Riff's Christian Journal

What does “Irresistible Grace” mean? In short it is, “the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.

Two verses out of many that use the word “grace” are in Ephesians 2. One is found in Ephesians 2: 8, 9, which most Christians know and reads:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

The other is found in Ephesians 2: 4, 5 that reads:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) “

Actually, verse 5 explains quite simply what the action and result is of “grace” being applied to whomever God chooses. It is God’s divine influence upon the heart of the person, who is dead in sins, and makes them alive in their spirit; it is the act of being “born again” by the Spirit of God.

Remember, we are all spiritually dead in our sins and we can do nothing to respond to any call to believe on Jesus. The New Birth must happen first before anyone by faith can believe on Jesus.

In John 6: 44 Jesus says this:

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:”

In addition in 1 Corinthians 2: 14 the Apostle Paul wrote this:

“But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The Apostle John made things quite clear when he wrote this in 1 John 5:1

“Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:”

These verses by Jesus, Paul and John make it quite clear that regeneration, or the act of being born again by the “grace” of God, precedes and causes saving faith.

Therefore, by these few verses alone, if regeneration (being born again) had to result from believing faith of the unregenerate in order to be saved—then no one would ever be regenerated (born again) and saved.

This is why “grace” is the irresistible action first applied by God upon the heart of man so that the unbelieving and unregenerate man can, and will, believe on Jesus, and why we should give thanks to God. For it is by God’s “irresistible grace” that we are saved.

Thank God for His divine grace upon our unregenerate hearts, that we would first be born again to give us a new life, being made alive in our spirit, that we might now and forever believe on the Lord Jesus.