January 25, 2009

How Can Irresistible Grace Be Denied?

Steve Gaines preached a good sermon dealing with irresistible grace. He nearly convinced me to drop the doctrine as unbiblical! He has a sophisticated and intellectual audience and they were trained by Dr Rogers to listen intently and imitate the Bereans in searching the scriptures.

He made a few preparatory statements leading up to the main point. He has been trained in theology and good presentation. Who could argue with him? His main point was "some people believe that stuff!" I was floored. I had never thought that deeply along that line.

Webster online dictionaryfor "stuff": "writing, discourse, talk, or ideas of little value : trash" But it is not just Gaines using the word to settle a theological issue it is the way he says it. When a man from Alabama uses the word "stuff" he enunciates it with a snarl. Elvis could pronounce "stuff" with a snarl, raising the lips on one side and with a mouth full of mush.

The sanctuary was full of Christians and doubtfully not a single person could protest. This was the final authority. It was a definite infallible pronouncement.

He was a member of the 2000 BF&M revision committee and did he contribute this wisdom at the table with the other members? I wonder if Al Mohler just quietly accepted this definition?
I'm sure Dr. Rogers agreed with him. I would like to have been a fly on the wall in this discussion!

What this causes me to ask, is there credibility with Gaines and Rogers? Is their anti-Calvinism a willfully insincere denial of irresistible grace. I am inclined to think there is willful deception.
To deny irresistible grace is to admit that God's will can be resisted and that the blood of Christ is not effectual, that there will be people in hell who refused the blood of Christ.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Only those whose god is Free Will can deny Irresistible Grace and charge those who go to Hell for turning down Christ's Blood.

But Chhrist's blood is as sovereign as He is. It can't be resisted nor refused. It will redeem all those Good gave to Christ in the Covenant of Grace.

Dr. Paul W. Foltz