The Beauties of Grace

The Beauties of Grace

1. Introduction

One of the first games some children learn is how to pluck the petals of a daisy while reciting the phrase, "he loves me, he loves me not," however, no one uses tulips to play the same game. Those who plant tulips highly prize them and would take great offense at their utilization in a game. The tulip is a beautiful flower whose beauty fades with the loss of each petal. Daisies line the roadside and are quickly trampled underfoot, but tulips are carefully cultivated to be admired by all.
As most Christians know, the tulip is the flower used to describe the doctrines of God’s grace. Someone has jokingly said, "The Arminian flower is the daisy. It symbolizes the uncertainty of salvation. As you pick the pedals, you can say, 'He loves me, He loves me not.'" In the Arminian theology of free will, little is lost when the petals of incoherent doctrine are plucked away, but when the biblical doctrines of grace are separated, the very heart of the truth of sovereign grace is destroyed and trampled underfoot. There is great beauty in the tulip of grace. Each petal is vital to its beauty and each fold is like a shroud hiding the beauty of Christ that blossoms when the flower of grace unfolds its petals. One cannot separate the varying aspects of the sovereign grace of God in salvation. We may isolate them in order to study each aspect of grace, but we cannot deny any essential part. Any attempt to do so is a dreadful deed that makes the flower wilt, and the awesome beauty of true grace is lost.
Perhaps the most forgotten leaflet in the tulip is the I whose scent adds a sweet fragrance to the flower. The I represents irresistible grace, the doctrine that may be the least noticeable of the five points of Calvinist doctrine. It has been my experience that, often in one’s early encounters with the anachronism TULIP  they have to be reminded what the I in TULIP represents. If asked to expound upon its meaning many surely would fail to give a cogent, or fitting, reply. Even though their theology is seasoned with grace and they understand the issue of salvation by grace alone, still there remains an inescapable ignorance of the importance of this doctrine. As the tulip must be known in its effulgence or brilliance, so irresistible grace must be understood in its radiance. For what use is the knowledge of our utter depravity if grace has not drawn us from it? What good is hearing of our election if He has not irresistibly called us to His side? What will the atonement mean to us if the Holy Spirit has not sealed us in it? And what is our perseverance without the sustaining power of grace? Without grace your theological flower is a daisy, cheap, divisible, and quickly trampled underfoot. Take away grace and you have taken away the beautiful brilliant glory of the sun, having replaced it with clouds and threatening thunder, and you have wilted the flower of grace.
Often, our friends that champion the freedom of the will accuse us Calvinists of false humility. They look at our doctrines and see them as bitter to the taste. Irresistible grace is the sweetening agent that can take the bitterness out of the doctrines of grace. In religion, there are groups that speak often of grace and yet they know little of it. They are like chefs in a kitchen who cannot prepare the recipe correctly. There is our Arminian friend who speaks readily of grace and salvation, but in his theology he knows nothing of grace. He has a portion of the recipe for gospel stew, but lacks the sweetener necessary for the porridge. Every pot of grace he cooks up is bitter to the taste as he adds an ingredient not called for by the recipe, that bitter herb ‘the human will.’ Then there is the man who has this for his acrostic: TULIP In his theology irresistible grace is advocated in the sinner’s new birth, but grace is then diminished and the law is strengthened in the redeemed one’s sanctification. Like the Arminian, the stew of grace is embittered by an uncalled for ingredient, but this time it is the law rather than the will that bitters the pot. Too much salt will bitter the taste and too much sugar will make it sickly sweet. What we need is a balanced pot of gospel stew, for if grace becomes resistible, it is no longer grace, and if grace becomes diminished, law abounds. In this article we shall seek to understand what is this doctrine of irresistible grace and, hopefully, come to cherish and appreciate it more fully. Whether we think of irresistible grace as a prized dish or a blossomed flower, our aim is to cherish grace. So let us learn to keep the spoiling ingredients out of our stew and to spot the weeds that will spoil our garden. Let us first learn to recognize irresistible grace.

1. What is Irresistible Grace?

Irresistible grace is the doctrine that declares our utter and total dependence upon God for our accomplished salvation.

• It is the acknowledgement of the truth Christ spoke when He said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
• It is the lost sinner's cry of helplessness and the saint’s shout of glory to God in the highest. Irresistible grace teaches man is wholly lost and incapable of either willing or effectuating his repentance apart from saving grace.
• It teaches that apart from efficacious (or irresistible) grace a sinner can never turn from his sins.
• It is a work wrought by the Spirit of God that gives men the ability and desire they lack to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. God then draws helpless sinners through an internal work of His Spirit, regenerating them, and sealing them unto Himself.
• It is done apart from any merit or effort of men.

The prophet Zechariah can help us to visualize this doctrine of irresistible grace. In his prophecy we find the High Priest Joshua standing before the throne of God.. There stands the helpless sinner. Satan flanks him, his now silenced accuser, and near him is his advocate, who is the only man speaking before the great tribunal. He is the advocate Jesus Christ our Lord, who commands the man to be stripped, bathed and re-clad in glorious garments. For the filthy sinner, it is the Spirit of God who carries out the Lord’s command of stripping us of all our filth, of washing us in the expiating blood of Christ so that we might be robed in the glorious righteousness of the Son of God. And just as Joshua passively stood helpless in His adorning, so are we passive agents in the efficacious work of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit then does effectuate our whole salvation. We can attribute nothing to our own efforts or will; God is the cause of our every action. Efficacious grace accomplishes the circumcising of the new heart, the regeneration of the dead man, that in turn delivers us from our perilous course and brings us unto Christ. Understand this then, efficacious grace does not merely make man potentially capable of repentance, but it actually secures the action of bringing the lost sinner to Christ. It is the sickness of love, with which the helpless sinner is affected, that sears and draws his helpless soul. Tell me, what lovesick bride will turn from her betrothed? She comes willingly, quickly, and straightway to her groom.

Boettner declares,

In the nature of the case the first movement toward salvation can no more come from man than his body if dead could originate its own life. Regeneration is a sovereign gift of God, graciously bestowed on those whom He has chosen; and for this great re-creative work God alone is competent. It cannot be granted on the foresight of any thing good in the subjects of this saving change, for in their unrenewed nature they are incapable of acts with right motives toward God; hence none could possibly be foreseen. In his unregenerate state man never adequately realizes his utterly helpless condition. He imagines that he is able to reform himself and turn to God if he chooses. He even imagines that he is able to counteract the designs of infinite Wisdom, and to defeat the agency of Omnipotence itself. As Dr. Warfield says,''Sinful man stands in need, not of inducements or assistance to save himself, but precisely of saving; and Jesus Christ has come not to advise, or urge, or woo, or help him to save himself, but to save him." ¹

Gill gives us insight into why grace is called irresistible, saying,

For though the word, unattended with the Spirit and power of God, may be resisted, so as to be of no effect, yet neither the operations of the Spirit, nor the word, as attended with them, can be resisted, so as either of them should be ineffectual.²

As mentioned above, this doctrine is the sweetener of the tulip of grace, for sinners are not saved reluctantly but willingly, as grace has made them willing.
Biblically, there is one doctrine of grace taught in the Scriptures. From Genesis we see that fallen man left to himself is helpless and bound up in sin. Our God testifies to this fact in Genesis 6: 5, where we read, "then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." It is from this declaration by God that we hear the true nature of fallen man. He is depraved, ridden with sin, and hopelessness in his misery. In such a declaration we see the freedom of God to dispense with us as He so chooses. If He desires mercy of judgment, it is His prerogative. How sweet then is grace, for we read but two verses later that "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6: 8). The verb ‘found’ has the meaning of ‘attainment, or gaining’ in the Hebrew and the thought of ‘getting or procuring’ in the Greek. God confers grace upon Noah and no cause is given for God’s action. God’s action precedes any action by Noah. What then did Noah obtain but free grace? The word 'favor' is from the Hebrew term hen and the Greek charis, Kittel writes, "The verbal stem denotes a gracious disposition that finds expression in a gracious action," and, "What is in view is the process whereby one who has something turns graciously to another who is in need." ³ We might then ask what was Noah’s pressing need in light of coming judgment? Salvation. How was that need met? By grace alone. In this early story we can see the full necessity and sufficiency of grace. This is no obscure ancient doctrine, however, for God later said to Moses, "I know thee by name, and thou hast also found favor in my sight" (Ex 33: 12). God also said to Moses, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy" (Ex 33: 19). This passage is later quoted by Paul to prove God’s free grace. It is God’s very own jealous statement of His freedom to dispense of grace, as He so desires. Thus Romans declares, "so then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy" (Rom. 9: 16). This is what irresistible grace is--God saving men who cannot save themselves. Now let us ask,

