Common Grace and the Holy Spirit

Notice in these verses that the grace of God has appeared to all men. How has it appeared to all men? It has appeared in the Incarnation of Christ and His life’s work of righteousness and sufferings and resurrection which was crowned in glory and honor by God the Father. His life’s work was written down by the Apostles and others, and is then found encapsulated in the gospel which preached to all men accompanied by the power and working of the Holy Spirit according to the will of God. When this gospel and Christ Himself are received, a person is saved and then His saving grace then teaches them to live godly. It is common grace that many nations and societies now have this gospel; that they have Bibles that can be obtained, and churches which preach the gospel which can be attended. The Holy Spirit then strives with men, through the means of the preaching and proclamation of the gospel, that people might be saved. We should understand that there are no “mights” with God in His saving work through the Holy Spirit in terms of His eternal purpose and the regeneration of the heart. But there are “mights” in relation to whether people will believe the gospel and be saved, when we think of it from the standpoint of men’s efforts with the gospel.