Brushwood Press

BRUSHFIRES | WEEK 6

 

A Discipleship Series from Brushwood Press | BrushwoodPress.com

 

Core Doctrine: Effectual Calling – Irresistible Grace

 

Verse: John 6:37 (CSB)

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“Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will

never cast out.”

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Book Context:

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The Gospel of John, written by the Apostle John around A.D. 85–90, offers a deeply

theological portrait of Jesus as the eternal Word made flesh. In chapter 6, Jesus feeds

the five thousand, walks on water, and then confronts the crowd’s disbelief with a

powerful teaching on spiritual hunger. Here, Jesus proclaims that those who come to

Him do so because the Father has given them—and that once they come, He will never

cast them out. This moment grounds the security of salvation in God’s sovereign will,

not human effort.

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Core Doctrine:

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The doctrine of Effectual Calling—often referred to as Irresistible Grace—teaches

that when God calls someone to salvation, His call accomplishes exactly what He

intends: that person will come. This isn't a generic invitation that might succeed—it’s a

personal summons from the Creator to the created, and it never fails.

John 6:37 is rich with certainty. “Everyone the Father gives me will come.” This is grace

that breaks through resistance. It awakens the dead heart, softens the stubborn soul,

and causes blind eyes to see the beauty of Christ. The call of God doesn’t just inform

—it transforms. And the best part? Jesus says He will “never cast out” the one who

comes. Effectual calling doesn’t just begin our salvation—it guarantees we will never

be abandoned.

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Without this doctrine, salvation becomes fragile. If grace can be resisted, then

assurance can be lost. But with it, we find rest in the God who finishes what He starts.

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Danger of Not Holding to the Core Doctrine – Week 6: Effectual Calling – Irresistible Grace

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If we believe that God’s call to salvation is just an invitation waiting on human

response, we turn grace into a proposition rather than a power. The danger here lies

not in denying God’s kindness—but in downplaying His strength. We may still preachthe gospel, still proclaim His love, but beneath the surface, we begin to believe that

salvation hinges on human will rather than divine intervention.

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And when we do, the pressure quietly shifts. Evangelism becomes persuasion. Prayer

becomes pleading. And faith becomes something we muster rather than something

God grants. Even our most passionate efforts to see people saved can slowly turn into

desperation when we forget that God alone awakens the dead heart, opens blind eyes,

and draws sinners to Himself with a call that cannot be resisted.

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We often resist this doctrine because we want to protect human dignity. We want to

believe that God calls—and waits. But Scripture paints a different picture. It is not that

the sinner hears and then decides. It is that the sinner hears because God has already

decided. His voice doesn’t merely invite—it resurrects. His call isn’t a knock at the door

—it’s the breath of life into dry bones (Ezekiel 37:4–6, John 6:44).

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If we reject this truth, we will start believing that salvation can be lost, that faith must

be maintained, and that people miss heaven because they didn’t try hard enough to

believe. But the truth is more beautiful: those whom God calls, He draws; those He

draws, He justifies; and those He justifies, He glorifies (Romans 8:30). The chain cannot

be broken.

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To deny irresistible grace is to believe that man can overpower the mercy of God. But

to receive it is to stand in awe that when God speaks, creation obeys—and when He

calls His people, they come to life.

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Conversational Evangelism:

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When you talk about faith with others, you’ll often hear something like, “I just don’t feel

ready,” or “Maybe someday I’ll get right with God.” People see faith as something they

initiate—a personal journey they control. This verse offers a radically better hope.

Try asking, “What if God is already pursuing you? What if that tug you feel isn’t your

heart reaching for God, but His hand reaching for you?” That shifts the entire

conversation. It moves the weight from human effort to divine mercy.

Sharing the gospel through this lens reminds others that grace is not a lottery ticket—

it’s a rescue mission already underway.

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Call to Action:

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If God’s grace pursued you—and you came because He called—then your story is part

of something unstoppable. This week, reflect on what God overcame to draw you in.Was it pride? Pain? A lifetime of running? Whatever it was, He broke through it. That’s

the power of effectual calling.

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And now, look outward. Who in your life seems too hardened or too lost to change?

Don’t be discouraged. No heart is too cold for the warmth of God’s grace. Pray for

them. Speak truth to them. And rest knowing that the Shepherd never fails to bring His

sheep home.

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Fire Starter Question:

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What part of your story proves that God’s grace didn’t just invite you—it pursued

you—and how can that truth bring hope to someone still running?

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