In these sections, the argument presses directly into the heart of the controversy over human will and divine grace, showing that Scripture consistently locates the beginning, continuation, and completion of every good work in God alone. By tracing the testimony of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Psalms, the Gospels, and the Apostle Paul, the case is made that a right will does not arise from human capacity but from God’s recreating action—removing the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh. The prayers of the saints themselves bear witness to this reality, as even the desire to obey must be created and sustained by God. Against any notion of a merely assisting or conditional grace, the conclusion is drawn that God does not simply offer help and wait for consent, but effectually works in the will itself, guiding, ruling, and preserving it to the end, so that perseverance is not left suspended on human choice but secured by divine action.

Readings: Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 3 (Sections 8–10)

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