Is God’s call sincere?

Those who reject the doctrines of grace often have misunderstandings which lead to an improper understanding of God’s work in salvation. I know because I have had the same misunderstandings, and asked the same questions! It was not until I allowed God’s Word to speak for itself that the answers to the questions became clear—or I realized that the answers to some questions are part of the secret things of God and will not be revealed on this side of glory. Recently, I was posed with one such question:
Is God’s call to repent sincere to those who He knows cannot heed such calls?

I would respond with an equally important question: Is God’s call to holiness and obedience of the law sincere to those who He knows cannot heed such calls?

Of course it is sincere. And there will never be a sinner who desires to repent and come to Christ who finds himself unable to do so–because without God’s grace in the first place, he has no desire to repent.

This is a common straw-man, based on a misunderstanding of what spiritual death means. Man is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-3). Those who disobey God’s command do so because that is what they desire due to their nature. The truth is that God does not have to force any man to remain in his sins and refuse Christ. The opposite is true: without the drawing of the Father, man will continue to refuse (John 6:37-44).

This very question is what Paul anticipated in Romans 9 when he said, What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. Is God unrighteous and unjust because He has chosen to mercy some and not others? No, He has done what He will for His eternal purpose. And again in verse 19: Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? In other words, “Since God has not enabled an individual to respond in faith and repentance, is He not unjust since He has commanded something that the individual cannot do?” Paul’s response is to rebuke us for replying against God.

It is not for us to reason how it works together. We must recognize that we serve a holy, righteous, just God, and that He will do what is best.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Published in: on May 19, 2008 at 12:54 pm  Comments (1)  

The URI to TrackBack this entry is: https://foundationalbaptist.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/is-gods-call-sincere/trackback/

RSS feed for comments on this post.

One CommentLeave a comment

  1. I do not belive in irresistible grace. One of my reasons for that is beacause one of the Bible teachers I had in in high school wopuld often recount his testimony said a prayer when he was four but no change thought he was saved but no change. When he was twelve he went to a youth conference . He thoght he was God calling him to preach. He looked up into the air and said “No”. He grew up lived in sin till age 28. He thoght he was backslidden, but he relized he really was not saved.Now this is noit some wi eyed IFB story. He actually was a very monotone teacher. I belive he’s really saved and that God gave him that choice.

    Another man who is an evangelist out are church has a bit more of an interesting testimony. He grew up in the country and married a cajun girl. Sh3e got saved at a church in the country. Later God called her to be a missionary , but she relized she could not because her husband was not saved. But God told Her she was going to save her husband . Didn’t even cosult him. Six years later he got saved and God has used him to start many churches in Canada. I believe he had to make that choice on his own but God would have probbaly kept after him. He believes a man does not get saved when he wants to. Only when GOd puts a man under conviction God Putting you out over hell and showing you that you are lost.

    I believe both of them are saved, but dealt with the m in two very different ways.

    I think that maybe there are 3 different groups
    1. Those that have no choice ( John the Baptis,Jerimiah)because God will use them for a specific purpose

    2. Those that God calls whithout forcing them and lets them chhoose (Holy Spirit calling still nessecery-I Know I spelled this wrong-)

    3 . Those that nevercome and will continue to supress the truth so God Give them up Rom1.

    That would still make sense in ROm9 accusssing God of not being Fair ( “Who art thou that repliest against God”)
    Also there isd an account in the Bble with David where there is forknowledge without predestination> I forget the passage though. Sorry thaty my coomment is long and maybe ambiguous.


Leave a comment