Theological Reactions

I just read an interesting quote by Robert Trail. He said:

"...usually such men that are for middle ways in points of doctrine, have a greater kindness for that extreme they go half-way to, than that which they go half-way from" (Works, i, 253) Quoted in A. C. Clifford's Atonement and Justification, page 141.

This point is worth some meditation. I find myself moving in various theological directions and sympathizing with those I move toward, rather than with those I am moving away from. Have you been hurt by a particular theological error or by those who adhere to it? It's understandable to react against such things. Fear of falling again into that error or compromising makes us ever watchful and sensitive.

One writer says this:

"When people undergo a brush with death they become far more paranoid of the regular actions during their daily routines. For instance, a man or woman who may have been involved in a car accident, though they may be classified as a safe driver, will be far more cautious on the road subsequent to the accident. The trauma enacted upon the faculties of their mind from the wreck stimulates their awareness at turns, stops, accelerations, highway lane changes, and the like. Brushes with death are not exclusive to car accidents. This may also be true when theological shifts occur in one’s comprehensive Biblical understanding of the Gospel. This can be classified as a brush with death, especially if one plays with the fire of a false Gospel. When this happens, the Christian becomes much more astute to the dangers of false theological positions."

Coming out of deceptive theological positions can leave us bruised. Anything that even seems close to that false, deceptive position hurts the sensitive bruise. We recoil, and that's understandable.

However, we need to also be careful to not overreact. Keeping our theological equilibrium is very difficult due to the noetic effects of sin (the effects of sin on the mind). Luther's analogy seems fitting. He compared fallen human reason to a drunken man trying to get on a horse. If he manages to climb up on one side, he falls off on the other.

The wobbling effect is descriptive of the church throughout her history. The Christological debates surrounding Chalcedon supply us with many examples. Usually a person or party is not completely wrong. They have half-truths that they take to an extreme. Their concerns are valid, but they are so zealous that they can warp the complete biblical picture. One truth may be elevated beyond it's biblical proportion, or one truth may be put in antithesis to other truths.

Discernment and humility is absolutely vital in order to avoid this reactionary thinking. For the most part, we all think we are balanced. We say that other people are too far to the left or too far to the right, but we guage what is "balanced" by where we are on the scale. One comedian gave his perspective on the difference between a maniac and an idiot when driving. Maniacs are those driving faster than he is. An idiot is anyone driving slower. True balance is possible, but the measure is God's word and not ourselves or our systems.

We need to be constantly examining ourselves by the scriptures in theology. Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls. This can not only happen in our behavior, but also in our thinking. One might think they have "arrived" theologically, but they might have serious blindspots. Our tendency is to try to make reality fit our preconceived notions, due to pride or the veneration of a theological system, which results in eisogesis instead of exegesis.

It's also possible to just be deceived while zealously pursuing truth. We choose certain positions because we are unaware of all the options. We may have been presented with false dilemmas.

Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics, has an interesting analogy involving a comparison between bending a stick and living virtously. Sometimes to straighten a stick, one has to bend it in the opposite direction. A back and forth bending can straighten the stick. Such a back and forth bending may occur in our lives as we seek intellectual virtue and truth. Be aware of those times when you sense a strong reaction in yourself. Pause and think carefully. Test yourself. Try to recognize your presuppositions and filters through careful listening and/or reading. If you have been bruised by some error, beware of overreacting. Read church history and see where the church made mistakes. Historical theology is very important for this very reason. Watch out for theological reactions!

J. C. Ryle (1816–1900) on John 3:16

[For God so loved the world, &c.] Our Lord, in this verse, shows Nicodemus another "heavenly thing." – Nicodemus probably thought, like many Jews, that God’s purposes of mercy were entirely confined to His chosen people Israel, and that when Messiah appeared, He would appear only for the special benefit of the Jewish nation. Our Lord here declares to him that God loves all the world without any exception, that the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God, is the Father’s gift to the whole family of Adam, and that every one, whether Jew or Gentile, who believes on Him for salvation, may have eternal life. – A more startling declaration to the ears of a rigid Pharisee it is impossible to conceive! A more wonderful verse is not to be found in the Bible! That God should love such a wicked world as this and not hate it, – that He should love it so as to provide salvation – that in order to provide salvation He should give, not an angel, or any created being, but such a priceless gift as His only begotten Son, – that this great salvation should be freely offered to ever one that believeth, – all, all this is wonderful indeed! This was indeed a "heavenly thing."

The words, "God loved the world," have received two very different interpretations. The importance of the subject in the present day makes it desirable to state both views fully.

Some think, as Hutcheson, Lampe, and Gill, that the "world" here means God’s elect out of every nation, whether Jews or Gentiles, and that the "love" with which God is said to love them is that eternal love with which the elect were loved before creation began, and by which their calling, justification, preservation and final salvation are completely secured. – This view, though supported by many and great divines, does not appear to me to be our Lord’s meaning. For one thing, it seems to me a violent straining of language to confine the word "world" to the elect. "The world" is undoubtedly a name sometimes given to the wicked exclusively. But I cannot see that it is a name ever given to the saints. – For another thing, to interpret the word "world" of the elect only is to ignore the distinction which, to my eyes, is plainly drawn in the text between the whole of mankind and those out of mankind who "believe." If the "world" means only the believing portion of mankind, it would have been quite enough to say, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that the world should not perish." But our Lord does not say so. He says, "that whosoever believeth, i.e., that whosoever out of the world believeth." – Lastly, to confine God’s love to the elect, is taking a harsh and narrow view of God’s character, and fairly lays Christianity open to the modern charges brought against it as cruel and unjust to the ungodly. If God takes no thought for any but his elect, and cares for none beside, how shall God judge the world? – I believe in the electing love of God the Father as strongly as any one. I regard the special love with which God loves the sheep whom He has given to Christ from all eternity, as a most blessed and comfortable truth, and one most cheering and profitable to believers. I only say, that it is not the truth of this text.

The true view of the words, "God loved the world," I believe to be this. The "world" means the whole race of mankind, both saints and sinners, without any exception. The word, in my opinion, is so used in John i. 10, 29; vi. 33, 51; viii. 12. – Rom. iii. 19. – 2 Cor. v. 19. – 1 John ii. 2; iv. 14. The "love" spoken of is that love of pity and compassion with which God regards all His creatures, and specially regards mankind. It is the same feeling of "love" which appears in Psalm cxlv. 9. – Ezek. xxxiii. 11. – John vi. 32. – Titus iii. 4. – 1 John iv. 10. – 2 Pet. iii. 9. – 1 Tim. ii. 4. It is a love unquestionably distinct and separate from the special love with which God regards His saints. It is a love of pity and not of approbation or complaisance. But it is not the less a real love. It is a love which clears God of injustice in judging the world.

I am quite familiar with the objections commonly brought against the theory I have just propounded. I find no weight in them, and am not careful to answer them. Those who confine God’s love exclusively to the elect appear to me to take a narrow and contracted view of God’s character and attributes. They refuse to God that attribute of compassion with which even an earthly father can regard a profligate son, and can offer to him pardon, even though his compassion is despised and his offers refused. I have long come to the conclusion that men may be more systematic in their statements than the Bible, and may be led into grave error by idolatrous veneration of a system. The following quotation from one whom for convenience sake I must call a thorough Calvinist, I mean Bishop Davenant, will show that the view I advocate is not new.

"The general love of God toward mankind is so clearly testified in Holy Scripture, and so demonstrated by the manifold effects of God's goodness and mercy extended to every particular man in this world, that to doubt thereof were infidelity, and to deny it plain blasphemy."—Davenant’s Answer to Hoard, p. 1.

"God hateth nothing which Himself created. And yet it is most true that He hateth sin in any creature, and hateth the creature infected with sin, in such a matter as hatred may be attributed to God. But for all this He so generally loved mankind, fallen in Adam, that He hath given His only begotten Son, that what sinner soever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And this everlasting life is so provided for man by God, that no decrees of His can bring any man thither without faith and repentance; and no decrees of His can keep any man out who repenteth and believeth. As for the measure of God's love exhibited in the external effect unto man, it must not be denied that God poureth out His grace more abundantly on some men that on others, and worketh more powerfully and effectually in the hearts of some men than of others, and that out of His alone will and pleasure. But yet, when this more special love is not extended, His less special love is not restrained to outward and temporal mercies, but reacheth to internal and spiritual blessings, even such as will bring men to an eternal blessedness, if their voluntary wickedness hinders not."—Davenant’s Answer to Hoard, p. 469.

"No divine of the Reformed Church, of sound judgment, will deny a general intention or appointment concerning the salvation of all men individually by the death of Christ, on the condition if they believe. For the intention or appointment of God is general, and is plainly revealed in Holy Scripture, although the absolute and not to be frustrated intention of God concerning the gift of faith and eternal life to some persons, is special, and limited to the elect alone. So I have maintained and do maintain."—Davenant’s Opinion on the Gallican Controversy.

Calvin observes on this text, "Christ brought life, because the heavenly Father loves the human race, and wishes that they should not perish." Again he says, "Christ employed the universal term whosoever, both to invite indiscriminately all to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such also is the import of the term world. Though there is nothing in the world that is worthy of God’s favor, yet He shows Himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all men without exception to the faith of Christ." The same view of God’s "love" and the "world," in this text, is taken by Brentius, Bucer, Calovinius, Glassius, Chemnitius, Musculus, Bullinger, Bengal, Nifanius, Dyke, Scott, Henry, and Manton.

J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1979), 3:156–58.

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XV

FAITH!
“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”—JOHN 3:16.

