João 6
Adam Clarke · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 6
Clarke writes that "in prayer (amen) signifies let it be so, make it steady, let it be ratified." Zodhiates says "In the OT used often at the end of a sentence as an adverb meaning truly, surely, certainly. It thus confirms the preceding words and invokes their fulfillment: “so be it,” Amen is often at the end of a sentence as an adverb and conveys the sense of truly, surely, certainly, essentially serving as a confirmation to the veracity of the preceding words and also calling for their fulfillment (the idea is "so be it") . All 25 uses of Truly, Truly (only in John's Gospel) - Jn. 1:51; Jn. 3:3; Jn. 3:5; Jn. 3:11; Jn. 5:19; Jn. 5:24; Jn. 5:25; Jn. 6:26; Jn. 6:32; Jn. 6:47; Jn. 6:53; Jn. 8:34; Jn. 8:51; Jn. 8:58; Jn. 10:1; Jn. 10:7; Jn. 12:24; Jn. 13:16; Jn. 13:20; Jn. 13:21; Jn. 13:38; Jn. 14:12; Jn. 16:20; Jn. 16:23; Jn. 21:18 James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose - THE IMPERISHABLE MEAT John 6:26–29 “Knowledge is a barren tree, and bare bereft of God.”—Morris. “Though I have all knowledge, and have not love, I am nothing.” —Paul. Many had been following the Lord, but He who looketh upon the heart rebuked them for their mean and selfish motives in doing so. “Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled.” To look upon Christ as merely a loaf-providing Saviour was to dishonour Him, and deceive their own souls. Christ did not come to feed men, but to save men. It is not always necessary that a man should live, but it is necessary that he should be saved. He gave them loaves, but He is the Bread of Life. The words of our Lord here are very searching. They reveal a— I. Disappointing Work. “Labour not for the meat which perisheth.” This does not mean that a man should not work for his daily bread, for “he that will not work should not eat.” The meat that is worth working for should fulfil the true characteristics and purposes of food, it should meet and satisfy the cravings of hunger. Therefore, do not spend the whole energy of your being labouring for a perishable meat that will never satisfy an imperishable soul. “Wherefore spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not?” (Isa. 55:2). Give up the disappointing business of attempting to satisfy your soul with earthly goods (Luke 12:19). II. A Satisfying Work. “Labour … for that meat which abideth unto eternal life” (R.V.). You cannot too earnestly seek this meat, for it is— 1. SUITABLE. Suitable to your eternal spirit, because the elements of eternity are in it. Christ Himself is that meat: seek Him. “I am the Living Bread: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live forever” (Jn 6:51). The teaching and the work of Jesus Christ are sufficient to meet the whole need of man for time and eternity. Bread is not more suitable to the hungry, or water to the thirsty, than Christ is to the real deep needs of men. 2. SEASONABLE. This imperishable meat never grows stale. Time can work no change on this. It is the incorruptible provision of the incorruptible God for the incorruptible soul of man. It is as fresh to-day as when it was baken on Calvary, and taken out of the oven of the grave on the resurrection morning. It is seasonable in the early morning of life, at midday, and in the twilight of old age. It is in season every day of the week and every month of the year. In church or in market, in palace or in cot, in prosperity or adversity this heaven-sent food is always fit for use. 3. SATISFYING. It is “that meat which endureth.” “He that cometh to Me shall never hunger” (Jn 6:35). Those who eat of this Bread will not seek satisfaction from any other source. Those who are walking in the sunshine have little regard for candles. The pilgrim, who has a fountain of water springing up within his own soul, will not be strongly tempted to stoop at the muddy pools by the dusty highway. This bread is guaranteed to satisfy every eater, for “Him hath God the Father sealed” (Jn 6:27). God will never put His “hallmark” upon a counterfeit. That life must be absolutely pure before it can receive His stamp. “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” There is none like Christ to satisfy. III. How this Work is to be Done. The question is asked, “What shall we do that we might work the works of God?” The answer is plain and striking: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” (Jn 6:29). Then, to labour for this meat is the labour of faith, for this meat is the gift of God (Jn 6:27). Faith must work its way to the Person of Christ. Men’s faces are usually turned to the world in their search for the bread of satisfaction, but with what fruitless labour? The work of God is not merely that ye believe, but that ye believe “on Him whom He hath sent.” The object of your faith must be Him, as the Sent One of God: sent to seek and save the lost. “This is His commandment, that ye should believe on the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 3:23). The work and will of God has not yet been done in you, unless you have “believed on Him.” W E Vine -Outstanding Facts and Contrasts - The whole discourse may be viewed under the following headings: I. The contrast between natural bread and