Contra Irresistible Grace

As to the image choice of this article, the Calvinists like to say that God’s Irresistible Grace is effectual or forceful and equate it to Peter drawing his sword (Jn 18:10) or like hauling or dragging in a net full of fish (Jn 21:6, 11) or like when Paul was dragged out of the temple (Ac 21:30) or like how it is like being dragged to court (Jas 2:6). And this is the same word used for “draws” in John 6:44. And so they conclude that God does what He wants in saving whichever people He has predetermined to save (and only them) irrespective of their free-will choice or He makes them willing. So, I thought it was quite fitting to have an image of a person in a net. But before we get to the book of John, let’s first take a look at Matthew.

Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

I was a Calvinist for fifteen years and it all began with a John MacArthur study Bible that I had which explained this last verse. That is what introduced me to Calvinism and as I began searching online to understand this conceptual framework, I had accepted all five points of TULIP. At the time, there was hardly any information I could obtain that could convince me otherwise because it just wasn’t available. Even today, most websites, YouTube videos and books are largely Calvinistic. Also, many of the old Arminian arguments against Calvinism were weak at the time and much of that even goes on today. However, there are other frameworks of thought like Provisionism and Molinism which can provide a sufficient understanding to make Calvinism unconvincing and for which I have now been convinced out of Calvinism. But here is what John MacArthur had to say about this verse from his whole Bible commentary:

The call spoken of here is sometimes referred to as the “general call” (or the “external call”), a summons to repentance and faith that is inherent in the gospel message. This call extends to all who hear the gospel. “Many” hear it; “few” respond (see the many-few comparison in 7:13-14). Those who respond are the “chosen,” the elect. In the Pauline writings, the word call usually refers to God’s irresistible calling extended to the elect alone (Rom. 8:30), known as the “effectual call” (or the “internal call”). The effectual call is the supernatural drawing of God which Jesus speaks of in John 6:44 (see note on Rom 1:7). Here, a general call is in view, and this call extends to all who hear the gospel. This call is the great “whosoever will” of the gospel (cf. Rev. 22:17). Here, then, is the proper balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty: the “called” who reject the invitation do so willingly, and therefore their exclusion from the kingdom is perfectly just. The “chosen” enter the kingdom only because of the grace of God in choosing and drawing them.

This essentially sums up the Calvinistic view where there is an inward call and an outward call. But only those who are chosen/called/elected by God’s sovereign choice will be irresistibly or effectually called into salvation. But those who received no inward call, are not allowed into the kingdom of God. Yet, those who are outwardly called to come to salvation by the message of the gospel and then reject it, they are also responsible for their choice and so their judgement is just.

But let’s just think about how ridiculous this is for a moment. Here God is with the message of the gospel, inviting everyone to come in, then God’s like, “nope! I didn’t mean you! Get out! I invited you to be here but I don’t actually want you to be here. I was just kidding, not everyone can actually feast with me, only the small number of people I have specifically chosen and hand-selected. Yet, the offer is open to anyone who wants to come.” Isn’t that kind of cruel and unusual and confusing? Like, God is leading people on, urging and pleading for people to come to Him and then when they do, God doesn’t want them. Or, He wants them to come and calls them to do so, knowing full well that they won’t, because they can’t actually do so unless God supernaturally enables them to believe. But He doesn’t want to enable just anyone to believe. Yet, they are response-able for their actions anyway?? Do you see the problem? Let’s review the parable and then come to understand what it is really saying.

Verse 14 (the verse we have just been speaking about) comes at the end of the parable of the wedding feast where many people were called to come to the wedding (they were invited) but did not come and the reason it says they did not come is because “they were unwilling to come” (v. 3), “they paid no attention and went their way” (v. 5). Since those people didn’t come, the king said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast” (v. 8). The parable goes on:

“Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen” (v. 10-14).

