Eph 140 10/27/85, 310 6/22/86, 630 8/27/87

DOCTRINE OF EFFICACIOUS GRACE

A. Definition.

1. Efficacious grace is the theological term for the delineation of the work of the Holy Spirit related to faith in Christ at the point of salvation.

2. This doctrine might be classified as the doctrine of effectual faith, since the faith of the spiritually dead person would be ineffective without help from God (Holy Spirit). Therefore, efficacious grace is tantamount to effective faith, whereby the Holy Spirit takes the unbeliever’s faith in Christ and turns it into his eternal salvation.

3. Eph 1:13, “In whom [Jesus Christ] you also, when you heard the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, in whom also, when you had believed.”

4. See the doctrine of Common and Efficacious Grace for most recent treatment of the subject.

B. Efficacious grace is tantamount to effective faith.

1. Effective faith is the ministry of the Holy Spirit in taking the unbeliever’s positive volition at the point of Gospel hearing and converting it into effective or effectual faith, which results in salvation.

2. “Efficacious” means the power to produce the desired effect. So God the Holy Spirit takes our faith in Christ and produces the desired effect: salvation. Eph 2:8, “For you have been saved by grace.”

3. “Effectual” is what is powerful enough to produce an intended effect: “through faith.” Hence, effectual faith is our part: we believe. Efficacious is used with God’s grace; effectual is used with our faith. We supply the non-meritorious volition; God supplies the rest, effectual faith.

4. The call of God is Gospel hearing, called the doctrine of common grace. The non-meritorious positive response to that call from mankind in the status quo of spiritual death is faith in Christ, which is always effective. Every time anyone believes in Christ, God the Holy Spirit makes it effectual. As spiritually dead unbelievers, we were totally helpless to effectively have a relationship with God. Our faith is made effectual by the work of God the Holy Spirit, called efficacious grace.

5. The Holy Spirit is alive to God the Father and God the Son and always has been. Therefore, only a member of the Trinity could make our faith effectual. It couldn’t be God the Father since He sent the Son; it couldn’t be God the Son because He was judged for our sins on the cross. So only the Holy Spirit could do this work.

6. Now you can begin to appreciate what grace is. You and I do not have anything that God needs! Grace came to us when we were spiritually dead, and grace made our faith effectual.

7. While salvation through faith in Christ is related to non- meritorious human volition, certain events, such as the sovereign decision of God regarding our spiritual gifts, are totally divorced from human volition.

8. Paul was “called to be an apostle,” Rom 1:1; 1 Cor 1:1. His “calling” was the presentation of the Gospel. He responded by believing. His gift of apostleship was totally apart from his own volition. He wasn’t called under efficacious grace to be an apostle, for efficacious grace recognizes the function of human volition and then makes that faith effectual. But once he was saved, it was God who decided what his spiritual gift would be. While Paul had the option of faith in Christ, he did not have the option of choosing his spiritual gift.

9. So once we believe in Christ, we receive certain things without our consent; this a case of “God knows best.” But in every case, what we receive is for our benefit, and once we understand the doctrine, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

10. Likewise, we do not choose our birth or death. God knows best, and therefore some things are left to His sovereignty. God’s timing is perfect, right, and best. The manner and timing of your death is God’s choice. The believer who has the capacity for living has the capacity for dying.

11. The work of common grace is antecedent to the work of efficacious grace, “work” referring to the ministry of God the Holy Spirit at salvation. We inhale the Gospel which is made clear by the Holy Spirit. We exhale faith in Christ, which is made effectual by the work of God the Holy Spirit.

12. Grace is the divine side of salvation; faith is the human side of salvation, Eph 2:8-9. C. The Problem of Spiritually Dead Man.

1. The problem in understanding this doctrine is understanding the role of mankind in the matter, since the unbeliever is spiritually dead and therefore under total depravity, i.e., human helplessness.

2. Spiritual death is much worse than sin, which is merely a symptom of spiritual death. Its real meaning is helplessness to have anything to do with God. Were it not for this marvelous ministry of the Holy Spirit, we would not have eternal life; we would not be destined for heaven. Our life would be meaningless and we would be miserable.

3. Here is the real beginning of understanding grace, for all the work for salvation was done by God. Not only was Jesus Christ judged for our sins on the cross, but the Holy Spirit makes the Gospel perspicuous to you, and He makes your faith efficacious.

4. Therefore, there is a twofold role of spiritually dead mankind.

a. The unbeliever must hear and listen to the Gospel message. Every time the Gospel is communicated, there is the call from God to the spiritually dead. You listen to the call by hearing the Gospel.

b. But because we are spiritually dead, we are incapable of understanding the call. Being dichotomous, we cannot understand spiritual phenomena, having no human spirit, 1 Cor 2:14. So God the Holy Spirit acts as a human spirit to make the Gospel understandable, Jn 16:8-11.

c. Rom 10:14, “How shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?” Verse 17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Common grace begins with the hearing of the Gospel, and ends with the Holy Spirit making the Gospel comprehensible.

d. Once we understand the issue, we are at the point of decision.

e. Once we believe in Christ, then it is the work of the Holy Spirit to make our faith efficacious. The unbeliever responds by non- meritorious faith to the call. Personal faith in Christ is linked with the ministry of God the Holy Spirit in efficacious grace to become effectual faith.

f. The Holy Spirit makes dead faith living or effectual faith. Just as we have a spiritually dead brain, and God the Holy Spirit inserts enough light into our brain so that we understand the Gospel, so we have a spiritually dead faith, and only God the Holy Spirit can make that dead faith alive and effectual.

5. This is why salvation is so simple on our part, for the work is all God’s and it is total grace.

6. Jn 10:27-28, “My sheep hear My voice [common grace, the divine call] and I know them [in eternity past] and they follow Me [efficacious grace]. I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish, and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.”

7. Salvation is for homo sapiens who are physically alive. There is no eternal salvation offered to those who are beyond the grave. Jesus Christ was alive on the cross when He was judged for our sins and provided our salvation. So also, common and efficacious grace apply only to those members of the human race who are alive on earth. As long as a person is alive he can be saved. But once he dies, spiritual death plus physical death equals the second death.

D. Spiritual Death and Total Depravity.

1. Spiritual death and total depravity imply two things.

a. A spiritually dead brain, or a dead understanding.

b. A spiritually dead faith.

2. “Dead” means unable to comprehend spiritual things and unable to have a relationship with God.

3. The ministry of the Holy Spirit provides spiritual comprehension, and effectual faith does not take away from our volitional involvement.

4. In this way, human responsibility to believe in Christ is not ignored, and the work of the Holy Spirit in common and efficacious grace is emphasized as the gift from God in Eph 2:8.

E. Concluding Principle.

1. In every case where common grace is rejected, efficacious grace does not occur. You must have a minimal understanding of the Gospel before you can believe in Jesus Christ.

2. The sovereignty of God and the free will of man coexist by divine decree as the extension of the prehistoric angelic conflict into human history.

3. Human responsibility in relationship to the sovereignty of God can be explained by an understanding of divine revelation regarding the computer assets in our portfolio, Eph 1:3-6.

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