1. Justification is a Legal Act of God.
One of the most precious ways the Bible describes salvation is by the word "justification." It is God that justifies (Rom. 8:33). Self-righteous sinners justify themselves, but remain condemned by God (Luke 10:29). God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5), but not by excusing their sin or denying they are sinners. Justification is a legal act by God, a metaphor taken from the law court. The best and most popular definition is in the Westminster Shorter Catechism: "Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone."
2. Justification is by Grace Alone.
Salvation is by grace alone, and justification is by grace alone. Rom. 3:24, "justified freely by His grace." It is not purchased by us in whole or in part by our good works. We cannot earn it, nor would if we could. To try to buy it is to offer the Judge a bribe, but God takes no bribes. it is a legal act, but also one of pure grace.
3. Justification is by Faith Alone.
The Catholic Church, like the early Judaizers, says that justification is by faith and works, not by faith alone. They are not merely saying that works must follow faith; they are saying that both must precede justification. We utterly deny it. Again, they say: faith - works - justification. The Bible says: faith - justification - works. Rom.3:28 and Gal. 2:16 are very explicit that we are justified by faith alone. Faith is the condition. It is not the ground of justification. It is the condition in the sense that God will not justify without it, and it is by faith that we are connected with Christ. He is the true merit.
4. God Justifies a Person Because of the Work of Christ.
We are "justified by His blood" (Rom. 5:9). God set forth Christ as the propitiatory sacrifice that appeased His wrath. God thereby looks at the cross, is satisfied, and is then able to justify us (Rom. 3:25). God did not sweep sin under the carpet, nor wink at it. He punished it in Christ. The work of Christ, then, is the ground upon which God can legally justify us. We are also justified in His resurrection.
5. Justification is the Second Part of the Great Exchange.
2 Cor. 5:21 is one of the Bible's golden verses of salvation. It speaks of a great exchange. The first stage took place 2000 years ago. God placed our sins upon Christ. He "made Him to be sin". This was not literal. it was by substitution. Christ was treated "as if" He were the sinner. He was then made a curse (Gal. 3:13). He suffered the wrath of God and died. The second stage is when a sinner believes in Christ. Christ places His righteousness on the sinner, who is then accounted righteous by God. He is treated "as if" he had never sinned. It is the perfect counterpart of the cross. He suffered; we can rejoice. He died; we live. We are not literally made righteous, just as He was not literally made sin. Our sins were "imputed" to Him; His righteousness is "imputed" to us. This is why faith is the proper instrument that connects us with the cross, for we believe that Christ died for us.
6. God Imputes the Righteousness of Christ to Us.
"Justify" is the legal metaphor, "impute" is the financial metaphor. God put our sins on the account of Christ. Now God puts the righteousness of Christ on our account. He marks the bill "paid in full". He transfers the value of Christ's person and work to our account. Incidently, God imputes both the active (life) and passive (death) work of Christ to us. See Romans 5. God then treats us "as if" we had never sinned. Indeed, He can look at us as clothed in the very righteousness of Christ.
7. God Pardons All Our Sins.
There are two aspects of justification. In the one, God takes away sin. He forgives it. He pardons us. Second, He puts the righteousness of Christ in its place. This completes the great exchange. God pardons all our sins - past, present and future (Psa. 103:3). God takes away the penalty of guilt. Though we are guilty, He does not hold our sins against us. We are blessed because God no longer imputes sin or its guilt to us (Rom. 4:6-8). God pardons us. He does not grant clemency, which would somehow mitigate our sins. Nor does He place us on probation or parole. He totally pardons every sin we have ever committed. Moreover, He pardons the very sin nature in which we were born.
8. Justification is Instantaneous.
God the Judge bangs the heavenly gavel down in a moment. He does not say, "Not guilty" per se, but rather "Justified!" We are freed in the twinkling of an eye. God predestined in eternity that we would be justified, but we were not actually justified until the moment of faith. Justification is instantaneous and complete. It is not progressive. No one is more justified than another. In fact, those in Heaven are not more justified than the saints on Earth, for justification is a perfect legal declaration by God Himself. An auctioneer bangs the hammer "Sold" in an auction to signal the moment the sale is enacted. So too, God bangs the gavel in the court of Heaven and in our conscience. If it did not occur in a moment, what would be the fate of those who died halfway through the process? It must be in a moment. One second before, the sinner is condemned and doomed; one second after, justified forever.
9. Justification is Not Regeneration.
These two are essential to salvation and are related, but must be distinguished. In regeneration, our nature is changed; in justification, our status is changed. In the one, righteousness is infused; in the other, it is imputed. The order is: regeneration - faith - justification. But we are not justified on the basis of what God does in us by the new birth. No, the basis is the work of Christ. The new birth is drastic, but in some respects is only partial - we still have indwelling sin. We are not justified by an internal righteousness, but by an alien righteousness. What Christ has done in us is partial and progressive (Phil. 1:6), and so would not provide a complete basis anyway. Also, there is no interval between the two. Some err in suggesting that an infant might be regenerated but not justified till later in life. If so, what if he died at age 16: if regenerate, then fit for Heaven; but if unjustified and unbelieving, fit for Hell. It wouldn't make sense.
10. Justification Is Permanent and Irrevocable.
There is no double jeopardy, no double indemnity. Satan cannot appeal the verdict or raise an objection or sue for a mistrial. It is over and done with. All that follows is the joy of knowing one is justified and free forever, never to be condemned. We have peace with God at last! (Rom.5:1).
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
The New Birth
1. Man Must Be Born Again to Enter Heaven.
The Bible uses a number of terms and analogies to describe salvation. One of them is regeneration, or the new birth. John 3 is the classic chapter on the subject. Unless one is born again, He cannot see or enter Heaven. The word can be translated “again” or “from above”. Both are true. We must be born a second time, from Heaven. We enter this world by physical birth; we are made ready for the next one by spiritual rebirth. We are dead in sins and need this new life to be saved. Those who are not born again do not go to Heaven, but to Hell. Those who are born once will die twice, but those who are born twice will die once.
2. Regeneration is Not Reincarnation.
The new birth is not a physical one. We do not re-enter our mother's womb, nor that of another mother, whether human or animal. Hinduism and Buddhism both teach the error of reincarnation. But this is not to be confused with the Bible doctrine of regeneration. We are born physically once, we die physically once. See Heb. 9:27. There are no after-death experiences, as sensationally reported. Some of the Jews evidently were influenced by pagan ideas when they thought that Jesus was the reincarnation of John the Baptist, Jeremiah or other prophets (Matt. 16:14). Also, we will be resurrected in the future in new and better bodies, but not reincarnated in different bodies. Regeneration is a grand truth, while reincarnation is a dangerous heresy.
3. God Convicts a Sinner Before Conversion.
Just as a physical birth has birth pains, so does the spiritual birth. It is called conviction of sin. The Holy Spirit does this as He prepares us for the new birth. He takes the holy Law of God and burns it into our consciences in a deeper way than ever before. We do more than feel guilty; we know we are lost and doomed. The Puritans used to call this a Law-work (not to be confused with a work of the Law). It is painful and devastating. We resist it, and the more we fight it the worse it becomes. It is painful to kick against God's work (Acts 26:14). God thus breaks open the soil to plant the seed. Conviction is the needle of the Law piercing us, in order to pull the thread of salvation. No conviction, no conversion. But God turns the pain to joy in time.
4. The Holy Spirit Alone Gives the New Birth.
John 3 says that we must be born by the Spirit. Our parents gave us natural life, but they cannot give us supernatural life. Our spirits must be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. John 1:13 tells us that this new birth is not produced by parents or even our own wills. God Himself gives the new birth (James 1:18). God never says, “Regenerate yourself”. A dead man cannot give himself life. Jesus raised Lazaraus. Man is totally passive in regeneration. It is solely the work of the Spirit.
5. Baptism Does Not Produce Regeneration.
One of the most damnable and popular heresies around is baptismal regeneration. It is taught by the Catholic Church, Greek Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Methodism, Church of Christ, Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalianism, and others. It manufactures false Christians, whether as infants or adults. But water does not produce regeneration. Baptismal water is not magic “holy water”. Cornelius was regenerated before baptism (Acts 10). The dying thief was never baptized. Simon Magus was baptized, but died unregenerate in his sins (Acts 8).
6. The Word of God is the Means of Regeneration.
If water is not the means, what is? The Bible. God compares it to a seed (Luke 8:11). We may plant it by telling people the Gospel, and another person may water the seed by explaining the Bible to him. But it lies dormant in the sinner's dead heart unless God germinates it (I Cor. 3:6). God works on the seed by special grace, causing it to break open and produce life in the sinner's heart. The Bible is thus the means of irresistible grace producing the new birth (James 1:18, 1 Pet. 1:23). Those who never get this seed will never be saved. Nor does God work this miracle in everyone who does hear the Gospel. Nor does God produce regeneration without this seed.
7. Regeneration Precedes Faith.
A dead man cannot move, speak, walk, etc. A dead sinner cannot do anything that requires spiritual life, such as believing. He must first be given life, then he can believe. Lazarus was raised before he could walk out of the tomb. God gives the new birth and then the gift of faith. That is the order. He that believes already has eternal life (I John 5:1). There is no time lag or interval between them. It is merely a matter of which logically precedes and produces the other.
