turn away.

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

So the fact that it states one then the other, and that, repeatedly, to you implies causation from the first to the second. You still haven't shown that, nor HOW, it is possible to repent with a bad heart, in such a way as to get a new heart. You have not shown what induces one lost person to beg for a clean heart, and another to turn away.

Even my children and grandchildren prior to being saved new how to repent and obey their parents/grandparents. The lost son came to his senses and returned to his father. Jesus throughout the gospels taught people to repent and turn to God and many followed after Him prior to Pentecost. He marveled at the faith He saw in many unregenerate people.

hope this helps !!!

 

[Mark Quayle]

Even my children and grandchildren prior to being saved new how to repent and obey their parents/grandparents. The lost son came to his senses and returned to his father. Jesus throughout the gospels taught people to repent and turn to God and many followed after Him prior to Pentecost. He marveled at the faith He saw in many unregenerate people.

hope this helps !!!

What I said was, "...possible to repent with a bad heart, in such a way as to get a new heart". Ninevah repented, but not salvifically. Obeying one's parents isn't the same as obeying God. All people can do good deeds, but that does not imply submission to God. At the core, all unsaved people are sinful.

Jesus was amazed several times at someone's faith —happily granted— but there is no implication there that their faith was not given them by God. You have no way to know whether they were already regenerate or not.

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

What I said was, "...possible to repent with a bad heart, in such a way as to get a new heart". Ninevah repented, but not salvifically. Obeying one's parents isn't the same as obeying God. All people can do good deeds, but that does not imply submission to God. At the core, all unsaved people are sinful.

Jesus was amazed several times at someone's faith —happily granted— but there is no implication there that their faith was not given them by God. You have no way to know whether they were already regenerate or not.

Regeneration, the new birth did not happen until Pentecost as Jesus promised them it was future after He would depart this earth telling them the Holy Spirit would be with them and in them.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Regeneration, the new birth did not happen until Pentecost as Jesus promised them it was future after He would depart this earth telling them the Holy Spirit would be with them and in them.

I disagree. In the Old Testament we have several witnesses to the fact of the work and presence of the Holy Spirit. David, for one, was afraid he would lose the Spirit who had deserted Saul, David's predecessor. The Gospel has always been by grace, the same in the OT as the New. The facts surrounding salvation always the same, the lost, the found, the lost without remedy, but to be born again of the Spirit.

It was well before the cross that Jesus tells Nicodemus, "you must be born again".

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

I disagree. In the Old Testament we have several witnesses to the fact of the work and presence of the Holy Spirit. David, for one, was afraid he would lose the Spirit who had deserted Saul, David's predecessor. The Gospel has always been by grace, the same in the OT as the New. The facts surrounding salvation always the same, the lost, the found, the lost without remedy, but to be born again of the Spirit.

It was well before the cross that Jesus tells Nicodemus, "you must be born again".

No one was born again until Pentecost not even the disciples who did not have the spirit of Christ in them until that day.

 

[Mark Quayle]

No one was born again until Pentecost not even the disciples who did not have the spirit of Christ in them until that day.

You said that before. I disagree. Pentecost was 'filling', not 'residing', per dispensationalist arrangement of terms.

 

[FireDragon76]

I like Gerhard Forde's response: once he was asked if grace was irresistable or resistable. He evaded directly answering the question, and gave a good Lutheran answer "I find grace irresistable, don't you?"

 

[BBAS 64]

I married Grace and yes She is irresistible for sure.

 

[msortwell]

Regeneration, the new birth did not happen until Pentecost as Jesus promised them it was future after He would depart this earth telling them the Holy Spirit would be with them and in them.

You equate the indwelling by the Holy Spirit with the new birth. This is not substantiated in Scripture and will consistently lead to incorrect conclusions.

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

You equate the indwelling by the Holy Spirit with the new birth. This is not substantiated in Scripture and will consistently lead to incorrect conclusions.

Born again, born of God, born of the Spirit and born of Him(Jesus) are all synonyms. We know when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus that he was not born again. Jesus told him of his need to be born from above.

John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

John 3:6
6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

1 John 2:29
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1 John 3:9
9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him;

1 John 4:7
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

1 John 5:1
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.

1 John 5:4
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.

1 John 5:18-19
18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:23-25
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you.

James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.