Heavy Soul

Hear her callin' hurry home
Been so long since I been gone
I wont get tired wont go astray
I hear her callin' call my name
Hey now darling
Heavy soul darling

The Black Keys

But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Romans 8:14

Previously, I discussed the idea of man being spiritually dead and unable to come to faith in Christ, unless drawn by the Spirit. This idea is found throughout scripture but never so clearly as in John 6:44, where Jesus says, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day." In practical terms, what does this mean? It means, that despite man's desire for freedom and control in his life, God does all the work in salvation. Man brings absolutely nothing to the table. Many Christians will look at such an idea with contempt. But why? Why do we feel the need to spit in the face of Christ and claim part of the victory for ourselves? Why is an idea that gives God the glory, 100%, such a divisive idea? I don't know the answers to these questions. What I do know is this: Dead men do not seek God. Fallen men are slaves to sin and cannot and will not seek righteousness. Praise God that He saves His people from a dead life, full of sin, and creates in them a new heart, leading them by His voice and His word, into a justified life, being made holy, not by our own deeds, but through the work of His spirit.

So let us unpack this principle. Each member of the trinity plays a specific role in the salvation of man. It is the Father, who loved His people before the foundation of the world and set them apart to be His holy possession. At the appointed time, He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to be a sacrifice for their sin, and secure their redemption in His blood and life in His resurrection. But despite being chosen and set apart for this sacrifice and new life, man is still spiritually dead and an enemy to God. The role of the Holy Spirit is to apply this salvation to God's chosen. Simply put, every person that the Spirit intends to save, will be saved. The Spirit breathes life into the elect.

We have all, at one time or another, been an enemy of God and heard the gospel message to repent and follow Christ. This gospel call is extended to everyone. We also know many people who have heard this call and have refused it. This general call does not bring sinners to Christ because men are spiritually dead. The gospel is foolishness to them. There is no amount of threats, bribes, reasoning, or promises that will bring a spiritually blind, deaf, and dead sinner to Christ. Therefore, the Holy Spirit extends a special internal call to those God foreknew and loved. Within this call, the Holy Spirit extends grace to the chosen, changes their hearts, renews their minds, and removes the scales from their eyes. He gives them not only ears that can hear but a spiritual mind to discern the righteousness of Christ and places in their heart a desire to freely and willingly seek Christ. I mentioned in a previous post about my own salvation. Growing up in the church, believing the work of Christ was the same as knowing that the sky is blue. But I loved my sin and had little inclination to be a man of God. I had read parts of the bible before, but it never really meant anything to me. One night, I had a strange desire to read the gospels. As I read them, my life was thrown upside down. Did I come to freely to Christ of my own volition? Yes. Would I have come freely to Christ had the spirit not changed my heart and disposition first? Emphatically, I say, No!

This special inward call given to the elect, never fails. While the general call of the Gospel is often rejected, this inward call is irresistible. This is what it means to be a new creation or born again. What man can recreate himself? What man can re-enter the womb and choose his spiritual birth? The beauty of the Gospel is that the Spirit is in no way dependent on us to bring about this new birth. The Westminster Confession of Faith sums up this doctrine as such.

"All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace."1

Once again, I encourage you to rejoice in such a mighty and merciful God, that loves His people so much that he has made every provision, independent of our own desires, and has set forth His almighty will to work out all things for our good.

1. Chapter X section 1