Effectual Grace

The TULIP acronym uses the expression irresistible grace. But, is grace irresistible? R. C. Sproul, a Reformed theologian wrote, "The term irresistible grace is misleading." He further wrote, "God's grace is resistible in the sense that we can and do resist it." Dr. Sproul concluded, "Thus I prefer the term effectual grace."

Scripture is clear that people resist the grace of God. "You always resist the Holy Spirit" (Acts 7:51). Scripture also speaks of those who have "insulted the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29). Until the Holy Spirit comes with conviction and changes our hearts, we resist God's grace. Thereafter, we desire to follow Christ and seek to do God's will.

Dr. Sproul used his preferred term, effectual grace. That is grace which effectively changes the hearts of people through the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the book of Acts, Lydia is an example of effectual grace. "The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul" (Acts 16:14). She heard the gospel, believed and was baptized.

If people resist the grace of God by rejecting the gospel, it's their choice. They are responsible for their own just condemnation. However, if people hear and believe the gospel of Christ, they do so because the Holy Spirit works effectual grace in their hearts.

The Natural Man

Do we have free will? Yes, as far as natural ability is concerned. Reason and experience makes that obvious. But, do we have free will as far spiritual things are concerned? Absolutely not, we are unable to understand until we are born of the Spirit.

Jonathan Edwards taught that free will from a biblical standpoint must be distinguished between natural ability and spiritual ability. All people have free will as far as natural ability is concerned. That is to say, God has given all of us the ability of choice in the natural world. Yet, the natural man without Jesus Christ is in bondage to sin and unbelief as far as spiritual ability is concerned.

Edwards view of free will is consistent with Scripture, and the teaching of the apostle Paul. The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:12-14). He is spiritually dead in sin and trespasses (Ephesians 2:1). His mind is unable to discern and believe what the Holy Spirit teaches (John 3:10-12).

Only when we are born of the Spirit, through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, are we able to understand and truly believe what Scripture teaches. The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. After new birth, the Holy Spirit becomes our teacher through Scripture, guiding us into all truth. And, that truth is found in the one who is the truth, Jesus our Lord (John 14:6). 

3 Views on Election

Election is the doctrine that God chose His people in Christ (Ephesians 1:4-6). Serious students of Scripture cannot deny that this doctrine is taught in the Bible. The debate arises over how and why God chose His people. This debate over election has continued for centuries. Consider three views on election. 

Conditional election teaches the view that God chose certain people to salvation, because He foresaw they would believe in Christ (Acts 16:30-31). The condition for salvation, according to the Bible, is believing in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Therefore, if salvation is conditional, then our election must be conditional. 

Unconditional election teaches that God did not choose any person to salvation in Christ based upon foresight of what they would do (Romans 9:11). Therefore, our election to salvation is according to whom God foreknew (Romans 8:29-30). Others are left in their choice of rebellion to be justly condemned according to God's justice, based upon their personal sins (Romans 9:22).

Corporate election teaches that the primary election is of Christ. He is the Elect One, chosen to redeem us (Isaiah 42:1). Therefore, our election is in the Elect One, Jesus Christ our Lord. The apostle Paul spoke of those "who also were in Christ before me" (Romans 16:7). All who come to faith in Christ are baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).  

Faith Resting in Christ

Charles Spurgeon wrote, "My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah!" 

Faith must rest in Christ and not in ourselves. We know that we are sinners and Christ died for our sins. We are not trusting in self-righteousness. Faith is in the righteousness of Christ. He is our righteousness.

Spurgeon taught faith is "in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing." That's our faith resting in Christ alone. We are "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

Faith is confidence and assurance resting in Christ, and not in ourselves. It is knowing Christ as our Surety (Hebrews 7:22). He is our guarantee of eternal salvation. 

We may testify with Spurgeon, "My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah!" 

Yes, true faith will rest in Christ alone. We confess, "I am a sinner for whom Christ died." We are focused upon Christ crucified for our sins. No self-righteousness do we claim. We know by faith, that Christ died for our sins. He is risen from the dead as our living Lord.

Our Daily Cleansing

John Owen (1616-1683) a Puritan theologian saw the believer's need for daily cleansing. He wrote, "Go daily to Jesus for cleansing. Hence also is manifest the necessity we have of continual applications to Jesus Christ for cleansing virtue from his Spirit and the sprinkling of his blood on our consciences to purge them from dead works."

Owen recognized the need for daily cleansing from our sins as believers. Not only did he recognize the need, but more importantly, he recognized that cleansing is open daily for all believers. Our conscience witnesses to our need. The blood of Jesus avails to cleanse us from all sin.

There are no perfect Christians here below. Our temptations continue. Our battle with the flesh is reality (Galatians 5:17). The believer's sanctification is not perfect nor complete. Our growth in holiness continues, but we do sin from time to time. Free from the bondage to sin, we are not yet free from the temptation to sin.

Our Lord Jesus not only cleanses us at the point of conversion, but he graciously continues to cleanse us as we confess our sins (1 John 1:7, 9). Scripture warns us not to claim that we are sinless. If we do, then we only deceive ourselves (1 John 1:8, 10). John Owen wisely saw "the believer's need for daily cleansing." 

Your New Creation

The Word and Spirit brings forth your new creation in Christ. The word of the gospel is about the Word who became flesh, even Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The power of the Holy Spirit, who inspired the written word of God, makes you a new creation through faith the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16).

John MacArthur wrote "The unbelieving heart must be made alive, transformed, cleansed, and renewed (Ephesians 2:4). And it is the Holy Spirit who regenerates sinners, such that those who were formerly miserable wretches are reborn as new creations in Christ."

MacArthur further stated, "To see a spiritually dead sinner made alive in Christ Jesus by the power of the Spirit is to witness an actual miracle of God." He concluded, "The same Source of explosive power that brought the world into existence out of nothing is today at work in the hearts and lives of the redeemed."

The Spirit of God who moved in creation, has moved in your new creation. Every time a sinner is truly born again, there is new creation. If anyone is in Christ, he has become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). God's Spirit takes away a heart like stone to create a new heart within you (Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26). The agent of your new creation is the power of the Holy Spirit.

Christ Revealed to All

The Holy Bible is actually 66 books and letters in the Old and New Testaments. Many would think that Revelation is one of the hardest books in the Bible to understand. Christ is the key to interpreting the Book of Revelation. It is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 1:1). From Genesis to Revelation, Christ is revealed to all in the Bible.

The revelation of Jesus Christ to all is in the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit. He is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. The prophets spoke of the One who was coming. The New Testament declared He has come. His name is JESUS, who came as the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. 

Christ is revealed to all in the Bible through progressive revelation. God spoke in times of old by the prophets who knew in part and prophesied in part (Hebrews 1:1-2). Today, we have the full revelation of Jesus Christ. He is the Word of God incarnate. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

All Scripture points all to Christ. There are literally hundreds of types pointing toward Christ in the Old Testament. For example, the Passover Lamb in Exodus points toward Christ our Passover. "For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7). It's the revelation of Jesus Christ.