What is God's drawing? I'll try to give an answer by the following discussion. When God purposes to save a person, an official summons, or declaration by God the father is issued. This in Scripture is known as "the call" of God John 10:3, Jude 1:1, Revelation 17:14. All who are called in this way are justified and therefore saved, and also glorified when they go to see him in heaven (Romans 8:30)and so it is spoken of as an "effectual calling". There are different types of calling, such as the general call of the gospel (Matt. 22:14), which is the actual proclaiming of it. Also there is when someone feels called by God to do something (Eph. 4:1) , or called to an office of Pastor, Elder, or Deacon. (These calls can be resisted, whereas the other can not.) But what I am talking about now is different than those. The call of God that I am talking about is a summons or declaration by God the Father, that God the Holy Spirit responds to by regenerating, or making a dead spirit of man spiritually alive. This act of regeneration should not be confused with God's call or drawing. Regeneration is an instant act, but God's drawing is the effect of that act. Regeneration happens, then man responds to it by coming to God in repentance (conversion) having his heart's attitude towards sin changed. The work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of man as he comes in this way is called God's "inward" drawing. Man's response consists of conviction of sin, repentance, trusting in Christ for deliverance from sin, and love and gratitude for Christ. From our perspective when we become saved, usually we know little or nothing of these details such as the moment regeneration takes place, etc. All we know is that we have sinned against God, he offers us forgiveness, and we must respond or else remain apart from him and his blessings of salvation.

As said before, God's call is effectual, and will result in salvation, as we saw in Rom. 8:30. Also Paul uses the term in scripture as a synonym to those who are converted, it is just assumed to be so. Also we see in 1 Corinthians 1:24 that to those who are called, Christ IS the power of God and the wisdom of God to them.  "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." The Apostle goes on to link this concept of calling to God's divine choosing and predestination of individuals to salvation in verse 26-28. Paul also used the term to refer to his own conversion (Gal. 1:15).

One question that might come up is, "If regeneration is first before God's drawing, why would I ever call out to God for salvation? If I already have been regenerated, I would be already saved, right?" Yes, you would be... but only IF you called out to him! If you did not, then how could you ever know you are saved if that is the very result of regeneration? From our perspective, all we know is that we are in trouble with God because of our sin and need a right relationship with him. And Scripture brings the gospel to us from our point of view, because it is accommodated to us.

The inward drawing of God should not be confused with circumstances that God uses to bring us into contact with the gospel, these are rather works of God's Providence. This means that God is in control of history (through decree, not always the forcing power of his Spirit), and determined beforehand when and in what way we should hear the gospel. Nor is God's inward drawing desires on the part of a man to know about God, as this may or may not take place before someone's conversion. Even though a man is spiritually dead, he still is a religious creature and has some knowledge of God, yet it is not a saving knowledge (Ro.2:15-16). By some this has been called "immediate revelation" (not referring to "right away" but "without an intermediary"). This means that in the mind of every human being God implants an awareness of himself. Calvin said, "...God himself... has endued all men with some idea of his Godhead, the memory of which he constantly renews and occasionally enlarges." This is plainly seen by the fact that man is a religious creature. It also explains how man can be totally depraved in nature and yet have thoughts about God, yet it must be noted that this knowledge is not saving knowledge.

I do know that I have previously thought of the circumstances that led to my personal conversion, and also the thoughts and questions I had about God as God's inward drawing. I mean, and in a sense it really was drawing, just not the process of God's spiritual drawing. It was a drawing of an outward nature, and in a way prepared me for what was to later on happen to me. But the amazing thing is, it doesn't happen to everybody this way. Some just come into contact with the gospel and immediately become saved. God is the potter, and he shapes each one in the way he sees fit.

There are some who appear to be drawn by God, and it appears as if spiritual life is being given to them. In time however, it is shown that they never truly recieved spiritual life. When the Bible talks about God's drawing in Jn. 6:44 it is talking strictly about a true, supernatural, spiritual drawing that includes the spiritual ressurection of life from the dead. A dead spirit within man is made alive.

It could be said that those who seem to be drawn to God but turn away from him after some time are drawn in some sense. After all, they do sometimes gain an interest in spiritual things... they attend worship, inquire to others as how they should please God, enjoy fellowship of believers and even sing in worship. But with these that fall away, in their heart of hearts, eventually they prove that they never truly lost their love of sin. They over time become dissatisfied with God and turn away, counting the privilage of worship not worth the effort. These people experienced a drawing of sorts that did not include the giving of spiritual life. During their time of being with the people of God, they experienced the restraining power of the Holy Spirit in their lives, so their previous lifestyle of sin is greatly reduced. But over time, they will become tired and resentful of having to turn from sin and return to that sinful lifestyle as a dog does to it's vomit, 2 Peter 2:22  "But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." Notice that they are spoken of as always being a dog, in effect always unsaved and never truly saved.

So when God is working in someone with the intent of saving them, is it possible that they will resist his efforts to save them so that God will fail in his efforts to save them? No, as we have seen, it is not possible that God could fail in anything he does. If it is possible that I could cause his efforts to save me to fail and this was true for all the others God was drawing to himself, God would wind up saving those who are better in themselves than the others that didn't make it. This is because God would be drawing all, and the only factor that could make a difference in it's effectiveness is whether they resisted his drawing power, or went along with it. The effectiveness of that drawing power would be determined ultimately by my response to it. This cannot be true, because this would violate the nature of grace itself. Grace is not an unmerited chance at getting God's favor, as this teaching would make it, but it IS God's unmerited favor towards us. It is a lasting, saving favor in the context of salvation, otherwise it would not be grace because it would be given to us only if we did things to secure it, making it merited, not unmerited. 1 Corinthians 1:26  "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29  That no flesh should glory in his presence." We may ask, "Does our theology give glory to myself that belongs to God alone? Do I make God's calling effectual to my own salvation by my "going along with his leading" and rob him of the glory that should be given to God alone? Do I keep myself saved instead of giving God all of the glory for remaining saved? Or do I try to split that glory in some way? 50% of God's efforts, 50% mine? Or maybe 70/20%? 99/1%?" Does God really get all of the glory in our theology, or only part of it?

If God is truly drawing me, any resistance will be overcome by the power of God's spirit working in me. He will not force us to become saved, but will make us willing to become saved. But remember, if I am saved because I in my own power did a better job than the others that didn't make it, I could say with the Pharisee in Luke 18:11, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men." But since we are dependent on God for salvation, not ourselves, we must say with the tax collector, "Have mercy on me, a sinner." I strongly recommend reading this story. So does the bible clearly teach that God will save all whom he is drawing by the power of his spirit? It says in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." (This verse speaks of the resurrection, which you can read about in I Thessalonians 4:16-17.) The believers are raised up on the last day, but the unsaved receive only the resurrection of damnation, and this is never spoken of as being "raised up." Therefore, all who are drawn will be saved. It says also in John 6:37, "All that the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." And verse 39, "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." Verse 39 directly infers that if you are not "raised up" on the last day you will be lost. So none of those whom God draws will be lost but will be raised up on the last day.

If it is true that God's inward drawing power is resistible, would it not greatly downplay the worth of God? If something is of great worth, and we are able to see that, is it not true that it would be in great demand? Yet if God is trying to draw all, it would teach us that he is not a desirable God. This is evident because most people do not want him as he reveals himself in the Bible. The problem however, is not in God, but man. His spiritually dead nature imagines him to be oppressive, asking far more than could ever be possible. This is, of course, not true.

Bible Readings: Luke 9:16, John 10:3, Acts 1:47, 2 Corinthians 4:6, John 10:16.