Christ the spiritual bread (vv. 26–35). II. Christ the spiritual bread in relation to the Father (vv. 32, 40). III. The contrast between the manna and Christ the spiritual bread, with an extended definition of the latter (vv. 43–51). IV. The flesh and blood of Christ (with reference to His death), the means of spiritual nourishment: a final contrast between the manna and Christ the spiritual bread (vv. 53–58). John 6:27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." BGT John 6:27 ἐργάζεσθε μὴ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην ἀλλὰ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ἣν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑμῖν δώσει· τοῦτον γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ἐσφράγισεν ὁ θεός. KJV John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. NET John 6:27 Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life– the food which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him." CSB John 6:27 Don't work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal of approval on Him." ESV John 6:27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." NIV John 6:27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." NLT John 6:27 But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval." NRS John 6:27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." NJB John 6:27 Do not work for food that goes bad, but work for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of man will give you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal. NAB John 6:27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." YLT John 6:27 work not for the food that is perishing, but for the food that is remaining to life age-during, which the Son of Man will give to you, for him did the Father seal -- even God.' Do not work: John 6:28,29 Ga 5:6 Php 2:13 Col 1:29 1Th 1:3 the food: John 4:13,14 Ec 5:11-16 6:7 Isa 55:2 Hab 2:13 Mt 6:19,31-33 Lu 10:40-42 1Co 6:13 7:29-31 9:24-27 2Co 4:18 Col 2:22 3:2 Heb 4:11 12:16 Jas 1:11 1Pe 1:24 2Pe 3:11-14 which endures to eternal life John 6:40,51,54,58,68 4:14 Jer 15:16 which the Son of Man will give: John 10:28 11:25,26 14:6 17:2 Pr 2:2-6 Ro 6:23 for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal: John 1:33,34 5:36,37 8:18 10:37,38 11:42 15:24 Ps 2:7 40:7 Isa 11:1-3 42:1 61:1-3 Mt 3:17 17:5 Mk 1:11 9:7 Lu 3:22 Lu 4:18-21 9:35 Ac 2:22 10:38 2Pe 1:17 John 6 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Isaiah 55:2 “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. Luke 12:19-21+ ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” 2 Timothy 2:19+ Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” Matthew 4:4+ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” JESUS CLEARLY OFFERS THE GIFT OF SALVATION Jesus follows His direct confrontation regarding their fickle following for food with a step-by-step revelation of the spiritual realities He wanted the crowd to understand. He would do this by presenting the truth that there are two kinds of bread, material bread that perishes and spiritual bread that lasts for eternity. Do not work (ergazomai - present imperative with a negative see need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) for the food (brosis) which perishes (apollumi), but (strong contrast) for the food (brosis) which endures (meno - present tense - continually) to eternal (aionios) life (zoe), which the Son of Man will give to you - NLT = "But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval." Don't misinterpret Jesus saying we do not need to work to buy food (see Paul 2Th 3:10+)! The first mention of food refers to literal food, which men had to work to have money to buy and symbolizes anything that satisfies legitimate bodily desires. The second food refers to spiritual food. Jesus uses food as a metaphor for the gift of salvation that brings eternal life, and is the gift He will give to those who ask Him for this "food." He is trying to open their eyes to eternal truths and get their focus off filling their bellies. Jesus is telling them to stop working for the literal food that perishes but work for (believe in Jesus) the only food that truly satisfies one's soul, the living Word of God. Don't miss the juxtaposition of work "for the food that endures to eternal life" and the fact that it is a gift (which the Son of Man will give). Do we normally work for gifts? Of course not! So it is a paradoxical statement which we cannot completely explain much like the invitation in Isaiah 55:1 "“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost." Those who work only for the food that perishes will themselves perish!
João 6
