Author	Thread: Irresistible Grace................!!
Admin	Irresistible Grace................!! Posted : 8 Jun, 2011 03:43 PM Each member of the Trinity--the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit-- participates in and contributes to the salvation of sinners. As was shown in the other posts, the Father, before the foundation of the world. marked out those who were to be saved and gave them to the Son to be His people. At the appointed time the Son came into the world and secured their redemption. But these two great acts--election and redemption--do not complete the work of salvation, because included in God's plan for recovering lost sinners is the renewing work of the Holy Spirit by which the benefits of Christ's obedience and death are applied to the elect. It is with this phase of salvation (its application by the Spirit) the the doctrine of Irresistable Grace or Efficacious Grace is concerned. Simply stated, this doctrine asserts that the Holy Spirit never fails to bring to salvation those sinners whom He personally calls to Christ. He inevitably applies salvation to EVERY sinner whom he intends to save, and it is His intention to save all the elect. Although the outward call of the gospel is made to all, through preachers, radio, bible tracts, Christians, etc. It is mostly rejected. The special INWARD call of the Spirit never fails to result in the conversion of those for whom it is intended. This special inward call is issued to the elect only! The Spirit is in no way dependent upon their help or cooperation for success in bringing them to Christ. God lovingly takes away their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh. they come because the WANT to, the want to, because they have been made willing by HIS grace. A. General statements showing that salvation is the work of the Spirit as well as that of the Father and the Son. Romans 8: 14: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 1 Corinthians 6:11: But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. see also 1 Cor. 2:10-14; 2 Cor. 3:17,18 1 Corinthians 12:3: Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:6:.... the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life. 1 Peter 1:2: ....chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling of His blood... B. Through regeneration or the new birth sinners are given spiritual life and made God's children. the Bible describes this process as a spiritual resurrection, a creation, the giving of a new heart, etc. 1. Sinners, through regeneration, are brought into God's kingdom and are made His children. The AUTHOR of this "second" birth is the Holy Spirit; the INSTRUMENT which He uses is the word of God. John 1: 12,13: But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; WHO WERE BORN, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but OF GOD. John 3:3-8: is Jesus speaking and is famous. It is where we Christians get the phrase "born again" that Hollywood and the media love to make fun of. Titus 3:5: ....he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of REGENERATION and RENEWAL IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. 1 PETER 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been BORN ANEW to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. see also: 1 Pet. 1:23; 1 John 5:4 2. Through the Spirit's work the dead sinner is given a new heart (nature) and made to walk in God's law. In Christ he becomes a new creation. Deuteronomy 30:6: And the Lord your God will CIRCUMCISE YOUR HEART and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. Ezekiel 36:26,27 A NEW HEART I will give you, and a NEW SPIRIT I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. (compare Ezekiel 11:19) Galations 6:15: For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a NEW CREATION. see also: 2 Cor. 5:17,18; Ephesians 2:10; 3. The Holy Spirit raises the sinner from his state of spiritual death and makes him alive. John 5:21: For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son GIVES LIFE to whom he will. Ephesians 2:1,5: and you HE MADE ALIVE, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins...even when we were dead through our trespasses, [God] made us ALIVE together with Christ.... Colossians 2:13: And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, GOD MADE ALIVE together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses. C. God makes known to His chosen ones the secrets of the kingdom through the inward personal revelation given by the Spirit. Matthew 11:25-27: AT that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one KNOWS THE FATHER except the Son and any one whom the Son CHOOSES TO REVEAL HIM." Luke 10:21: In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and 'understanding' and REVEALED them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will." Matthew 13:10,11,16 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak in parables?" And he answered them, "To you it has been GIVEN TO KNOW THE SECRETS of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given....But blessed are our eyes, for they SEE, and your ears, for they HEAR." see also: John 6:37,44,45,64,65 Luke 8:10 Matt. 13:10,11,16 1 Corinthians 2:14 Ephesians 1:17,18 John 10:3-6, 16, 26-29 D. Even FAITH and REPENTANCE are divine GIFTS and wrought in the soul through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Acts 