8. Regeneration Changes Our Basic Nature.
When we are regenerated, we do not become angels. We remain humans. But our nature as humans changes. Sin still dwells in us, but now so does grace. The point is that we now have spiritual life. We become a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). It is a spiritual resurrection. It is a radical transformation. Sin affected us totally in every part; now grace affects and changes us in every part. Our new nature is basically regenerate, good, Christlike, spiritual. We have remnants of the old, like a swimmer has seaweed clinging to him as he emerges from the sea. It is not a sinner with some good attached, nor equally good and bad, but primarily regenerate and new with remnants of sin in us till we die.
9. Regeneration is an Instantaneous Miracle.
It is a miracle of God, not an act of self-reformation or resolution by Man. God prepares the heart for it by conviction and other things, but regeneration itself occurs in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. It is not gradual or progressive, but instantaneous and sudden. Nobody is half-regenerate, nor more regenerate than someone else. If one dies before regeneration, he goes to Hell; if after, Heaven. In physical birth, there is a gestation period of 9 months following conception. This might be paralleled in the spiritual realm by the process by which God gradually prepares one for regeneration in a moment.
10. Only Born-Again People are Real Christians.
All Christians are born-again and all born-again people are Christians. There are no born-again Moslems. Nor are there any Christians who are not born again. "Born-again Christian" could be a misnomer, if it is taken to mean that some Christians are not born-again. One becomes a Christian by being born again; there is no other way. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). But, of course, not everyone who says he is a Christian really is a Christian. This is sad and tragic. Most Americans say they are Christians, but it is highly unlikely that more than 1 or 2% really are. Saying that you are doesn't make it so. It is not whether we say it, but whether we are in fact. And likewise, not everyone who says he is born again really is regenerate (Catholics and other heretics claim to be). It is vital to discern if we really are.
The Bible uses a number of terms and analogies to describe salvation. One of them is regeneration, or the new birth. John 3 is the classic chapter on the subject. Unless one is born again, He cannot see or enter Heaven. The word can be translated “again” or “from above”. Both are true. We must be born a second time, from Heaven. We enter this world by physical birth; we are made ready for the next one by spiritual rebirth. We are dead in sins and need this new life to be saved. Those who are not born again do not go to Heaven, but to Hell. Those who are born once will die twice, but those who are born twice will die once.
2. Regeneration is Not Reincarnation.
The new birth is not a physical one. We do not re-enter our mother's womb, nor that of another mother, whether human or animal. Hinduism and Buddhism both teach the error of reincarnation. But this is not to be confused with the Bible doctrine of regeneration. We are born physically once, we die physically once. See Heb. 9:27. There are no after-death experiences, as sensationally reported. Some of the Jews evidently were influenced by pagan ideas when they thought that Jesus was the reincarnation of John the Baptist, Jeremiah or other prophets (Matt. 16:14). Also, we will be resurrected in the future in new and better bodies, but not reincarnated in different bodies. Regeneration is a grand truth, while reincarnation is a dangerous heresy.
3. God Convicts a Sinner Before Conversion.
Just as a physical birth has birth pains, so does the spiritual birth. It is called conviction of sin. The Holy Spirit does this as He prepares us for the new birth. He takes the holy Law of God and burns it into our consciences in a deeper way than ever before. We do more than feel guilty; we know we are lost and doomed. The Puritans used to call this a Law-work (not to be confused with a work of the Law). It is painful and devastating. We resist it, and the more we fight it the worse it becomes. It is painful to kick against God's work (Acts 26:14). God thus breaks open the soil to plant the seed. Conviction is the needle of the Law piercing us, in order to pull the thread of salvation. No conviction, no conversion. But God turns the pain to joy in time.
4. The Holy Spirit Alone Gives the New Birth.
John 3 says that we must be born by the Spirit. Our parents gave us natural life, but they cannot give us supernatural life. Our spirits must be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. John 1:13 tells us that this new birth is not produced by parents or even our own wills. God Himself gives the new birth (James 1:18). God never says, “Regenerate yourself”. A dead man cannot give himself life. Jesus raised Lazaraus. Man is totally passive in regeneration. It is solely the work of the Spirit.
5. Baptism Does Not Produce Regeneration.
One of the most damnable and popular heresies around is baptismal regeneration. It is taught by the Catholic Church, Greek Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Methodism, Church of Christ, Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalianism, and others. It manufactures false Christians, whether as infants or adults. But water does not produce regeneration. Baptismal water is not magic “holy water”. Cornelius was regenerated before baptism (Acts 10). The dying thief was never baptized. Simon Magus was baptized, but died unregenerate in his sins (Acts 8).
6. The Word of God is the Means of Regeneration.
If water is not the means, what is? The Bible. God compares it to a seed (Luke 8:11). We may plant it by telling people the Gospel, and another person may water the seed by explaining the Bible to him. But it lies dormant in the sinner's dead heart unless God germinates it (I Cor. 3:6). God works on the seed by special grace, causing it to break open and produce life in the sinner's heart. The Bible is thus the means of irresistible grace producing the new birth (James 1:18, 1 Pet. 1:23). Those who never get this seed will never be saved. Nor does God work this miracle in everyone who does hear the Gospel. Nor does God produce regeneration without this seed.
7. Regeneration Precedes Faith.
A dead man cannot move, speak, walk, etc. A dead sinner cannot do anything that requires spiritual life, such as believing. He must first be given life, then he can believe. Lazarus was raised before he could walk out of the tomb. God gives the new birth and then the gift of faith. That is the order. He that believes already has eternal life (I John 5:1). There is no time lag or interval between them. It is merely a matter of which logically precedes and produces the other.
8. Regeneration Changes Our Basic Nature.
When we are regenerated, we do not become angels. We remain humans. But our nature as humans changes. Sin still dwells in us, but now so does grace. The point is that we now have spiritual life. We become a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). It is a spiritual resurrection. It is a radical transformation. Sin affected us totally in every part; now grace affects and changes us in every part. Our new nature is basically regenerate, good, Christlike, spiritual. We have remnants of the old, like a swimmer has seaweed clinging to him as he emerges from the sea. It is not a sinner with some good attached, nor equally good and bad, but primarily regenerate and new with remnants of sin in us till we die.
9. Regeneration is an Instantaneous Miracle.
It is a miracle of God, not an act of self-reformation or resolution by Man. God prepares the heart for it by conviction and other things, but regeneration itself occurs in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. It is not gradual or progressive, but instantaneous and sudden. Nobody is half-regenerate, nor more regenerate than someone else. If one dies before regeneration, he goes to Hell; if after, Heaven. In physical birth, there is a gestation period of 9 months following conception. This might be paralleled in the spiritual realm by the process by which God gradually prepares one for regeneration in a moment.
10. Only Born-Again People are Real Christians.
All Christians are born-again and all born-again people are Christians. There are no born-again Moslems. Nor are there any Christians who are not born again. "Born-again Christian" could be a misnomer, if it is taken to mean that some Christians are not born-again. One becomes a Christian by being born again; there is no other way. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). But, of course, not everyone who says he is a Christian really is a Christian. This is sad and tragic. Most Americans say they are Christians, but it is highly unlikely that more than 1 or 2% really are. Saying that you are doesn't make it so. It is not whether we say it, but whether we are in fact. And likewise, not everyone who says he is born again really is regenerate (Catholics and other heretics claim to be). It is vital to discern if we really are.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Providence
1. God is Involved with His Creation.
Creation was the beginning, not the end, of God's involvement with the Universe. God takes an active interest and involvement with His Creation. He is not an absentee landlord, as suggested by 18th-century Deism. He did not wind it up like a clock and step back and let things take their course. He not only knows what is happening throughout the universe, but is involved in every detail and the relationships between everything. Sometimes He uses angels to carry on the work. Sometimes He acts normally, sometimes unusually. But He never is absent or ignorant. God is in charge.
2. God Upholds All Things.
“Through Him are all things” (Rom. 11:36). God predestined and created all things, and guides them along every moment of the way along their foreordained ways to the final culmination of all things. Nothing goes astray from the pre-arranged plan. He also “upholds all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). Just as He created everything by His word of power, so He sustains everything by this same Word. He does not continue to create things, but keeps them existting so that they do not fall into non-existence. He sustains all things; in Him all things consist or hold together (Col. 1:17).
3. God Provides for the Universe.
Everything depends upon God for existence and all the relevant details of space and time. He provides all energy for the atoms, lightning, electricity, magnetism, gravity, light, etc. He also is the source of all life. “He gives to all life, breath and all things ... for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:25,28). God feeds the animals (Matt. 6:26). He preserves all living things (Psa. 36:6) and provides life to all living Creatures (Neh. 9:6). He provides through Providence.
4. God Allows Catastrophes.
God allows what we would call natural disasters and tragedies. For example, God is in complete control of the weather (Job 38:26-38). There is no “Mother Nature”. Even insurance companies refer to “an act of God” beyond the foresight or influence of Man. God allows floods, droughts, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, etc. Part of this is because of the curse on Creation due to the sin of Man. Some disasters are due to specific sins, others not. God allows airplane crashes, burning homes, birth defects, financial ruin and broken marriages. These are not outside His dominion. He cannot be blamed, however, nor should we ever even think of blaming Him when they strike us. God allows wars, revolutions and corrupt government. He allows all these to remind us of sin and warn us of future judgement.
5. God Loves His Creatures.
God loves His Creation, especially the higher they are on the levels of Creation. He loves humans more than animals (Matt. 6:26). He has a general love for all people as His creatures, made in His image. This is part of Common Grace. In this sense, God loves everyone (Psa. 33:5). God created us out of love, and this continues even after the Fall in spite of sin. Thus it it Common Grace, not just a general love. God tells us to love our enemies, because God Himself loves His enemies (Matt. 5:44). This flows from God's very nature as love itself.
6. God Sends Good to All His Creatures.
We must do good to all men, because God does good to all men (Matt. 5:44-45, Luke 6:35-36). He sends rain and sunshine on all people, regardless of whether they are Christians or not (Acts 14:17). Everything good in the world is a gift from God the Creator to His creatures (James 1:17, I Tim. 4:4, Gen. 1:31). He even gives good things to people that end up in Hell (Luke 16:25). He rarely is ever thanked for these gifts, for ingratitude characterizes fallen Man (Rom. 1:21).
7. God Takes Special Care of His Children.
There is a general providence for all men and a special providence for the elect, before and especially after their conversions. God tells us to love and do good for all men, especially other Christians (Gal. 6:10). God does the same here. This is why God works all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). It does not always appear such, especially in the midst of trials and afflictions and disasters. But we need to be patient and have faith. All will one day be explained to us. We need not fret because the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper, for this is only temporary (Psa. 37:1-2). God is in complete control and takes a special interest in His children.
8. God is Involved in Human Hearts.
God is totally sovereign in Providence, even in the hearts and wills of Man. Our will is not off-limits to God. He can intervene and interrupt at any time. Indeed, He regularly does this. He gives faith, He withholds faith. He overrules the plans and desires of our minds (Pro. 16:1, 9). He turns our hearts like rivers (Pro. 21:1). He puts things like joy in our hearts (Ezra 6:22, 7:27). He “works all things in all persons” (I Cor. 12:6). He is at work on our wills so that we will and do what He wants (Phil. 2:13). This is a deep mystery. God is sovereign, but we are still responsible. Theologians call this “concurrence”. God mysteriously guides our very thoughts and motives, good and bad, in such a way that He is sovereign and cannot be blamed, while we are still responsible.
9. God Restrains Sin.
God is even in control of sin. Sometimes, He restrains us from sinning (Gen. 20:6). He prevents certain circumstances to arise and keeps us from even being tempted. Or He may pull us through those temptations. We need to pray that God “lead us not into temptation.” On the other hand, God also allows us to fall into sin. He takes the restraints off, and we give in to temptation. He gives us over to sin (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28). He lets whole nations go their own way into heinous sin (Acts 14:16). He lets go and we fall into sin under our own weight (Psa. 81:11-12, Acts 7:42). We ought to pray that God restrains sin in us.
10. God Works Miracles.
Most of what we have said so far has reference to God's general method of providence. Though still somewhat mysterious, there is a certain order to it. It is Usual Providence. But there is also Unusual Providence, in which God acts in a special way. In general providence, He acts indirectly. Here He acts directly. A miracle is not just an unlikely event. It is one that goes contrary to the Laws of Nature. But God is free to suspend those laws, for after all it is He that is at work in all things anyway. Miracles are relatively rare. God alone can work miracles. They are signs that God is God. Jesus was God and did many miracles to prove it. The two greatest miracles regarding Christ were the Virgin Birth and Resurrection. Since then, the greatest miracle is the new birth and spiritual resurrection.
Creation was the beginning, not the end, of God's involvement with the Universe. God takes an active interest and involvement with His Creation. He is not an absentee landlord, as suggested by 18th-century Deism. He did not wind it up like a clock and step back and let things take their course. He not only knows what is happening throughout the universe, but is involved in every detail and the relationships between everything. Sometimes He uses angels to carry on the work. Sometimes He acts normally, sometimes unusually. But He never is absent or ignorant. God is in charge.
2. God Upholds All Things.
“Through Him are all things” (Rom. 11:36). God predestined and created all things, and guides them along every moment of the way along their foreordained ways to the final culmination of all things. Nothing goes astray from the pre-arranged plan. He also “upholds all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). Just as He created everything by His word of power, so He sustains everything by this same Word. He does not continue to create things, but keeps them existting so that they do not fall into non-existence. He sustains all things; in Him all things consist or hold together (Col. 1:17).
3. God Provides for the Universe.
Everything depends upon God for existence and all the relevant details of space and time. He provides all energy for the atoms, lightning, electricity, magnetism, gravity, light, etc. He also is the source of all life. “He gives to all life, breath and all things ... for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:25,28). God feeds the animals (Matt. 6:26). He preserves all living things (Psa. 36:6) and provides life to all living Creatures (Neh. 9:6). He provides through Providence.
4. God Allows Catastrophes.
God allows what we would call natural disasters and tragedies. For example, God is in complete control of the weather (Job 38:26-38). There is no “Mother Nature”. Even insurance companies refer to “an act of God” beyond the foresight or influence of Man. God allows floods, droughts, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, etc. Part of this is because of the curse on Creation due to the sin of Man. Some disasters are due to specific sins, others not. God allows airplane crashes, burning homes, birth defects, financial ruin and broken marriages. These are not outside His dominion. He cannot be blamed, however, nor should we ever even think of blaming Him when they strike us. God allows wars, revolutions and corrupt government. He allows all these to remind us of sin and warn us of future judgement.
