Irresistible Grace If God elects some to salvation, what will happen if they do not want it? What if they do not want to be saved? Will He force it on them? The chinks in Arminian theology are now becoming gaping holes. Did Arminius refuse, like Pelagius, to admit the doctrine of original sin? But fallen man does not like the things of God, he will not serve Him, he rebels against His authority. No one wants God's grace, nor do they want to be in His presence. How will anyone be saved unless God changes that person? "As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips ; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3.10-18) Sinner, you are that person unless God changes you. Do not deny this if you desire the salvation of the Lord. God's salvation is efficacious. That is to say, when God graciously saves a sinner, he changes him through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in such a way that the sinner loathes his sin, repents, and responds in faith to his Redeemer's voice. This regeneration process changes man's attitude towards his former enemy. Look again at the promises of God as He works to save: "But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nationswherever they went. Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of 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 keep My judgments and do them." (Ezekial 36.21-27) The heart of the Reformed faith is the appreciation and joy in God's sovereign predestination and election of the saints, that God is almighty, that God is perfectly just and graciously merciful, that God is God. The heart of this Arminian heresy is man's rights and free will. Because Arminians have such a shallow view of the fall, it is little wonder that they do not see what free will does for man. What did Adam and Eve do of their free will, but choose to turn from God. But Arminius, blundering ahead, must demand that God Himself put every individual back in the Garden of Eden and give them a choice for themselves, a decision that will ultimately determine their destiny - "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword." Is fallen man's destiny in doubt if God does not act? No it is not, they are already guilty and under His wrath! They are without excuse. But Arminius, continuing further down a dark labyrinth, will question God's fairness unless He gives everybody a 'chance' again with their free-will. But the Lord has answered Arminianism - "But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?" (Romans 9.20) Now it is popular to 'accept Jesus' or to 'decide' to follow Christ or to 'get saved' and this is the modern equivalent of Arminianism. But man is not saved by his will at all, and neither were you. And what does the Bible say - "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.'" (Matthew 16.24-25) What does the Lord Jesus call for, but for us to deny all of ourselves, to deny that there is glory and goodness in us, that there is any hope in ourselves, but only a perverse will, and to put our whole assurance in Him and His work. Many will say that salvation was obtained by their decision, but do they doubt what God has worked in them? "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" (Romans 2.4) More exactly, Scripture quite plainly teaches that man is not saved by 'free-will' - "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1.12-13) "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy." (Romans 9.16) "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11.29) "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses," says the LORD, "that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?" (Isaiah 43.10-13) How much more plain can God's Word make this point, that "salvation is of the LORD" and not of man? But there is still rebellion from many concerning whose work salvation is: