When the Holy Spirit comes to save a person, His work cannot be resisted. In John 6:44 we read"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day." Looking up the word "draw" in the Strongs's Concordance, the meaning is "to drag; draw." Other examples of this word being used in the New Testament is John 12:32, John 21:6 and James 2:6. This is what happened to Lazarus in John 11. He was dead in the tomb four days, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth",and Lazarus did what he was told. If Lazarus was left to himself, he would have stayed in the grave. The only way a person who is naturally hostile to God and dead in his sin will ever come to Him is for God to take the initiative.
Israel
Hebrews 3:7-11 "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says; Today, if you will hear His Voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways,' So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'"
What an example of the condition of man's heart! These people saw the judgments on Egypt preceding the Exodus, then the parting of the Red Sea and the many dealings of God with them in the wilderness for 40 years, and they still didn't believe, Jesus came to Israel fulfilling prophecy and doing many miracles and teaching with authority and they crucified Him. How is it that the most popular teaching in the Church today, regarding salvation, is that we are saved by accepting Christ? The Jews had the benefit of all these miracles; walked and talked with Jesus; yet still wanted Him crucified? And today, the Church (generally speaking) goes to people with writings 2000-3500 years old and tells prospective converts to accept Christ and to believe by faith you are saved! The response to the preaching of Peter at the Pentecost gives us a more accurate view. Acts 2:37-42"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." There is also a very good example in Luke 18:11-14 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all I possess,' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you this, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
How vast the benefits divine which we in Christ possess! We are redeemed from guilt and shame and called to holiness. But not for works which we have done, or shall hereafter do, Hath God decreed on sinful men salvation to bestow. The glory, Lord, from first to last, is due to Thee alone; Aught to ourselves we dare not take, or rob Thee of Thy crown. Our glorious Surety undertook to satisfy for man, And grace was given us in Him before the world began. This is Thy will, that in Thy love we ever should abide; That earth and hell should not prevail to turn Thy Word aside. Not one of all the chosen race but shall to heav'n attain, Partake on earth the purposed grace and then with Jesus reign.