Clarke - “Drawing, or alluring, not dragging is here to be understood. ‘He,’ say the rabbins, ‘who desires to cleave to the holy and blessed God, God lays hold of him, and will not cast him off.’ Synops. Sohar. p. 87. The best Greek writers use the verb in the same sense of alluring, inciting, &c.” Believer's Study Bible - Human response (Jn 6:37) is always dependent upon God's initiative. Theologians call it "prevenient grace," the grace which provides revelation and conviction, and directs a man to repentance and faith. It also involves the making alive of the spiritually dead, obstinate will of man (cf. Eph 2:1ff.). Millard J. Erickson explains prevenient grace -- As generally understood, prevenient grace is grace that is given by God to all men indiscriminately. It is seen in God's sending the sunshine and the rain upon all. It is also the basis of all the goodness found in men everywhere. Beyond that, it is universally given to counteract the effect of sin....Since God has given this grace to all, everyone is capable of accepting the offer of salvation; consequently, there is no need for any special application of God's grace to particular individuals. (BORROW Christian Theology) And I will raise him up (anistemi) on the last day - Resurrection truth is repeated four times in John 6 - Jn 6:39, 40, 44, 54 making raise/resurrect is a keyword. Jesus says the one the Father draws is the one He will resurrect from the dead, a reference in context of this discourse to eternal life (Jn 6:40). The implication is that the one who is drawn will also be resurrected. This statement parallels and repeats the truth He had just declared.... John 6:39-40 “This is the will of Him who sent Me (FATHER), that of all that He (FATHER) has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” NET NOTE - The Father who sent me draws him. The author never specifically explains what this "drawing" consists of. It is evidently some kind of attraction; whether it is binding and irresistible or not is not mentioned. But there does seem to be a parallel with Jn 6:65, where Jesus says that no one is able to come to him unless the Father has allowed it. This apparently parallels the use of Isaiah by John to reflect the spiritual blindness of the Jewish leaders (see the quotations from Isaiah in John 9:41 and Jn 12:39–40). Can (able) (1410) dunamai conveys the basic meaning of that which has the inherent ability to do something or accomplish some end. Thus dunamai means to be able to, to be capable of, to be strong enough to do or to have power to do something. It is usually translated able (50x), can (61x and cannot 58x) or could. Draws (1670) helkuo/helko means to drag or draw toward and is used both literally (net - Jn 21:6, 11, "having a sword, drew it" - Jn 18:10; legal term to draw into court Jas 2:6). Helko is used figuratively in John 6:44 referring to a strong pull in the mental or moral life (to draw, attract), this strong pull being enabled by God the Father. Jesus declared " And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw (helko) all men to Myself.” (Jn 12:32) Dods - Draws “has the same latitude of meaning as ‘draw.’ It is used of towing a ship, dragging a cart, or pulling on a rope to set sails. But it is also used, John 12:32, of a gentle but powerful moral attraction.” Once helko is applied to a compulsory drawing of Paul and Silas to the market-place, Acts 16:19. Twice it is used to denote the drawing of a net, John 21:6,11, once to the drawing of a sword (John 18:10) and once in a sense similar to its use in Jn 6:44 (John 12:32). Helko is used in Song 1:4 "“Draw me after you and let us run together!" Friberg on helko - tug, draw, drag; literally; (1) of a sword draw, unsheath (Jn 18.10); (2) of a person, forcibly led drag (Acts 21.30); (3) of a net haul, drag (Jn 21.6); (4) as a legal technical term lead by force, drag into court (Jas 2.6); figuratively, of a strong pull in the mental or moral life draw, attract (Jn 6.44) (Borrow Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) Helko - 8v - drag(1), dragged(2), draw(1), draws(1), drew(2), haul(1). Jn. 6:44; Jn. 12:32; Jn. 18:10; Jn. 21:6; Jn. 21:11; Acts 16:19; Acts 21:30; Jas. 2:6 Henry Blackaby - Drawn by the Father No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44 If people you know are searching for God, that’s a sign that God is already at work in their lives. People’s natural tendency is to move away from God, not toward him (Romans 3:11). Whenever Jesus met someone who was seeking to know God, he immediately recognized his Father at work in the person’s life. When Jesus spotted Zacchaeus in the tree, he understood who had motivated him to make the effort to know him, so he promptly left the crowd of people in the streets and invited himself to Zacchaeus’s house for dinner (Luke 19:1–10). We Christians often share our faith using the shotgun approach to witnessing. Whoever crosses our path when we’re on a hunt for converts gets blasted with the Good News! We hope we’ll hit a target somewhere if we shoot enough gospel bullets. The truth is, we don’t snare Christians; God draws them to himself. Witnessing is not something we do for God. It’s something we do in response to what God is doing. When we begin to recognize God’s activity in the lives of people around us, we will become much more intentional about how we share our faith with others. It’s not wrong to share Christ with a complete stranger. Nor is it wrong to share a Christian witness with each person we meet. Our problem, at times, is that we are surrounded with people and we aren’t sure who is ready to respond to the gospel. If you pay attention, you’ll see God at work in lives all around you. Perhaps a friend will begin asking you questions about the Christian life, or a coworker will observe you during a crisis and want to know where