Few are chosen means that few are judged fit by God because they were not fitted with the right clothes. They needed to have wedding clothes on for the wedding but they didn’t and that’s why they were put out of the wedding. Those who are chosen/elect are literally those who are “called out from.” The word eklektos (chosen/adjective) is derived from eklegomai (choose/verb) which is derived from ek (out of/preposition) and legō (to say, speak, call /verb). In this way, those who are chosen are those who have been called out of this evil world and out of the religion of mankind to be God’s people. These people are judged fit by God because they have repented from their sins and renounced man-made religion, self-righteousness, and self-effort as a means to be pleasing to God. Those are the ones who were not wearing the wedding garment. They had their own filthy garment of self-righteousness on rather than the righteousness of Christ which would have been freely given to them by grace through faith and they would have been justified by grace if they would have believed.

Do you see the picture now? Jesus is speaking about the religious leaders of his day and those whom He came to who were His own people and yet they rejected Him and did not believe in Him. As John 1:11-12 says, “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” The religious Jews thought they were right with God because they followed the law of Moses and read the Scriptures. But it was by Moses that they were condemned because they rejected Jesus as their Messiah whom Moses wrote about and they trusted in themselves and their own self-performance to be saved. They did not have saving faith. Instead, the Jewish people were those who killed the prophets, they killed John the Baptist, and then they killed Jesus. Even in the very context of this chapter they were scheming against Him (v. 15, 23, 34). So, what was God’s response? The destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD by fire. Those who were invited to the wedding didn’t come to the wedding because they were not worthy since they rejected their Messiah and their deeds were evil. So then, God opened up salvation to be extended to the Gentiles for the gospel to be proclaimed to the highways and byways and everyone was welcome, so long as they come through Jesus who is the door (Jn 10:7, 9). But if they come by any other door, they are a thief or a robber (Jn 10:1, 8).

The thieves and robbers are those religious leaders who were depriving the spiritual life out of Israel, out of God’s people. They were not helping them with all their religion, nor pointing people to the heart of God. Instead, they were placing heavy burdens on people’s backs (Mt 23:4; Lk 11:46). And so Jesus had to come to show the way into abundant life through Him. But God has not chosen these thieves and robbers into His kingdom because they have not repented and this is their own hard-heartedness by choice of which they could choose otherwise. But these people are not chosen because they have not listened to the call to come out of their religiosity and evil hearts. In this way, they are not the called out ones because they are not out but are still in—in to all the entrappings of this world.

Jesus made it clear that you need a new heart to enter into the kingdom of heaven but if your righteousness does not surpass the mere outward conformity and religious entrappings and behavior modification of the scribes and Pharisees, then you will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5:20). That’s why you need the wedding robe of a transformed heart which can only be humbly obtained by grace through faith. This is why many are called but few are chosen (called out, elect, the called out ones, holy people, God’s people, “My people,” “My sheep,” representatives, ambassadors, and royal priesthood: 1 Pet 2:7, 9-10). Either you are in covenant with God through faith or you are not in at all and will not get into heaven. That’s what chosen means. Faith is the only way in and that’s why many do not enter and why “the sons of the kingdom will be cast out” (Mt 8:1-13).

It wasn’t because God failed to select them—it was because they failed to have faith. Their responsibility is theirs and theirs alone but all are welcome to come, both the good and the bad (Mt 22:10). But only those who come through the door of Jesus by faith shall be chosen (selected, permitted) of God to enter the kingdom of heaven because they have been called and they have come out of this world (called, out of: legō, ek). It is not enough to simply be called by the gospel invitation or even by the prompting of the Spirit or feelings of God’s presence. It is also necessary to come out of… by faith. But once you do, you become “a called out one,” holy in God’s sight and shall enter into the eternal kingdom.

This definition of chosen is consistent with Israel who was chosen of God to be His representative nation on earth. They were called out of their pagan worship and into covenant worship with Yahweh. They were selected to serve God to be a blessing to all the people of the earth (Gen 12:3), and through the mighty acts of God on behalf of Israel, the whole earth was given opportunity to have faith in the One true God and/or to be blessed through blessing Israel (Ex 9:16).

We will continue the subject of election in the next article. For now, let’s continue with the subject of Irresistible Grace. But of course, these subjects are not mutually exclusive and so it can be hard to keep them in their neat categories. We will go through the book of John and a few other passages.

