Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

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REVIEW

In part one and part two of this series, our focus was on; 1 Timothy 2:4 and the belief that Calvinist or Reformed theologians do not believe the phrase, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. In that process, we covered the 5 Solas of the Reformation, Total Depravity, and Unconditional election. I hope we did a sufficient job of covering each topic.

In part three we looked at the arguments against and for Limited Atonement.

Today we explore the “I” in T.U.L.I.P. or Irresistible Grace.

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First, it helps to define what Grace is:

Grace. The free, unmerited favor of God. The Reformers insisted that salvation is accomplished by grace alone (sola gratia) and not on the basis of *good works or human *merit. The priority of grace is true not just of *predestination and *justification but the whole process of *sanctification and the life of *piety. Unlike some presentations of *irresistible grace, the majority Reformed presentation affirms that God’s grace works in dynamic interplay with human freedom and responsibility. In addition, God not only gives grace, particularly to his people but shows *common grace to all humanity in connection with his work of *providence.

Kelly M. Kapic and Wesley Vander Lugt, Pocket Dictionary of the Reformed Tradition, The IVP Pocket Reference Series (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 57.

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Having expounded upon what Biblical Grace, we can now look at what God’s Irresistible Grace is:

Irresistible Grace. A phrase associated with the I in *TULIP and intended to communicate the sovereign *grace of God in *regeneration arising from *election and leading toward final *perseverance. Numerous Reformed theologians have argued that irresistible is an unfortunate and even inaccurate description since it implies God working against human *free will. Reformed *confessions refer to grace “certainly, unfailingly, effectively” working in and through the elect (Canons of *Dort) or God drawing the elect toward himself, not coercively, but “freely,” as they are “made willing by his grace” (*Westminster Confession). Consequently, if grace is irresistible, it is by virtue of its persuasive rather than coercive force.

Kelly M. Kapic and Wesley Vander Lugt, Pocket Dictionary of the Reformed Tradition, The IVP Pocket Reference Series (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 64–65.

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The doctrine of irresistible grace accurately summarizes what the Bible teaches about the nature of saving faith as well as what must happen to overcome man’s depraved nature.

Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002–2013).

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STUDY

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I hope you can see from this article that the Doctrine of Irresistible Grace, is not some made-up doctrine where folks are forced to repent or repent like little robots without any will. This Doctrine is about God’s sovereignty, not man’s free will.

The doctrine of irresistible grace simply recognizes that the Bible teaches God is sovereign and can overcome all resistance when He wills to.

Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002–2013).

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