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Irresistable grace is the I in TULIP. When the gospel had been preached to Gentiles, according to
The Calvinist, however, takes a different view, namely...
One could believe only if foreordained to do so, and if foreordained to do so, one could not resist or reject. This idea is known as "irresistable grace".
In the passage quoted above
By designating beforehand the conditions of salvation, God has not only denied eternal life to all those who resist and refuse to meet those conditions, but God has at the same time appointed for eternal life all who are disposed to receive, believe, and obey those conditions. That is the idea behind
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Of course, this assumes that a person's nature and disposition are very much a matter of the person's own will. It assumes that everyone is born with an ability to seek out God and his truth. It assumes that God will encourage and assist every person to do so, even when Satan has put stumbling blocks in the way. It assumes that people can, if they choose, cultivate this nature and disposition in themselves and be inclined toward God and his will. This seems to be strongly implied in the invitation of the Bible, "Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely"
But Calvinists could not accept this, because it would be inconsistent with other parts of the TULIP --in particular, their view of human nature.
Calvinists do not consider that there are any good folk whose hearts are disposed toward God and who seek him of their own accord. We studied the Calvinistic view of human nature in the entitled "Total Depravity".
That concept of human depravity leads Calvinists to believe that no human being has any natural disposition toward the word of God. Human beings, by their very "fallen nature" must resist the word of God, and have no choice or ability whatever to desire it
This view is inconsistent with the fact that Christ himself had human nature, yet he was a good man disposed toward God and undefiled
Calvinists do not believe in conditions of salvation. We have already studied the Calvinistic view of salvation in the lesson entitled
That concept of saving grace leads Calvinists to believe that no attitude or action on the part of a person contributes in any way to
The Calvinist's view of "free grace" leaves no room for people to make a choice to believe and do certain things as conditions of their salvation. Calvinists think that God would obligate himself if he placed conditions upon his grace, because anyone who fulfilled those conditions would then have a claim upon God. Thus his grace
This view overlooks a salient fact, namely that the most important condition (that an acceptable sacrifice be offered for sin) is beyond anyone's ability to fulfill, and it was grace that provided the needed sacrifice, leaving us always obligated to God, rather than he to us, no matter how many other conditions we can and do fulfill
Calvinists have a peculiar (in the sense of their own special) view of the sovereignty of God's will. They believe that everything happens according to the predetermined purpose and counsel of God. They hold the philosophy that God must foreordain "whatsoever comes to pass", otherwise his will is not sovereign and he is not omnipotent. To state that in simple language, if somebody can reject or resist God's will, then that person has a
The Calvinist cannot conceive of God laying down two alternatives, pointing out the eternal and unchangeable consequences of each, and giving a person the choice, especially when God's will favours one alternative and abhors the other. Calvinists argue that if a person can possibly choose the alternative that God does not wish, then that person's will can prevail over God's will, so the will of that person is the sovereign will, and God's will is subject to that
This view overlooks the fact that our Lord himself was tempted and could have disobeyed his Father's will. He said that he would yield to his Father's will, but he also said that he could call upon his Father for twelve legions of angels to escape the cross and his Father would give them, although the Father's will, written in prophecy, would fail to be fulfilled
Calvinists believe that grace is imposed upon indisposed people. For example, take the case of Lydia "whose heart the Lord opened"
What Calvinists Say About Lydia
Calvinists hold that Lydia was not disposed toward God, and had no ability to desire God's righteousness. Her heart was shut up against God. But God had fore-ordained that Lydia should be saved, so he gently forced her heart open and compelled a change of heart upon her so that she heeded Paul's message by God's will, not of her own choice. It was in her nature to resist, and she did resist with all her heart, but God imposed his will upon her such that his grace was irresistable, and all her resistance was overpowered.
The Calvinists uphold this interpretation of Lydia's conversion, by supposing an "inward call of irresistable grace". Thus they have Paul speaking to Lydia's ear --the resistable outward call-- whilst God spoke to Lydia's heart --the inward call of irresistable grace. Lydia then had no choice but to accept Paul's message, because God purposed that she should and entered into her heart to make her receive it. She did not do it of her own accord, or because of Paul's effort, but by the hidden work of God within her.
What the Scripture Says About Lydia
But the story as it is written presents the picture of a good woman who worshipped God and was accustomed to prayer and fellowship. As Paul spoke to her, the gospel appealed to her, it was the message she was waiting for and was disposed toward. Not only was her heart able to open to that message, but it eagerly did so, and Lydia, in faith and obedience, heeded all that Paul spoke to her.
When the passage gives credit to the Lord for the opening of Lydia's heart, it acknowledges that the Lord provided the means of her salvation, and the message preached to her about the plan of salvation. But that does not mean that Paul, God's minister, did not open Lydia's heart by his speaking, or that Lydia, God's worshipper, did not open her own heart by her willing attitude.
All three are true and complementary. There was a synergy of the three, that is to say the three were working together.
A "proof text" used by the Calvinists states that God has called, according to his purpose, those whom he foreknew and predestined, and the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable
In the following examples, people did resist God's grace and reject his will. Yet God never revoked or changed his will in response to their resistance. His will remained firm.
The People of Jerusalem
Jesus wanted to gather the people of Jerusalem to himself, but they were unwilling, rejected their destiny, and their city was made desolate
The Pharisees and Lawyers
The Pharisees and lawyers refused to be baptised by John, "Rejecting God's counsel for themselves". What did they resist and reject? God's counsel for themselves. God does not command what God does not will. If God commanded and counselled the Pharisees to be baptised by John, then it was God's will that they do so. But they rejected God's will and refused
Adam and Eve
God purposed that Adam and Eve should not eat of a certain tree. He counselled them not to eat of it. God does not command what God does not will. Therefore, by eating of the tree they went contrary to God's will, fell from grace, and suffered the consequences
There are dozens of examples in the Bible of disobedience to God's will. All of them are witnesses that, from the beginning, up to this present day, human beings have been able to reject God's purpose, disobey his will, and resist his grace --but they will find his wrath irresistable for our God is a consuming fire.