THERE are few texts better known than that which heads this page. Its words are probably familiar to our ears. We have very likely heard them, or read them, or quoted them, a hundred times. But have we ever considered what a vast amount of divinity this text contains? No wonder that Luther called it “the Bible in miniature!”—And have we ever considered the word which forms the turning-point of the text, and the immensely solemn question which arises out of it? The word I refer to is “believeth.” The Lord Jesus says, “Whosoever believeth shall not perish.” Now, DO WE BELIEVE?

Questions about religion are seldom popular. They frighten people. They oblige them to look within, and to think. The insolvent tradesman does not like his books to be searched. The faithless steward does not like his accounts to be examined. And the unconverted Christian does not like to be asked home-questions about his soul.

But questions about religion are very useful. The Lord Jesus Christ asked many questions during His ministry on earth. The servant of Christ ought not to be ashamed to do likewise. Questions about things necessary to salvation,—questions which probe the conscience, and bring men face to face with God,—such questions often bring life and health to souls. I know few questions more important than the one which arises out of this text:—DO WE BELIEVE?

The question before us is no easy one to answer. It will not do to thrust it aside by the off-hand answer, “Of course I believe.” True belief is no such “matter of course” as many suppose. Myriads of Protestants and Roman Catholics are constantly saying on Sundays, “I believe,” who know nothing whatever of believing. They cannot explain what they mean. They neither know what, nor in whom, they believe. They can give no account of their faith. A belief of this kind is utterly useless. It can neither satisfy, nor sanctify, nor save.

In order to see clearly the importance of “believing,” we should ponder well the words of Christ which head this paper. It is by the unfolding of these words, that I shall hope to show the weight of the question, “Do you believe?”

There are four things which I wish to consider, and to impress upon the minds of all who read this volume. These four things are as follows:—

I. God’s mind towards the world:—He “loved” it.

II. God’s gift to the world:—“He gave His only begotten Son.”

III. The only way to obtain the benefit of God’s gift:—“Whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish.”

IV. The marks by which true belief may be known.

I. Let us consider, in the first place, God’s mind towards the world:—He “loved” it

The extent of the Father’s love towards the world, is a subject on which there is some difference of opinion. It is a subject on which I have long taken my side, and will never hesitate to speak my mind. I believe that the Bible teaches us that God’s love extends to all mankind. “His tender mercies are over all His works.” (Psalm 145:9.) He did not love the Jews only, but the Gentiles also. He does not love His own elect only. He loves all the world.

But what kind of love is this with which the Father regards all mankind? It cannot be a love of complacency, or else He would cease to be a perfect God. He is one who “cannot look upon that which is iniquity.” (Hab. 1:13.) Oh, no! The world-wide love of which Jesus speaks, is a love of kindness, pity, and compassion. Fallen as man is, and provoking as man’s ways are, the heart of God is full of kindness towards him. While as a righteous Judge He hates sin, He is yet able in a certain sense to love sinners! The length and breadth of His compassion are not to be measured by our feeble measures. We are not to suppose that He is such an one as ourselves. Righteous, and holy, and pure as God is, it is yet possible for God to love all mankind. “His compassions fail not.” (Lam. 3:22.)

Let us think, for a moment, how wonderful is this extent of God’s love. Look at the state of mankind in every part of the earth, and mark the amazing quantity of wickedness and ungodliness by which earth is defiled.—Look at the millions of heathen worshipping stocks and stones, and living in a spiritual darkness “that may be felt.”—Look at the millions of Roman Catholics, burying the truth under man-made traditions, and giving the honour due to Christ to the church, the saints, and the priest.—Look at the millions of Protestants who are content with a mere formal Christianity, and know nothing of Christian believing or Christian living, except the name.—Look at the land in which we live at this very day, and mark the sins which abound even in a privileged nation like our own. Think how drunkenness, and Sabbath-breaking, and uncleanness, and lying, and swearing, and pride, and covetousness, and infidelity, are crying aloud to God from one end of Great Britain to the other. And then remember that God loves this world! No wonder that we find it written that He is “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” (Exod. 34:6.) He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”—He “would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”—He “has no pleasure in the death of him that dieth.”—(2 Peter 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4; Ezek. 33:11.) There lives not the man or woman on earth whom God regards with absolute hatred or complete indifference. His mercy is like all His other attributes. It passes knowledge. God loves the world.

There are divers and strange doctrines abroad in the present day about the love of God. It is a precious truth which Satan labours hard to obscure by misrepresentation and perversion. Let us grasp it firmly, and stand on our guard.

Beware of the common idea that God the Father is an angry Being, whom sinful man can only regard with fear, and from whom he must flee to Christ for safety. Cast it aside as a baseless and unscriptural notion. Contend earnestly for all the attributes of God,—for His holiness and His justice, as well as for His love. But never allow for one moment that there is any want of love towards sinners in any Person in the Blessed Trinity. Oh, no! Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father loves, and the Son loves, and the Holy Ghost loves. When Christ came on earth, the kindness and love of God toward man appeared. (Titus 3:4.) The cross is the effect of the Father’s love, and not the cause. Redemption is the result of the compassion of all three Persons in the Trinity. To place the Father and the Son in opposition one to another, is weak and crude theology. Christ died, not because God the Father hated, but because He loved the world.

Beware, again, of the common doctrine that God’s love is limited and confined to His own elect, and that all the rest of mankind are passed by, neglected, and let alone. This also is a notion that will not bear examination by the light of Scripture. The father of a prodigal son can surely love and pity him, even when he is walking after his own lusts, and refusing to return home. The Maker of all things may surely love the work of His own hands with a love of compassion, even when rebellious against Him.—Let us resist to the death the unscriptural doctrine of universal salvation. It is not true that all mankind will be finally saved. But let us not fly into the extreme of denying God’s universal compassion. It is true that God “loves the world.”—Let us maintain jealously the privileges of God’s elect. It is true that they are loved with a special love, and will be loved to all eternity. But let us not exclude any man or woman from the pale of God’s kindness and compassion. We have no right to pare down the meaning of words when Jesus says, “God loved the world.” The heart of God is far wider than that of man. There is a sense in which the Father loves all mankind.^*[1]

If any reader of these pages never yet took up the service of Christ in real earnest, and has the least desire to begin now, take comfort in the truth before you. Take comfort in the thought that God the Father is a God of infinite love and compassion. Do not hang back and hesitate, under the idea that God is an angry Being, who is unwilling to receive sinners, and slow to pardon. Remember this day that love is the Father’s darling attribute. In Him there is perfect justice, perfect purity, perfect wisdom, perfect knowledge, infinite power. But, above all, never forget there is in the Father a perfect love and compassion. Draw near to Him with boldness, because Jesus has made a way for you. But draw nigh to Him also with boldness, because it is written that “He loved the world.”

If you have taken up the service of God already, never be ashamed of imitating Him whom you serve. Be full of love and kindness to all men, and full of special love to them that believe. Let there be nothing narrow, limited, contracted, stingy, or sectarian in your love. Do not only love your family and your friends;—love all mankind. Love your neighbours and your fellow-countrymen. Love strangers and foreigners. Love heathen and Mahometans. Love the worst of men with a love of pity. Love all the world. Lay aside all envy and malice,—all selfishness and unkindness. To keep up such a spirit is to be no better than an infidel. “Let all your things be done with charity.”—“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you,” and be not weary of doing them good to your life’s end. (1 Cor. 16:14; Matt. 5:44.) The world may sneer at such conduct, and call it mean and low-spirited. But this is the mind of Christ. This is the way to be like God. GOD LOVED THE WORLD.

II. The next thing I want to consider is God’s gift to the world. “He gave His only begotten Son”

The manner in which the truth before us is stated by our Lord Jesus Christ, demands special attention. It would be well for many who talk big swelling words about “the love of God” in the present day, if they would mark the way in which the Lord Jesus sets it before us.

The love of God towards the world is not a vague, abstract idea of mercy, which we are obliged to take on trust, without any proof that it is true. It is a love which has been manifested by a mighty gift. It is a love which has been put before us in a plain, unmistakable, tangible form. God the Father was not content to sit in heaven, idly pitying and loving His fallen creatures on earth. He has given the mightiest evidence of His love towards us by a gift of unspeakable value. He has “not spared His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.” (Rom. 8:32.) He has so loved us that He has given us His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! A higher proof of the Father’s love could not have been given.

Again, it is not written that God so loved the world that He resolved to save it, but that He so loved it that He gave Christ. His love is not displayed at the expense of His holiness and justice. It flows down from heaven to earth through one particular channel. It is set before men in one special way. It is only through Christ, by Christ, on account of Christ, and in inseparable connection with the work of Christ. Let us glory in God’s love by all means. Let us proclaim to all the world that God is love. But let us carefully remember that we know little or nothing of God’s love which can give us comfort, excepting in Jesus Christ. It is not written that God so loved the world that He will take all the world to heaven, but that He so loved it, that He has given His only begotten Son. He that ventures on God’s love without reference to Christ, is building on a foundation of sand.

Who can estimate the value of God’s gift, when He gave to the world His only begotten Son? It is something unspeakable and incomprehensible. It passes man’s understanding. Two things there are which man has no arithmetic to reckon, and no line to measure. One of these things is the extent of that man’s loss who loses his own soul. The other is the extent of God’s gift when He gave Christ to sinners. He gave no created thing for our redemption, though all the treasures of earth, and all the stars of heaven, were at His disposal. He gave no created being to be our Redeemer, though angels, principalities and powers in heavenly places, were ready to do His will. Oh, no! He gave us One who was nothing less than His own fellow, very God of very God, His only begotten Son. He that thinks lightly of man’s need and man’s sin, would do well to consider man’s Saviour. Sin must indeed be exceeding sinful, when the Father must needs give His only Son to be the sinner’s Friend!

