Inevitable but NOT Automatic?

Dan Phillips on Pyromaniacs proposes the intellectually repugnant paradox that Christian growth is "inevitable" but "not automatic":

Is Spiritual Growth Automatic?

Here is my response in the comment meta, that may be deleted by them because of length, or truth, or both:

I get the idea that this is another one of those "paradoxes" we hear so much of in reformed soteriology.

"inevitable but not automatic"

inevitable
–adjective
1. unable to be avoided, evaded, or escaped; certain; necessary:
2. sure to occur, happen, or come; unalterable
–noun
3. that which is unavoidable.

I don't quite get it.

If man is responsible to co-operate with God in his sanctification, I don't see how consistent, progressive, "until death" growth is inevitable UNLESS it is in some sense automatic!

And if a regenerate man is guaranteed to progress in sanctification (the word "inevitable" surely suggests a guarantee!), the mode of this sanctification wholly eludes me UNLESS it is automatic.

I feel the need to quote the canons of Dort, which seems to indicate a sense of automation:

Article 4
Although the weakness of the flesh cannot prevail against the power of God[automatic?], who confirms and preserves true believers in a state of grace, yet converts are not always so influenced and actuated[automotized?] by the Spirit of God as not in some particular instances sinfully to deviate from the guidance of divine grace, so as to be seduced by and to comply with the lusts of the flesh...

Article 5
By such enormous sins, however, they very highly offend God, incur a deadly guilt, grieve the Holy Spirit, interrupt the exercise of faith[I thought faith was indefectable! Maybe this is an observation better elaborated on some other time], very grievously wound their consciences, and sometimes for a while lose the sense of God's favor, until, when they change their course by serious repentance [which we see God "certainly and effectually renews them to" (see below)], the light of God's fatherly countenance again shines upon them.

Article 7
For in the first place, in these falls He preserves in them the incorruptible seed of regeneration from perishing or being totally lost; and again, by His Word and Spirit, He certainly and effectually renews them to repentance[IOW, He automatically imposes upon them], to a sincere and godly sorrow for their sins...

Man can only have true responsibility if he is able to fail. If he indeed truly co-operates with God in his sanctification there will be the chance that he will not grow.

It is neither biblical, nor rational to propose that growth is inevitable BUT NOT automatic!

This is where Reformed theology sounds a bit absurd.

In the bible, and therefore in Free Grace theology, regenerate man is (I don't say this happily, but sadly) able to spurn the leading and guiding of God, to fail, and to shipwreck his faith. (If he was unable to, then growth would be automatic, right? I am certain that you would say that at some point, like Dort claims, that the backsliding regenerate man would be "certainly and effectually renewed" by God... but this would make it automatic, no? against your whole thesis here!)

The Reformed "fruit inspector" would deem this man unsaved, reprobate, because his works didn't merit the consideration of him to be among the elect.

The Free Grace advocate understands that regenerate man has REAL responsibility before God. If he, along the way, fails, God will chasten, discipline, mete out His displeasure, so as to correct the man. But God will not drag men down the path of obedience. God may choose to allow the wayward Christian's actions to produce their consequence, physical death:

James 5:19-20
Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Such a one will also suffer loss and shame at the Bema of Christ, recieving the "bad" which he had done in the body as a steward/servant of Christ.

If a life of dedicated obedience necessarily followed justification (as is the contention of the Reformed tradition), there would be no need to entreat the will to:

Walk by means of the Spirit
Reckon ourselves dead unto sin
Stop presenting our members as instruments of unrighteousness
Present ourselves to God
Present our members as instruments of righteusness
Present our bodies a living sacrifice
Abide in Christ
etc..... etc....

We have an old nature and a new nature. The new nature is sinless (1 John 3:9), but cannot win in a fight against the old nature (Romans 7). It takes an act of the will to submit ourselves to God and yield to the Spirit who then can empower our new nature to live through us. When we walk by the Spirit, we will not by any means fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16). But this is a command and NOT a necessary result of justification. You see, justification solely comes from God, but sanctification is a cooperation between God and the Christian. Therefore, if the Christian is not willing (for whatever reason... he could be immature, a baby Christian, not of strong faith, under heavy stress and anxiety, caught up in the whirlpool of sin, the variables could be endless, etc) he will not grow in sanctification. EVERYWHERE in the Bible the will is entreated to cooperate with God for the growth in progressive sanctification. Therefore, if the Christian does not will and act, he won't grow in sanctification.

It is painfully obvious that if a life of perseverant faithfulness, works, and obedience necessarily came as a result of justification, then there would be no need for the literally hundreds of entreaties to our will to conform to God's will, to follow God's commands, and walk experientially as we are positionally (positional truth "in Christ"), that we find in the Bible. Why would these detailed commands and entreaties to our will be necessary if by virtue of our new birth (regeneration) we are relentlessly disposed toward keeping them?

If Christian's could not fail in their Christian life, the many warning passages (exemplified by those is Hebrews) would be utterly meaningless.

The whole process is capsulized in 2 Peter 1:5-11.

Here we are told that we should add to our faith: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

If we do not add these things, we will be unfruitful and barren in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

2 Peter 1:9
"...he who lacks these things is blind, shortsighted, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins."

Does Peter think that spiritual growth is inevitable? Hardly!

The regenerate Christian who fails to add those character qualities to his faith can biblically be described as "blind"! He forgot that he was cleaned from his old sins!

But Peter doesn't leave it there. He provides a precious promise and incentive to those who, by their will, persevere in adding those qualities to their faith:

2 Peter 1:10-11
"if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

The overcoming Christian will not only "see" and "enter" the kingdom (John 3:3, 5), but will have the abundant entrance, receiving the glories and honors of co-rulership and co-heirship with Christ, being confessed before the Father. The regenerate man who fails to add these qualities to his faith will lose out on these privileges:

1 Cor 3:15
"he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

2 Tim 2:11-13

11 For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him. (positional death and promise of eternal security)
12 If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him. (privilege for overcoming Christians)
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us (in the context, what will He deny? This is a chiastic structure; verse twelve is a unit. He will deny co-rulership with Christ!)
13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
(Even when we lack faithfulness, God is faithful! He will not turn back on His promises to the regenerate! They are based 100% on HIS faithfulness and 0% on ours! The regenerate one will never perish, never thirst, never hunger, etc).

Antonio da Rosa