Coming to God

[KenH]

"Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come." Isaiah 45:24

And who gives them will and power to come? The Father himself, according to the Lord's own words, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." (John 6:44) But will the Father draw all the chosen vessels of mercy to Jesus? Surely he will; for the Lord adds, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me" (John 6:45).
...
We cannot come until we are drawn. "Draw me," says the bride, "we will run after thee" (Song of Solomon 1:4). "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3) When we are drawn, then we come, and cannot but come. It is good to come. Even those who have received must be ever coming. We get nothing but by coming. Our daily life, as one of faith and hope, is a life of coming. Our continual prayer is a continual coming. For the language of the Church still is, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17) Thus must we be ever coming that we may be ever receiving; and so everything that makes us come has in it a real or an implied blessing. Nor will you come in vain, be you who or what you may, for "him that cometh to me," the blessed Lord himself has said, "I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)

- excerpt from J.C. Philpot's Through Baca's Vale, October 23

 

[Charlie24]

"Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come." Isaiah 45:24

And who gives them will and power to come? The Father himself, according to the Lord's own words, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." (John 6:44) But will the Father draw all the chosen vessels of mercy to Jesus? Surely he will; for the Lord adds, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me" (John 6:45).
...
We cannot come until we are drawn. "Draw me," says the bride, "we will run after thee" (Song of Solomon 1:4). "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3) When we are drawn, then we come, and cannot but come. It is good to come. Even those who have received must be ever coming. We get nothing but by coming. Our daily life, as one of faith and hope, is a life of coming. Our continual prayer is a continual coming. For the language of the Church still is, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17) Thus must we be ever coming that we may be ever receiving; and so everything that makes us come has in it a real or an implied blessing. Nor will you come in vain, be you who or what you may, for "him that cometh to me," the blessed Lord himself has said, "I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)

- excerpt from J.C. Philpot's Through Baca's Vale, October 23

Mr. Philpot doesn't tell us HOW God draws us. Does He place us under a trance and we have no choice but to understand and receive His way, or does He prepare man every step of the way to hear the Gospel from another and we are presented with a choice?

 

[KenH]

Mr. Philpot doesn't tell us HOW God draws us.

An excerpt from John Gill's Bible commentary on Jeremiah 31:3, a verse quoted in the OP above:

"therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee; out of a state of nature; out of Satan's hands; out of the pit wherein is no water, the horrible pit, the mire and clay; unto Christ, his person, blood, righteousness, and fulness, by faith to lay hold upon them; unto his church, and to a participation of the ordinances and privileges of it; to nearer communion with God, and at last will draw to eternal glory. This is the Father's act, and to him it is usually ascribed: it chiefly regards the work of conversion, and the influence of divine grace on that; though it also includes after acts of drawing: it supposes weakness in men; is the effect of powerful and efficacious grace; and is done without offering any violence or force to the will of man, who is drawn with, and not against, his will. This is an instance of the love of God; a fruit and effect of it: it is love that draws a soul to Christ, and is the cause of its coming to him; it is love that reveals him to it, and causes it to come to him; love is then manifested and shed abroad in the heart; a cord of it is let down into it, and with it the Lord draws; it is not by the threats of the law, but by the declarations of grace in the Gospel; the cause of drawing is love, and the manner of it is with it."

 

[Charlie24]

An excerpt from John Gill's Bible commentary on Jeremiah 31:3, a verse quoted in the OP above:

"therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee; out of a state of nature; out of Satan's hands; out of the pit wherein is no water, the horrible pit, the mire and clay; unto Christ, his person, blood, righteousness, and fulness, by faith to lay hold upon them; unto his church, and to a participation of the ordinances and privileges of it; to nearer communion with God, and at last will draw to eternal glory. This is the Father's act, and to him it is usually ascribed: it chiefly regards the work of conversion, and the influence of divine grace on that; though it also includes after acts of drawing: it supposes weakness in men; is the effect of powerful and efficacious grace; and is done without offering any violence or force to the will of man, who is drawn with, and not against, his will. This is an instance of the love of God; a fruit and effect of it: it is love that draws a soul to Christ, and is the cause of its coming to him; it is love that reveals him to it, and causes it to come to him; love is then manifested and shed abroad in the heart; a cord of it is let down into it, and with it the Lord draws; it is not by the threats of the law, but by the declarations of grace in the Gospel; the cause of drawing is love, and the manner of it is with it."

I wonder if Mr. Philpot would see the love from the other side of the fence in Hell?

Would he not be pleading, why was this person drawn and not me?

Why am I in Hell, why wasn't I given the opportunity of that person?