Have we ever considered to what the Father gave His only begotten Son? Was it to be received with gratitude and thankfulness by a lost and bankrupt world? Was it to reign in royal majesty on a restored earth, and put down every enemy under His feet? Was it to enter the world as a king, and to give laws to a willing and obedient people? No! The Father gave His Son to be “despised and rejected of men,” to be born of a poor woman, and live a life of poverty,—to be hated, persecuted, slandered, and blasphemed,—to be counted a malefactor, condemned as a transgressor, and die the death of a felon. Never was there such love as this! Never such condescension! The man among ourselves who cannot stoop much and suffer much in order to do good, knows nothing of the mind of Christ.

For what end and purpose did the Father give His only begotten Son? Was it only to supply an example of self-denial and self-sacrifice? No! It was for a far higher end and purpose than this. He gave Him to be a sacrifice for man’s sin, and an atonement for man’s transgression. He gave Him to be delivered for our offences, and to die for the ungodly. He gave Him to bear our iniquities, and to suffer for our sins, the just for the unjust. He gave Him to be made a curse for us, that we might be redeemed from the curse of the law. He gave Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He gave Him to be a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. He gave Him to be a ransom for all, and to make satisfaction for our heavy debt to God by His own precious blood. (1 Pet. 3:18; Gal. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 2:2; 1 Tim. 2:6; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19.) He gave Him to be the Almighty Friend of all sinners of mankind,—to be their Surety and Substitute,—to do for them what they never could have done for themselves,—suffer what they could never have suffered,—and pay what they could never have paid. All that Jesus did and suffered on earth was according to the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God. The chief end for which He lived and died was to provide eternal redemption for mankind.

Beware of ever losing sight of the great purpose for which Christ was given by God the Father. Let not the false teaching of modern divinity, however plausible it may sound, tempt you to forsake the old paths. Hold fast the faith once delivered to the saints,—that the special object for which Christ was given was to die for sinners, and to make atonement for them by His sacrifice on the cross. Once give up this great doctrine, and there is little worth contending for in Christianity. If Christ did not really “bear our sins on the tree” as our Substitute, there is an end of all solid peace. (1 Pet. 2:24.)

Beware, again, of holding narrow and confined views of the extent of Christ’s redemption. Regard Him as given by God the Father to be the common Saviour for all the world. See in Him the fountain for all sin and uncleanness, to which every sinner may come boldly, drink and live. See in Him the brazen serpent set up in the midst of the camp, to which every sin-bitten soul may look and be healed. See in Him a medicine of matchless value, sufficient for the wants of all the world, and offered freely to all mankind. The way to heaven is narrow enough already, by reason of man’s pride, hardness, sloth, listlessness, and unbelief. But take heed that you do not make that way more narrow than it really is.

I confess, boldly, that I hold the doctrine of particular redemption, in a certain sense, as strongly as any one. I believe that none are effectually redeemed but God’s elect. They, and they only, are set free from the guilt, and power, and consequences of sin. But I hold no less strongly, that Christ’s work of atonement is sufficient for all mankind. There is a sense in which He has tasted death for every man, and has taken upon Him the sin of the world. (Heb. 2:9; John 1:29.) I dare not pare down, and fine away, what appear to me the plain statements of Scripture. I dare not shut a door which God seems, to my eyes, to have left open. I dare not tell any man on earth that Christ has done nothing for him, and that he has no warrant to apply boldly to Christ for salvation. I must abide by the statements of the Bible. Christ is God’s gift to the whole world.

Let us observe what a giving religion true Christianity is. Gift, love, and free grace are the grand characteristics of the pure gospel. The Father loves the world and gives His only begotten Son. The Son loves us and gives Himself for us. The Father and the Son together give the Holy Spirit to all that ask. All Three Persons in the Blessed Trinity give “grace upon grace” to them that believe. Never let us be ashamed of being giving Christians if we profess to have any hope in Christ. Let us give freely, liberally, and self-denyingly, according as we have power and opportunity. Let not our love consist in nothing more than vague expressions of kindness and compassion. Let us make proof of it by actions. Let us help forward the cause of Christ on earth, by money, influence, pains, and prayer. If God so loved us as to give His Son for our souls, we should count it a privilege and not a burden, to give what we can to do good to men.

If God has given us His only begotten Son, let us beware of doubting His kindness and love in any painful providence of our daily life. Let us never allow ourselves to think hard thoughts of God. Let us never suppose that He can give us anything that is not really for our good. Let us remember the words of St. Paul: “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.” (Rom. 8:32.) Let us see in every sorrow and trouble of our earthly pilgrimage, the hand of Him who gave Christ to die for our sins. That hand can never smite us except in love. He who gave us His only begotten Son, will never withhold anything from us that is really for our good. Let us lean back on this thought and be content. Let us say to ourselves in the darkest hour of trial, “This also is ordered by Him who gave Christ to die for my sins. It cannot be wrong. It is done in love. It must be well.”

III. The third thing I propose to consider, is the way in which man obtains the benefit of God’s love and Christ’s salvation. It is written that “whosoever believeth shall not perish”

The point before us is of the deepest importance. To bring it out clearly before your eyes is one great object of the paper you are now reading. God has loved the world. God has given His Son “to be the Saviour of the world.” (1 John 4:14.) And yet we learn from Scripture that many persons in the world never reach heaven? Here at any rate is limitation. Here the gate is strait and the way narrow. Some and some only out of mankind obtain eternal benefit from Christ. Who then, and what are they?

Christ and His benefits are only available to those who believe. To believe, in the language of the New Testament, is simply to trust. Trusting and believing are the same thing. This is a doctrine repeatedly laid down in Scripture, in plain and unmistakable language. Those who will not trust or believe in Him have no part in Him. Without believing there is no salvation. It is vain to suppose that any will be saved, merely because Christ was incarnate,—or because Christ is in heaven,—or because they belong to Christ’s Church,—or because they are baptized,—or because they have received the Lord’s supper. All this is entirely useless to any man except he believes. Without faith, or trust, on his part, all these things together will not save his soul. We must have personal faith in Christ, personal dealings with Christ, personal transactions with Christ, or we are lost for evermore. It is utterly false and unscriptural to say that Christ is in every man. Christ no doubt is for every one, but Christ is not in every one. He dwells only in those hearts which have faith; and all, unhappily, have not faith. He that believeth not in the Son of God is yet in his sins, “the wrath of God abideth on him.” “He that believeth not,” says our Lord Jesus Christ in words of fearful distinctness,—“he that believeth not shall be damned.”^*[2] (Mark 16:16; John 3:36.)

But Christ and all His benefits are the property of any one of mankind that believes. Every one that believes on the Son of God, and trusts his soul to Him, is at once pardoned, forgiven, justified, counted righteous, reckoned innocent, and freed from all liability to condemnation. His sins, however many, are at once cleansed away by Christ’s precious blood. His soul, however guilty, is at once clothed with Christ’s perfect righteousness. It matters not what he may have been in time past. His sins may have been of the worst kind. His former character may be of the blackest description. But does He believe on the Son of God? This is the one question. If he does believe, he is justified from all things in the sight of God.—It matters not that he can bring to Christ nothing to recommend him, no good works, no long-proved amendments, no unmistakable repentance and change of life. But does he this day believe in Jesus Christ? This is the grand question. If he does he is at once accepted. He is accounted righteous for Christ’s sake.

But what is this believing, which is of such matchless importance. What is the nature of this faith which gives a man such amazing privileges? This is an important question. I ask attention to the answer. Here is a rock on which many make shipwreck. There is nothing really mysterious and hard to understand about saving belief. But the whole difficulty arises from man’s pride and self-righteousness. It is the very simplicity of justifying faith at which thousands stumble. They cannot understand it because they will not stoop.

Believing on Christ is no mere intellectual assent, or belief of the head. This is no more than the faith of devils. We may believe that there was a divine Person called Jesus Christ, who lived and died and rose again, eighteen hundred years ago, and yet never believe so as to be saved. Doubtless there must be some knowledge before we can believe. There is no true religion in ignorance. But knowledge alone is not saving faith.

Believing on Christ, again, is not mere feeling something about Christ. This is often no more than temporary excitement, which, like the early dew, soon passes away. We may be pricked in conscience, and feel drawings toward the Gospel, like Herod and Felix. We may even tremble and weep, and show much affection for the truth and those that profess it. And yet all this time our hearts and wills may remain utterly unchanged, and secretly chained down to the world. Doubtless there is no saving faith where there is no feeling. But feeling alone is not faith.

True belief in Christ is the unreserved trust of a heart convinced of sin, in Christ, as an all-sufficient Saviour. It is the combined act of the whole man’s head, conscience, heart, and will. It is often so weak and feeble at first, that he who has it cannot be persuaded that he has it. And yet, like life in the new-born infant, his belief may be real, genuine, saving, and true. The moment that the conscience is convinced of sin, and the head sees Christ to be the only One who can save, and the heart and will lay hold on the hand that Christ holds out, that moment there is saving faith. In that moment a man believes.

True belief in Christ is so immensely important that the Holy Ghost has graciously used many figures in the Bible in describing it. The Lord God knows the slowness of man to comprehend spiritual things. He has therefore multiplied forms of expression, in order to set faith fully before us. The man who cannot understand “believing” in one form of words, will perhaps understand it in another.

