Reflections on Irresistible Grace: God’s Sovereign Work in Salvation

The doctrine of irresistible grace underscores God's sovereign work in drawing sinners to Himself, a fact derived from Scriptures such as Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 8:7-8. Many people misunderstand this doctrine as if it means God forces belief upon us against our will. Rather, it means that when God calls a person to salvation, He overcomes man's natural resistance and makes the Gospel utterly compelling and desirable. It stresses the depth of human depravity—our inability to seek God on our own—and how divine intervention is required to awaken our hearts. This work of regeneration is beautifully seen in Ezekiel 36:25-27, where God cleanses us, gives us new hearts, and fills us with His Spirit, thus enabling us to follow Him. This in the Old Testament was a prophecy of what would be accomplished through the Gospel.

Many struggle with this doctrine, raising objections about free will and fairness. However, Scripture teaches that apart from Christ, we are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). Dead people cannot respond unless made alive by God. Critics may claim that this negates human freedom, but irresistible grace works in harmony with our will—God changes our desires so that we willingly respond to Him. In Romans 9:14-23, the Apostle Paul speaks to and anticipates questions of fairness, reminding us that God is the Creator and, as such, has the right to show mercy as He pleases. Paul's rhetorical question, "Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?" calls us to trust God's wisdom and sovereignty.

John 3:5 illuminates the need to be "born of water and the Spirit" as illustrative of that inward washing and renewal described in Ezekiel. By the work of the Spirit in regeneration, one is changed and thus can both repent and believe. Without the interior working of God's Spirit within a person, none would ever turn to Christ because our flesh is inherently hostile to God. This realization should not lead to despair but to awe and gratitude. As Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” reminds us, salvation is not our burden to bear—it rests securely in God’s hands. Understanding irresistible grace frees us from pride in our efforts and anxiety about our salvation, calling us instead to worship the One who saves us by His “grace upon grace.”