5:31: "God exalted him at his right hand a Leader and Savior, to GIVE REPENTANCE unto life." Acts 13:48: And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God; and as many as were ORDAINED to eternal life BELIEVED. Acts 18:27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and he wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who THROUGH GRACE HAD BELIEVED. Acts 16:14: One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God. THE LORD OPENED HER HEART TO GIVE HEED to what was said by Paul. Ephesians 2:8,9: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD--not because of works, lest any man should boast. see also Acts 11:18; Phillippians 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:25,26 E.The gospel invitation extends an outward call to salvation to all who hear the message. In addition to this external call, the Holy Spirit extends a special inward call to the elect only. The general call of the gospel can be, and often is, rejected, but the special call of the Spirit cannot be rejected; it always results in the conversion of those to whom it is made. Romans 1:6,7; ..including yourselves who are CALLED to belong to Jesus Christ; To all God's beloved in Rome, who are CALLED to be saints.... Romans 8:30; And those whom he predestined he also CALLED; and those whom he CALLED he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. There are many verses for this. See also: 1 Cor. 1:1,2,9,23-31 Galations 1:15,16; Ephesians 4:4; 2 Tim 1:9 Hebrews 9:15; Jude 1; 1 Peter 2:9 ,5:10; 2 Peter 1:3 Revelation 17:14 F. The application of salvation is ALL of grace and is accomplished solely through the almighty power of God. Isaiah 55:11: "...so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall ACCOMPLISH that which I PURPOSE, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it." John 3:27: John answered "No one can receive anything except what is GIVEN him from heaven." John 17:2: "...since thou hast given him power over all flesh, so that he might GIVE eternal life to all whom thou hast given him." Romans 9:16: So it depends not upon man's will or exertion, but upon GOD'S MERCY. 1 Corinthians 3:6,7: I planted, Apollos watered, but GOD GAVE THE GROWTH. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who GIVES the growth. See also: 1 Cor. 4:7; Philippians 2:12,13; James 1:18 1 John 5:20: And we know that the Son of God has come and has GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING, to KNOW him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Sincerely, James Post Reply
View Profile History	Irresistible Grace................!! Posted : 9 Jun, 2011 08:16 AM There are 2 parts to salvation and the Christian life: God's Part and our part. We should concentrate more on our part rather than argue with long theological discussions on God's part and believing that everything is predestined which sometimes gives us much pride that we are right doctrinely and then never do our part GOD HAS PROMISED IN JEREMIAH 29:13: YOU WILL FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH **ALL YOUR HEART**.� John 14:23: Jesus says, �If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching, My Father will love him, and We will make Our home with him.� Matthew 28:19.20� Jesus commands, �Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to *OBEY EVERYTHING I have commanded you!� {See I John 2:3-5} So let us read God's Word daily {Acts 17:11} and then *DO WHAT IT SAYS*! {James 1:22,25} Acts 17:11: �The Bereans were of noble character, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures *EVERY DAY*!�:angel: James 1:22,25: �Do not merely listen to the Word. *DO WHAT IT SAYS*!... and he who continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but *DOING IT*�will be blessed in what he does.:angel: Matthew 16:27; Jesus says, �The Son of Man is going to come in **HIS FATHER'S GLORY WITH HIS ANGELS** {See Matt 24:30,31 & 2 Thess 1:6-10}, and *THEN* He will reward each person according to what he has done.� Revelation 22:12: Jesus says, �Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!� {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels} 2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels} whether good or bad.� Ephesians 2:8-10: It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. So Salvation is the ***FREE GIFT*** of God's grace and good works can only be performed by the saved. Daniel 12:3: �Those who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever!�:rolleyes: Matthew 5:14,16: Jesus says, �You are the LIGHT of the world...Let your LIGHT shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.:rolleyes: I Corinthians 3:6-9: Paul says, �The Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed. Apollos watered it, but God made it grow... The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers!�:peace: So let our lights *SHINE* with the many gifts God has given us and we can have a REVIVAL with the hope of countless eternal rewards for faithful and loving service. I Corinthians 1:7: For �You do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be *REVEALED*!�:applause::angel: Post Reply
View Profile History	Irresistible Grace................!! Posted : 9 Jun, 2011 09:11 AM My dear brother james, where does Jesus Christ say only the elect will be saved? Post Reply

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