Some argue that grace is a gift that must be accepted, and people can refuse to accept it. It almost requires that the grace spoken of in this argument must be some sort of metaphysical substance. I believe that is wrong. The grace of God towards sinners He is saving is not a metaphysical substance. It is a term describing a one sided attitude in a relationship. We understand saving grace to be the unmerited favor of God upon the person He has elected to save. The last time I checked, I cannot effectively resist to negation another person’s attitude towards me. If that is true about a creature, how could a person ever imagine they could effectively resist the will of their Creator?

Let’s look at God’s providence for a moment. You didn’t choose to become a living person. That was a gift of God towards you, that was completely one sided. He created you. You didn’t choose to be born in America. That also was a gift of God, that you were completely passive in. There was no prerequisite volitional affirmation on your part.

Let’s look at God’s common grace. God causes the plants to grow for our food. He causes cattle to be born, and fattened, for our food. He causes the seasons to continue. None of these things require our acceptance. They only require that God wills them to be so.

God does not set to accomplish something, and let a part of His creation thwart His plans. If His attitude towards you is one of grace, there is nothing you can do to negate the effects of it. This also coincides with the new birth He was worked in the elect person, at the appointed time, according to His will in eternity. Not only will He do what He wants with His creatures, but they will want what He is doing. A person He is saving, will desire His grace. A person He is not saving, will hate Him, and want nothing to do with Him.

If you are being saved, praise God! Thank Him for what He is doing! Place all the honor, and glory on Him, where it is due! Don’t rob God of His glory by insisting that you had something to do with your salvation. If you currently are not being saved, but are concerned about your final destination, and the justice of God, there is hope. Turn to God in repentance, and faith. Trust Jesus for your salvation.

I know, some of you will point at that last statement as evidence that you do something to be saved, but if you truly knew what was true in eternity, you’d understand the categorical error in logic you just made by comparing the temporal existence with the eternal reality.

For those of you who are not currently being saved, and have no interest in being saved, I hope that one day God will regenerate you, and bring you into eternal life, in Christ. If it turns out that this isn’t the case, remember, this is what YOU wanted…