"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:
and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44)
"LET us consider the marvelous way and manner in which the
Lord draws the souls of poor sinners to Jesus Christ, and you
will find He doth it (1) gradually, (2) congruously, (3) powerfully, (4) effectually, and (5) finally."
I agree that the preparations for regeneration are often gradual. I also agree that they are powerful and effectual, especially with the elect.
Flavel continued:
"First, this blessed work is carried on by the Spirit gradually. [It
brings] the soul step by step in the due method and order of the gospel to Christ: illumination, conviction, compunction prepare the way
to Christ. Then faith unites the soul to Him. Without humiliation
there can be no faith: “Ye…repented not afterward, that ye might believe him” (Mat 21:32). It is the burdensome sense of sin that brings
the soul to Christ for rest: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden” (Mat 11:28). But without conviction, there can be no
compunction, no humiliation. He that is not convinced of his sin and
misery never bewails it nor mourns for it. Never was there one tear of
true repentance seen to drop from the eye of an unconvinced sinner.
And without illumination, there can be no conviction; for what is
conviction, but the application of the light that is in the understanding or mind of a man to his heart and conscience? (Act 2:37). In this
order, therefore, the Spirit (ordinarily) draws souls to Christ: He
shines into their minds by illumination, applies that light to their
consciences by effectual conviction, breaks and wounds their hearts
for sin in remorse, and then moves the will to embrace and close with
Christ in the way of faith for life and salvation."
Notice that Flavel speaks of embracing and closing with Christ. This was a common expression among the old Puritan writers. This was the point where union with Christ was effected by faith and from union came moral transformation, regeneration, renewing and sanctification. This act of union with Christ by faith was the culmination, however, of the work of God in bringing the sinner to that final act of union.
Flavel said:
"Secondly, He draws sinners to Christ congruously and very agreeably to the nature and way of man. So He speaks, “I drew them with
cords of a man, with bands of love” (Hos 11:4). Not as beasts are
drawn, but as men are inclined and wrought to compliance by rational conviction of their judgments and powerful persuasion of their
wills."
It is sad that our Hyper Calvinist and Hardshell brothers do not understand this truth. This is because they have defined total depravity to mean lacking the physical power or faculty to believe or repent. But, it is not a physical inability but a spiritual inability that deals with the will of the sinner.
Flavel said:
"Thirdly, the drawings of the Father are very powerful. “The arm of the LORD” is revealed in this work (Isa 53:1). It was a powerful word indeed that made the light at first shine out of darkness, and no less power is required to make it shine into our hearts (2Co 5:14). That day in which the soul is made willing to come to Christ is called, “the day of his power” (Psa 110:3). The Scripture expresseth the work of conversion by a threefold metaphor: that of a resurrection from the dead (Rom 4:4), that of creation (Eph 2:10), and that of victory or conquest (2Co 10:4-5). All these set forth the infinite power of God in this work, for no less than almighty power is required to each of them; and if you strictly examine the distinct notions, you shall find the power of God more and more illustriously displayed in each of them."
Notice that Flavel, like the older Calvinists and Baptists too, defined regeneration as including conversion.
Flavel said:
"Fourthly, the drawings of God are very effectual. There is indeed a
common and ineffectual work upon hypocrites and apostates, called in
Scripture a “morning cloud” and “early dew” (Hos 6:4). These may
believe for a time and fall away at last (Luk 8:13). Their wills may be
half won, they may be drawn half way to Christ and return again. So
it was with Agrippa: “Almost (within a very little) thou persuadest me
to be a Christian” (Act 26:28). But in God’s elected ones, it is effectual: their wills are not only almost, but altogether persuaded to embrace
Christ and quit the ways of sin, [no matter] how pleasant, gainful,
and dear soever they have been to them. The Lord not only draws but
draws home those souls to Christ: “All that the Father giveth me shall
come to me” (Joh 6:37)."
A regeneration that does not involve conversion, does not involve knowing, loving, and trusting in Christ, is no regeneration at all.
Flavel said:
"It is confessed that in drawing home the very elect to Christ, there
may be and frequently are many pauses, stands, and [delays]. They
have convictions, affections, and resolutions stirring in them, which,
like early blossoms, seem to be nipped and die away again."
The Hyper Calvinists however has concluded that there are no preparatory workings of God in the sinner prior to regeneration, for he has defined regeneration as "the first work God does in a sinner to bring him to spiritual life."
Flavel said:
"Fifthly, to conclude, those whom the Father draws to Christ, He
draws them finally and forever. “The gifts and calling of God are
without repentance” (Rom 11:29). They are so, as to God the giver; He
never repents that He hath called His people into the fellowship of His
Son Christ Jesus. And they are so on the believer’s part: he is never
sorry, whatever he afterwards meets with, that he has come to Christ."
Where there is no coming to Christ there is no spiritual life. It is that simple. If you have come to Christ then you have eternal life. If you have not come to Christ, have not believed in him, then you are spiritually dead.
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