to find such peace. Maybe you’ll notice a family member reading books about spiritual matters. Real witnessing doesn’t involve selling Christ as though he were a product; it involves learning to recognize the Spirit of God working in someone’s life and joining him in his activity. (Borrow The experience : a devotional and journal : day by day with God) James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose - COMING TO CHRIST “No man can come to Me, except the Father … draw him” (John 6:44). If that is so, why urge me to come to Jesus if I do not feel the drawing power of the Father? Why bother me about coming at all if all who are drawn do come? You see, I will come if I am drawn, for I won’t be able to do anything else. And why should I be condemned for not coming if I am not drawn? Where does moral responsibility come in? And where would the justice of God come in if He punishes me for not doing what I could not possibly do? These are by no means imaginary difficulties, put up simply for the sake of demolishing them: for ages souls have encountered and wrestled with these fears and doubts and difficulties, and many a sore combat have they had with these giants of imagination and reason. We have often remarked that many spiritual spectres exist solely through lack of Bible knowledge, and through careless reading of the Holy Book. Here we have a striking proof of this failing. To all who are the victims of the doubts and views we have just expressed above, we would say, “READ ON!” The text printed at the head of this paper was not the whole of our Lord’s utterance at that time. Read verse 45: “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.” In other words, God draws men through teaching! That at once simplifies matters. There is no mystery about that. God is seeking to draw men by the teaching of His Son, and of His gracious Spirit, through the sacred Scriptures, and the ministry of His redeemed ones. Thus it resolves itself into whether men will listen or not. In our Lord’s discourse He had spoken of bread from Heaven which Jehovah would give, and they then asked for that wondrous Bread of which He spoke. He offered Himself as that Bread. But this offended them. How could He be that Bread from Heaven, seeing they knew (or imagined they did) all there was to know about Him! Our Lord’s reply was not a defence of Himself, but a revelation of the reason of their blindness. In verse 44 He declares man’s utter helplessness; He then produced a prophecy from Isaiah, remarking that God was now teaching men, and seeking through that teaching to draw them. But that teaching of God was not done personally by Him, but through His Son who had seen the Father. The Jews were not to expect the Father would teach them personally, for none had seen the Father but His beloved Son; they must expect to be taught by His Word, and by His Spirit, and by His ministers. “Draw,” it is a beautiful term, denoting the secret work of Divine love upon hearts and minds of men. God loves to draw. And His method of drawing men by teaching is. I. In Harmony with His Movements in Nature. The tides are caused by the drawing power of the moon; evaporation, and in consequence the fertilising shower, is the result of the drawing power of the sun; the growth and position of plants and trees and flowers depend upon the alluring and attracting power of the same sun; all nature proclaims that God loves to draw. As in nature, so in grace. Of course His method of drawing in grace differs from His method of drawing in nature. And that leads to our next thought, viz., that God’s method of drawing men by teaching. II. Honours and Ennobles Man. If He draws by teaching, then it proves that man is not a block of wood or stone. A block of wood or stone cannot take in knowledge. But man is a rational creature, possessing amazing mental and moral powers and reasoning capabilities. This the Lord recognises in this method of drawing, and thus He honours and ennobles man. You have lost the key of a box or drawer—if you think little of the box or drawer you will prise it open; but if you value it you will not damage it by using force, but try the gentle art of persuasion or send for a locksmith. God will not force, but draw; not compel, but persuade; all out of respect to man. Then again, this method of drawing men III. Honours and Uplifts His Word. Archbishop Leighton said: “The outward means of drawing is by the Word; it is the sound of that harp that brings the stones of this spiritual building together.” Building by music and melody? Yes; the music and melody of the Word. The Scriptures thus become the instrument and agent of the drawing of the Lord. What an honour is thus conferred upon the Word! This method of drawing men also IV. Honours and Exalts the Son. The Ancients declared that their god Jupiter had a chain of gold which he could at any time let down from Heaven, and by it draw the earth and all its inhabitants to himself. Only a fable, yet it is true that our God, the only wise and true God, has a Golden Chain, the Lord Jesus Christ, which, in the fulness of time, He let down from Heaven to earth to draw His erring creatures to Himself, Did He not say of Himself: “And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me.” The