In Memory of the Childern

My Wife Charlotte shared this picture with me.  Our next door neighbor John, who flew Black Hawk Helicopters and served in Iraq, died last July–I see his son when I look at this picture.  Not all the brave leave the “Home of the Brave” to enter battle. Some are required now to be the brave of the home.  It is said a picture is worth a thousand words.  This picture leaves me speechless.

His Grace

The doctrine of irresistible grace refers to the biblical truth that whatever God decrees to happen will inevitably come to pass, even in the salvation of individuals. The Holy Spirit will work in the lives of the elect so that they inevitably will come to faith in Christ. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit never fails to bring to salvation those sinners whom He personally calls to Christ. 

At the heart of this doctrine is the answer to the question: Why does one person believe the Gospel and another does not? Is it because one is smarter, has better reasoning capabilities, or possesses some other characteristic that allows them to realize the importance of the Gospel message? Or is it because God does something unique in the lives of those that He saves?

If it is because of what the person who believes does or is, then in a sense they are responsible for their salvation and they have a reason to boast. However, if the difference is solely that God does something unique in the hearts and lives of those who believe in Him and are saved, then there is no ground for boasting and salvation is truly a gift of grace.

Of course the biblical answer to these questions is that the Holy Spirit does do something unique in the hearts of those who are saved. The Bible tells us that God saves people “according to His mercy…through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit”. In other words those who believe the Gospel and are saved do so because they have been transformed by the Holy Spirit.