Simply Irresistible

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

When I say irresistible grace, some people cringe, mainly because they do not understand scripture. When Calvinists speak of irresistible grace, they are speaking of the work of the Holy Spirit in the unrepentant sinner.

The Holy Spirit never fails in bringing God’s elect before Him. This is such an important doctrine and one that we should focus on in today’s society. No matter what a person thinks about Christianity, Jesus, or doctrine, at some point, the Holy Spirit will intervene. One named in the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain will come to God. The grace of Christ is irresistible, and we cannot run from it once it is brought to light by the Spirit. They are the elect of God, and Christ will redeem them. This certainty of God's plan should bring all believers reassurance and a sense of security.

In the Canons of Dort (Head III–IV, Art. 11) [1], it is written:

“When God accomplishes His good pleasure in the elect or works in them true conversion, He not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them and powerfully illuminates their mind by His Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God; but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit, pervades the inmost recesses of the man; He opens the closed, and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised, infuses new qualities into the will, which though heretofore dead, He quickens; from being evil, disobedient, and refractory, He renders it good, obedient, and pliable; actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.”

We also find irresistible grace in the Westminster Confession (10.1) [2]:

“When God accomplishes His good pleasure in the elect or works in them true conversion, He not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them and powerfully illuminates their mind by His Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God; but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit, pervades the inmost recesses of the man; He opens the closed, and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised, infuses new qualities into the will, which though heretofore dead, He quickens; from being evil, disobedient, and refractory, He renders it good, obedient, and pliable; actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.”

Not only is this doctrine, but Jesus told us this as well. In John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” The Father has chosen his elect, enabling them to come to Christ when the irresistible grace of Christ is brought to light by the one elected.

A sinner can only be brought to salvation by the act of the Trinity. God elects the one, the Spirit enables the irresistible calling of grace, and Christ delivers Salvation for those who have faith in Him. This underscores the unity and power of the divine, a majestic force working together for the salvation of humanity. What we must also remember is that salvation comes at a weighty cost. The Son of God left heaven and, in the incarnation, became human. He suffered as a result of the law and, on the cross, beaten, scourged, demeaned, and spit upon, died so that in his resurrection, you could be made righteous before God. Jesus paid a price we could have never paid.

Salvation comes instantaneously and extemporaneously out of the love of God.  If you are saved, you understand that the grace of Christ and the love of God, once seen and felt by the sinner, cannot be ignored or rejected; it is truly irresistible.

Do you know the love of God in this way?

[1] The Canons of Dort, https://www.prca.org/cd_text3.html

[2] The Westminster Confessional, https://dailywestminster.wordpress.com/2018/04/27/wcf-10-1-7/