The Doctrine of Irresistable Grace
Posted by Michael Bunker
mbunker@michaelbunker.com
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22)
August 11, 2003 - We move forward in our study of God’s beautiful, unchangeable doctrines to the Doctrine of Irresistable Grace. We find it to be the doctrine that is most easily provable from scripture, but one of the most neglected and rejected doctrines in our modern apostate age. Let us read a statement of this doctrine found in the Westminster Confession of Faith:
"All those whom God has predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly, to understand the things of God; taking away their heart of stone, and giving them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by His almighty power determining them to that which is good; and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ, yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.
"This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed by it."
It is interesting that the Apostle in writing to the Hebrews chooses to utlize the analogy of “sprinkling” with pure water in regards to us drawing near to God. In the book of Ezekiel, the writer says,
“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Eze 36:24-27)
It is evident that the writer to the Hebrews realized that we can only draw near with a pure heart, when we receive that pure heart from God Himself.
The modern apostate, pop-theology version of the Gospel requires that man effectuate a change in his stance God-ward from his own flesh in order that God might be impressed enough to move man-ward. Though the new apostate Gospel gives lip service to the denial of “works” in salvation, they maintain that man initiates his relationship with God by behaviors that have their fountainhead in the flesh. This is why you see the modern “pleading Gospel”, with so-called ministers begging sinners to consider a relationship with their Creator. The modern pop-Gospel has God watching from the grandstands hopefully (a celestial on-looker), wringing His hands with his desire that some of the fallen race of Adam will see their need for Him so that He might move to save them. With the slightest move by any man God-ward, God only then feels released from His self-imposed restraints so that He might bestow some measure of saving Grace upon the applicant, thereby denying the scriptural maxim that “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). So we can see that the pop-Gospel of today does not require a real and abiding love of God, but bypasses love in favor of human actions. The adherents to this gospel refuse to examine the true fountainhead of Grace and Salvation, but, just as the Papists have always done, they make man always the initiator and God always the responder. They believe that if a man does the right things (proceeding from his flesh), that God is bound to reward that man with all the promises of Grace. But the scriptures say that, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” (Romans 4:4). If God responds out of obligation, then it is of debt and it is not grace. If it is not grace, then it cannot be true salvation.
We must recognize that our understanding of salvation must be consistent with ALL of God’s Holy Word. If at any point salvation is NOT initiated by God, then the salvation under scrutiny is a FALSE and seductive version of salvation. Many may move towards religion out of a multitude of motivations - but only that conversion which wholly and completely begins in the sovereign will of God can be considered a true conversion. The great writer and Chaplain R.L. Dabney identified this truth:
“As the gluttonous child maybe persuaded by the selfish fear of pain and death to forego the dainties he loves, and to swallow the nauseous drugs which his palate loathes so the ungodly man may be induced by his self-righteousness and selfish fear of hell to forbear the sins he still loves, and submit to the religious duties which his secret soul still detests. But, as the one practice is no real cure of the vice of gluttony in the child, so the other is no real conversion to godliness in the sinner. The child must not only forsake, but really dislike his unhealthy dainties; not only submit to swallow, but really love, the medicines naturally nauseous to him. Selfish fear can do the former; nothing but a physiological change of constitution can do the latter. The natural man must not only submit from selfish fear to the godliness which he detested, he must love it for its own sake, and hate the sins naturally sweet to him. No change can be permanent which does not go thus deep; nothing less is true conversion. God's call to the sinner is: "My son, give me thine heart." (Proverbs xxiii. 26.) God requireth truth in the inward parts and in the hidden parts: "Thou shalt make me to know wisdom." (Psalm li. 6.) "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart." (Deut. x. 16.) But hear especially Christ: "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt." (Matt. xii. 33)
It is only Christ who can change the very nature of the tree. The corrupt tree cannot put forth good fruit. Can you make a lion graze on grass, or a lamb desire bloody meat? Can the will of a man be disposed to that which his mind and heart finds loathsome? All of scripture screams out that fallen man must be regenerated in order for him to seek after God aright.
In effect, the proponents of modern Arminian religion deny the regeneration. But most specifically they deny that regeneration must PRECEDE conversion. But concerning this, the Bible is crystal clear:
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Tit 3:3-7).
Regeneration is a necessity if we are to look positively at God and His statutes:
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Eze. 36:26-27)
Regeneration is the effectual and irresistible call. John says it plainly,
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (John 6:37-39)
If you cannot make a lion desire to eat grass, or a lamb desire bloody meat, how do you suppose a man can be made to desire contempt and reproach so that he might receive the hatred and enmity of the world? Our desires are regulated by our nature. We desire, we “will” those things that our nature craves. If our nature is carnal, we will desire carnal things (prosperity, health, a good name among men). If our nature is regenerated by the Spirit of God, then we will desire Spiritual things.
