Prevenient grace
“Prevenient grace” is a theological concept most commonly associated with Arminian theology. The term “prevenient” comes from the Latin praevenire, meaning “to come before.” In this system, prevenient grace is a special enabling of God’s Spirit given to all people before they believe, so that their will is awakened and they are able to respond to the gospel. In other words, it is grace that precedes human decision—it “prepares” a sinner to choose salvation. Arminians teach that prevenient grace counteracts the effects of original sin enough to restore a person’s free will to the point where they can accept or reject Christ.
Introduction:
The gospel is often presented as an invitation—“choose Christ, choose life”—but Scripture never leaves salvation to the ability or decision of fallen man. Our hearts are deceitful and dead in sin (Jeremiah 17:9; Ephesians 2:1), incapable of turning to God on our own. Yet many today embrace the idea of “prevenient grace,” a teaching that God first gives everyone a measure of enabling grace so they can freely choose Him. At first, it sounds gracious and fair—but a closer look reveals that this notion undermines the glory of God, the sufficiency of Christ’s work, and the truth of Scripture.From a biblical and Reformed perspective, prevenient grace is not scriptural for several reasons:
It contradicts total depravity – Scripture teaches that all mankind is utterly dead in sin and entirely unable to turn to God apart from His sovereign intervention (Ephesians 2:1-5; Romans 3:10-12). There is no indication that fallen man possesses any residual ability to cooperate with God. If prevenient grace enables a sinner to “choose” God, it effectively undermines the doctrine of total depravity.
It undermines God’s sovereignty in salvation – Scripture is clear that salvation is entirely of God’s sovereign grace, not dependent on human ability or decision (John 6:44; Philippians 1:29). Prevenient grace suggests that man must first be “enabled” in some way to make a free choice, implying that God’s saving action is contingent upon human response.
It misrepresents the nature of grace in Scripture – Biblical grace is irresistible for the elect (John 6:37, 65). God does not offer grace in a preliminary, weak form to all people to give them a choice; rather, He effectually calls His people, regenerates them, and brings them to faith (Romans 8:30).
It lacks explicit biblical support – Nowhere does Scripture teach a grace that is offered to all indiscriminately to enable a free human decision. The Bible consistently shows that salvation is initiated and accomplished by God alone, and man’s heart is naturally opposed to God until He changes it (Jeremiah 17:9; Ezekiel 36:26-27).
In short, prevenient grace is a theological construct designed to reconcile free will with salvation, but it is inconsistent with the plain teaching of Scripture regarding total depravity, irresistible grace, and the sovereignty of God in salvation. Biblical grace does not merely “prepare” men to choose God; it sovereignly regenerates, enables, and preserves those whom God has elected.
Here’s a clear comparison showing why prevenient grace is unbiblical:
Aspect
Prevenient Grace (Arminian View)
Scriptural Grace (Reformed View)
Purpose
Enables every sinner to have the ability to choose God
Effectually regenerates the elect so they willingly believe
Effect on Human Will
Restores some freedom so man can cooperate with God
Man is dead in sin; only God’s Spirit can change the heart (Eph. 2:1-5)
Who Receives It
All people, universally
Only the elect (John 6:37, 65; Rom. 8:30)
Human Role
Human decision is necessary; grace “prepares” the will
Human will cannot initiate or contribute; God alone acts (Jer. 17:9; Ezek. 36:26-27)
Dependence of Salvation
Partly on human response
Entirely on God’s sovereign choice and grace (Phil. 1:29)
Nature of Grace
Preliminary, enabling, resistible
Effectual, transforming, irresistible (Rom. 8:30)
Biblical Support
No explicit biblical mandate; inferred from human free will
Explicit in multiple passages; God alone initiates and completes salvation
This table makes it evident: prevenient grace assumes man has the ability to respond to God, whereas Scripture teaches that salvation is entirely God’s work, from regeneration to perseverance.
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)
“It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” (Romans 9:16)
“He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.” (Ephesians 1:4-5)
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Summary:
Prevenient grace teaches that God merely “prepares” sinners to choose salvation, implying that human will contributes to being saved. Scripture, however, is clear that salvation is entirely of God’s sovereign grace. God effectually calls, regenerates, and preserves His people (John 6:37, 44; Romans 8:30). Fallen man is utterly unable to seek God apart from divine intervention (Romans 3:10-12). Grace is not preliminary or resistible—it is powerful, transforming, and irresistible for those whom God has chosen. To depend on any enabling of human free will before God’s saving work is to diminish His glory and the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement. True grace saves, not merely offers a chance to choose.How humbling and glorious it is to know that our salvation does not rest upon the weakness of human will, but upon the invincible power of God’s grace! Left to ourselves, we would have forever resisted Him—but He loved us with an everlasting love and drew us to Himself with cords of mercy (Jeremiah 31:3). He did not merely offer us the chance to live; He gave us life. He opened our blind eyes, unstopped our deaf ears, and softened our stony hearts. Every believer can say, “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Sovereign grace leaves no room for boasting, except in the Lord who chose us, called us, and will never let us go.
(The above has been AI generated.)