Because we affirm the Biblical doctrine of effectual grace, some (often well-meaning) Christians make the charge that this would make human beings into automatons or robots. And the love of God requires (libertarian) freedom of the will, they claim.
Human reason and logic, such as the law of non contradiction are 1) invariant, 2) universal and 3) immaterial. The same laws of logic apply in Los Angeles and Myanmar. Although materialists and secularists use logic everyday, they cannot account for logic in their worldview. It only makes sense if an immaterial, universal, invariant God exists. A universal law among cultures which never met one another, requires a universal lawgiver. It doesn't arise from rocks.
Thirty-Six Select Sermons of John Calvin
We must not condemn others as graceless and godless, because they do not see the whole truth at once, and only reach decided Christianity by slow degrees. The Holy Spirit always leads believers to the same foundation truths, and into the same highway to heaven. In these there is invariable uniformity. But the Holy Spirit does not always lead believers through the same experience, or at the same rate of speed. In this there is much diversity in His operations.
God is awesome in all the ways the deepest recesses of our souls long to be awestruck. Here are fourteen ways that God is a far more excellent object of awe than the images we see in the mirror:
1. God never lies or breaks promises. We do.
2. God is not bound by time, but sees it all—past, present, and future—with perfect clarity. He was here long before us, even before time existed, which is one of His ideas. We are stuck in this moment, hazy about much of the past and oblivious to much of the future.
by John Calvin
In his very helpful book, The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, John Calvin stated that there are four expressions regarding the will which differ from one another:
John Owen
All men are born spiritually dead, never having had that life of God which Adam had. In Adam they had it, and in Adam they lost it.
By William Gouge
Contentedness is a satisfaction of the mind concerning the sufficiency and fitness of one's present condition.
This general matter of contentedness, a satisfaction of mind, doth not only put a distinguishing difference betwixt contentedness and covetousness, but also sheweth that they are diametrically contrary one to another: for a covetous mind is never satisfied with any estate: and a contented mind is never unsatisfied with any.
by J. I. Packer
Our Purpose in Life
What were we made for? To know God.
What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God.
What is the ‘eternal life’ that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God. ‘This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent’ (John 17:3 NIV).
by Richard Sibbes
Due to high demand from our online community, Monergism has begun publishing some of our most popular eBooks in paperback. Our first title is The Soul's Conflict and Victory over Itself by Faith, by Richard Sibbes
