Conquering Call of Grace

There is a common phrase that I hear that people use speaking of Jesus' conquering work in His death and resurrection. They say that He came out of the tomb victorious over death, hell, and the grave. How true this is and I must say "Amen" to that statement. However, I was meditating this morning on how His conquering work went farther and entered into my life.

I was as the hearers of Stephen in Acts 7:51 who were always resisting the Holy Spirit. I did so because it was my nature to do so. I was deaf; I heard but I did not hear. I was blind; I saw but I did not see. And beyond that I was dead in trespasses and sins. I had hardened my heart so many times that it had become calloused. The same was true of my conscience; I shut the window and closed the curtains every time the light would shine through. I had no desire for the true and living God and the cross was not at all attractive to me.

I had heard the call of the Gospel on more occasions than I could remember to count, and it had not affect on me. Then, all of a sudden, my life changed. I began to think about spiritual things. I opened my Bible and began to contemplate what it meant to be born again and to be a new creation. I began to realize that my little profession of faith that I held on to was not Biblical salvation.

Over a period of several months I finally embraced the Gospel and I look back realizing that God was at work all along. He was the one who opened my eyes and put new desires of me. He conquered all of my resistance that I had built up towards Him. He overcame every obstacle was in my hardened heart and drew me to repentance and faith in Christ. I have no room to boast for salvation is of the Lord. I was not smarter than any others or more spiritual than those who reject the Gospel and continue in their ways; I was a dead sinner whom the Lord breathed life into. That is why it is irresistible grace. Certainly people resist the grace of God, we see it in Scripture and around us as well. But irresistible grace is God overcoming all of the sinner's resistance to Him to bring Him to life. Man is impotent; he is dead. But Jesus is the resurrection and the life and when God gives someone a call that goes beyond the speakers words to their ears and penetrates their heart, they come to Christ. God grants them grace that conquers their rebellion to birth them into the kingdom. This is the call of Romans 8:30; and all who are called this way are justified. This is the drawing of John 6:44; and all who are drawn this way are raised from the dead. This is the giving of John 6:37; and all who are given to the Son by the Father will come to Christ. His plan cannot be thwarted, His conquering grace cannot be resisted. He is God and He raises from the dead whom He wills.

Soli Deo Gloria!