Prayer Service 9-25-24

I want us to begin with...

...an often neglected petition...

…at least among the Reformed...

…or those who otherwise...

…heavily emphasize...

…the Sovereign Grace of God in Man’s Salvation:

Matthew 6:11–13 (ESV)

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Sin is an ongoing danger for us...

…in this temporal life:

Matthew 26:41 (ESV)

41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Paul warned (through the example of Israel):

1 Corinthians 10:12 ESV

12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

He even said of himself:

1 Corinthians 9:27 (ESV)

27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

We have to take sin seriously

We have to actively resist it

We have to put it to death within us.

We have to resist it fervently...

-But, this is our ultimate hope:

John 17:15 (ESV)

15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

1 John 5:18–19 (ESV)

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV

3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

-This is our prayer:

Matthew 6:13 (ESV)

13 ...lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Pray

Family of Dean Woodworth

Especially Jackie and Nora

Safety in Travelling for the Kamps and others.

Needs from our Bulletin:

Junior Garland (Recovery)

Gideon Daugherty (Digestive Problems)

Sandra Ritz: Heart Problems

Annette Herrington: Cognitive Problems

Case Beasley: Colon Cancer

Expectant Mothers (Madison and Ellie Soon)

Leuna, Hope, Jason, Grandma Sanders, Iva Lee, Allen, Jim, and Ty.

The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended and Documented (IV. The Efficacious Call of the Spirit or Irresistible Grace)

IV. THE EFFICACIOUS CALL OF THE SPIRIT OR IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

(More lectoral than sermonic today)

Let’s begin with this:

Grace Unknown: The Heart of Reformed Theology (Resistible Grace)

The phrase irresistible grace, like others that make up the acrostic TULIP, can be misleading. TULIP stands for total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.

If we adjusted these phrases in the interest of accuracy, we would have something like this: radical corruption, sovereign election, definite atonement, effectual grace, and preservation of the saints.

This would give us the acrostic RSDEP. This seems such a waste of tulips that we will stay with the original acrostic and simply labor the clarifications necessary.

Irresistible grace is not irresistible in the sense that sinners are incapable of resisting it. Though the sinner is spiritually dead, he remains biologically alive and kicking. As Scripture suggests, the sinner always resists the Holy Spirit. We are so opposed to the grace of God that we do everything in our power to resist it.

Irresistible grace means that the sinner’s resistance to the grace of regeneration cannot thwart the Spirit’s purpose. The grace of regeneration is irresistible in the sense that it is invincible.

This is why the Reformed Ordo Salutis is so pivotal:

Does: (On Screen)

Faith precede Regeneration?

Regeneration precede Faith?

That’s the question...

....at the heart of this “point.”

Jumping ahead, but...

…I’ll give you a teaser:

Ephesians 2:4–5 (ESV)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Who makes the first move?

God!

Problems with Competing Views:

Pelagianism:

Denied Original Sin

Affirms Man’s inherent moral neutrality (at birth)

Denied the need for Grace

Semi-Pelagianism:

Acknowledges Need for Grace

Human initiative precedes grace.

Synergistic Renewal of the Soul (Grace assists them)

Arminianism:

Similar to Semi-Pelagianism, except:

Acknowledge the necessity of divine initiation (some)

Resolve dilemma with “Prevenient Grace”

But:

Still dependent on human cooperation to save.

That “Grace” can be ULTIMATELY ineffective.

(Many varieties of this:)

Catholicism

Orthodoxy

-So we’re clear:

Reformed View:

Man born dead in sin

God must initiate

Always ULTIMATELY effectual

Salvation in Monergistic

Let me whet your appetites again:

John 6:44–45 (ESV)

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.

45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

John 6:63–65 (ESV)

63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all...

64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” . . .

65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

-Now, let’s back up for a minute.

The book, whose outline...

…we’ve been following...

…Introduces the subject...

…from a little different angle:

The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended and Documented (IV. The Efficacious Call of the Spirit or Irresistible Grace)

Each member of the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—participates in and contributes to the salvation of sinners.

As was shown above, the Father, before the foundation of the world, marked out those who were to be saved and gave them to the Son to be His people. At the appointed time the Son came into the world and secured their redemption.

But these two great acts—election and redemption—do not complete the work of salvation, because included in God’s plan for recovering lost sinners is the renewing work of the Holy Spirit by which the benefits of Christ’s obedience and death are applied to the elect.

It is with this phase of salvation (its application by the Spirit) that the doctrine of Irresistible or Efficacious Grace is concerned.

Simply stated, this doctrine asserts that the Holy Spirit never fails to bring to salvation those sinners whom He personally calls to Christ.

He inevitably applies salvation to every sinner whom He intends to save, and it is His intention to save all the elect.

An important qualifier:

The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended and Documented (IV. The Efficacious Call of the Spirit or Irresistible Grace)

The gospel invitation extends a call to salvation to every one who hears its message. It invites all men without distinction to drink freely of the water of life and live. It promises salvation to all who repent and believe.

But:

...Because men are by nature dead in sin and are under its power. They are of themselves unable and unwilling to forsake their evil ways and to turn to Christ for mercy.

Consequently, the unregenerate will not respond to the gospel call to repentance and faith . . . Such an act of faith and submission is contrary to the lost man’s nature.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit, in order to bring God’s elect to salvation, extends to them a special inward call in addition to the outward call contained in the gospel message.

Through this special call the Holy Spirit performs a work of grace within the sinner which inevitably brings him to faith in Christ.

The inward change wrought in the elect sinner enables him to understand and believe spiritual truth…

The Spirit creates within him a new heart or a new nature.

This is accomplished through regeneration or the new birth by which the sinner is made a child of God and is given spiritual life.

His will is renewed through this process so that the sinner spontaneously comes to Christ of his own free choice.

When properly understood...

…it all harmonizes nicely!

-Alright...

We’re going to study this one categorically as well.

1.) General statements showing that salvation is the work of the Spirit as well as that of the Father and the Son

General Principle:

Romans 8:14 (ESV)

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Romans 8:15 (ESV)

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

That’s God’s enabling work.

1 Corinthians 2:7–14 (ESV)

7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

8 None of the rulers of this age understood this...

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV)

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 12:3 (ESV)

3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:4–6 (ESV)

4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.

5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Corinthians 3:14–18 (ESV)

14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.

16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Is that not Semi-Pelagianism or Arminianism?

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

The point being:

Not of works (the Law)

But by Grace (the Spirit)

1 Peter 1:1–2 (ESV)

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion...

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

The NASB is even clearer:

1 Peter 1:1–2 (NASB95)

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens . . . who are chosen

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.