John 6:35-37 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”

Those who come to Jesus will not spiritually hunger or thirst. Why? Because they will partake of His life through believing in Him. But this tough crowd who was there for pretentious reasons did not believe in Jesus, even after He performed miracles like feeding the five-thousand. They saw Jesus and saw the miracles but they did not believe because they were not of those whom the Father gave Jesus. Those given by the Father were those whom the Father gave spiritual insight to who then came to Jesus and believed. Continue reading to understand what this means.

John 6:39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”

The “will” here is God’s desire, not God’s deterministic choice. So it is the Father’s desire that all the people He has sent towards Jesus (through drawing them) will not become lost but will be raised on the last day. But if people reject Jesus even though they heard the gospel and were given illumination to the truth, then they will not be raised on the last day. Judas was an example of this. But just because God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, that doesn’t mean they all will (1 Tim 2:3-4). So then, it is God’s desire that all those whom He draws to Jesus will not be lost but will have eternal life. Those who have been “given” to Jesus are not a deterministically select group of people but they are those who become His own through believing in Him and so long as they believe in Him, they shall be raised on the last day.

John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean that all that the Father draws will effectually come to Him but only of those who are both drawn and who come, they will be raised on the last day. In the context, Jesus was speaking in very difficult to believe language saying things like, “eat my flesh” and “drink my blood,” to make sure that many people would not follow Him. Those whom the Father desired to draw to Jesus at this time would have been given sufficient spiritual illumination and a tugging of the Holy Spirit to come (v. 63) but those who were already hardhearted, in unbelief, and were there for all the wrong reasons (v. 26), would not come to Jesus to have life. Jesus was using the hard-heartedness of the Jewish people of His day so that He could fulfill the plan of redemption. But once that was accomplished, Jesus said, “if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (Jn 12:32).

So after His resurrection, the drawing of people to eternal life was no longer restricted but was provided for all. The Father used to do the drawing through the Law and the Prophets but once the church age started, Jesus began to do the drawing through the gospel. Notice also that the provision of Jesus was given to all, even those who were rejecting Him here in John 6 because in verse 32 Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven” (cf. v. 51). Notice it says, “who gives you,” that is, the very crowd that left Him (v. 66).

In conclusion of verse 44, during Jesus’ earthly ministry, it was His plan for not all to come to Him yet or to be drawn to Him and that’s why He spoke in parables, metaphors, and told people not to tell others who He was. Yet at the same time, spiritual insight was provided from heaven to whoever at that particular time the Father wanted to save. However, when Jesus said, “no one can come to Me unless…” He was speaking only of His earthly ministry because after, all men would be drawn to Jesus and be given opportunity to be saved through the means of grace of the gospel message.

Therefore, John 6:44 was never meant to be applied to unbelievers today in order to say that they are completely incapable of coming to Jesus unless God has decided in His sovereign decree to save them. But in the particular time period of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the saying held true of Jesus that “no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father” (v. 65). Additional spiritual insight would have been required to be given from heaven to see past all of Jesus’ hidden sayings in order for someone to believe and be saved. That’s what “granted” means in this context. The disciples were given this insight from either the Father revealing it to them or from Jesus explaining to them what His words meant.

The Calvinists typically like to predicate this whole argument on the word “draw,” saying it was a strong pull or forceful dragging based upon other ways in which this word is used in the New Testament. And the tugging of the Holy Spirit on someone’s heart is certainly a very powerful force yet that doesn’t necessarily in and of itself cancel out someone’s free-will. We might say that these disciples were impelled to follow Jesus and decided of their own free-will to follow that prompting to leave everything behind and follow Him. In this way, the Spirit is the initiator and they followed by their own choice. We could even argue that such an impulse would always be effectual in succeeding to draw people to Jesus. From here, we would have to ask if God pre-selected the disciples in accordance with His foreknowledge of those who He knew would faithfully follow Him and believe on His name? Or, did God just choose whoever He wanted to be disciples of Jesus regardless of any foresight regarding their free-will and perhaps He might have effectually drawn whomever He wished to? But if He decided to do that, would it still be their free-will choice?

