Which of these are in worse shape?
Irresistible Grace Defined by
Calvinists
“Since it is the will of God that those whom He gave His
dear Son in eternity past should be saved, He will surely
act in sovereign grace in such a way that the elect will
find Christ irresistible. God does not force the elect to
trust His Son but rather, gives them life. The dead human
Spirit finds the dead spirit of Satan irresistible, and all
living human spirits find the God of the living irresistible.
Regeneration (the work of God) must precede true
repentance and faith.” - Duane Edward Spencer, TULIP:
The Five Points of Calvinism in the Light of Scripture
Irresistible Grace Defined by
Calvinists
“Although the outward call of the gospel can be, and often
is, rejected, the special inward call of the Spirit never fails to
result in the conversion of those to whom it is made. This
special call is made not to all sinners, but is issued to the
elect only! The Spirit is in no way dependent upon their help
or cooperation for success in His work of bringing them to
Christ. It is for this reason that Calvinists speak of…God’s
grace in saving sinners as being…’invincible’ or ‘irresistible.’
For the grace which the Holy Spirit extends to the elect
cannot be thwarted or refused, it never fails to bring them to
true faith in Christ.” – The Five Points of Calvinism by Steel
and Thomas, p. 49
Irresistible Grace Defined by
Calvinists
“…the Holy Spirit will certainly – without any and’s,
if’s and but’s – cause everyone whom God has
chosen from eternity and for whom Christ died to
believe on Jesus.” – Five Points of Calvinism by
Edwin H. Palmer, p. 58
A Calvinist’s View of Free-Will
“As we said before, man is always free. He does
exactly what he wants to do. This does not mean
that he has free will – that is, the ability to choose
the good and the bad equally as well. He does not
have that kind of freedom. For He hates God, loves
sin, and freely, willingly sins without any external
compulsion. He is never able to choose the good,
God, and Christ, because he is in slavery to the devil
and his own sinful desires.” – Five Points of
Calvinism by Edwin H. Palmer, p. 58
Irresistible Grace: Assumed Causation
“Two college students attend a Bible Study of Inter-Varsity
Christian Fellowship. One says, ‘That’s great’; the other
says, ‘Poppycock.’ Two strangers hear a clear sermon on ‘I
am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father except through me.’ One believes, the other does not.
Two boys – brought up in the same home with the same
religious instruction. One loves God, and the other hates
Him. Their names are Jacob and Esau…Why do two people
in precisely the same circumstances react in opposite ways?
Why does one believe, and another reject
Christ?...Irresistible grace is the sole cause for these
different reactions.” – Five Points of Calvinism by Edwin H.
Palmer, p. 56
Irresistible Grace: Assumed Causation
Could this be the reason Esau turned from God?
(Genesis 28:6)
Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away
to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that
as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shall
not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan," (NKJV)
(Genesis 28:9)
So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of
Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his
wife in addition to the wives he had. (NKJV)
Some do not want the truth because of
the consequences of accepting it!
“Some conservative groups believe that divorced
people who marry another spouse are living in sin.
However, the number of divorces in the United
States has led most denominations away from that
teaching.” - Anthony Dunnavant, Orange County (California) Register
How is one saved?
We are saved by grace through faith.
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
For by grace you have been saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift
of God, not of works, lest anyone should
boast. (NKJV)
How is one saved?
We are saved by grace but
NOT GRACE ONLY.
If we were, all would be saved because…
(Titus 2:11)
For the grace of God that brings salvation has
appeared to all men…
(1 Timothy 2:6)
who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be
testified in due time, (NKJV)
How is one saved?
We are saved by grace but
NOT GRACE ONLY.
God does want everyone to be saved…
(1 Timothy 2:4)
who desires all men to be saved and to come to
the knowledge of the truth. (NKJV)
(2 Peter 3:9)
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as
some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward us, not willing that any should perish but
that all should come to repentance. (NKJV)
How is one saved?
We are saved by grace but
NOT GRACE ONLY.
Yet we know all will not be saved!
(2 Thessalonians 1:8)
in flaming fire taking vengeance on those
who do not know God, and on those who do
not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(NKJV)