Dan Chapa

Introduction The Key Issue: Resistible vs. Irresistible Grace Hodge’s Arguments Does God fail if we Resist? The Difference Maker Hodge on Ephesians 1:17-19 Hodge's Arguments for Irresistible Grace - Infants The Called - Hodge's Arguments for Irresistible Grace Hodge on Unconditional Election Regeneration The Equivocation of Regeneration Which Comes First, Faith or Regeneration? Current Reactions John 1:12-13 (Response to Theojunkie)

Hodge argues that unconditional election proves irresistible grace. ( link ) For the most part, I agree with the logical relationship, but disagree that unconditional election is true. But rather than get into election now, I will wait until the series on predestination. I say for the most part, because within Molinism there’s a little know opinion out there called congruism. Here’s a bit about it from an excellent article about Molinism by Alfred Freddoso. The second dispute concerns the reason for the efficaciousness of the grace whereby God cooperates with supernaturally salvific acts of free choice. Suppose that in circumstances C, influenced by grace G, Peter freely elicits salvific act A. All Molinists agree that God places Peter in C with G knowing full well that Peter will freely elicit A; and they also agree that G is not intrinsically efficacious and hence does not causally predetermine A. However, there is strong disagreement about whether or not it is Peter's free conse...

Hodge argues that “the called” and the elect are convertible terms. He states: Those who are the subjects of this saving influence of the Spirit, are designated “the called.” Romans 1:6 , “The called of Jesus Christ.” Romans 8:28 , “To them who are the called according to his purpose.” To one class of the hearers of the gospel, the Apostle says ( 1 Cor. 1:24 ), Christ is a stumbling-block, and to another foolishness, “but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” Jude addresses his epistle to the “preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.” “The called,” and “the elect,” oi kletoi and oi eklektoi, are convertible terms. ( link ) The concepts of calling and election are related, but not convertible and it’s unhelpful to equate them. Now even if Hodge were right, it still would not prove grace was irresistible. So long as election is understood as conditional and not unconditional, grace remains resistible, not irresistible. William Kl...

Charles Hodge argues that regeneration is monergistic, because most Christians believe God regenerates infants and infants don’t have a choice in the matter. This argument is irrelevant to the resistible/irresistible grace debate; both sides agree that regeneration, strictly defined, is monergistic. Of course, I believe infants are saved (not just regenerate, but saved), even if I am not sure how that works.

Theojunkie responded to my post: which comes first, faith or regeneration ? His response focused on John 1:12-13 , which states: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. TJ’s explanation seems to be: A. giving “the right to become children of God” doesn’t refer to regeneration, but rather either adoption or sanctification. B. The fact that we are born of God’s will, not man’s, means regeneration precedes faith, because faith involves man’s will. C. “Receiving Christ” is the start of “believing”, so there is no room in-between receiving Christ and believing for regeneration to take place. Even though adoption and birth are two alternative means of becoming sons and both birth and adoption are used to describe the blessings given us, we have good reason to suspect “A” is unsound. In this context “adoption”...

Hodge argues for effectual calling based on Ephesians 1:17-19. He claims that the passage teaches the regeneration is monergistic , so it proves God's call is effectual. Here's the passage: Ephesians 1:17-19 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. Hodge has several problems. First, the passage teaches sanctification, not regeneration. It's dealing with living the Christian life and growing in grace, not conversion. Second, even if the passage were teaching that regeneration is monergistic , this wouldn't prove that God's call is effectual. I agree regeneration, strictly defi...

Although, I just argued that “what” regeneration is, in more important than “when” regeneration is, we do still need to touch on the question of the timing of regeneration. These passages show that regeneration comes after faith. ( Ephesians 1:13, John 1:12-13, Romans 5:18, John 5:24-28, Romans 6:2-6, Galatians 3:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18 ) By grace we are: sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, given the right to become children of God, not condemnation but given justification of life, given everlasting life, and we shall not come into judgment, but have passed from death into life, our old man was crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin, recipients of the Spirit, and transformed into the Lord’s image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. All these blessings are given to us only: after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, to as many as receive Ch...

