Does Irressitible Grace Make Men into Robots?

Comment: Irresistible grace makes men into ROBOTS

Response: I never heard the Bible make this argument. In fact, it makes the opposite argument, that is a great act of love to help people who cannot help themselves.(Isaiah 42:7; Rom 9:16-21). Its called mercy. It no more makes people into robots than parents who save their disobedient children from danger makes their children into robots. You don't leave your children to themselves. And whether your children want your help at the time or not, you know better than your children what is good for them. Most people call this love. How much more does God know what is good for his children?   Continue at John Hendryx

Charles Spurgeon on Calvinism — Irresistible Grace

In Steven Lawson’s latest book, The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon, Lawson argues that Charles Spurgeon’s fervent commitment to the doctrines of grace “sharpened” his “gospel focus.” So what exactly did Spurgeon believe about the five points of Calvinism? Using excerpts from The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon, we’ll answer that question in what will be a five part series on the blog. Our prayer is that these truths will sharpen your gospel focus also.

Today we discover what Charles Spurgeon believed about the doctrine of Irresistible Grace.

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Charles Spurgeon affirmed the doctrine of irresistible grace. This is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, who convicts, calls, draws, and regenerates elect sinners. This work unfailingly results in the faith of all those chosen. All whom the Father chose in eternity past and all those for whom the Son died are those whom the Spirit brings to faith in Jesus Christ. None whom the Father elected and for whom Christ died fail to believe. The Holy Spirit grants repentance and faith to these elect sinners and ensures their conversion.

This irresistible call is distinct from the general call of the gospel. The former is extended only to the elect and cannot be resisted. The latter is extended to all who hear the gospel and is resisted apart from the Spirit’s effectual call. Spurgeon explained: “The general call of the gospel is like the common ‘cluck’ of the hen which she is always giving when her chickens are around her. But if there is any danger impending, then she gives a very peculiar call, quite different from the ordinary one, and the little chicks come running as fast as they can, and hide for safety under her wings. That is the call we want, God’s peculiar and effectual call to his own.” This effectual call always secures its desired effect—the salvation of God’s own.   Continue at Nathan W. Bingham

The Doctrines of Grace

After a short back and forth on our Facebook page concerning the subject of limited atonement, I felt a need to make a clear statement why I embrace the doctrines of grace.

Firstly I have to point out that in all honesty I’m not inclined to bang on about T.U.L.I.P. as I so often think of these points totally differently than their names suggest. What I also want to make clear, is that the truth of these points is far more for the benefit of personal assurance, rather than something that needs to be forced upon others point by point.

I have never been discipled as a calvinist, nor even attended a church where the pastor or teaching staff are of that persuasion intentionally. However when I first became aware of these points, and began examining these things against the Bible itself, I found that in all honesty I couldn’t dispute them. They are not points I was quick to accept by any means, especially because of the stigma that those who oppose them attach, but when taken point by point sanely in the light of Scripture, I honestly believe they all stand up.

There is a caveat to this however, and that is to ask oneself what benefit is it should these points be true. This is why I state that they are far more useful for personal assurance than anything else. In fact, if all we do is spend our time trying to prove them right to those who oppose, they become little more than stumbling blocks in my opinion. I believe it is sufficient to quietly and personally agree with them, and allow the words of Scripture they are drawn from to speak for itself. This is the very thing that convinced me personally; not that Calvin was right, but rather these things are clearly outlined in Scripture. Continue Reading>>>

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