Calvinists argue that God's gift of salvation is not made in the form of an "appeal" (like Paul does in 2 Cor. 5), but in an irresistible or effectual manner (often referred to as 'regeneration'). Acts 7:51, like the 2 Cor 5 passage show that God's provisions/appeals are often resisted or 'traded in for lies' but God still should be given full credit for giving them.
Besides the fact that Acts 7:51 is a conviction from the Holy Ghost of unregenerate Jews long history of resisting the Holy Ghost which culminated with them committing the ultimate act of resisting the Holy Ghost by murdering Christ, it has nothing to do with the Reformed precept of Irresistible Grace. Man can no more resist the birth from above any more than he can resist his physical birth. He is totally passive in both:
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God. Jn 1:13
To suggest that a man cannot believe the gospel because it wasn't able to be understood or didn't come with sufficient power to enable a response....
24 The Jews therefore came round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou hold us in suspense? If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly.
25
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not: the works that I do in my Father`s name, these bear witness of me.
26 But
ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. Jn 10
I can't imagine a more powerful presentation of the gospel than that given by Christ Himself, and yet these didn’t believe. Why? They didn’t belong to Him. They weren’t ‘born of God’.
Again:
42 Jesus said unto them,
If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.
43
Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word.
44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.
45 But because I say the truth, ye believe me not. Jn 8
If one is not FIRST born of God, if God is not their father, they cannot love Christ, or understand His speech, or hear His word.
Paul reiterates the same here:
12 But
we received, not the spirit of the world, but
the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God.
14 Now
the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for
they are foolishness unto him; and
he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. 1 Cor 2
… only serves give the unbelievers an excuse for their unbelief and make God's means appear to be failing or falling short.
Sometimes, actually oftentimes, your reasoning totally escapes me. Well, that’s what it is though, your reasoning; it’s your complaint, certainly not Christ’s complaint:
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall
my righteous servant justify many; and
he shall bear their iniquities. Isa 53:11
I believe God's gift, which are able to be traded in for lies and resisted, is more than sufficient to enable a response and God should get full credit for providing that gift for the world, not just a preselected few.
The children of the heavenly Zion cannot resist their birth from above.
….Calvinists argue that men are unable to submit to God's law and that this somehow proves they likewise are unable to believe apart from the irresistible work of regeneration….
The Calvinists are dead on spot here, unlike you they accept the clear teaching of Christ Himself:
.....If any one may
not be born from above, he is
not able to see the reign of God....If any one may
not be born of water, and the Spirit, he is
not able to enter into the reign of God.....
It behoveth you to be born from above… he who is doing the truth doth come to the light, that his works may be manifested, that in
God they are having been wrought; Jn 3:3,5,7,21 YLT
Before one can enter or even see the kingdom, or come to Christ (the two are synonymous in this discourse), one must FIRST be IRRESISTABLY born from above.
God has already wrought within those that come to Christ.