lifting and drawing power of the Word of God is the story of the Cross it declares and proclaims. It is that, and only that, that wins men and women. This method of drawing men also V. Honours and Glorifies God. We have said that the Lord draws by the Word, but it was He who caused all Holy Scripture to be written; we have also stated that He draws by His Son—but He gave His Son; we say that He appeals to intellect—but He gave man his reasoning faculties. There is only one conclusion possible, that God’s method of drawing men and women through teaching honours and glorifies Himself. All these facts impose a serious responsibility upon man. Bishop Hooper wrote: “God draweth with His Word, and the Holy Ghost, but man’s duty is to hear and learn; that is to say, to receive the grace offered.” “If a man cannot come without being drawn, and the drawing consists in being taught of God, we come to the root of the difficulty, when we raise the question: Why cannot men be taught of God? Why do they not receive His instruction? Plainly not for want of mental capacity. ‘Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life,’ tells the simple and the whole truth in the case. Learning comes before coming: but you have learned of Him—will you not come? Remember it is written: “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” QUESTION - What does it mean that God draws us to salvation? ANSWER - The clearest verse on God’s drawing to salvation is John 6:44 where Jesus declares that “no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” The Greek word translated “draw” is helkuo, which means “to drag” (literally or figuratively). Clearly, this drawing is a one-sided affair. God does the drawing to salvation; we who are drawn have a passive role in the process. There is no doubt that we respond to His drawing us, but the drawing itself is all on His part. Helkuo is used in John 21:6 to refer to a heavy net full of fish being dragged to the shore. In John 18:10 we see Peter drawing his sword, and in Acts 16:19 helkuo is used to describe Paul and Silas being dragged into the marketplace before the rulers. Clearly, the net had no part in its being drawn to the shore, Peter’s sword had no part in being drawn, and Paul and Silas did not drag themselves to the marketplace. The same can be said of God’s drawing of some to salvation. Some come willingly, and some are dragged unwillingly, but all eventually come, although we have no part in the drawing. Why does God need to draw us to salvation? Simply put, if He didn’t, we would never come. Jesus explains that no man can come unless the Father draws him (John 6:65). The natural man has no ability to come to God, nor does he even have the desire to come. Because his heart is hard and his mind is darkened, the unregenerate person doesn’t desire God and is actually an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). When Jesus says that no man can come without God’s drawing him, He is making a statement about the total depravity of the sinner and the universality of that condition. So darkened is the unsaved person’s heart that he doesn’t even realize it: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Therefore, it is only by the merciful and gracious drawing of God that we are saved. In the conversion of the sinner, God enlightens the mind (Ephesians 1:18), inclines the will toward Himself, and influences the soul, without which influence the soul remains darkened and rebellious against God. All of this is involved in the drawing process. There is a sense in which God draws all men. This is known as the “general call” and is distinguished from the “effectual call” of God’s elect. Passages such as Psalm 19:1-4 and Romans 1:20 attest to the fact that God’s eternal power and divine nature are “clearly seen” and “understood” from what has been made, “so that people are without excuse.” But men still do deny God, and those who acknowledge His existence still do not come to a saving knowledge of Him outside of His drawing them. Only those who have been drawn through special revelation—by the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God—will come to Christ. There are tangible ways in which those who are being drawn to salvation experience that drawing. First, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sinful state and our need for a Savior (John 16:8). Second, He awakens in us a previously unknown interest in spiritual things and creates a desire for them that was never there before. Suddenly our ears are open, our hearts are inclined toward Him, and His Word begins to hold a new and exciting fascination for us. Our spirits begin to discern spiritual truth that never made sense to us before: “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Finally, we begin to have new desires. He places within us a new heart that inclines toward Him, a heart that desires to know Him, obey Him, and walk in the “newness of life” (Romans 6:4) that He has promised.GotQuestions.org QUESTION - Irresistible Grace - is it biblical? ANSWER - “Irresistible grace” is a phrase that is used to summarize what the Bible teaches about the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of sinners. It