(1) Believing is the soul’s coming to Christ. The Lord Jesus says, “He that cometh to Me shall never hunger.” “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (John 6:35; Matt. 11:28.) Christ is that Almighty Friend, Advocate, and Physician, to whom all sinners, needing help, are commanded to apply. The believer comes to Him by faith, and is relieved.

(2) Believing is the soul’s receiving Christ. St. Paul says, “Ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord.” (Col. 2:6.) Christ offers to come into man’s heart with pardon, mercy, and grace, and to dwell there as its Peace-maker and King. He says, “I stand at the door and knock.” (Rev. 3:20.) The believer hears His voice, opens the door, and admits Christ, as his Master, Priest, and King.

(3) Believing is the soul’s building on Christ. St. Paul says, ye are “built up in Him.”—“Ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” (Eph. 2:20; Col. 2:7.) Christ is that sure corner-stone, that strong foundation, which alone can bear the weight of a sinful soul. The believer places his hopes for eternity on Him, and is safe. The earth may be shaken and dissolved; but he is built upon a rock, and will never be confounded.

(4) Believing is the soul’s putting on Christ. St. Paul says, “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” (Galat. 3:27.) Christ is that pure white robe which God has provided for all sinners who would enter heaven. The believer puts on this robe by faith, and is at once perfect and free from any spot in God’s sight.

(5) Believing is the soul’s laying hold on Christ. St. Paul says, “We have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us.” (Heb. 6:18.) Christ is that true city of refuge, to which the man fleeing from the avenger of blood runs, and in which he is safe. Christ is that altar which provided a sanctuary to him who laid hold on its horns. Christ is that almighty hand of mercy, which God holds out from heaven to lost and drowning sinners. The believer lays hold on this hand by faith, and is delivered from the pit of hell.

(6) Believing is the soul’s eating Christ. The Lord Jesus says, “My flesh is meat indeed. He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” (John 6:55, 58.) Christ is that divine food which God has provided for starving sinners. He is that divine bread which is at the same time life, nourishment, and medicine. The believer feeds on this bread of life by faith. His hunger is relieved. His soul is delivered from death.

(7) Believing is the soul’s drinking Christ. The Lord Jesus says, “My blood is drink indeed.” (John 6:55.) Christ is that fountain of living water which God has opened for the use of all thirsty and sin-defiled sinners proclaiming, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17.) The believer drinks of this living water, and his thirst is quenched.

(8) Believing is the soul’s committal of itself to Christ. St. Paul says, “He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day.” (2 Tim. 1:12.) Christ is the appointed keeper and guardian of souls. It is His office to preserve from sin, death, hell, and the devil, anything committed to his charge. The believer places his soul in the hands of the Almighty treasure-keeper, and is insured against loss to all eternity. He trusts himself to Him and is safe.

(9) Last, but not least, believing is the soul’s look to Christ. St. Paul describes the saints as “looking to Jesus.” (Heb. 12:2.) The invitation of the Gospel is, “Look unto Me, and be ye saved.” (Isai. 45:22.) Christ is that brazen serpent which God has set up in the world, for the healing of all sin-bitten souls who desire to be cured. The believer looks to Him by faith, and has life, health, and spiritual strength.

One common remark applies to all the nine expressions which I have just gone through. They all give us the simplest idea of faith, or believing and trusting, that man can desire. Not one of them implies the notion of anything mysterious, great, or meritorious in the act of belief. All represent it as something within reach of the weakest and feeblest sinner, and within the comprehension of the most ignorant and unlearned. Grant for a moment that a man says he cannot understand what faith in Christ is. Let him look at the nine expressions under which faith is described in Scripture, and tell me, if he can, that he cannot understand them. Surely he must allow that coming to Christ, looking to Christ, committing our souls to Christ, laying hold on Christ, are simple ideas. Then let him remember that coming, looking, and committing our souls to Christ, are, in other words, believing.

And now, if any reader of these pages desires to have peace of conscience in his religion, I entreat him to grasp firmly the great doctrine which I have tried to set before him, and never let it go. Hold fast the grand truth that saving faith is nothing but simple trust in Christ, that faith alone justifies, and that the one thing needful in order to obtain an interest in Christ is to believe.—No doubt repentance, holiness, and charity are excellent things. They will always accompany true faith. But in the matter of justification, they have nothing to do. In that matter, the one thing needful is to believe.—No doubt belief is not the only grace to be found in the heart of a true Christian. But only belief gives him an interest in Christ. Prize that doctrine as the peculiar treasure of Christianity. Once let it go, or add anything to it, and there is an end of inward peace.^*[3]

Prize the doctrine for its suitableness to the wants of fallen man. It places salvation within reach of the lowest and vilest sinner, if he has but heart and will to receive it. It asks him not for works, righteousness, merit, goodness, worthiness. It requires nothing of him. It strips him of all excuses. It deprives him of all pretext for despair. His sins may have been as scarlet. But will he believe? Then there is hope.

Prize the doctrine for its glorious simplicity. It brings eternal life near to the poor, and ignorant, and unlearned. It does not ask a man for a long confession of doctrinal orthodoxy. It does not require a store of head-knowledge, and an acquaintance with articles and creeds. Does the man, with all his ignorance, come to Christ as a sinner, and commit himself entirely to Him for salvation? Will he believe? If he will, there is hope.

Above all, prize the doctrine for the glorious breadth and fulness of its terms. It does not say “the elect” who believe, or “the rich” who believe, or “the moral” people who believe, or “the Churchman” who believes, or “the Dissenter” who believes,—these, and these only shall be saved. Oh, no! it uses a word of far wider signification:—It says, “Whosoever believeth, shall not perish.” Whosoever,—whatever his past life, conduct, or character,—whatever his name, rank, people, or country,—whatever his denomination, and whatever place of worship he may have attended,—“whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish.”

This is the Gospel. I marvel not that St. Paul wrote those words, “If we or an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8.)

IV. The fourth and last thing which I propose to consider is a point of great practical importance. I wish to show you the marks by which true belief in Christ may be discerned and known

The faith or believing of which I have spoken, is a grace of such importance, that we may naturally expect to hear of many counterfeits of it. There is a dead faith as well as a living one,—a faith of devils as well as a faith of God’s elect,—a faith which is vain and useless, as well as a faith that justifies and saves. How shall a man know whether he has true faith? How shall he find out whether he “believes to the saving of his soul”? The thing may be found out. The Ethiopian may be known by his skin, and the leopard by his spots. True faith may always be known by certain marks. These marks are laid down unmistakably in Scripture. Let me endeavour to set down these marks in order.

(1) He that believeth in Christ has inward peace and hope. It is written, “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” “We which have believed do enter into rest.” (Rom. 5:1; Heb. 4:3.) The believer’s sins are pardoned, and his iniquities taken away. His conscience is no longer burdened with the load of unpardoned transgressions. He is reconciled to God, and is one of His friends. He can look forward to death, judgment, and eternity without fear. The sting of death is taken away. When the great assize of the last day is held, and the books are opened, there will be nothing laid to his charge. When eternity begins, he is provided for. He has a hope laid up in heaven, and a city which cannot be moved. He may not be fully sensible of all these privileges. His sense and view of them may vary greatly at different times, and be often obscured by doubts and fears. Like a child who is yet under age, though heir to a great fortune, he may not be fully aware of the value of his possessions. But with all his doubts and fears, he has a real, solid, true hope, which will bear examination, and at his best moments he will be able to say, “I feel a hope which makes me not ashamed.” (Rom. 5:5.)

(2) He that believes in Christ has a new heart. It is written, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold all things are become new.”—“To as many as received Christ, He gave power to become sods of God, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”—“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” (2 Cor. 5:17; John 1:12, 13; 1 John 5:1.) A believer has no longer the same nature with which he was born. He is changed, renewed, and transformed after the image of his Lord and Saviour. He that minds first the things of the flesh, has no saving faith. True faith and spiritual regeneration are inseparable companions. An unconverted person is not a believer!

(3) He that believes in Christ is a holy person in heart and life. It is written that God “purifies the heart by faith;” and, “Whoso hath this hope in him, purifieth himself.” (Acts. 15:9; 1 John 3:3.) A believer loves what God loves, and hates what God hates. His heart’s desire is to walk in the way of God’s commandments, and to abstain from all manner of evil. His wish is to follow after the things which are just, and pure, and honest, and lovely, and of good report, and to cleanse himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. He falls far short of his aim in many things. He finds his daily life a constant fight with indwelling corruption. But he fights on, and resolutely refuses to serve sin. Where there is no holiness, we may be sure there is no saving faith. An unholy man is not a believer!

(4) He that believes on Christ works godly works. It is written, that “faith worketh by love.” (Gal. 5:6.) True belief will never make a man idle, or allow him to sit still, contented with his own religion. It will stir him to do acts of love, kindness, and charity, according as he sees opportunity. It will constrain him to walk in the steps of his Master, who “went about doing good.” (Acts 10:38.) In one way or another, it will make him work. The works that he does may attract no notice from the world. They may seem trifling and insignificant to many persons. But they are not forgotten by Him who notices a cup of cold water given for His sake. Where there is no working love, there is no faith. A lazy, selfish Christian, has no right to regard himself as a believer!

(5) He that believes on Christ overcomes the world. It is written, that “whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4.) A true believer is not ruled by the world’s standard of right or wrong, of truth or error. He is independent of the world’s opinion. He cares little for the world’s praise. He is not moved by the world’s blame. He does not seek for the world’s pleasures. He is not ambitious of the world’s rewards. He looks at things unseen. He sees an invisible Saviour, a coming judgment, a crown of glory that fadeth not away. The sight of these objects makes him think comparatively little of this world. Where the world reigns in the heart, there is no faith. A man that is habitually conformed to the world, has no title to the name of a believer!

(6) He that believes on Christ, has an inward testimony of his belief. It is written, that “he that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself.” (1 John 5:10.) The mark before us requires very delicate handling. The witness of the Spirit is unquestionably a very difficult subject. But I cannot shrink from declaring my own firm persuasion that a true believer always has inward feelings peculiar to himself,—feelings which are inseparably connected with his faith, and flow from it,—feelings of which unbelievers know nothing at all. He “has the Spirit of adoption,” by which he regards God as a reconciled Father, and looks up to Him without fear. (Rom. 8:15.) He has the testimony of his conscience, sprinkled with Christ’s blood, that weak as he is, he rests on Christ. He has hopes, joys, fears, sorrows, consolations, expectations, of which he knew nothing before he believed. He has pocket evidences which the world cannot understand, but which are better to him than all the books of evidence in existence. Feelings are, no doubt, very deceitful. But where there are no inward religious feelings there is no faith. A man who knows nothing of an inward, spiritual, experimental religion, is not yet a believer!

(7) Last, but not least, he that believes on Christ, has a special regard in all his religion to the person of Christ Himself. It is written, “Unto you that believe Christ is precious.” (1 Pet. 2:7.) That text deserves especial notice. It does not say “Christianity” is precious, or the “Gospel” is precious, or “salvation” is precious, but Christ Himself. A believer’s religion does not consist in mere intellectual assent to a certain set of propositions and doctrines. It is not a mere cold belief of a certain set of truths and facts concerning Christ. It consists in union, communion, and fellowship with an actual living Person, even Jesus the Son of God. It is a life of faith in Jesus, confidence in Jesus, leaning on Jesus, drawing out of the fulness of Jesus, speaking to Jesus, working for Jesus, loving Jesus, and looking for Jesus to come again. St. Paul said, “The life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God.”—“To me to live is Christ.” (Galat. 2:20; Phil. 1:21.) Such life may sound like enthusiasm to many. But where there is true faith, Christ will always be known and realized, as an actual living personal Friend. He that knows nothing of Christ as his own Priest, Physician, and Redeemer, knows nothing yet of believing!

I place these seven marks of believing before every one who reads this paper, and I ask him to consider them well. I do not say, that all believers have them equally. I do not say, that no one will be saved who cannot discover all these marks in himself. I concede, freely, that many believers are so weak in faith, that they go doubting all their days, and make others doubt about them too. I simply say that these are the marks to which a man should first direct his attention, if he would know whether he believes.

Where the seven marks, of which I have just been speaking, are utterly wanting, I dare not tell a man that he is a true believer. He may be called a Christian, and attend on Christian ordinances. He may have been baptized with Christian baptism, and be a member of a Christian church. But if he knows nothing of peace with God, conversion of heart, newness of life, and victory over the world, I dare not pronounce him a believer. He is yet dead in trespasses and sins. Except he awakes to newness of life, he will perish everlastingly.

Show me a man who has about him the seven marks which I have described, and I feel a strong confidence about the state of his soul. He may be poor and needy in this world, but he is rich in the sight of God. He may be despised and sneered at by man, but he is honourable in the sight of the King of kings. He is travelling towards heaven. He has a mansion ready for him in the Father’s house. He is cared for by Christ, while on earth. He will be owned by Christ before assembled worlds, in the life which is to come.

(1) And now, in drawing this paper to a conclusion, I return to the question with which I began. I press that question on the conscience of every one whose eyes are on this page. I ask you, in my Master’s name, whether you yet know anything of the subject of it? I ask you to look my inquiry in the face. I ask you, Do you believe? DO YOU BELIEVE? I think it impossible to over-rate the immense importance of the question before you. Life or death, heaven or hell, blessing or cursing, all hinge and turn upon it. He that believeth on Christ is not condemned. He that believeth not shall be damned. If you believe you are pardoned, justified, accepted in God’s sight, and have a title to everlasting life. If you do not believe, you are perishing daily. Your sins are all upon your head, sinking you down to perdition. Every hour you are so much nearer to hell.

DO YOU BELIEVE? It matters nothing what others are doing. The question concerns yourself. The folly of other men is no excuse for yours. The loss of heaven will not be less bitter, because you lose it in company. Look at home. Think of your own soul.

DO YOU BELIEVE? It is no answer to say, that “you sometimes hope Christ died for you.” The Scriptures never tell us to spend our time in doubts and hesitation on that point. We never read of a single case of one who stood still on that ground. Salvation is never made to turn on the question, whether Christ died for a man or not. The turning-point which is always set before us is believing.

DO YOU BELIEVE? This is the point to which all must come at last, if they would be saved. It will signify little, when we hang on the brink of the grave, what we have professed, and to what denomination we have belonged. All this will sink into nothing, in comparison with the question of this paper. All will be useless, if we have not believed.

DO YOU BELIEVE? This is the common mark of all saved souls. Episcopalians or Presbyterians, Baptists or Independents, Methodists or Plymouth Brethren, Churchmen or Dissenters, all meet on this common ground, if they are true men. On other matters, they are often hopelessly disagreed. But in living by faith on Jesus Christ, they are all one.

DO YOU BELIEVE? What reason can you give for unbelief, that will bear examination? Life is short and uncertain. Death is sure. Judgment is inevitable. Sin is exceeding sinful. Hell is an awful reality. Christ alone can save you. There is no other name given under heaven, whereby you can be saved. If not saved, the blame will be on your own head. You will not believe! You will not come to Christ, that He may give you life!

Take warning this day. You must either believe on Christ, or perish everlastingly. Rest not till you can give a satisfactory answer to the question before you. Never be satisfied, till you can say, By the grace of God I do believe.

(2) I pass on from questions to counsel. I offer it to all who are convinced of sin, and dissatisfied with their own spiritual condition. I entreat you to come to Christ by faith without delay. I invite you this day to believe on Christ to the saving of your soul.

I will not let you put me off by the common objection, “We cannot believe,—we must wait till God gives us faith.” I grant most fully that saving faith, like true repentance, is the gift of God. I grant that we have no natural power of our own to believe on Christ, receive Christ, come to Christ, lay hold on Christ, and commit our souls to Christ. But I see faith and repentance laid down clearly in Scripture as duties which God requires at any man’s hands. He “commandeth all men to repent.” “This is His commandment, that we should believe.” (Acts 17:30; 1 John 3:23.) And I see it laid down with no less clearness, that unbelief and impenitence are sins for which man will be held accountable, and that he who does not repent and believe destroys his own soul. (Mark 16:16; Luke 13:3.)

Will any one tell me that it is right for a man to sit still in sin? Will any one say that a sinner on the road to hell ought to wait idly for some power to take him up and put him in the way to heaven? Will any one say that it is right for a man to continue quietly serving the devil, in open rebellion against God, and that he is to make no effort, no struggle, no attempt to turn towards Christ?

Let others say these things, if they will. I cannot say them. I can find no warrant for them in Scripture. I will not waste time in trying to explain what cannot be explained, and unravel what cannot be unraveled. I will not attempt to show metaphysically in what way an unconverted man can look to Christ, or repent, or believe. But this I know, that it is my plain duty to bid every unbeliever to repent and believe. And this I know, that the man who will not accept the invitation, will find at last that he has ruined his own soul!

Trust Christ, look to Christ, cry to the Lord Jesus Christ, if you never yet believed, about your soul. If you have not the right feelings yet, ask Him to give you right feelings. If you dare not think that you have true faith yet, ask Him to give you faith. But in any case do not sit still. Do not idle away your soul into hell in ignorant unscriptural sloth. Do not live on in senseless inactivity,—waiting for you know not what,—expecting what you cannot explain,—increasing your guilt every day,—offending God by continuing in lazy unbelief,—and hourly digging a grave for your own soul. Arise and call upon Christ! Awake and cry to Jesus about your soul! Whatever difficulties there may be about believing, one thing at least is abundantly clear,—no man ever perished and went to hell from the foot of the cross. If you can do nothing else, lie down at the foot of the cross.

(3) I finish all by a word of exhortation to all believers into whose hands this paper may fall. I address them as fellow-pilgrims and companions in tribulation. I exhort them, if they love life, and have found any peace in believing, to pray daily for an increase of faith. Let your prayer be continually, “Lord, increase my faith.” True faith admits of many degrees. The weakest faith is enough to join the soul to Christ, and to secure salvation. A trembling hand may receive a healing medicine. The feeblest infant may be heir to the richest possessions. The least faith gives a sinner a title to heaven as surely as the strongest. But little faith can never give so much sensible comfort as strong faith. According to the degree of our faith will be the degree of our peace, our hope, our strength for duty, and our patience in trial. Surely we should pray continually, “Increase our faith.”

Would you have more faith? Do you find believing so pleasant that you would like to believe more? Then take heed that you are diligent in the use of every means of grace,—diligent in your private communion with God,—diligent in your daily watchfulness over time, temper, and tongue,—diligent in your private Bible-reading,—diligent in your own private prayers. It is vain to expect spiritual prosperity, when we are careless about these things. Let those who will, call it over-precise and legal to be particular about them. I only reply, that there never was an eminent saint who neglected them.

Would you have more faith? Then seek to become more acquainted with Jesus Christ. Study your blessed Saviour more and more, and strive to know more of the length and breadth and height of His love. Study Him in all His offices, as the Priest, the Physician, the Redeemer, the Advocate, the Friend, the Teacher, the Shepherd of His believing people. Study Him as one who not only died for you, but is also living for you at the right hand of God,—as one who not only shed His blood for you, but daily intercedes for you at the right hand of God,—as one who is soon coming again for you, and will stand once more on this earth. The miner who is fully persuaded that the rope which draws him up from the pit will not break, is drawn up without anxiety and alarm. The believer who is thoroughly acquainted with the fulness of Jesus Christ, is the believer who travels from grace to glory with the greatest comfort and peace. Then let your daily prayers always contain these words, “Lord, increase my faith.”
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*[1] If any reader is stumbled by the statements I have made about God’s love, I venture to request his attention to the notes on John 1:29, and John 3:16, in my “Expository Thoughts on St. John’s Gospel.” I hold firmly the doctrine of election, as set forth in the Seventeenth Article of the Church of England. I glory in that Article, as one of the sheet anchors of my Church. I delight in the blessed truth that God has loved His own elect with an everlasting love, before the foundation of the world. But all this is beside the question before us. That question is, “How does God regard all mankind?” I reply unhesitatingly, that God loves them. God loves all the world with a love of compassion.

*[2] It is perhaps almost needless to say, that I am not speaking of idiots, or those who die in infancy, in this paragraph.

*[3] If any reader is startled and stumbled by what I here say about faith, I recommend him to read attentively the Church of England Homily about Salvation. My doctrine at any rate is that of the Church of England.

J. C. Ryle, Old Paths: Being Plain Statements of Some of the Weightier Matters of Christianity (London: Charles J. Thynne, 1898), 376–402.

R. L. Dabney (1820–1898) and Other Theologians on Volitional Complexity in God

R. L. Dabney was a brilliant theologian. He is particularly outstanding when it comes to grasping a sense of complexity in God's motives. He brings a sense of coherence to biblical passages that speak of God's will in different senses. Some Reformed and Calvinistic theologians tend to downplay God's preceptive will as if it is not an "active principle." It's as if it is not really expressing a desire or will in God. It's absolutely vital that we understand and adhere to the biblical teaching on this matter. It will also help us to begin to understand the problem of evil and suffering in the world. As Paul Helm said in the book The Providence of God:

The need to distinguish two (or more) wills in God is not simply a consequence of the idea that all events are directly under the providential guidance of God. Rather, any understanding of the relationship between divine activity and human activity which allows that God either wills or permits every action, which recognizes that there are in fact morally evil actions, and which defines some at least of such actions in terms of a breach of a divine command, must employ a distinction between the will of God as command, and the will of God in some other sense.

It is just because it is possible to conceive of two ‘wills’ in God that the problem of evil arises; the contrast is the familiar one between the omnipotence and the all-goodness of God.

Paul Helm, The Providence of God. Contours of Christian Theology, ed. G. Bray (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1994), 132–33.

Open Theism makes the same mistakes that Hyper-Calvinists make (they are polar opposites but similar in rationalism). They fail to properly understand complex motives in God because it does not "make sense" to them. Their systems won't allow it, therefore it can't be true. It is as J. C. Ryle said, "I have long come to the conclusion that men may be more systematic in their statements than the Bible, and may be led into grave error by idolatrous veneration of a system." One of those grave errors is misunderstanding God's will as expressed in scripture. The following are quotes that I have found to be helpful.

Here is R. L. Dabney on God's will:

4. God’s Volitions Arise out of a Complex of Motive.

The manner in which a volition which dates from eternity, subsists in the Infinite mind, is doubtless, in many respects, inscrutable to us. But since God has told us that we are made in His image, we may safely follow the Scriptural representations, which describe God’s volitions as having their rational relation to subjective motive; somewhat as in man, when he wills aright. For, a motiveless volition cannot but appear to us as devoid both of character and of wisdom. We add, that while God "has no parts nor passions," He has told us that He has active principles, which, while free from all agitation, ebb and flow, and mutation, are related in their superior measure to man’s rational affections. These active principles in God, or passionless affections, are all absolutely holy and good. Last: God’s will is also regulated by infinite wisdom. Now, in man, every rational volition is prompted by a motive, which is in every case, complex to this degree, at least that it involves some active appetency of the will and some prevalent judgement of the intelligence. And every wise volition is the result of virtual or formal deliberation, in which one element of motive is weighed in relation to another, and the elements which appear superior in the judgement of the intelligence, preponderate and regulate the volition. Hence, the wise man’s volition is often far from being the expression of every conception and affection present in his consciousness at the time; but it is often reached by holding one of these elements of possible motive in check, at the dictate of a more controlling one.

For instance a philanthropic man meets a distressed and destitute person. The good man is distinctly conscious in himself of a movement of sympathy tending towards a volition to give the sufferer money. But he remembers that he has expressly promised all the money now in his possession, to be paid this very day to a just creditor. The good man bethinks himself, that he "ought to be just before he is generous," and conscience and wisdom counterpoise the impulse of sympathy; so that it does not form the deliberate volition to give alms. But the sympathy exists, and it is not inconsistent to give other expression to it.

We must not ascribe to that God whose omniscience is, from eternity, one infinite, all-embracing intuition, and whose volition is as eternal as His being, any expenditure of time in any process of deliberation, nor any temporary hesitancy or uncertainty, nor any agitating struggle of feeling against feeling. But there must be a residuum of meaning in the Scripture representations of His affections, after we have guarded ourselves duly against the anthropopathic forms of their expression. Hence, we ought to believe, that in some ineffable way, God’s volitions, seeing they are supremely wise, and profound, and right, do have that relation to all His subjective motives, digested by wisdom and holiness into the consistent combination, the finite counterpart of which constitutes the rightness and wisdom of human volitions. I claim, while excersing the diffidence proper to so sacred a matter, that this conclusion bears us out at least so far: That, as in a wise man, so much more in a wise God, His volition or express purpose is the result of a digest, not of one, but of all the principles and considerations bearing on the case. Hence it follows, that there may be in God an active principle felt by him, and yet not expressed in His executive volition in a given case, because counterpoised by other elements of motive, which His holy omniscience judges ought to be prevalent.

Now, I urge the practical question: Why may not God consistently give some other expression to this active principle, really and sincerely felt towards the object, though his sovereign wisdom judges it not proper to express it in volition? To return to the instance from which we set out: I assert that it is entirely natural and reasonable for the benevolent man to say to the destitute person: "I am sorry for you, though I give you no alms." The ready objection will be: "that my parallel does not hold, because the kind man is not omnipotent, while God is. God could not consistently speak thus, while withholding alms, because he could create the additional money at will." This is more ready than solid. It assumes that God's omniscience cannot see any ground, save the lack of physical ability or power, why it may not be best to refrain from creating additional money. Let the student search and see; he will find that this preposterous and presumptuous assumption is the implied premise of the objection. In fact, my parallel is a fair one in the main point. This benevolent man is not prevented from giving the alms, by any physical compulsion. If he diverts a part of the money in hand from the creditor, to the destitute man, the creditor will visit no penalty on him. He simply feels bound by his conscience. That is, the superior principles of reason and morality are regulative of his action, counterpoising the amiable but less imperative principle of sympathy, in the case. Yet the verbal expression of sympathy in this case may be natural, sincere, and proper. God is not restrained by lack of physical omnipotence from creating on the spot the additional money for the alms; but He may be actually restrained by some consideration known to His omniscience, which shows that it is not on the whole best to resort to the expedient of creating the money for the alms, and that rational consideration may be just as decisive in an all-wise mind, and properly as decisive, as a conscious impotency to create money in a man’s.

R. L. Dabney, Systematic Theology (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2002), 529–531.

God is not at odds with himself anymore than a judge who shows volitional complexity. As the Reformed theologian Charles Hodge said:

A judge may will the happiness of a man whom he sentences to death. He may will him not to suffer when he wills him to suffer. The infelicity in such forms of expression is that the word "will" is used in different senses. In one part of the sentence it means desire, and in the other purpose. It is perfectly consistent, therefore, that God, as a benevolent Being, should desire the happiness of all men, while he purposes to save only his own people.

Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993), 1:405.

Dabney, in God's Indiscriminate Proposals of Mercy, explains further in his illustration concerning George Washington:

A human ruler may have full power and authority over the punishment of a culprit, may declare consistently his sincere compassion for him, and may yet freely elect to destroy him. A concrete case will make the point more distinct. Chief-Justice Marshall, in his Life of Washington (Vol. 4., Chap. 6.), says with reference to the death-warrant of the rash and unfortunate Major André "Perhaps on no occasion of his life did the commander-in-chief (Washington) obey with more reluctance the stern mandates of duty and of policy." In this historical instance we have these facts: Washington had plenary power to kill or to save alive. His compassion for the criminal was real and profound. Yet he signed his death-warrant with spontaneous decision....Let us suppose that one of André's intercessors (and he had them, even among the Americans) standing by, and hearing the commanding general say, as he took up the pen to sign the fatal paper, "I do this with the deepest reluctance and pity," should have retorted, "Since you are supreme in this matter, and have full bodily ability to throw down that pen, we shall know by your signing this warrant that your pity is hypocritical." The petulance of this charge would have been equal to its folly. The pity was real; but was restrained by superior elements of motive. Washington had official and bodily power to discharge the criminal; but he had not the sanction of his own wisdom and justice. Thus his pity was genuine, and yet his volition not to indulge it free and sovereign.

R. L. Dabney, “God’s Indiscriminate Proposals of Mercy,” in Discussions: Theological and Evangelical, ed. C. R. Vaughn (Richmond, VA: Presbyterian Committee of Publication, 1890), 1:284–286.

