Does God Drag People to Jesus (John 6:44)?
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws [Gk. helko] him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).
Calvinists often point to this passage to “prove” irresistible grace.[1] They say the Greek word “helko”—which is translated “draws”—should really be interpreted “drags.” Furthermore, this “dragging” is irresistible. Whomever God draws, God gets—no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Are Calvinists right about this?
First, while the Greek word “helko” can be mean “drag” in some cases, the context suggests it refers to “attraction” rather than “dragging.” In fact, not a single Bible version uses the Calvinist interpretation. BibleGateway has over sixty English Bible versions, and not one of them translates the word helko as “drag” in John 6:44.
Second, Jesus used the same word “helko” a few chapters later too:
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw [helko] all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32).
If “helko” refers to an irresistible dragging in John 6:44, then it must in this passage too—which means that everyone will eventually be saved…which is universalism.[2] Yet most Calvinists are not universalists. So how do they get around this conundrum? They take another unique twist and claim that “all people” actually refers to “all kinds of people.” In other words, Jesus drags all kinds of the people to him—not all people.
The problem for Calvinists, once again, is that not a single Bible Version—out of more than sixty listed on BibleGateway—translates the passage that way. Not a single Bible version agrees with the Calvinist interpretation.
Third, it’s true Jesus draws all people—God has certainly made the first move towards humanity—but this doesn’t mean people cannot resist him. Nothing in the world is more resisted than God! Here are three examples:
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing” (Matt. 23:37).
“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 7:51).
“And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.” (Luke 7:29-30).
As these passages show, God’s drawing is resisted all the time. Nothing is more resisted in the world than God’s drawing! The Calvinist view is simply false.
By Alex Polyak, Answering Calvinism, 10/12/25
[1] Irresistible grace is the Calvinist doctrine that teaches that God’s calling of the elect to himself is irresistible. In essence, it means that the Holy Spirit will always succeed in calling, regenerating, and saving those whom God has elected.
[2] Universalists believe all people will eventually turn to Christ, whether in this life or the next (after death). Everyone will eventually be saved.