is represented by the “I” in the acronym TULIP that is commonly used to enumerate what are known as the five points of Calvinism or the doctrines of grace. The doctrine is also known as “effectual calling,” “efficacious grace,” “efficacious call of the Spirit,” and “transformed by the Holy Spirit.” Each of these terms reveals some aspect of what the Bible teaches about the doctrine of irresistible grace. However, what is important is not the name assigned to the doctrine but how accurately the doctrine summarizes what the Bible teaches about the nature and purpose of the work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of sinful, spiritually dead men. No matter which name you use to refer to the doctrine of irresistible grace, a thorough study of the Bible will reveal that, when properly understood, it is an accurate description of what the Bible teaches on this important subject. Simply put, the doctrine of irresistible grace refers to the biblical truth that whatever God decrees to happen will inevitably come to pass, even in the salvation of individuals. The Holy Spirit will work in the lives of the elect so that they inevitably will come to faith in Christ. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit never fails to bring to salvation those sinners whom He personally calls to Christ (John 6:37-40). At the heart of this doctrine is the answer to the question: Why does one person believe the gospel and another does not? Is it because one is smarter, has better reasoning capabilities, or possesses some other characteristic that allows him to realize the importance of the gospel message? Or is it because God does something unique in the lives of those whom He saves? If it is because of what the person who believes does or is, then in a sense he is responsible for his salvation and has a reason to boast. However, if the difference is solely that God does something unique in the hearts and lives of those who believe in Him and are saved, then there is no ground for boasting and salvation is truly a gift of grace. Of course, the biblical answer to these questions is that the Holy Spirit does do something unique in the hearts of those who are saved. The Bible tells us that God saves people “according to His mercy…through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). In other words, those who believe the gospel and are saved do so because they have been transformed by the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of irresistible grace recognizes that the Bible describes natural man as “dead in his trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 2:5; Colossians 2:13), and, because man is spiritually dead, he must first be made alive or regenerated in order to understand and respond to the gospel message. A good illustration of this is seen in Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. In John 11:43, it is recorded that Jesus told Lazarus to “come forth” and that Lazarus came forth out of the tomb. What had to happen before Lazarus—who had been dead for several days—would be able to respond to Jesus’ command? He had to be made alive because a dead man cannot hear or respond. The same is true spiritually. If we are dead in our sins, as the Bible clearly teaches, then before we can respond to the gospel message and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we must first be made alive. As Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3, one must be “born again to see the kingdom of God.” John 1:12-13 tells us that being born again is not the result of something we do—“the will of man”—but is a sovereign act of God. Just as Lazarus could not bring himself back to life or respond to Jesus’ command without being brought back to life, neither can sinful man. Ephesians 2:1-10 makes it very clear that while we are still dead in our trespasses and sin God makes us alive. The Bible is also clear that the act of being born again or regenerated is a sovereign act of God. It is something He does which enables us to believe the gospel message, not something that comes as a result of our belief. The reason this doctrine is called “irresistible” grace is that it always results in the intended outcome, the salvation of the person it is given to. It is important to realize that the act of being regenerated or “born again” cannot be separated from the act of believing the gospel. Ephesians 2:1-10 makes this clear. There is a connection between the act of being made alive by God (Ephesians 2:1, 5) and the result of being saved by grace. (Ephesians 2:5, 8). This is because everything pertaining to salvation, including the faith to believe, is an act of God’s grace. The reason God’s grace is irresistible and efficacious (always bringing forth the desired result) is that God “has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into” His kingdom (Colossians 1:13). Or, as Psalm 3:8 puts it, “Salvation belongs to the Lord.” To understand the doctrine of “irresistible grace,” it is important to recognize that this is a special grace given only to those God has chosen for salvation (His elect) and is different from what is known as “common grace” which God bestows on both believer and unbeliever. While there are many aspects of