5. God Loves His Creatures.
God loves His Creation, especially the higher they are on the levels of Creation. He loves humans more than animals (Matt. 6:26). He has a general love for all people as His creatures, made in His image. This is part of Common Grace. In this sense, God loves everyone (Psa. 33:5). God created us out of love, and this continues even after the Fall in spite of sin. Thus it it Common Grace, not just a general love. God tells us to love our enemies, because God Himself loves His enemies (Matt. 5:44). This flows from God's very nature as love itself.
6. God Sends Good to All His Creatures.
We must do good to all men, because God does good to all men (Matt. 5:44-45, Luke 6:35-36). He sends rain and sunshine on all people, regardless of whether they are Christians or not (Acts 14:17). Everything good in the world is a gift from God the Creator to His creatures (James 1:17, I Tim. 4:4, Gen. 1:31). He even gives good things to people that end up in Hell (Luke 16:25). He rarely is ever thanked for these gifts, for ingratitude characterizes fallen Man (Rom. 1:21).
7. God Takes Special Care of His Children.
There is a general providence for all men and a special providence for the elect, before and especially after their conversions. God tells us to love and do good for all men, especially other Christians (Gal. 6:10). God does the same here. This is why God works all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). It does not always appear such, especially in the midst of trials and afflictions and disasters. But we need to be patient and have faith. All will one day be explained to us. We need not fret because the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper, for this is only temporary (Psa. 37:1-2). God is in complete control and takes a special interest in His children.
8. God is Involved in Human Hearts.
God is totally sovereign in Providence, even in the hearts and wills of Man. Our will is not off-limits to God. He can intervene and interrupt at any time. Indeed, He regularly does this. He gives faith, He withholds faith. He overrules the plans and desires of our minds (Pro. 16:1, 9). He turns our hearts like rivers (Pro. 21:1). He puts things like joy in our hearts (Ezra 6:22, 7:27). He “works all things in all persons” (I Cor. 12:6). He is at work on our wills so that we will and do what He wants (Phil. 2:13). This is a deep mystery. God is sovereign, but we are still responsible. Theologians call this “concurrence”. God mysteriously guides our very thoughts and motives, good and bad, in such a way that He is sovereign and cannot be blamed, while we are still responsible.
9. God Restrains Sin.
God is even in control of sin. Sometimes, He restrains us from sinning (Gen. 20:6). He prevents certain circumstances to arise and keeps us from even being tempted. Or He may pull us through those temptations. We need to pray that God “lead us not into temptation.” On the other hand, God also allows us to fall into sin. He takes the restraints off, and we give in to temptation. He gives us over to sin (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28). He lets whole nations go their own way into heinous sin (Acts 14:16). He lets go and we fall into sin under our own weight (Psa. 81:11-12, Acts 7:42). We ought to pray that God restrains sin in us.
10. God Works Miracles.
Most of what we have said so far has reference to God's general method of providence. Though still somewhat mysterious, there is a certain order to it. It is Usual Providence. But there is also Unusual Providence, in which God acts in a special way. In general providence, He acts indirectly. Here He acts directly. A miracle is not just an unlikely event. It is one that goes contrary to the Laws of Nature. But God is free to suspend those laws, for after all it is He that is at work in all things anyway. Miracles are relatively rare. God alone can work miracles. They are signs that God is God. Jesus was God and did many miracles to prove it. The two greatest miracles regarding Christ were the Virgin Birth and Resurrection. Since then, the greatest miracle is the new birth and spiritual resurrection.
Monday, August 04, 2008
FAITH
1. Faith is a Duty.
All men are required to believe in God as their Creator. They already know He exists; they are called on to agree and submit. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Whoever comes to God must first believe in God (Heb. 11:6). Whatever is not based in faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). This is a general duty imposed on all men as creatures. Those who hear the Gospel are further required to believe in Jesus Christ. "Believe in God; believe also in me" (John 14:1). Sinners are commanded, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 16:31). It is a duty. In that sense, it is a work (John 6:29). It is something that God commands of us as a duty.
2. We are Saved by Faith Alone.
The Reformers boldly protested against Romanism's faith-and-works system by proclaiming, "Sola fide!" (faith alone). Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9). That is, by grace alone as the source, and faith alone as the response. Rome, following the Galatian Judaizers, says that we are saved by faith, but not by faith alone. By faith we receive the sacraments, they say, in order to receive grace that enables us to do enough good works to produce a righteousness in us so as to merit God's approval. This is poisonous heresy. Good works follow faith and salvation, as Eph. 2:10 shows. The Catholic and Galatian order is this: faith - works - justification. The Bible's order is this: faith - justification - works. We are saved by faith without good works, for the unregenerate sinner is incapable of producing even one good work.
3. There is No Merit in Faith.
Though faith is a duty, there is no merit in it. We do not earn salvation because of the value of our faith. We do not buy salvation with the coin of faith. Salvation is by grace and cannot be bought by us in any form or fashion, not in whole or in part. To try to buy that which is of infinite value is an insult to God. Faith is the instrument of receiving salvation. The value is in the gift, not the hand that receives it. We are not saved on the basis of our faith, but on the basis (or ground) of the work of Christ.
4. Faith Agrees with the Gospel.
What is faith? Faith has 3 necessary elements: knowledge, assent, trust. The first means that faith is not blind. It has an object, a content. It is not faith in faith, blind optimism, a positive mental attitude, the power of positive thinking, etc. Second, faith agrees with the true content. The content is the Word of God, specifically the Gospel. "Believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15). A believer believes "that" certain things are true. He gives his mental agreement. He is enlightened by the Spirit. He may not understand all the ramifications and implications, but he knows and sees the Gospel as true. His heart says, "Amen", which is the Hebrew word for faith.
5. Faith Trusts in Christ.
The third and crucial element of faith is trust. The believer trusts Christ personally from the heart (Rom. 10:9-10). The Bible speaks of believing in, into, and upon Christ, or simply believing Christ Himself. It is not faith in self; it is faith in Christ. It takes Him at His Word, trusts in His trustworthiness, and commits to Christ personally.
6. Faith Submits to Christ as Lord.
Saving faith also has the element of submission in it, which is part of trust. We are to submit to Christ as a wife is to submit to her husband (Eph. 5:22-24). In conversion, the believing heart accepts Christ's hand in marriage by saying "I do". I do accept and submit. I surrender. I hand Christ the reins, the key, the throne. I bow. They are in serious error who suggest that one may be saved merely by believing in your mind that Jesus is Lord without submitting to Him as Lord. This part of faith differentiates true believers from false.
7. Repentance is Part of Faith.
Repentance is a requirement of salvation (Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19). But it is not really a second condition, but actually part of faith. Faith has 3 elements; so does repentance. First the sinner is convicted of sin and mourns for it as sin (not just because he was caught). He grieves for it (2 Cor. 7:10). Second, he changes his mind about it. He then turns from it. It is more than a change of mind; it is a change of direction from sin to God. Thus, repentance is linked with faith (Mark 1:15, Acts 20:21). It is associated with the word "convert", meaning to turn (Acts 3:19). Unless we turn, we will burn.
8. Faith is a Gift of God.
Faith is a duty, but no man can do that duty. So God gives us the faith that He commands. The Bible often says that faith is a gift (2 Pet. 1:1, Phil. 1:29, John 3:27, 6:65, Rom. 12:3, 1 Cor. 3:6, 4:7) It is given through the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Faith is not merely offered to us; it is actually bestowed. It is not held out to be accepted by us if we ask, for James 1 says that we receive nothing unless we ask in faith. So God must sovereignly give us that faith. And it is not given to all. Also, repentance is a gift that God gives (2 Tim. 2:25, Acts 5:31, 11:18).
9. Assurance is Part of Faith.
The Catholic Church denies that anyone can have assurance, but I John 5:13 says otherwise. All believers can know that they have eternal life. Moreover, in one sense, all believers have some degree of assurance. They know the Gospel is true. They also know that Christ died for them and that His promise is sure. They have some assurance from the very first moment of faith. But they are not perfected in faith. They still have doubts. So we need to grow in faith and assurance to the "full assurance of faith". We grow by exercising our faith and feeding on the Word of God, which is the source of faith. The three main tests that confirm faith and produce assurance: belief in the true Gospel, the evidence of a changed and obedient life, and the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit. These are the tests in I John that I John 5:13 refers to.
10. True Faith Produces Good Works.
"Faith works by love" (Gal. 5:6). "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). True faith is a mark of regeneration, and will produce works. Life in the root will produce fruit on the branch (Matt. 7:17). Those who do not have good fruit will have only bad fruit, and thereby show that they are still unregenerate. A Christian still sins, but he will not stay in permanent sin. He will keep bearing fruit of good works. Our new nature cannot be killed, and will keep believing and obeying (I John 3). So, we are not saved by faith and works, but saved by grace through faith so that we may show our gratitude by good works (Eph. 2:8-10).
All men are required to believe in God as their Creator. They already know He exists; they are called on to agree and submit. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Whoever comes to God must first believe in God (Heb. 11:6). Whatever is not based in faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). This is a general duty imposed on all men as creatures. Those who hear the Gospel are further required to believe in Jesus Christ. "Believe in God; believe also in me" (John 14:1). Sinners are commanded, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 16:31). It is a duty. In that sense, it is a work (John 6:29). It is something that God commands of us as a duty.