God is not at odds with himself anymore than one who postpones his desire for an ice cream cone because of some greater motive. As John Frame said:

Someone might desire an ice-cream cone and have easy access to one, but voluntarily postpone fulfilling that desire until finishing a piece of work. He might value finishing the job more than eating the ice-cream cone, or perhaps not. Maybe he actually values the ice cream more, but believes he will get more enjoyment from it after the job is done. So, our decision-making process is often complicated. The relationships between our many desires, and between the various means of achieving them, are complex.

Carl F. H. Henry (1913–2003) on Divine Revelation

Divine revelation palpitates with human surprise. Like a fiery bolt of lightening that unexpectedly zooms toward us and scores a direct hit, like an earthquake that suddenly shakes and engulfs us, it somersaults our private thoughts to abrupt awareness of ultimate destiny. By the unannounced intrusion of its omnipotent actuality, divine revelation lifts the present into the eternal and unmasks our pretenses of human omnicompetence. As if an invisible Concorde had burst the sound barrier overhead, it drives us to ponder whether the Other World has finally pinned us to the ground for a life-and-death response. Confronting us with a sense of cosmic arrest, it makes us ask whether the end of our world is at hand and propels us unasked before the Judge and Lord of the universe. Like some piercing air-raid siren it sends us scurrying from life's preoccupations and warns us that no escape remains if we neglect the only sure sanctuary. Even once-for-all revelation that has occurred in another time and place fills us with awe and wonder through its ongoing significance and bears the character almost of fresh miracle.

Carl F. H. Henry, God, Revelation and Authority: Vol. II: God Who Speaks and Shows (Waco, TX: Word, 1976), 17; quoted in Carl Henry At His Best: A Lifetime of Quotable Thoughts (Portland, OR: Multnomah, 1989), 171.

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The Way to Study

He that studies only men, will get the body of knowledge without the soul; and he that studies only books, the soul without the body. He that to what he sees, adds observation, and to what he reads, reflection, is in the right road to knowledge, provided that in scrutinizing the hearts of others, he neglects not his own.

Colton, cited in The New Dictionary of Thoughts

NKJ Philippians 4:9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

It would have been amazing to witness the lives of the prophets and Apostles, to look at them intently and meditate on their actions. This is what the Apostles did in watching Jesus. They "beheld his glory" and pondered his words. They observed how he treated people, and how each word was spoken with wisdom. The sound, volume, and nature of his words exactly fitted the needs of the situation. The majestic character of Christ came through in everything he did, and his followers gazed upon him in wonder and adoration.

NKJ John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (possibly my favorite verse)

If you see anyone like him, watch them. Think about what they are doing and saying. Study them. Be transformed by witnessing their lives. Treasure up their words in your heart as Mary did with Jesus' words. This is how to study.

On the significance of Titus 2:15

In periods of unsettled faith, skepticism, and mere curious speculation in matters of religion, teachers of all kinds swarm like the flies in Egypt. The demand creates the supply. The hearers invite and shape their own preachers. If the people desire a calf to worship, a ministerial calf-maker is readily found.—Vincent, quoted in Homer Kent's The Pastoral Epistles, page 294.

I first heard the above quote by Vincent in one of the sermons by John MacArthur on Titus 2:15:

NKJ Titus 2:15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Dr. MacArthur was speaking at a Shepherd's Conference in Ft. Worth many years ago (in the 90's). I have remembered his sermon on this particular text ever since. It was truly excellent.

What was excellent was not so much John's manner of speech, but what he brought out of the text. It was an excellent example of the strengths of expository preaching. Expository preaching is contextual preaching, and this is what MacArthur was doing.

NKJ Nehemiah 8:8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.

John brought out the sense of the text and showed it's relevance to the culture today. He helped us to understand what was being said in a verse that seems insignificant at first glance. In his own studies, he initially considered it a kind of throw away verse that one makes a few comments on and moves along. I think it was the term "authority" that triggered his attention and caused him to meditate.

I can't recall the order in which he started his analysis, but he brought the listeners into a meditation on "these things." The context of the Pastoral epistles was considered so as to bring out the sense of "these things." The conclusion of the matter was that Paul is speaking about sound doctrine. Sound doctrine certainly includes the practice of godliness, but genuine godliness is built on right thinking about God, Christ, man, sin, salvation and our eternal hope. "These things" refers to all of these doctrines, and the teacher is to equip the people of God to think accurately and biblically about such matters. Theological precision is required, but our day is not a day of theological precision. It hardly qualifies as an age in which people are interested in sound theology. In such an apathetic and unthinking age, the leaders in the church are to teach "these things," and not their own judgment as to what is good for the people. Christ, through Paul, is commanding leaders to teach "these things"! It may have been in this particular message by MacArthur where he mentioned that he gives his people what they don't want to hear. In other words, the tendency of our depraved minds is to avoid thinking about "these things," but the preacher cannot compromise. The church needs genuine shepherds, and not ministerial calf-makers who set aside and pervert God's word for the sake of "growth."

Dr. MacArthur also brought out the significance of the term "authority" in the text. He quoted Packer as saying that the bible is the real preacher. The job of the man in the pulpit is to let some passage say it's peace. The challenge is for the preacher to get out of the way, and let the passage speak. The goal is scriptural projection and not self-projection. The people need to discern that their true authority is God speaking through his word, and not that their authority is some religious expert standing in front of the book. Genuine authority in preaching occurs when a man speaks in such a way that the scriptures speak through him. After thoroughly digesting the contents of a passage in such a way that it impacts his affections, the preacher is to then open the book before the people and speak contextually. That's when one speaks with true "authority."

Packer, in his contribution to the book entitled The Preacher and Preaching, discusses why people do not have a proper idea of what true preaching is. His second reason says:

Second, topical preaching has become a general rule, at least in North America. Sermons explore announced themes rather than biblical passages. Why is this? Partly, I suppose, to make preaching appear interesting and important in an age that has largely lost interest in the pulpit; partly, no doubt, to make the sermon sound different from what goes on in the Bible class before public worship starts; partly, too, because many topical preachers (not all) do not trust their Bible enough to let is speak its own message through their lips. Whatever the reason, however, the results are unhealthy. In a topical sermon the text is reduced to a peg on which the speaker hangs his line of thought; the shape and thrust of the message reflect his own best notions of what is good for people rather than being determined by the text itself. But the only authority that his sermon can then have is the human authority of a knowledgeable person speaking with emphasis and perhaps raising his voice. In my view topical discourses of this kind, no matter how biblical their component parts, cannot but fall short of being preaching in the full sense of that word, just because their biblical content is made to appear as part of the speaker's own wisdom. The authority of God revealed is thus resolved into that of religious expertise. That destroys the very idea of Christian preaching, which excludes the thought of speaking for the Bible and insists that the Bible must be allowed to speak for itself in and through the speaker's words. Granted, topical discourses may become real preaching if the speaker settles down to letting his happen, but many topical preachers never discipline themselves to become mouthpieces for messages from biblical texts at all. And many in the churches have only ever been exposed to topical preaching of the sort that I have described.

Douglas M. White describes the situation this way in his book The Excellence of Exposition:

Whether topical, textual, or expository, all preaching should be Biblical. Unfortunately this is not true of a great deal of the preaching in modern pulpits. The vast majority of sermons today could not be classified in any of the three categories stated. Topical preaching is most popular, but most of it has very little Biblical content, and therefore has little authority. Textual preaching is also extant, but here also there is too little real interpretation of Bible truth. A verse of Scripture may be quoted, which suggests an idea; that idea is incorporated into a topic, and the topic is then used as a point of departure for a thirty-minute demonstration of sermonic globe-trotting. Again, a phrase or clause is used as a topic, which is repeated half a dozen times or more during the discourse, with two or three lengthy anecdotes (which may not even be related) packed in between the repetitions. A minister of my acquaintance classifies this sort of thing as "bullfrog preaching—a croak and a jump."

Is there genuine authority in the most pulpits today? Is this one of the major reasons why many Christians are undiscerning? I think it is. Paul commands leaders to speak with authority in Titus 2:15. He commands them to speak sound doctrine in the church. It seems to me that we lack both of these things in the pulpit. It's no wonder that people are turning on their televisions without being able to detect the deception of false teachers!

In religion, what damned error, but some sober brow will bless it and approve it with a text, hiding the grossness with fair ornament?—Shakespeare

Not only is the preacher to teach sound doctrine with authority, but they are to do so in a way that exhorts and rebukes. There are positive and negative aspects. A friend of mine uses this quote below his name on discussion boards. It captures the thought of Paul:

A preacher must be both a soldier and a shepherd. He must nourish, defend, and teach; he must have teeth in his mouth and be able to bite and to fight.—Martin Luther

One dominated by a church growth mentality will not have this view of Luther or Paul. They will not engage in exhortations and rebukes. They will smile and always speak pleasant things.

NKJ 1 Kings 22:8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say such things!"

A true shepherd warns, rebukes builds up, mends with all patience and diligence. Like Augustine, he seeks to "love men and slay error." This is the idea in Titus 2:15. There should be a prophetic edge to the way a preacher speaks. If a preacher has meditated on a text, then it is in him like a fire that must come out.

NKJ Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name." But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

A person who speaks God's word in this way cannot be despised. No one can think around, or evade his words. The scriptural teaching is made plain, so that they must either obey or disobey. If they are upset, then they will have to deal with the implications of the passage. All the preacher did was expound the passage. He is a messenger. If the listener doesn't like it, then they have to answer to scripture. There is no possibility of successful evasion when a preacher has done his job.