A man must be regenerated in order to desire the things of God. The principles on which he bases his “will” to be attracted or repelled from anything must be changed supernaturally. Conversion may last a lifetime, but Regeneration must happen at once. Again, Dabney says:
“Regeneration is a summary act, conversion a continuous process. Conversion begins in, and proceeds constantly out of, regeneration, as does the continuous growth of a plant out of the first sprouting or quickening of its dry seed. In conversion the renewed soul is an active agent: "God's people are willing in the day of his power." The converted man chooses and acts the new life of faith and obedience heartily and freely, as prompted by the Holy Ghost. In this sense, "He works out his own salvation" (Phil. ii. 12.). But manifestly in regeneration, in the initial revolution of disposition, the soul does not act, but is a thing acted on. In this first point there can be no cooperation of the man's will with the divine power. The agency is wholly Gods, and not man's, even in part. The vital change must be affected by immediate direct divine power. God's touch here may be mysterious; but it must be real, for it is proved by the seen results. The work must be sovereign and supernatural. Sovereign in this sense, that there is no will concerned in its effectuation except God's, because the sinner's will goes against it as invariably, as freely, until it is renewed; supernatural, because there is nothing at all in sinful human nature to begin it, man's whole natural disposition being to prefer and remain in a godless state. As soon as this doctrine is stated, it really proves itself.” (R.L. Dabney, The Five Points of Calvinism, part 2)
So how do the proponents of the false gospel miss it? They refuse to believe that God alone initiates regeneration, BEFORE any move or motion is made by the object of his love. God’s efficacious call goes out to the dead man, who, like Lazarus in the tomb, has no “choice” or “will” in the matter. He cannot participate at this point. Life goes into him as he lies dead and rotting. He stands on his feet, and before he can gather himself, he finds his disposition wholly changed, his heart is made flesh. This is the efficacious, irresistible call of God.
But the enemies of the true Gospel will claim that God has called all men unto Himself, and they mean by this that every man has received the same call and no other. This cannot be true, but in the scripture there are evidently TWO distinct calls:
1) A general call, gone out to the whole world, to REPENT, BELIEVE THE GOSPEL, and GO UNTO CHRIST. This call is evident in both scripture and in nature. This call consists of the plain and just command of God and has no bearing on the ABILITY of the hearer to respond. Some cannot respond to this call, as the scripture saith: “…behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it” (Jer. 6:10), and again from the mouth of Jesus, “Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word” (John 8:43).
2) A specific, salvific call. This call overthrows the fallen mind of man, gives life unto the dead, and effectively brings about the declared purpose of God. Although the Bible plainly teaches that the command to believe the Gospel and come unto Christ is gone out to the whole world, Jesus says, “no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” (John 6:65). Jesus said in John 6:37 that ALL THOSE who the Father gives Him will come unto Him. This salvific call is the same call that went forth to Lazarus while he was dead, stinking and rotting in the tomb. It is said that this quickening is the same quickening Spirit that “raised up Jesus from the dead” (Romans 8:11).
This quickening Spirit is never in any of scripture claimed to blow upon all men, rather,
“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).
Since the false Gospel consists of a weak, deniable and ineffective call of salvation being cast out to all men (like bread thrown to dogs, or pearls to swine), the adherents to that Gospel must twist scripture to explain why some men reject the gospel, or why some who CLAIM to believe the Gospel are unaffected by it, or why they remain worldly and carnal despite their claims. Just as a Lion may sniff and take a small taste of green grass before recoiling from it, many men have indeed tasted of God’s general graces, although they still reject God and neglect His claims upon them. These are pictured in Hebrews the 6th chapter as those who were once enlightened, and who once tasted of the Heavenly gift. But these have never tasted of God’s personal, salvific and effectual Grace. No, had they drunk once of the Living waters that Jesus Christ provides, they would have no other meat or drink. But these are brute beasts. Like the Lion, they will eschew the grass. It is not for them, and they cannot be disposed to love it. Whereas we are made to lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2), they are made to be taken and destroyed (2 Peter 2:12).
If you have ever wondered why your friends and family can read the same Bible as you, and still maintain their love relationship with the world; or if you have wondered how some of them can continue to go to state-sponsored religious worship centers where they are manipulated through an emotional religious ceremony (supposedly in the name of Jesus Christ), but are totally, eternally unaffected by the God/man Jesus Christ in His position as saviour and redeemer, then now you can truly know why.
God has perpetually forsaken the mainstream religious systems of the world that operate under His name. He rejected the worship of Cain, and rejected the world’s worship at Babel. He rejected the idolatrous religious worship of the children of Israel throughout their travails and trials up to and including the time of Christ. He turned the so-called “Universal” papist church over to a reprobate mind, to the point where they participated in the murder of millions of God’s true children. He has always said that His remnant will be few, and that most will not ever find the narrow way. But religious men in American and around the world have convinced themselves that the mainstream “church” is o.k. Doctrine divides and universalism reigns.
We are different from the world, because we are different ON THE INSIDE. We have been changed. Our hearts are made anew, and they are directed God-ward by God Himself. The scales are off of our eyes, and we behold His beauty and perfection. We desire for our husband to come to us with all speed. “Come quickly, Come quickly” is our plea. We desire to banquet with our precious Lord Jesus. Our call to Him is not out of fear, and it is made most freely. We love Him, because He first loved us.
Can God’s grace be resisted? His general grace sure can. You may hate the sunlight and disdain the rain, all graces that God has created. You may look upon the air you breathe as a man looks upon a knife that cuts him. You may hate that the Creation screams out the truth of the goodness of God. You may certainly resist his general grace; most every man who is ever born into the world will do so. But have God once give to you a new heart, a heart of flesh, a heart towards the most beautiful and gracious God, and you cannot and will not resist. Your whole being will be turned in love towards Jesus Christ. Christ will overtake your thoughts and will occupy your mind. You will find his voice sounding in perfect harmony with all of Creation, as it sings the praises of Christ and beckons the Lord Jesus to “come quickly” to you.
God’s saving grace effects a change in the deepest part of man. It quickens his spirit. His stony heart is removed and the mind of Christ overtakes him. He cannot resist, nor can he flee from the love of God.
“Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psa 139:5-14).
I remain your servant in Christ Jesus,
Michael Bunker
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