Study 33. Acts 16:11- 40

 For Thought and Discussion: 

a. Why was it necessary for God to open Lydia’s heart to respond to Paul’s message (see 16:14)? 

Beause it is not the wisdom or persusasiveness of the preacher or witness that moves people to saving faith - it is the gift of God.

We took time off to consider the necessity of God's work in causing people to respond savingly to the gospel message. As with the Gentiles of Cornelius' household (Ac 11:18, cf. 2 Tim 2:25), it is God who enables saving faith (Eph 2:8-9), not our own efforts.

 

Ruth mentioned John 6:44-45, 65, which also speaks of man's inability to come to God unless God draws him. In my view, then, Scripture speaks of God's monergistic work in salvation, not a synergistic effort where He takes 99 steps and we take 1 step. We are not merely helpless, needing only to open our mouths  to receive life-giving medicine. We are dead, completely unable to respond without the work of the Spirit (Eph 2:1, 5; Col 2:13). Only when we are regenerate are we then able to exercise faith. to  'see' and 'enter' God's kingdom (Jn 3:3, 5).

 

The implication here is that we do nothing of our own to receive salvation. We deserved nothing; we get no credit whatsoever even for helplessly opening our mouths to receive life from God. So God gets all the glory, and we get none.

 

In practice, I said that every true Christian knows in his or her heart that salvation is by grace. We never exalt our own efforts, even when we believe that we had a part to play. But the latter belief implies that we do take some credit for ourselves, for we chose to open our mouths for medicine, while others did not.

 

In the same way, when we pray for unsaved friends and relatives, and we ask that they may be saved, I think that every Christian expects that God will work in that person's heart to turn them to Christ; to open their spiritual eyes; to free them from spiritual bondage. Does God only do this by arranging everything in order to persuade men and to make it conducive for the person to choose Christ? Or do we expect that God will work decisively to save in answer to our prayers?

 

We also mentioned 'free will'. I asked for homework for a definition and proof text. 

Jin Chong defined this as having choices that were not mechanistically programmed. LP said it was when we were not bound by any influence.

 

We also spoke about whether the grace of God was resistable, and here I said that that would depend on the context of grace. The grace of God is certainly resistable - billions do this daily. But when Calvinists speak of irresistable grace, they speak of the fact that God's saving purpose is not resistable - He sovereignly saves those He has purposed to save.

 

We also had a discussion on limited atonement. The main issue with unlimited atonement is that it involves double punishment for the sin of unbelievers - once on the Cross and another time in hell. This opens the way for inclusivism and universalism - being saved through the Cross though not knowing Jesus.

 

b. What significance does this fact have for you personally, in your evangelism and in your prayers?

We have to be faithful in testifying to God's work in our lives. We also need to  know enough about the gospel that saves: we are sinners, we deserve death and need forgiveness, Christ's death and resurrection proves Him to be the Saviour of the World, we must trust fully in His work and receive Him as Lord.

However, it is not our job to convict or persuade - this is the work of the Spirit.