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For the other video blogs in this series and the outline, click here: Answers to So-called Arminian Verses

For a paperback book in outline form which addresses over 150 difficult verses that Arminians use against Sovereign Grace, check out: Problem Texts for Sovereign Grace: Rooting Arminianism Out of Every Verse.

Answers to So-called Arminian Verses

8. Rev 22:17 - "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

A. Is this verse an invitation to unregenerate sinners to come to Jesus in order to get eternal life?

B. This message is from the Spirit of God (Rev 22:17).

i. The natural man cannot receive a message from the Spirit of God because it is foolishness to him (1Co 2:14).

ii. A man has to have first received the spirit which is of God to know the things which are freely given to him of God (1Co 2:12).

iii. Therefore, this message is to God's regenerate children, not to the reprobate.

C. This message is to "him that heareth", who will relay it to others (Rev 22:17).

i. Children of the devil cannot hear Jesus' words (Joh 8:43-44).

ii. A person must be a child of God to hear God's words (Joh 8:47).

iii. Therefore, this message is to God's regenerate children, not to the reprobate.

D. This message is to "him that is athirst" (Rev 21:6; Rev 22:17).

i. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled (Mat 5:6; Psa 107:9).

ii. The natural, unregenerate man doesn't thirst for righteousness (Rom 3:10-12).

iii. The nature man rather likes to drink iniquity (Job 15:16).

iv. Therefore, this message is to God's regenerate children, not to the reprobate.

E. This message is to "whosoever will." (Rev 22:17)

i. The fact is that most men have not the will to come to Christ (Psa 10:4; Joh 5:40).

a. Psa 10:4 - The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

b. Joh 5:40 - And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

c. The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (Rom 8:7).

d. They that are in the flesh cannot please God by coming to Him (Rom 8:8).

ii. God is hidden from most people and only revealed to whomever the Son will reveal Him (Luk 10:20-22).

iii. No man can come to Jesus unless God the Father draws him (Joh 6:44).

a. Draw v. - 1. a. trans. To cause (anything) to move toward oneself by the application of force; to pull.

b. No man can come unto Jesus except it were given unto him by God the Father (Joh 6:65).

c. God draws His elect whom He loves unto Himself (Jer 31:3).

iv. All that the Father gave to Jesus shall come to Him in an eternal salvation sense (Joh 6:37).

v. Those whom God chooses and causes to approach unto him can come unto Him (Psa 65:4).

vi. God's people will be willing in the day of His power (Psa 110:3).

vii. Jesus invites His people who are laboring under the heavy yoke of sin, worry, and works to come unto Him and find rest for their souls (Mat 11:28-30 c/w Psa 38:3-4; Heb 4:9-11).

F. Therefore, this invitation to come unto Christ and drink of the water of life is to God's elect whom God loves and for whom Christ died: it is not for the unregenerate reprobate whom God didn't draw unto Himself.

G. God's message to the unregenerate reprobate is for them to remain unjust and filthy (Rev 22:11).