It could be argued that (1) God overrided their free-will by overpowering their own self-will in order that they might come or (2) the pulling of the Spirit was pleasant to them and so they came of their own free-will or (3) the pulling of the Spirit was tempered so that this pleasantness was strong enough to impel them to come yet gentle enough to where they could choose not to come of their own free-will or (4) the spiritual illumination of the truth of Jesus was given to them along with a sufficient drawing of the Spirit to compel both their hearts and their minds to believe while having the option to not believe; but if anyone knew Jesus was truly God, why would they not believe Him? Or (5) Of all the people in the world, God knew ahead of time which of those who would believe in Him upon normal or mostly normal conditions and so God selected those particular people to draw with His Spirit into salvation at this particular time in history and it was therefore an effectual drawing and these people He selected for service to become His apostles and first-fruits to the world.

There are many options here and some of them could even be switched around some. However, there is enough possibility here to allow this idea of effectual grace in drawing people to Jesus while still permitting human free-will. Therefore, the idea that “draw” implies something strong or forceful, does not cancel out the possibility of free-will and nor does it imply that this is God’s standard operating procedure today to only choose a limited number of people for salvation. Again, Jesus said, “if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (Jn 12:32). So the operating procedure has changed since Jesus’ resurrection. At this point, we need to determine what it means for Jesus to draw all men to Himself. Obviously, it doesn’t mean that “all men” are actually saved so this kind of drawing is not forceful or effectual. Otherwise, they would certainly be saved. Now at this point, the Calvinist might say that “all men” actually just means “some men.” You know, the “elect,” or “all kinds of men.” But that seems like a ridiculous interpretation of all men. For this reason, it would be better to view God’s drawing as applicable to everyone. God does this through means of grace, most specifically through the gospel about Jesus.

God provides means of grace within His own creation to provide sufficient illumination for all to believe (Ro 1:18-23), along with the gospel message itself being a means of grace (Ro 1:16), and the mind and heart being persuaded by reason is also a means of grace (Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8). In addition to this, the Word of God and the Spirit (Heb 4:12; Jn 16:8). But such means are not always effectual as we see in the example of Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, he spoke the gospel and the truth through the power of the Spirit but yet even with this, they did not believe as Stephen said, “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did” (Acts 7:51). And right after this, they stoned him to death. So then, we see that they resisted the drawing of the Spirit. Yet when Peter preached his sermon, three-thousand were added to the church that day as they were all “pierced to the heart” (Acts 2:37, 41). I suppose the reason for this is that Peter reaped the harvest that was ready for the picking while Stephen got the leftovers, those who didn’t believe because of their hard-hearts. Poor guy.

Here are some thoughts to ponder: If people are predestined to salvation, why do they refuse the gospel multiple times in their life before finally accepting it? Why are you born with one nature by sovereign decree to then get another nature by sovereign decree? Why not just be born with the new nature? If God’s call to salvation is effectual for all the “elect,” then why do these same people not come to Christ when they are called to Christ? Why does God wait to bring them to Himself? And if they can’t come without some “inward call” while at the same time rejecting the “outward call” of the gospel, then why is it even needed to outwardly call them? Can’t you just wait for them to be inwardly called and come to Christ since there’s nothing you can actually do unless God decides to move them?

Acts 2:39 says, “For the promise is for you, to your children, and to those far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

In John 12:32 it says “all men” will be drawn and here it says “as many as.” But is draw the same thing as call? We might simply understand Acts 2:39 to say that those whom God calls to Himself are those who hear the gospel message. In this way, all are called to come (Mt 11:28; 22:9; Isa 45:22; 55:1-3; Jn 7:37). The only limitation then would be the limitations of the gospel call to be spread throughout the whole earth and in the rejection of the message in people themselves. The phrase “will call to Himself” is just one word in the Greek which is the word, “call.” So then the emphasis here is really on the calling itself for people to believe. The phrase “as many as” is the word hosos in the Greek and can also mean all who or whosoever or all that or everyone whom. Taking this understanding of “call” and “hosos,” the verse would be translated this way, “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away, to everyone whom the Lord our God calls.”

