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Most “evangelical Christians” would very enthusiastically subscribe to the words which Jonah uttered in the fish’s belly: “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). For they tell us that salvation is totally the gift of God. It can not be earned by man’s works, but is the work of God’s grace alone. And yet, very few actually consider the cause of salvation to be the sovereign and unchangeable election of God.

[A Word of Introduction: 

The free offer of the gospel is a heresy which teaches that in the preaching of the gospel God expresses His desire, intention, and purpose to save all those who hear the gospel. The gospel tells every man that God on His part wants each to be saved, earnestly desires that he take Christ as his own, eagerly seeks that every one come to Christ, receive Him as his Savior, and enter into the joy of salvation.

The link in the golden chain of Calvinism which is called irresistible grace is as indispensable as the other four links. This link answers the question, “How are the benefits of Christ’s cross applied to the elect?” 

To think upon grace is to think upon God. In its deepest meaning, grace is beauty. In Preverbs 1:9, instruction in the law of God is called “an ornament of grace.” According to James 1:11, when the sun burns a flower, the “grace of the fashion of it perisheth.” Spiritually speaking, God is Himself gracious, beautiful. The Scriptures speak frequently of the grace of God as beauty that flows from God Who is the source of beauty.

For the believing child of God who clings to Christ by faith, the truth that he is accounted righteous before God is of the greatest significance. The principle that he whom God declares to be righteous is righteous, is a matter of pure grace to him. The believer knows himself to be a guilty sinner as he is in himself. The truth that God justifies the ungodly in Christ affords him a rich comfort and an unshakeable confidence. It is a confidence which he has, not of himself, but of grace. 

The word ‘faith’ in Scripture is derived from a Hebrew word that means ‘that which is firm,’ thus, that which is steadfast, trustworthy, infallibly true. From this is derived the subjective idea, the firm unchangeable conviction that God’s Word is true.

God calls from the darkness of sin and death to the glorious light of covenant fellowship with Himself. That call is efficacious (powerfully effective); those called do come and assuredly enjoy the communion God promised in Christ.  In speaking of the call according to which God brings His elect people to the consciousness of salvation, we understand that this is the powerful effect of what is called the “irresistible grace” of God. When God calls, His chosen people come; must come. 

Rev. DeVries is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Wingham, Ontario, Canada. The first week of September brought gorgeous late-summer weather for West Michigan. Many had traveled—some long distances—to attend the conference (September 3—5, 2009) sponsored by the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary commemorating the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth. The conference was entitled, “After 500 Years: John Calvin for Reformed Churches Today.” My wife and I had been planning for some months to attend at least part of the conference. When I received a classical appointment to preach in Byron Center the Sunday following the conference, we were...

“Most powerful . . . most delightful, astonishing, mysterious, and ineffable.” With these words the Canons of Dordt celebrate the wonderful work of God’s grace in regeneration (Canons III, IV, 12). In Canons III, IV the truth of Irresistible Grace is taught in close connection with the truth of Total Depravity. Regeneration is not the only work of grace mentioned there, but it receives the emphasis because it holds first place among all the other works of God’s grace in the heart of the sinner.