Question: What is this idea of "irresistible grace" all about? They often believe that everything has been chosen. We cannot resist this grace. How could God be omnibenevolent if he operates this way? R.C. Sproul is also espousing this stuff. Are they misrepresenting what Zwingli, Calvin and Luther really taught?

Donald

Answer: Dear Donald,

Your comments concern the two views of Calvinism and Arminianism – with Calvinism basically representing predestination according to God’s sovereignty, in which he chooses some simply by his free will and unmerited grace (and, of course, does not choose others). Calvinism emphasizes the holiness, the righteousness, the justice of God, his sovereignty – and thus, in what critics see as a cold and sterile way, insists upon God’s grace and not upon our merits or deeds. Calvinists would tend to believe in irresistible grace (or efficacious grace) – the idea that those whom God has chosen will come to belief, for it is God’s will and has been ordained and predestined.

Arminianism (Wesleyansim is a variant) teaches that God gives salvation to some and withholds it from others based upon his foreknowledge of who will believe and who will reject (foreknowledge is a key word in Arminianism). Arminianism also includes the teaching that salvation might be lost – and generally features less emphasis on human depravity and divine holiness and justice. By believing that the initial gift of salvation is by grace but that in some way it might be lost, Arminianism leaves itself open to charges that it puts stress on the believer’s works as being or having some salvific import. For Arminians and Wesleyians, prevenient grace is the way of understanding God’s work with us. That is – while we all begin life with a sinful nature, God restores each individual sufficiently (and how this happens can lead to an emphasis on works-and-performance-based Christianity) so that we can believe.

Hope this helps.

In Christ,

Greg Albrecht