This was the essence of MacArthur's message from this passage, and it has impacted my thinking greatly. I am amazed at the implications of such a simple passage. It is not a "throw away" verse at all. It's speaks volumes to our culture today.

We lack sound doctrinal instruction. We lack a knowledge of "these things." We don't have preachers speaking with genuine authority. There is a loss of a prophetic edge, because the text is behind the preacher. Self-projection instead of Christ-projection is rampant. There is an inability to correct and slay error. We are undiscerning. We are children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. People are evading the implications of biblical teaching in their lives because their leaders are not informing their consciences. They are "thinking around" or evading the topical preachers since a mere human authority is conveyed.

Titus 2:15 speaks directly to this current problem. It's worth a significant amount of meditation!

Love and Consideration

"The one who will be found in trial capable of great acts of love is ever the one who is always doing considerate small ones." - F. W. Robertson The New Dictionary of Thoughts

Most of Jesus' life is not recorded for us. Isn't it amazing to wonder about how many seemingly small acts of kindness he must have done in leading up to the cross?

"died" and "for" distinctions

NKJ 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Since I don't think the truths of the cross can be repeated enough, I'll post this here.

One person (a strict particularist) asked (the dualists) on a discussion board:

"So then, He died for everyone?"

My reply:

A confusion can occur in at least two areas. It touches on the terms "died" and "for." "For" refers to divine intentionality and design. If one denies different senses of God's will (secret and revealed), then it is no wonder that the conclusion is either strict particularism or Arminianism. The strict particularist says that Christ died "for" the elect alone, while the Arminian says that Christ died "for" everyone with the same intent, i.e. equally for all. The dualists (and Calvin I would argue), on the other hand, maintain that both of these positions are mistaken, and they fail to account for actual volitional complexity within God, and for all the scriptural data. The strict particularists and the Arminians are actually similar. They both think that God can have only one equal and singular intent in Christ's death. Anything else does not "make sense" to them. It's deemed "illogical" and "contradictory" because they fail to understand the Law of Non-Contradiction and the distinction between senses.

There is also a confusion regarding the term "died." Christ's death, merely by itself, does not save any man. The death he died is only applied to any individual through the instrumentality of faith, i.e. it does not ipso facto liberate as Charles Hodge points out. There is a sense in which the death is first provisional and then it comes to have the sense of possession when one believes. So then, as a believer, Christ "died" for me in a different sense (i.e. in the possessed/efficacious sense) than in the merely universal (or provisional) sense with regard to those still in unbelief. If we distinguish between the provisional and possessed senses of "died," then there is no problem saying that Christ "died" for everyone.

It is only when we think of Christ's death as actually saving when he died (due to commercialistic/pecuniary debt "payment" categories being pushed beyond the analogical or metaphorical into the literal) that the universal sense becomes unthinkable. If the death is, by itself, efficacious for those it was decretally designed for, then it follows that they were saved when he died, i.e. they are justified prior to faith. This is a biblically absurd conclusion. Faith logically preceeds justification in the biblical ordo salutis (Rom. 5:1), and the elect really abide under the wrath of God (Eph. 2:3) prior to faith because the merits of Christ's death are not yet imputed to them. The death is merely provisional for them prior to faith.

I hope the distinctions above help some to see the ambiguity in the senses of "died" and "for" in the question.

Grace to you,

Tony

"That reprobate and deplorably wicked men do not receive it, is not through any defect in the grace of God, nor is it just, that, on account of of the children of perdition, it should lose the glory and title of universal redemption, since it is prepared for all, and all are called to it." Wolfgang Musculus Common Places, p. 151.

"Not willing that any should perish. So wonderful is his love towards mankind, that he would have them all to be saved, and is of his own self prepared to bestow salvation on the lost." John Calvin's comments on 2 Peter 3:9

D. A. Carson Audio Messages and Our Motives in Evangelism

D. A. Carson Audio Messages

There are some excellent audio messages in the link below by D. A. Carson on subjects ranging from Open Theism, The Emerging Church, and Postmodernism.

Christway Media

D. A. Carson is Research Professor of New Testament Trinity Evangelical Divinity School BS, McGill University MDiv, Central Baptist Seminary, Toronto PhD, University of Cambridge, 1978­ Prior to joining the faculty at Trinity, Dr. Carson served more than three years as a pastor and several years in part-time itinerant ministry in various parts of Canada and Great Britain. He also spent three years on the faculty of Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary, Vancouver, British Columbia, and served two of those years as dean. He is the author or editor of more than forty books, including The Sermon on the Mount, Exegetical Fallacies, Matthew (EBC), Showing the Spirit, How Long, O Lord?, The Gospel of John, The Gagging of God, and (with Dr. John Woodbridge) Hermeneutics, Authority and Canon, and Letters Along the Way.

I am an audiophile of sorts. At my place of work, I am able to sort packages and listen to my MP3 player at the same time. I recently downloaded Carson's material on Open Theism, and they are excellent! If you enjoy good audio teaching as well, be sure to check out the site above.

Here is an excerpt from the section on Open Theism, Philosophical and Theological Issues Part 1:

Carson Excerpt

Our Motives in Evangelism

Notice what he says about Hyper-Calvinism in that audio clip. There is a sense in which they engage in evangelism in the sense of warning sinners about their accountability before God regarding the law, but they only offer Christ to "sensible sinners," i.e. those sinners showing genuine conviction and a desire to repent. So, it's not the case that they are against evangelism in that sense, but they redefine evangelism in such a way as to restrict free offers (although Carson doesn't quite express it that way). This point reiterates what I said in an earlier post. One would have to be a special kind of moron to deny that the bible teaches that we should evangelize, so only a few in history have ever drawn that conclusion. What some classic Hypers did was redefine evangelism so as to eliminate indiscriminate offers. After all, why would we want to offer Christ to all when God does not? Some High Calvinists say that we offer Christ to all only because we are ignorant about the elect status of people prior to faith. Our indiscriminate offers are then based in ignorance. This is also a serious mistake. We offer Christ to all men because 1) We are commanded in scripture to do just that (Matt. 28), and 2) It is God-like to do that. Just as we are to love all men because God loves them (Matt. 5:45), so we should reach out to all men with free gospel invitations to all men because God, through Christ and his church, does so. None of the above statements are antithetical to historic Calvinism or to scripture. Notice what this passage says:

NRS 2 Corinthians 5:20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Observe also what John Calvin says on 2 Peter 3:9:

9. But the Lord is not slack, or, delays not. He checks extreme and unreasonable haste by another reason, that is, that the Lord defers his coming that he might invite all mankind to repentance. For our minds are always prurient, and a doubt often creeps in, why he does not come sooner. But when we hear that the Lord, in delaying, shews a concern for our salvation, and that he defers the time because he has a care for us, there is no reason why we should any longer complain of tardiness. He is tardy who allows an occasion to pass by through slothfulness: there is nothing like this in God, who in the best manner regulates time to promote our salvation. And as to the duration of the whole world, we must think exactly the same as of the life of every individual; for God by prolonging time to each, sustains him that he may repent. In the like manner he does not hasten the end of the world, in order to give to all time to repent.

This is a very necessary admonition, so that we may learn to employ time aright, as we shall otherwise suffer a just punishment for our idleness.

Not willing that any should perish. So wonderful is his love towards mankind, that he would have them all to be saved, and is of his own self prepared to bestow salvation on the lost. But the order is to be noticed, that God is ready to receive all to repentance, so that none may perish; for in these words the way and manner of obtaining salvation is pointed out. Every one of us, therefore, who is desirous of salvation, must learn to enter in by this way.

But it may be asked, If God wishes none to perish, why is it that so many do perish? To this my answer is, that no mention is here made of the hidden purpose of God [Tony's comment: Calvin is here referencing God's secret will, i.e. the decretive], according to which the reprobate are doomed to their own ruin, but only of his will as made known to us in the gospel [Tony's comment: Now he is referencing the revealed will of God, i.e. the preceptive]. For God there stretches forth his hand without a difference to all, but lays hold only of those, to lead them to himself, whom he has chosen before the foundation of the world.

But as the verb χωρὢσαι is often taken passively by the Greeks, no less suitable to this passage is the verb which I have put in the margin, that God would have all, who had been before wandering and scattered, to be gathered or come together to repentance.

Calvin's Commentaries on 2 Peter 3:9

John Calvin is excellent here. His comments above would frighten your average "Calvinist" today. Calvin not only says that God desires repentance from all men without exception, but he sees the necessary logic and says he desires their salvation. He says, "So wonderful is his love towards mankind, that he would have them all to be saved, and is of his own self prepared to bestow salvation on the lost." Be sure to read Calvin carefully. In this passage of his commentary, the "us, our, all mankind, all, each, every individual, any" etc., are all universal in scope. The immediate context of each word shows that to be the case. Calvin has an excellent balance on the well-meant offer of the gospel as is seen here. Calvin weaves together the general love and/or common grace of God with the free offer. For he says, "...the Lord, in delaying, shews a concern for our salvation, and that he defers the time because he has a care for us..." And again, "So wonderful is his love towards mankind, that he would have them all to be saved, and is of his own self prepared to bestow salvation on the lost."

God is not interested in mere external obedience to his commands regarding evangelism. He is interested in our motives, or why we do what we do. Christ-likeness should be our motive, and it is Christ-like to freely offer the gospel to all men because we desire them to be saved. We would not want anyone to be saved if it were not for the Holy Spirit motivating and working in us to desire such things. Motives matter, and our evangelistic motives should be godly. He seeks to save lost sinners and stretches out his hands all day to rebellious sinners with sincere invitations.

NKJ Isaiah 65:2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts;

NKJ Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.