Compelled

The parable of the great supper in Luke 14:16-24 is interesting to me. What has most caught my attention is verse 23. I understand the first part of the parable to be a picture of how God had bid the prominent of Israel to come to Him. He sent His servant (Holy Spirit) to tell them everything was ready, yet they had “better” things to do, therefore they were rejected. Then God sent His servant (Holy Spirit) to the lowly of Israel. They were bid, or called to come and they did, yet there was still room. So God sent His servant (Holy Spirit) out into the highways and hedges…I take that to be outside Israel (to the Gentiles).  What caught my attention is the choice of words used in verse 23. It says, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them.”  

I haven’t looked up the Greek word that is translated into our English word “compel”, but I have looked up what the English word “compel” means. It is a most strong word. According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the word “compel” means to drive or urge with force, or irresistibly; to constrain; to oblige; to necessitate,  either by physical or moral force; to urge with irresistible power, or with a power sufficient to produce the effect.

I inquired of a friend what he thought that verse meant. He thought it had to do with evangelism and us strongly urging people to Christ. As Christians we are His servants and we are to be a witness for Christ. We can tell other people of Christ, but can we compel them? We cannot irresistibly force anyone to come to Christ. I can urge, but I cannot force.

That is why I believe the servant in this parable is a picture of the Holy Spirit. Looking back to the time when you were saved (assuming you are saved), did you feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to come to Christ?

The word of God tells us that when we were in the flesh or unregenerate, we were at enmity with God.

Romans 8:5-8

5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. .

6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Enmity is defined as the quality of being an enemy; the opposite of friendship; ill will; hatred; unfriendly dispositions; malevolence; denoting a fixed or rooted hatred. When we were lost and unregenerate, we were the enemy of God. We hated God. We wanted nothing to do with God. For some it was blatantly apparent. For others it was subtle.  Either way, it was a deep rooted hatred for God.

How was it that our deep rooted hatred for God was overcome? Did we one day decide to turn from our hatred and embrace the One we were enemies with?

Isaiah 64:6-7

6   But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, lie the wind, have taken us away.

 7  And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Psalm 14:2-3

2  The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

As I understand these two passages found in Isaiah and Psalm, I would have to say that we did not one day turn from our enmity against God of our own free will. I suggest that Jesus was telling us in Luke 14:23 that the Holy Spirit was sent to compel us to Christ. I believe those of us who have been saved were  urged with irresistible power, or with a power sufficient to produce the effect. The effect was us coming to Christ. Had the Holy Spirit not compelled us we would never have come to Him on our own.  I believe the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a person is irresistible…and why would anyone want to resist Him?

Psalm 65:4

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

Psalm 110:3

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

I believe God chooses to save whom He will and He causes whom He will to come to Him willingly. Those who reject God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ have never been compelled by the Holy Spirit.

John 6:37-39

37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39  And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits