PART #5 – Definite Atonement
David Whiting
1
Northridge Church
EQUIP – Spring 2014
IF MAN CANNOT AND WILL NOT – NOW WHAT?
Divine Sovereignty in Salvation – part 5
A Study in Irresistible Grace
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Review (going back to Total Depravity)
1. If the following verses are true:
• Ephesians 2:1-3 – 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and
sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this
world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at
work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at
one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and
thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
• John 8:43 – Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are
unable to hear what I say.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14 - The person without the Spirit does not accept the
things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness,
and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the
Spirit.
• 1 Corinthians 1:18, 21 – 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of
God. 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did
not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was
preached to save those who believe.
2. … is the lost person unable or unwilling to submit to God?
ANSWER: BOTH
3. So if he is unable and unwilling – what now?
4. The biblical answer is – GOD MUST ACT!
PART #5 – Definite Atonement
David Whiting
2
Northridge Church
EQUIP – Spring 2014
• Ephesians 2:4-5 - 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich
in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
B. What is the issue?
IF IT IS TRUE THAT MAN CANNOT AND WILL
NOT – NOW WHAT?
Answer:
God effectively draws the unwilling and unable
person to willingness, repentance and faith.
II. DEFINING “IRRESISTIBLE GRACE”
A. The Starting Place
You must start at the right place to understand irresistible grace. Irresistible
Grace only makes sense if you believe man is dead not sick. If you understand
that depth of man’s depravity and inability, then you easily accept that without
irresistible grace, all men would go to hell.
B. Defining Grace
Grace is God giving you what you don’t deserve. Imagine that a murderer was
pardoned by a judge simply because he wanted to pardon him. And then, he
ruled that the government should pay this murderer one million dollars a year for
life. That is grace - giving something that is not earned or deserved. And that is
an inadequate picture of what God did for us.
C. Defining Irresistible
Irresistible means that when God has set his special affection on some, and
when He sends His Spirit to change the hearts of those he has chosen, no one
can or will resist Him. He is irresistible. He will accomplish what He set out to do.
PART #5 – Definite Atonement
David Whiting
3
Northridge Church
EQUIP – Spring 2014
D. Redefining Irresistible
Do not misunderstand the word irresistible. To some it may give the meaning of
causing someone to do what he does not want to do. If you were skiing and an
avalanche of snow falls on you, sweeping you to your death, that is an
irresistible force. You went against your will. Those who think of irresistible grace
in this way picture God as forcing people to do what they do not want to do. He
drags them struggling and kicking, as it were, into heaven against their wills. He
forces, coerces, and does violence to man’s will. But this is not the meaning of
the word irresistible in irresistible grace. That is why many have chosen a
different word, such as efficacious, or effectual, or certain grace.
E. Understanding Irresistible Grace
Irresistible grace means that God sends His Holy Spirit to work in the lives of
people so that they will definitely and certainly be changed from enemies of God
to his friends and servants. It means that the Holy Spirit will certainly cause
everyone whom God has chosen from eternity and for whom Christ died to
believe on Jesus. But God always does this in a way that man wants to
cooperate.
As with Total Inability, man does exactly what he WANTS to do. He resists God
because he WANTS to resist. He draws near to God because he is effectively
(irresistibly) drawn and wants to draw near.
PART #5 – Definite Atonement
David Whiting
4
Northridge Church
EQUIP – Spring 2014
B. The Calvinist answer – of course you can resist God’s call and
grace.
C. BUT – the Bible also teaches there is a time where God does not
allow His grace to be resisted.
1. If the texts listed above were the ONLY texts – we would agree that God’s
grace can always be resisted.
2. But these texts do not say that God NEVER triumphs over people’s
resistance; they simply say that God often yields to people’s resistance.
3. And we believe there comes a time where God moves over people in a way
that triumphs over a man’s will and changes a man’s will.
IV. SOME OF THE BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR
EFFECTUAL GRACE
A. Faith and repentance are a gift of God.
1. Ephesians 2:8-9 - 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—
and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that
no one can boast.
III. WHY EFFECTUAL GRACE IS RESISTED BY
ARMINIANS
A. There are texts that say we can resist God.
Acts 7:51
“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are
just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!”
Romans 10:21
But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a
disobedient and obstinate people.”
2. Romans 12:3 - For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not
think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself
with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to
each of you.
3. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 - 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but
must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must
be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance
leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their
senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive
to do his will.
4. Acts 11:18 - When they heard this, they had no further objections and
praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted
repentance that leads to life.”
PART #5 – Definite Atonement
David Whiting
5
Northridge Church
EQUIP – Spring 2014
5. Acts 5:31 - God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that
he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.
6. Philippians 1:29 - For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only
to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.
B. We cannot come to Christ unless God draws us. And if He draws
us to come to Christ – it will be an effective drawing.
PART #5 – Definite Atonement
David Whiting
6
Northridge Church
EQUIP – Spring 2014
V. BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF EFFICACIOUS
GRACE
A. John 11 – The story of Lazarus
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a
stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
38
1. John 6:44 - No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws
them, and I will raise them up at the last day.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad
odor, for he has been there four days.”
2. John 6:63-65 - 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The
words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there
are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the
beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He
went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless
the Father has enabled them.”
40
3. John 6:37 - All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever
comes to me I will never drive away.
43
4. John 10:16 - I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring
them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and
one shepherd.
C. Those who God finally calls are called effectively and successfully
1. 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 - 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for
wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and
foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
2. Romans 8:29-30 - 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also
called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of
God?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank
you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this
for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent
me.”
41
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come
out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of
linen, and a cloth around his face.
B. Luke 16:19-31
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in
luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with
sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs
came and licked his sores.
19
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to
Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he
was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his
side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send
Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in
agony in this fire.’
22
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your
good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here
and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great
chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you
cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
25
PART #5 – Definite Atonement
David Whiting
7
Northridge Church
EQUIP – Spring 2014
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I
have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this
place of torment.’
27
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to
them.’
29
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them,
they will repent.’
30
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not
be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
31
C. Acts 16:14 - One of those listening was a woman from the city of
Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a
worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s
message.
VI. Some Warnings
A. Avoid Hyper-Calvinism
Hyper-Calvinism would say man does NOTHING – God does it all.
1. That is unbiblical and wrong!
2. Over and over the command is clear – man must repent and believe!
3. Over and over the command is clear – the Gospel must be shared!
Acts 20:21 - I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God
in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
B. Avoid Arminianism
1. This teaching is offensive to the Arminian for it crushes human pride and
exalts the freedom of God.
2. One of the most popular Arminian teachers calls this doctrine of Effectual
Calling – “Divine Rape.”
PART #5 – Definite Atonement
David Whiting
8
Northridge Church
EQUIP – Spring 2014
VIII. QUOTES
A. Charles Spurgeon
“When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I
sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not
think the young convert is at first aware of this. I can recall the very day and
hour when first I received those truths [of the doctrine of election] in my own
soul – when they were as John Bunyan said, burnt into my heart as with a hot
iron, and I can recollect how I felt that I had grown all of a sudden from a babe
into a man – that I had made progress in scriptural knowledge, through having
found, once for all, the clue to the truth of God. One weeknight, when I was
sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s
sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, how did you come to
be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord?
The truth flashed across my mind in a moment – I should not have sought him
unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek
him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, how came I to pray? I was
induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures?
I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God
was at the bottom of it all, and that he was the Author of my faith, and so the
doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed
to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, ascribe my
change wholly to God.”
B. C.J. Mahaney
“These are not academic questions. The Christian who misunderstands or
misinterprets the underlying cause of his or her conversion can be vulnerable
to legalism, pride, self-reliance, ingratitude, condemnation, and lack of
assurance. But when we rightly understand the nature of our conversion –
that is, when we clearly grasp the role of God’s sovereign grace in election –
we position ourselves to enjoy, in an ongoing way, the wonderfully lifetransforming benefits that are available only through the gospel.”