common grace, including life and all that is necessary to sustain it, common grace is what is often referred to as the “outward call of God.” This is God’s revelation of Himself given to all men through the light of creation and their consciences. It also includes the general call of the gospel that goes out anytime the gospel message is preached. This call can be resisted and rejected by those that receive it. (Matthew 22:14; Romans 1:18-32). However, God also gives an “inward call” which always results in salvation. This is the call of God that Jesus spoke of in John 6:37-47. The certainty of this inward call is seen in John 6:37: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” John 6:44 confirms this: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day.” Other verses where irresistible grace can be seen include 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; Acts 13:48; Acts 16:14 and Romans 8:30. In 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, after explaining why some people do not believe the gospel (it is veiled to them and their minds have been blinded toward it), Paul writes, “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). The God who said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) is the same God who gives the light of salvation to those He chooses, and the result is just as sure. The same truth is seen in a different way in Acts 13:48. Here it is said that “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” God saves those He chooses to save; therefore, His saving grace is always effective or efficacious. In Acts 16:14, we have another example of God’s irresistible grace in action. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia “to respond the things spoken of by Paul.” Finally you have what is called the “golden chain of redemption” in Romans 8:29-30. Here we see that everyone God calls to salvation (the inward call) will be saved (justified). A common misconception about the doctrine of irresistible grace is that it implies men are forced to accept Christ and men are dragged kicking and screaming into heaven. Of course, neither of these is an accurate description of the doctrine of irresistible grace as revealed in the Bible. In fact, the heart of irresistible grace is the transforming power of the Holy Spirit whereby He takes a man dead in his trespasses and sins and gives him spiritual life so that he can recognize the unsurpassing value of God’s offer of salvation. Then, having been set free from the bondage of sin, that man willingly comes to Christ. Another misconception concerning this doctrine is that it teaches the Holy Spirit cannot be resisted at all. Yet, again, that is not what the doctrine teaches because that is not what the Bible teaches. God’s grace can be resisted, and the Holy Spirit’s influence can be resisted even by one of the elect. However, what the doctrine does correctly recognize is that the Holy Spirit can overcome all such resistance and that He will draw the elect with an irresistible grace that makes them want to come to God and helps them to understand the gospel so they can and will believe it. The doctrine of irresistible grace simply recognizes that the Bible teaches God is sovereign and can overcome all resistance when He wills to. What God decrees or determines will come to pass. This truth is seen throughout Scripture. In Daniel 4:35, we see that “He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand!” Psalm 115:3 declares, “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” God’s grace in salvation is irresistible because when God sets out to fulfill His sovereign purpose, no person or thing can successfully resist Him. The doctrine of irresistible grace accurately summarizes what the Bible teaches about the nature of saving faith as well as what must happen to overcome man’s depraved nature. Since natural man is dead in his trespasses and sins, it stands to reason that he must be regenerated before he can respond to the outward call of the gospel. Until that happens, man will resist the gospel message and the grace of God; however, once he has been “born again” and has a heart that is now inclined toward God, the grace of God will irresistibly draw Him to put his faith in Christ and be saved. These two acts (regeneration and faith) cannot be separated from one another. They are so closely connected that we often cannot distinguish between them. - GOTQUESTIONS.ORG
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Clarke puts it "He lives in them, and they in him; for they are made partakers of the Divine nature: 2 Peter 1:4+ ("For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.").” D A Carson writes that abides (meno) in Me and I in him describes "a mutual indwelling. Jesus' dwelling in believers means that he identifies himself with them, but their dwelling in him means that they continue to depend on him." (BORROW New Bible Commentary) In another note Carson writes "The verb 'remains' or 'abides' (meno) is important to John, defining not only relationships amongst Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Jn 1:32-33; 14:10; 15:10), but between believers and Christ (e.g. Jn 5:38; 8:31; 15:4, 7, 9-10). (See The Gospel According to John)