Could Lazarus Have Refused To Come Out?

                                                   
                                               "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives
                                                them life, even so the Son gives life to whom
                                                He is pleased to give it."    John 5:21



          We all know the story of Lazarus, and how Jesus raised him from the dead,
     even though he had been in the tomb for four days.

          Jesus loved Lazarus (the messenger told him, "Lord, the one you love is sick"
     (John 11:5), but He waited two days to go and see about him.  Jesus knew that
     God the Father would use Him to bring glory to Himself and lead many to be-
     lieve in Him, through the raising of Lazarus from the dead."

          When Jesus finally reached the tomb and cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus,
     com out," could Lazarus have refused to do so?  Could he have said, "No thanks,
     I like it in here.  It's nice and cool and quiet.  No kids to bother me.  I'll just stay
     right here?"  Could he?

          The answer will be obvious as you read further.

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          Jesus told the people gathered around to remove the stone in front of the tomb.
     When Martha told him that he had been dead four days and there would be an
     odor, Jesus replied," Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the
     glory of God?"  Jesus knew a great miracle was about to take place, bringing
     glory to God.


          Jesus prayed aloud, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I know that
     you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that
     they may believe you have sent me."  John 11:41b-42


          Then, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, " Lazarus, come out."  Lazarus appeared
     from the tomb, with his hands and feet bound by linen strips, and a cloth on his
     face.  Jesus told the people to "unbind him, and let him go."  John 11:43-44


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          Jesus went to Bethany to show the people God's mighty power and to lead
     many of them to salvation in Him.  He knew that He was going to raise Lazarus
     from the dead, and God would receive the glory for it.

          He knew that when He called out to Lazarus to come forth from the grave, that
     Lazarus would obey and come out.  Lazarus' death and resurrection were a picture
     of what happens to people who are dead in their sins (Ephesians 2), and are re-
     generated (born again) by God so that they CAN and WILL have faith and believe
     in Him.

          Those whom God the Father has given to His Son, WILL COME to Him, and
     He will never cast them out.

               "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I
     will never drive away.  For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but
     to do the will of Him who sent me.  And this is the will of Him who sent me, that
     I shall lose none of all that He has given me, but raise them up at the last day.  For
     my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall
     have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."   John 6:37-40


          Those given to Jesus are the elect (Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13) and
     they WILL COME to Him and He will never drive them away.

          This is the doctrine of "Irresistible Grace."

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          Theopedia, an encyclopedia of Christianity, defines "Irresistible Grace" as:

          "The doctrine that teaches that the saving grace of God is effectually applied to
     those whom He has determined to save, (because of His sovereign will
     and purpose), whereby in God's timing, He overcomes their resistance to the call
     of the gospel and irresistibly brings them to a saving faith in Christ."

          "Rather, the willingness and ability to do God's will are evidence of God's
     own faithfulness to save men from the power and penalty of sin, and since man
     is so corrupt that he will not decide and cannot be wooed to follow after God,
     sovereign efficacious grace is required to convert him." 

          "This is done by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit whereby a fallen man who
     has heard the gospel is made willing and necessarily turns to Christ in God-given
     faith."

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          Coming to Jesus is a gift.

                              
          "For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who
     would betray Him.  He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come
     to me unless the Father has enabled him."  John 6:64b-65

 
          This gift is given to some and not to others.  Jesus knew from the beginning
     that Judas would not believe in Him, in spite of all the teachings and invitations
     he received.  Judas was not given to Jesus.  There were many good influences on
     his life for good, but the decisive, irresistible gift of grace was not given to him.

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          John Murray (1898-1975), theologian who helped found Westminster
     Theological Seminary, said of "irresistible grace:"

          "When a sinner comes to Christ in the commitment of faith, when the rebellious
     will is renewed and tears of penitence begin to flow, it is because a mysterious trans-
     action has been taking place between the persons of the Godhead."

          "The Father has been making a presentation, a donation to His own Son.  So
     perish the thought that coming to Christ finds its explanation in the autonomous
     determination of the human will." 

          "It finds its cause in the sovereign will of God the Father.  He has placed upon
     this person the constraint by which he has been captivated by the glory of the
     Redeemer, and invests in him all his interests.  Christ is made wisdom from God,
     righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.  Here is grace, surpassing;  and
     it is grace insurmountable."

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          John Calvin, one of the great Reformers of the 16th century said of "irresistible
     grace:"
                 "It is not violent, so as to compel men by external force, but still it is a
     powerful impulse of the Holy Spirit, which makes men willing who formerly were
     unwilling and reluctant."


          John Gill, theologian  said of the doctrine:
                 "This act of drawing (John 6:44) is an act of power, yet not of force;  God
     in drawing of unwilling, makes willing in the day of His power.  He enlightens
     the understanding, bends the will, gives a heart of flesh, sweetly allures by the
     power of His grace, and engages the soul to come to Christ, and give up itself to
     Him;  He draws with bands of love."


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          God makes His people alive through Christ.

                               "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with
     which he loved us (believers), even when we were dead in our trespasses, MADE
     US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST - by grace you have been saved."
     Ephesians 2:4-5


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          James White, theologian and author wrote:

                    "Irresistible grace is simply the confession that when God chooses to
     raise His people to spiritual life, He does so without the fulfillment of any condi-
     tion on the part of the sinner."
                    "Just as Christ had the power and authority to raise Lazarus to life
     without obtaining his "permission" to do so, He is able to raise His elect to
     spiritual life with just as certain a result."



             (Jesus said), " For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them
     life, so even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it." 
     John 5:21