Irresistible Grace
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [1]
See Grace
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [2]
As already stated in the article on GRACE, the word grace is the hinge of three great theological controversies. One of these, on the nature of depravity and regeneration, between the orthodox doctrine of the Church and Pelagianism, comprehends the question of irresistible grace. Some of the followers of Augustine, in their attempt to oppose Pelagianism, says the Rev. O. Adolphus (Compendium Theologicum, p. 144, 3rd edit. Cambridge, England, 1865), of the Church of England, and himself a believer in predestination, carry their views of the absolute predestination of a limited number to the ultimate attainment of salvation, through the influence of the irresistible grace of God causing their final perseverance, to such an extreme in their logical deductions that there appeared persons who charged the Augustinian system with leading to the dangerous conclusions that human actions are immaterial, and human efforts for the conversion of the wicked unavailing, in the face of God's free gift of grace in accordance with his secret decrees, predetermined from everlasting. For the Arminian argument, on the other hand, (See Arminianism); (See Election); (See Predestination); (See Will).
