|
According to Calvinist Reformed theology, within the acronym TULIP (given for quick reference to its doctrine of salvation), the “I” refers to the teaching of irresistible grace. It is the teaching that holds that the only reason one might come to want the Lord, and thus receive His gift of life, is that God has wooed and “irresistibly” drawn him. Conversely, the reason why others have not come to know Him is that He did not choose to irresistibly draw them—or to give them that desire to know Him. (Note: although I affirm that no one can come unto Jesus unless the Father has first drawn him, revealing who Jesus is, Jesus’ references to being “drawn” were in the context of ones who had both “desired” and “heard” the Father’s previous teaching. See John 6:43-45 and John 7:16-17.) The teaching of irresistible grace is packaged to look very desirable. By acknowledging that man has no responsibility and God takes all responsibility, the teaching of irresistible grace would conclude: God gets all the glory. Does He really, though—or can it be that the glory of who God is becomes altered? May we consider the story of Job? Job was a righteous man who feared God. Also, he was a man who had been given much by God. Satan was well aware of the things God had given Job. Even once, as angels were presenting themselves before God, Satan also appeared to God with the following accusations: “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 1:9-11 NKJV) For sure, those who love God are under His special protection! Knowing this, however, Satan took issue—stating that Job would only continue to follow God if God continued to work His favor in Job’s life. Satan reasoned that God would receive less glory and honor if such was proven true. Understanding the significance of Satan’s accusations, God, thus, allowed the blessings of Job to be stricken by Satan. He removed His hedge of normal protection. In so doing, God seemingly agreed with the premise: He would be more greatly honored with the recognition that Job had chosen—on his own initiative—to love and to follow Him. Truly, a person is most honored when he is freely loved by another because the lover chooses to—and not because of compulsion or anything else which is done. Even as Paul reminded in 2 Corinthians 9:7, it remains so: Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. (NKJV, emphasis mine)  The above is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the book God's Sovereignty and Our Responsibility: His Heart for All Men. Copyright © 2016 by Pamela K. Gourley. PlainFocus Books. Fredericksburg, VA. All rights reserved.
Comments are closed.
|
RSS Feed