John 6:44: Does “Drawing” Mean Forced Regeneration?

Calvinist Interpretation: Irresistible Grace

James White, in The Potter’s Freedom, argues that John 6:44 (“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them”) teaches monergistic regeneration: God’s grace irresistibly compels the elect to faith. White insists this “drawing” (Gk. helkō) is a divine act of resurrection power that overcomes human inability (pp. 283–285). For Calvinists, this verse supports the “I” in TULIP (Irresistible Grace), claiming faith is granted, not chosen.

Key Calvinist Claims:

1. Human inability: Fallen humans are “dead in sin” (Eph. 2:1), unable to respond to God without regeneration.
2. Effectual drawing: Helkō implies divine coercion, like dragging a corpse to life (John 11:43–44).
3. Particular redemption: Only the elect are drawn (contra John 12:32).

Exegesis of John 6:44 in Context

1. Divine Initiative:
   • Jesus affirms salvation begins with God’s action (“unless the Father draws”).
   • BUT—this does not negate human responsibility (John 6:37, 40: “Everyone who looks… believes”).
2. Meaning of Helkō (“Draw”):
   • White claims helkō implies force (Acts 16:19: Paul/Silas “dragged” to authorities).
   • Counterargument: Helkō also describes loving attraction (Song 1:4 LXX; John 12:32). Context determines meaning.
   • Calvinists ignore John 6:45: Drawing occurs through teaching (“They will all be taught by God”)—a persuasive call, not coercion.
3. John 12:32 (“I will draw all people”):
   • Jesus universalizes the “drawing” beyond the elect. Pas (“all”) refers to humanity (Gentiles included), not ethnic Israel.
   • Calvinists redefine “all” as “all the elect” (White, p. 193), but John 12:20–22 (Greeks seeking Jesus) refutes this.
   • Helkō here is resistible: Many “drawn” still reject Christ (John 12:37).

Biblical Evidence for Universal, Resistible Grace

1. 1 Timothy 2:4–6:
   • God “wants all people to be saved” and Christ died as a “ransom for all.” Universal helkō aligns with prevenient grace (Titus 2:11).
2. Acts 7:51 (“You resist the Holy Spirit”):
   • Stephen’s rebuke shows grace can be resisted. If helkō were irresistible, resistance would be impossible.
3. Matthew 23:37 (“You were unwilling”):
   • Jesus laments Jerusalem’s rejection, affirming human accountability. Calvinists claim this proves inability, but Christ’s grief presupposes moral responsibility.
4. Revelation 3:20 (“I stand at the door and knock”):
   • Invitation implies freedom to accept or reject. White dismisses this as a “general call” (p. 283), but the Laodicean church included believers (Rev. 3:14–19).

Theological and Logical Problems with Irresistibility

1. Moral Accountability:
   • If grace is irresistible, how are the non-elect culpable? Human rebellion (John 5:40) is willful, not unavoidable.
2. God’s Character:
   • Coercion contradicts God’s love (1 John 4:8). True love invites (Rev. 22:17) but honors free response.
3. Evangelism’s Purpose:
   • If only the elect are drawn, preaching is redundant. Yet Paul reasoned with hearers (Acts 17:2–3) and urged free choice (2 Cor. 5:20).

Responding to Calvinist Rebuttals

1. “Regeneration Precedes Faith” (John 7:37–39):
   • Calvinists claim the Spirit’s indwelling requires prior regeneration.
   • Counter: John 7:17 links understanding to volition: “Anyone who chooses to do God’s will….”
2. “Dead in Sin” (Eph. 2:1–5):
   • Spiritual death = alienation, not inability to hear God’s call (Luke 15:24: Prodigal son “dead” yet chose to return).
3. “Foreknew ≠ Foresaw Faith” (1 Pet. 1:2):
   • White denies election hinges on foreseen faith (p. 182), but prognōsis (“foreknew”) implies covenantal love, not passive pre-vision.

Conclusion: A Gracious Invitation

John 6:44 teaches God’s gracious initiative, but John 12:32 reveals His desire to draw all to Christ. Resistible grace balances sovereignty and responsibility:

• God’s Spirit enlightens (John 1:9), convicts (John 16:8), and empowers response—without overriding human dignity.
• White’s “irresistible” language risks portraying God as coercive, but Scripture affirms synergistic grace: God initiates, we respond (Phil. 2:12–13).

James 4:8 (“Draw near to God…”) captures the balance: Divine sovereignty enables, human responsibility answers. The Potter’s love invites—never forces.