In the order of salvation, which comes first, faith or regeneration? Before we can answer that, don't we first need to understand what regeneration is? In this post I plan on contrasting Hodge's view with Arminius'. Hopefully, in the process we can clarify the issue of monergism vs. synergism. Hodge’s Order of Salvation Common Grace – a “moral suasion” that brings good works, but is insufficient to enable justifying faith Regeneration – God’s supernatural and immediate change of a person’s nature Vocation – same Gospel as the one in common grace, but it’s effectual on the changed man. Conversion – faith and repentance “first conscious exercise of the renewed soul” Justification Two Definitions of Regeneration Hodges provides two alternative definitions of regeneration. Sometimes regeneration means just the imparting of life, other times it means the whole process including the things coming before and after the imparting of life. 1 Hodge says these two difference sense ...

Hodges' Argument Hodge argues that unless grace is resistible, the ultimate reason some believe and not others is found in us and not in God. Hodge says this would make believers better, more impressible or less obstinate than other. 1 Problem Non-Unique Personally, I find this one of the most powerful Calvinistic arguments. The idea that I can take credit for my salvation is intolerable, as is the idea that I am better than someone else. But the Calvinist solution is no solution, and it creates more problems than it resolves. Let’s take the argument that believers can take credit for their faith. But Calvinists also say people believe. Therefore Calvinism entails that people can take credit for their faith. It does not good for Calvinists to object that in Calvinism, grace is the sufficient cause of faith and in Arminianism, it is not. That doesn’t impact responsibility. In Calvinism, people are responsible for their actions, even though they are predetermined by sufficient caus...

Hodge’s first argument 1 against resistible grace is: P1: God, being infinite, cannot fail in any of His “serious intentions” P2: God ordains all things according to His purpose P3: If God wants His grace to convert us, and we resist and stay unconverted, God fails C1: so grace is irresistible Response P1 & P2 are true but equivocal. P3 is false, so the conclusion does not follow. If by fail, we mean God intends for Himself to do something and it’s not done, God cannot fail ( Daniel 4:35 ). But God intends for us to do things that we don’t do. ( Luke 13:34 , Luke 19:41-42 ) In fact, God hates sin ( Psalm 5:4 ) and sin is contrary to His will ( Mark 3:35 ). So is God failing every time someone sins? It’s really a question of what God’s intending. Hodge supposes grace to be irresistible, meaning grace is a sufficient cause of conversion. If this were so, if God means to causally necessitate conversion (such that choosing otherwise is impossible), then anything short of conver...

The key issue is not: Is man totally depraved? Arminians agree with Calvinsts that man is totally depraved and in need of grace. 1 Does God grant prevenient grace? Many Calvinists agree with Arminians that God does give prevenient grace. 2 Is God's call to the reprobate external only? Many Calvinists agree with Arminians that God's call to the reprobate isn't just external. 3 Does regeneration precede faith? Calvinists and Arminians often disagree on this issue. Calvinists say regeneration comes first and Arminians say faith comes first. But it's not key to the resistible/irresistible debate. I plan on posting on this subject later. Is regeneration monergistic or synergistic? Arminians agree with Calvinists that man doesn't regenerate himself. 4 Is faith a choice? Calvinists generally agree with Arminians that faith is a choice. 5 Are we responsible for our choices? Calvinists agree with Arminians that we are responsible for our choices. 6 Is faith a w...

God willing, I plan on blogging through the topic of Resistible vs. Irresistible Grace. To define and defend the Calvinist position, I plan on using the Systematic Theology of Charles Hodge . Many Calvinists highly recommend Hodges' Systematic Theology for good reason - Hodge's scholarship was first rate. But his treatment of irresistible grace doesn't carry the same weight as "a definitive and irrefutable work" in the same way Calvinists describe Jonathan Edwards' book on the will and John Owen's The Death of Death in the Death of Christ . But Calvinists don't have a single work they point to like they do for the atonement and the will. Still, Hodge seems appropriate on this topic. Before selecting him, I read Grudem's The Gospel Call and Effective Call , Paul Helm's The Call that Generates a Response , D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Effectual Calling and Regeneration and Francis Turretin's Effectual Calling . Unfortunately, Turretin...