Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Ephesians 2:8
The Father Calls Us
John 6:44 is clear that no one can possibly come to Christ unless the Father draws them (John 6:44). Why does He call some and not others? Why did He call you and me and not our neighbors or our other relatives? Here’s my answer: I don’t know. He spoke through Jeremiah regarding Israel, “I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jer. 31:3). Therefore, it is clear that the Father must enable us to come to Jesus, as Christ said, “No one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them” (John 6:65).
The Spirit Convicts Us
Just before Jesus would go to Calvary to die for our sins and then later ascend to heaven, He promised that the Helper would come (John 16:7). “He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13). “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14).
The Son Saves Us
The work of the Son of God seems most obvious to us (John 3:16), but without the Spirit’s pointing us to Christ and convicting us of our sins, and without the Father’s effectual calling, we would not even know that we needed the Savior. That’s why it’s called the “Good News,” because “at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6) and, incredibly, “while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8) and, more, “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Rom. 5:10). That’s why His grace is so amazing.
Conclusion
God calls us or draws us. The Spirit convicts us and points us to Jesus, and the Son of God died for us so that the wrath of God was taken off of us and received unto Himself. It was “for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
