Bible in a Year Series - Day #325 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time.
"The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region." (Acts 13:44-49)
As we travel through the early history of the building of God's church, I have continually noticed little side notes from Luke that it is God's divine effective calling that is in play here.
Do you see that?
...and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Two things are continually happening: appointing and believing.
Here's this from the ESV Study Bible:
"Throughout Acts, Luke affirms the sovereignty of God over all of life while at the same time affirming the significance of human activity, as evidenced by the remarkable human effort and sacrifice involved in proclaiming the gospel. Thus Luke, without contradiction, maintains a dual emphasis on divine election (“appointed”) and on human response (“believed”). The emphasis here in 13:48 is on the way in which divine sovereignty (appointment) results in the belief of the Gentiles, demonstrating that their belief was due to God's grace alone."
Our job, in sharing God's new covenant plan of redemption, is merely to cast the net. God alone fills the net. And mysteriously, once God's grace comes calling -- it is irresistible.
Here's Dr. Wayne Grudem from his Systematic Theology:
"Sometimes the term irresistible grace is used in this connection [regeneration is totally a work of God]. It refers to the fact that God effectively calls people and also gives them regeneration [new birth/born again], and both actions guarantee that we will respond in saving faith. The term irresistible grace is subject to misunderstanding, however, since it seems to imply that people do not make a voluntary, willing choice in responding to the gospel -- a wrong idea, and a wrong understanding of the term irresistible grace. The term does preserve something valuable, however, because it indicates that God's work reaches into our hearts to bring about a response that is absolutely certain -- even though we respond voluntarily."
As my father used to say, "put that in your pipe and smoke it".