Another possible way to see this verse is that Peter said at this time “as many as” because the disciples were not yet under the full revelation and understanding that the gospel was meant for all people, that it was not just for the Jews but also for the Gentiles (Acts 10-11). In either case, I do not think Acts 2:39 supports a Calvinistic understanding regarding a select destined group of people to be saved only known in the mind of God in accordance with His sovereign decree. Nor does it support the doctrine of effectual calling. I believe that the intent of this passage along with the understanding of the Holy Spirit, would indicate that this is a gospel call to salvation for all people and the promise of the Spirit is available to all people.

John 10:16 “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”

Sheep just means followers. It doesn’t always include true believers though if they continue following Him, it is implied that they are believers. Jesus is just saying that He needs to gather more followers from the gentiles and to unite them together with the sheep and fold of Israel. So the sheep are all those who follow Him but once they hear His voice which is the message of life to all those who believe, then He shall lead them into the fold of salvation. However, for those who do not believe, Jesus says in John 10:26-27 “But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” There is a difference between “sheep” and “My sheep.” Those whom Jesus possesses who truly believe, they have an established relationship of knowing each other and they continue to follow Jesus (thus, “My sheep”). But those who don’t believe, will not follow Him because upon hearing His voice, they did not believe. Therefore, they are not Jesus’ own sheep. The “My sheep” are not a deterministically select chosen group of people before eternity past. Rather, they are all those who have chosen to follow Him and have believed in His name.

Philippians 1:29 “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake”

Granted does not mean to be effectually caused. It means to be enabled or allowed to do something or to be given something as a gracious gift. In this case, because of Christ, we have been graciously permitted to believe in Him and to suffer for Him. The word “granted” is merely speaking of the positive, it does not imply the opposite thought of a negative where God would withhold or close off His grace to some people. It does not say or imply that. The main point here is that it is a blessing and privilege not only to believe in Jesus but also to suffer for Him and because of Him.

2 Timothy 1:9-10 “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”

Salvation is always “in Christ” because Christ is salvation. “From all eternity” is in reference to the provision of Christ being made to all those who believe in Him. This provision of Jesus dying on the cross for all people was something that was planned before all time and is now made known to us through the gospel. To be “granted” means that we were graciously given this salvation. This passage demonstrates the unconditional love and grace of God in which His calling us to salvation and service to Him was not conditioned upon our own merit or ability but rather, in His eternal purpose and grace to lavish His love upon us. The salvation and call from all eternity is the gospel call to salvation and service to God which is offered to all people through Jesus and this salvation is applicable to all those who are in Christ because they have believed.

Isaiah 55:11 “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

A Calvinistic view of this passage presupposes an effectual drawing of people but does not take into account the possibility that God sovereignly has decreed that His creatures should have freedom to make choices. As it says in Psalm 115:16, “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the sons of men.” The heavens are the Lord’s domain whereas earth was given to man to be his domain. This is also shown to us in the Genesis account and at least a degree of our own authority and choice and freedom are implied through all of this.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”

Someone might say that the only way to have a saving belief in God is to be given a new heart and that you cannot believe until you have a new heart and so this is only something God can do for you which is in accordance with His sovereign choice. However, it would be wise not to divorce this text from the New Testament, nor from Ezekiel 18:31 which says, “Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?” Look, it says that they can do something (1) cast away your transgressions and (2) make yourself a new heart. This means that they are responsible for repentance and turning away from their own sin. Also, why is God asking why they will die if it is only up to God’s sovereign choice to put a new heart in them? If God created them without the capacity to believe or turn from their sin, why is God putting the responsibility upon them to do so? Why is He frustrated with them for not repenting if only God can make them repent? It’s kind of like they are tied up to a chair with their hands behind their back and God is saying, “Come on guys! Why won’t you move?! I’ve had enough of this!” Or “I am perplexed as to why you’re just sitting there…” Does that make any sense?

Source for much of this information and outline:

Calvinistic Proof-Texts for Irresistible Grace