By Grace Alone — The Only Motivator For True Holiness

But this exhortation teaches us, that until men really apprehend how much they owe to the mercy of God, they will never with a right feeling worship him, nor be effectually stimulated to fear and obey him. It is enough for the Papists, if they can extort by terror some sort of forced obedience, I know not what. But Paul, that he might bind us to God, not by servile fear, but by the voluntary and cheerful love of righteousness, allures us by the sweetness of that favor, by which our salvation is effected; and at the same time he reproaches us with ingratitude, except we, after having found a Father so kind and bountiful, do strive in our turn to dedicate ourselves wholly to him. […] Where then are they who think that all exhortations to a holy life are nullified, if the salvation of men depends on the grace of God alone, since by no precepts, by no sanctions, is a pious mind so framed to render obedience to God, as by a serious meditation on the Divine goodness towards it? — John Calvin, Commentary on Romans 12:1

It is naive to think that if a soul falls into hell that s/he would repent; nay, it is more likely that s/he will grind his/her teeth with anger toward God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

구원이 사람의 의지가 아닌 하나님의 은혜에 전적으로 기인할 때만 사람은 진정으로 하나님을 닮은 거룩함을 추구하고자 하는 큰 동기를 부여 받는다. 이런 면으로 볼 때, 어떤 영혼이 지옥에 떨어진다면 뒤늦게 나마 후회하며 회개하리라고 생각한다는 것은 얼마나 유치한가? 회개하기 보다는 도리어 하나님을 향한 이 갊이 더 심해지고 그리스도를 통한 구원을 부인하는 마음만 키우리라.