III.  What is Resistible Grace?

Historically there have been two prevailing schools of thought on the issue of grace. One champions a doctrine of universal grace. In this system, grace has always been seen as insufficient apart from the intervention of the will of men. Modified through the ages and crafted in every variety, the key discriminatory mark of resistible grace has been the insurgence of man’s effort at some time into the work of grace. Whether grace is found as co- operating with the will or the first cause that moves the will, resistible grace is nothing more than men seeking to put their name in lights next to the Lord. Some who champion free will want their name as the headliner. Others, who appear more gracious, are humble enough to share double billing with God. Still others, so filled with supposed humility, are even willing to subordinate themselves as God’s opening, accompanying, or closing act. But no matter what form it takes, a doctrine of grace that necessitates the co-operation of the will of man in any form robs God of His rightful glory. God will share His glory with no man. Historically, irresistible grace has made grace the singular and sufficient cause for our every action, as man, his will, and his labors become the results that accompany the operation of grace. Resistible grace has left man as an operative in his own salvation.
Grace then becomes the true source of humility, and we must be cautious not to present the doctrine of irresistible grace as an unpalatable doctrine. The fact that the Lord, alone, saves does not make grace bitter, but men often respond with great indignation toward this teaching. One reason is that we lovers of grace, in our zeal to champion free grace, at times use it as a browbeater toward those who denounce grace. Thus we become, in the eyes of many, haughty, proud, and discriminatory. True grace does not manufacture pride; it produces humility. Men should only loathe the doctrines of grace because they bite against their pride, never because we are provocative in our boasting. We champion free grace with humility because we know ourselves to be the beggars of grace. Often, as we speak of God’s right to choose and save as He Wills, we forget to season the pot of our stew with the sweet savor of irresistible grace.
Irresistible grace is a blessed doctrine because it is irresistible; it is not its exclusiveness that makes it sweet, but its compassion. For irresistible grace is that doctrine that explains how a harlot can sit at Jesus’s feet and not be driven away by the righteousness of the Son of God. It is that doctrine that can tell the Canaanite woman there are crumbs for her at the Master’s feet. Irresistible grace brings and keeps the lost sinner at the feet of Jesus. Those who have known the inward, irresistible call of grace have not known it to be threatening or troubling, but alluring and loving. It is the bond of love and mercy that impels us to the Savior’s side. Grace is irresistible because it is liberation for the bondman. The great work of the Spirit of God is that he enables a child of Adam to act unlike Adam. Now let us address that weed of diminishing grace. Let us ask,

1. What is Diminished Grace?

Diminishing grace is the trend of certain theological systems to cheapen grace. Excluded from this group are those who champion resistible grace, for they do not cheapen grace, but rather, in their theology, deny it. We speak of those, who, in their theologies, diminish the importance of grace in the believer’s sanctification by exalting the position of the law. These brethren, in one sentence, tell of man’s utter helplessness in salvation and speak of the need for grace and faith alone to save and to seal them unto eternal life, but then they take the regenerate, liberated man and place him under the old yoke of law. Again, they command him to do what no man can do apart from the divine work of irresistible grace. It is as though they have come to the cross, only to descend the highest of hills that they might dwell at Sinai again. Law is law and grace is grace; like oil and water they do not mix. We are not saved by grace that we might be compelled again to live by the law. As we saw in Israel, the law never effectuated obedience. Thus Paul chastens the Galatians who had mingled law with grace, declaring,

…this only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Gal 3: 2-5)

Paul’s rhetorical emphasis is clear: grace and faith alone are the rules of this the New Covenant; no longer is it the Law of Moses. We have not received grace that we might again be bound to the encumbrances of the law. For grace is liberty, not bondage, and any man who seeks to bind the conscience of free men to the threat of the law diminishes grace. Just as critical as irresistible grace is to silence the Arminian, who diminishes and destroys the sufficiency of salvation by grace alone, so irresistible grace is necessary to silence those who champion the law as the rule of life for the believer in Christ. For the perseverance of the saints is by grace alone. We are saved by grace and thus live by grace alone.

