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Page 42
If man, thus influenced from above, now deliberately uses his
will power, and _resists_ the gracious influences of prevenient
Grace, he quenches the Holy Spirit of God, whereby he is sealed to the
day of redemption. He has hardened his heart. His last state is worse
than the first. He remains unconverted, and on himself alone is the
responsibility.
If, on the other hand, he even _with_ the assistance of
prevenient Grace, permits it to do its work, the process goes on. His
will is being renewed. It experiences the pulsations of a new life. It
realizes the possession of new powers. There is an infusion from God's
will into his will, and now prevenient Grace is changed into operating
Grace. The Word has _free course_. _It runs and is glorified._ He
"_works out his own salvation with fear and trembling_," while it
is all the time "_God that worketh in him both to will and to do of
His good pleasure_."
Such a person is a new creature in Christ Jesus. Operative Grace
goes out into co�perating Grace. He becomes a worker with God, and as
he grows in Grace and in knowledge, his will becomes more and more
free as it comes more and more into harmony with God's will.
Again we ask, What has the human will to do with this great
change? We answer, Two things.
First, man can and will to go to church where the means of Grace
are, or he can will to remain away. If he deliberately wills to absent
himself from where their influence is exerted, he remains unconverted,
and _on himself is the responsibility_. If, on the other hand, he
wills to go where God speaks to man in His ordinary way, he does so
much towards permitting God to convert him.
Secondly, when the means of Grace do carry renewing power, and he
is made to realize their efficacy--though it be at first only in an
uneasiness, dissatisfaction with self, and an undefined longing after
something better--he can, as we have seen, permit the work to go on.
Thus he may be said, negatively, to help towards his conversion. On
the other hand, he can shake off the good impressions, tear away from
the holy influences, resist the Spirit, and remain unconverted.
Clearly, _on himself is all the responsibility_ if he perish. God
desired to convert him. He "_rejected the counsel of God against
himself_." Luke vii. 30.
And thus our Lutheran doctrine of _Grace through the means of
Grace_, clears away all difficulties and avoids all contradictions. It
gives God all the glory, and throws on man all the responsibility.
Sailing thus under the colors of scriptural doctrine, we steer
clear of the Scylla of Calvinism on the one hand, and also escape the
Charybdis of Arminianism on the other.
We give to Sovereign Grace all the glory of our salvation just as
much as the Calvinists do. And yet we make salvation as free as the
boldest Arminian does. Whatever is excellent in both systems we
retain. Whatever is false in both we reject. We refuse to make of man
a machine, who is _irresistibly_ brought into the kingdom of God,
and forced indeed to accept of Sovereign Grace. On the other hand, we
utterly repudiate the idea that man is _himself_ able to "get
religion," to "get through," to "grasp the blessing," or to "save
himself." To such self-exaltation we give no place--no, not for a
moment!
With Luther we confess, "I believe that I cannot, by my own
reason or strength, believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him.
But that the Holy Spirit hath called me by His Gospel, enlightened me
by His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in
like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole
Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ
in the true faith. In which Christian Church He daily forgives me
abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers, and will raise
up me and all the dead at the last day, and will grant everlasting
life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly
true."
"Grace first contrived the way
To save rebellious man;
And all the steps that Grace display
Which drew the wondrous plan.
"Grace taught my roving feet
To tread the heavenly road;
And new supplies each hour I meet,
While pressing on to God.
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