Resisting Grace

If a dead man must receive ability to obey, does he have to receive the ability to resist God's grace by God's grace also? How can a dead man resist anything? If one is dead and powerless, he can no more resist than to believe or accept apart from that power being granted to him, would you not agree?

Is it by God’s grace that God grants to the sinner the power to resist His offer of grace in salvation, also by grace? ( A kind of grace to resist grace)

 

HP: Thanks for the reply although that does not speak to the question IMO . The question is simply asking where the power to ‘resist’ comes from.

Many paint the picture of those dead in trespasses and sins as a dead log floating down a stream. Some have went to great lengths to define for us the word ‘dead’ in such a way that one dead in sin is ‘dead as a doorknob.’ It is obvious, at least to me that some resist the invitation of God to salvation, therefore my question is where do they get this power or ability?

Even once a believer one can resist the power of God in their lives. Where does this power come from? Does God have to bestow upon man the power to resist as well as the power to accept and or be obedient?

It takes ability to resist just as it takes ability to accept, believe, and repent. Who grants to man this ability and when is it granted? Does man, as a ‘dead man’ have ability to resist God and His persuasive influences to salvation?

If it is grace that grants the ability to believe and accept God's offer of salvation, is it grace that grants to man the ability to resist the offer as well?

 

This question seems to be having a hard time getting off the ground so I will attempt to sweeten the pot.

Let’s assume that the ability to resist is indeed granted to man by God as well as the power to believe. To get a picture of this one might place two identical cloned pit bulls in a tug of war, both with equal strength. Which one is going to win? What might give one the edge over the other? Can one be granted an edge without determining the outcome? If the outcome is determined, who is the cause of the outcome, the pit bulls or the one granting to the other the edge? If the one is granted an edge by some other force, is there really any meaningful challange being presented? Are the results predestined necessity or was there any contest there to begin with seeing the game was tilted in favor of one side? Why or why not?

 

HP: Now can you answer the first question I posed? Is it by God’s grace that God grants to the sinner the power to resist (initiate a negative response) His offer of grace in salvation, also by grace? ( A kind of grace to resist grace)

Where did man find this power to resist? Is it a universal power granted to all? If it is, is it not also true that if one is said to be able to resist, that logically it would also indicate a power of choice to either resist or, in the case of salvation, believe?

So I ask you, is this power to resist granted to man by God as grace, or is it granted to man as part of the necessary makeup requisite of man’s moral nature, without which he would be no man as you indicate?

 

HP: You make an excellent observation here. Without that ability of contrary choice man would not even be a moral agent, responsible for his actions. He would be the mere product of necessity.

Would you conclude then that God does not have to give man the ability to respond to the gospel message, for He instilled that ability naturally from birth as an intricate part of his makeup as a moral human being, and that man only needs the opportunity to hear the message and enlightened by the Holy Spirit to the requirements mandated by God to respond?

 

HP: Who said I believe that a man is dead and cannot resist anything? Not I. To be dead is not to be unable, but unwilling when we are speaking of spiritual death, according to Scripture and reason. God does not call dead logs to salvation, but willing rebels, men that have the ability and power to respond. That is what I believe.

 

HP: We all do our share of explaining, and so do you.

 

HP: So am I understanding you correctly in that you believe that God grants to man the abilities naturally from at least our youth up to choose between selfishness and benevolence, thereby bestowing upon everyman that reaches the age of accountability and enters the realm of moral agency, the power of moral choice?

 

HP: Then would you also agree that to be dead in sin is NOT to lack abilities to do right, but rather reflects an unwillingness to do right? Would you agree that grace is NOT granting of ‘abilities’ to do right, but rather the offering of undeserved favor, the offering of salvation ‘in spite of’ man possessing all the needed abilities to do right but has refused to exercise their wills in obedience, and doing such, has became a willing rebel against God and their own conscience?

 

HP: Are you saying that Adam did not have the power to resist Satan before the fall? Why is such power grace? Without such power moral agency would be non-existent. There could have been no choice in the fall if Adam did not possess the power of contrary choice. I see this as confusion between grace and justice, between unmerited favor and necessary abilities granted to everyman without which moral agency, accountability, or culpability could be predicated of man or his subsequent actions.