What the New Covenant believer needs is not more law, but more grace.

• Calvin, himself, taught this in his institutes in the section of book II, chapter II, entitled "Every day we need the Holy Spirit that we may not mistake our way." There he speaks of our ongoing need for grace saying the, "Scriptures do not teach that our minds are illumined only on one day and that they may therefore see of themselves." He declares that grace is ever needed for the child of God.

Articles XXV and XXVI of the 1644 London Baptist Confession state,

• …that the same power that converts to faith in Christ, the same power carries on the soul still through all duties, temptations, conflicts, sufferings, and continually what ever a Christian is, he is by grace, and by a constant renewed operation from God, without which he cannot perform any duty to God, or undergo any temptations from Satan, the world, or men.

Be not mistaken, we are not a lawless people; we are a lawful people unto Christ by grace alone. We are a people that can rightfully say "Sola Gratia," for our salvation is truly all of grace. We can unashamedly say with Paul, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," attributing nothing to our own glory or effort. We do so, fully knowing that without grace we cannot accomplish such a work; thus along with Paul, we say, "it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). But never do we turn to the law for the cause of our obedience; to grace alone shall we look.

1. Conclusion

Why then is it necessary that we teach this doctrine? The reason is clear, because if we neglect this doctrine we neglect the heart of redemptive theology. The scripture declares, "if not of grace, then it is of works. As gardeners of the doctrines of grace we must ever be weeding our legalisms and traditions that choke out the beauty of the flower of grace. Thus as Luther declared, "Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said 'Poenitentiam agite,' willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance." ⁴ But reform must be an operation of grace and not law. As Luther further also stated,

This is then the proper and true definition of a Christian: that he is the child of grace and remission of sins, which is under no law, but is above the law, sin, death and hell. And even as Christ is free from the grave, and Peter from the prison, so is the Christian free from the law.⁵

Our overgrown gardens may be filled with weeds that espouse our own glory in the exercise of our wills, or they may be interspersed with weeds that resemble the flowers of grace. They must be removed; they do nothing more than cheapen grace and wilt the sweet flower of everlasting grace and love. Reader, the task I speak of is too hard lest the Lord visit us with mercy; we are but tenants of the Lord’s garden. He alone gives the increase. If grace is not taught, then the sweet odor of grace shall not be detected in our field. If the Lord does not give the increase, our planting is in vain.

When we fail to teach and preach the doctrines of grace, men hear nothing but moralisms, legalisms, and worthless facts. The saving power of the gospel comes through the hearing of the word, by grace. How often do we hear seemingly good and profound sermons, based upon biblical texts, which are bitter to the taste because they have not been seasoned with grace? If we preach the doctrines of grace and sour the stew by neglecting to add the sweetener of grace, then we do nothing more than fill the pot with death. Gospel preaching is grace preaching. It exalts the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, acknowledging God in His sovereignty and providence, as it pleads for the life giving power of the Spirit of God to cut to the hearts of men. We are not in need of more law, nor are we in need of our own liberty apart from grace; we need more grace that liberty might abound, else the bitter pot shall remain inedible and the sweet bread of life shall mold. Let us set the table of grace in our teachings, in our churches, in our lives, that to Him alone might all glory be given.

Endnotes:

¹Boettner, L. Title unknown, 1929.

²Gill, John. Gill’s Commentaries Online Bible: on compact disc (CD-ROM), 1977. Available: Larry Pierce Publisher.

³Kittel, Gerhard, and Friedrich, Gerhard, eds. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985

⁴Disputation of Dr. Martin Luther on the "Power and Efficacy of Indulgences" by Dr. Martin Luther, 1517. Published in Works of Martin Luther, Vol. 1. Adolph Spaeth, L.D. Reed, Henry Eyster Jacobs, et al., Trans & Eds. (Philadelphia: A.J. Holman Co., 1915) pp.29–38.

⁵Dillenberger, John. Martin Luther: Selections from His Writings, (New York: Doubleday, 1962) p. 120