GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

RADIO MESSAGE

WHAT DO THOSE PEOPLE OUT AT
GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH BELIEVE?
Part 9

Don Fortner

Here at Grace Baptist Church, we believe what the Bible teaches about the IRRESISTIBLE GRACE of God. When we talk about the grace of God being irresistible, we are simply saying that when God sets out to save a many he saves him. When the Good Shepherd goes after one of his sheep, he brings him home. When God the Holy Spirit draws a sinner to Christ, the sinner comes. This is the language of Holy Scripture - "Blessed is the man whom thou CHOOSEST, and CAUSEST to approach unto thee" (Ps. 65:4). "Thy people SHALL BE WILLING IN THE DAY OF THY POWER," (Ps. 110:3). "The Son quickeneth whom he will" (John 5:21). "All that the Father giveth me SHALL COME TO ME ... No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I WILL raise him up at the last day ... Everyone that hath heard., and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me ... It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profitteth nothing" (John 6:37., 44, 45, 46, 63). God said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy" (Rom. 9:15-16).

Do you know that the Bible never uses language like this - "The Lord wants to bless you". "God has done all he can to save you." "Let Jesus come into your heart." "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." "Won't you let the Lord have his way in your life." "Something good is going to happen to you today." You have heard that kind of language all your life. Preachers all across the country say those things. But they are all lies. The Word of God never uses such language. God never tries to do anything! "Our God is in the heavens; he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased" (Ps. 115:3). Everything that God wants to do he sovereignly accomplishes. Neither the demons of hell, nor the wicked free-will of man can resist the power and will of God. It is not man's will that is sovereign; but GOD'S WILL IS SOVEREIGN.

The grace of God in salvation is omnipotent, sovereign, and irresistible. If grace were not irresistible, no one would ever be saved. You see, man is spiritually dead in trespasses and in sins. A dead man is helpless and powerless. Unless a mighty, irresistible miracle of grace takes place, no man would ever live toward God. In regeneration, or the new-birth, God the Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows life on a dead sinner. It is true, all who are born-again seek the Lord, believe on Christ, and receive him as Lord. But these things are the result of the Holy Spirit's work, not the cause. We do not say that God forces a man to be saved whether he wants to or not; but HE DOES MAKE HIS PEOPLE WANT CHRIST. The holy Spirit never saves a man against his will. He just works on the man's willer; and his people are WILLING IN THE DAY OF HIS POWER. This is what I am telling you, salvation is not the result of what you do for God, IT IS THE RESULT OF WHAT GOD DOES FOR YOU! Salvation is not an invitation of grace, IT IS A MIGHTY OPERATION OF GRACE! Salvation is not the result of you choosing God, IT IS THE RESULT OF GOD CHOOSING YOU!

'Twas sovereign mercy called me,
And taught my opening mind;
The world had else enthralled me,
To heavenly glories blind.
My heart owns none before Thee,
For Thy rich grace I thirst -
This knowing, if I love Thee,
Thou must have loved me first.

Do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? If you do, your faith and repentance toward him is the result of his,sovereign, irresistible grace. See to it that you give him all the praise - "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake" (Ps. 115:1). Amen.

Don Fortner, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church
Danville, Ky.

PREVIOUS ARTICLES

[Radio Index Page] - [Home Page] - [Top of page]








*