the MANIFOLD wisdom of God pt 5

the FREE WILL of man will not be infringed.

Some would have you believe that grace is Irresistible, and that grace is Limited to only those that the Holy Spirit saves.

Another way of saying this is; God has predetermined (predestined) those individuals who will be saved and those who will be lost.

Yet another way of saying the same thing; A person chosen to be saved by God cannot reject Him, and a person chosen to be lost by God cannot so act as to be saved.

Any rational thinking person can see that this is error to extreme proportions.

While it is true that God Calls [Acts 2:39], it is also true that the calling is done by the gospel. “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [2Thess 2:14].

Does God’s call go against a person’s FREE WILL? We shall show that God will never infringe upon a person’s FREE WILL to follow or reject Him.

We have been given the…

Freedom to choose. Throughout scripture are examples of God presenting man with a choice, to follow or not. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,” [Josh 24:15]. “therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” [Deut 30:15-19]

It is possible to…

Resisting the Holy Spirit is possible. Scripture teaches that it’s possible for a person to “resist the Holy Spirit.” Error says the His grace is irresistible.

“You always resist the Holy Spirit;” [Acts 7:51-55]

There has always been an…

Expectation of God that all men repent. God does not will that any perish but all be saved. If it’s not possible to choose to walk away from God, then universalism (all saved) must be true.

Tit 2:11; 1 Tim 2:4; 2Pet 3:9

this idea of Irresistible Grace renders…

EVANGELISM unnecessary. He that is drawn automatically by the Holy Spirit working directly on their mind against their will shall be saved. Why waste our time evangelizing if all is predestined. How can we know who to preach to? “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [2Thess 2:14; cf. Mat 28:18-20]

Irresistible Grace makes God a respecter of persons.

We’ve covered this in the last lesson, God is NOT a respecter of persons. [Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11-12; 1Pe 1:17] If He chooses SOME to be saved and the REST to be lost, then God is unjust.

“Why do you call me Lord & don’t do what I say?”  [Luke 6:46] This saying from Jesus will be spoken to some on the judgment day. If we are saved or lost against our will, this question makes zero sense.

Lose free will and God is responsible for my actions.

The devil made me do it? Nay, Nay; God made me do it!!!

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” [James 1:13-15]. “We must all appear before the judgment that each may be repaid for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” [2 Cor 5:10]

We have free will and we are to…

Learn of Jesus. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;” [Mat 11:29; cf. John 6:45]. We are drawn to God by HEARING (understanding through learning) the word of God. [Rom 10:17; John 20:30-31], we are called through gospel [1Thess 2:14] which some will accept, while others will reject!

Jesus & the Holy Spirit had opportunity to teach the Gospel to Paul personally, yet he had to hear the good news through the agency of the word through a person. [cf. Acts 8, 9, 10 et al.]

Scriptural Predestination is that God has predetermined HOW mankind will be saved. The method is predetermined, and all those that obey the Gospel shall be saved. [2Thess 1:8-9]