2. We are Saved by Faith Alone.
The Reformers boldly protested against Romanism's faith-and-works system by proclaiming, "Sola fide!" (faith alone). Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9). That is, by grace alone as the source, and faith alone as the response. Rome, following the Galatian Judaizers, says that we are saved by faith, but not by faith alone. By faith we receive the sacraments, they say, in order to receive grace that enables us to do enough good works to produce a righteousness in us so as to merit God's approval. This is poisonous heresy. Good works follow faith and salvation, as Eph. 2:10 shows. The Catholic and Galatian order is this: faith - works - justification. The Bible's order is this: faith - justification - works. We are saved by faith without good works, for the unregenerate sinner is incapable of producing even one good work.
3. There is No Merit in Faith.
Though faith is a duty, there is no merit in it. We do not earn salvation because of the value of our faith. We do not buy salvation with the coin of faith. Salvation is by grace and cannot be bought by us in any form or fashion, not in whole or in part. To try to buy that which is of infinite value is an insult to God. Faith is the instrument of receiving salvation. The value is in the gift, not the hand that receives it. We are not saved on the basis of our faith, but on the basis (or ground) of the work of Christ.
4. Faith Agrees with the Gospel.
What is faith? Faith has 3 necessary elements: knowledge, assent, trust. The first means that faith is not blind. It has an object, a content. It is not faith in faith, blind optimism, a positive mental attitude, the power of positive thinking, etc. Second, faith agrees with the true content. The content is the Word of God, specifically the Gospel. "Believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15). A believer believes "that" certain things are true. He gives his mental agreement. He is enlightened by the Spirit. He may not understand all the ramifications and implications, but he knows and sees the Gospel as true. His heart says, "Amen", which is the Hebrew word for faith.
5. Faith Trusts in Christ.
The third and crucial element of faith is trust. The believer trusts Christ personally from the heart (Rom. 10:9-10). The Bible speaks of believing in, into, and upon Christ, or simply believing Christ Himself. It is not faith in self; it is faith in Christ. It takes Him at His Word, trusts in His trustworthiness, and commits to Christ personally.
6. Faith Submits to Christ as Lord.
Saving faith also has the element of submission in it, which is part of trust. We are to submit to Christ as a wife is to submit to her husband (Eph. 5:22-24). In conversion, the believing heart accepts Christ's hand in marriage by saying "I do". I do accept and submit. I surrender. I hand Christ the reins, the key, the throne. I bow. They are in serious error who suggest that one may be saved merely by believing in your mind that Jesus is Lord without submitting to Him as Lord. This part of faith differentiates true believers from false.
7. Repentance is Part of Faith.
Repentance is a requirement of salvation (Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19). But it is not really a second condition, but actually part of faith. Faith has 3 elements; so does repentance. First the sinner is convicted of sin and mourns for it as sin (not just because he was caught). He grieves for it (2 Cor. 7:10). Second, he changes his mind about it. He then turns from it. It is more than a change of mind; it is a change of direction from sin to God. Thus, repentance is linked with faith (Mark 1:15, Acts 20:21). It is associated with the word "convert", meaning to turn (Acts 3:19). Unless we turn, we will burn.
8. Faith is a Gift of God.
Faith is a duty, but no man can do that duty. So God gives us the faith that He commands. The Bible often says that faith is a gift (2 Pet. 1:1, Phil. 1:29, John 3:27, 6:65, Rom. 12:3, 1 Cor. 3:6, 4:7) It is given through the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Faith is not merely offered to us; it is actually bestowed. It is not held out to be accepted by us if we ask, for James 1 says that we receive nothing unless we ask in faith. So God must sovereignly give us that faith. And it is not given to all. Also, repentance is a gift that God gives (2 Tim. 2:25, Acts 5:31, 11:18).
9. Assurance is Part of Faith.
The Catholic Church denies that anyone can have assurance, but I John 5:13 says otherwise. All believers can know that they have eternal life. Moreover, in one sense, all believers have some degree of assurance. They know the Gospel is true. They also know that Christ died for them and that His promise is sure. They have some assurance from the very first moment of faith. But they are not perfected in faith. They still have doubts. So we need to grow in faith and assurance to the "full assurance of faith". We grow by exercising our faith and feeding on the Word of God, which is the source of faith. The three main tests that confirm faith and produce assurance: belief in the true Gospel, the evidence of a changed and obedient life, and the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit. These are the tests in I John that I John 5:13 refers to.
10. True Faith Produces Good Works.
"Faith works by love" (Gal. 5:6). "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). True faith is a mark of regeneration, and will produce works. Life in the root will produce fruit on the branch (Matt. 7:17). Those who do not have good fruit will have only bad fruit, and thereby show that they are still unregenerate. A Christian still sins, but he will not stay in permanent sin. He will keep bearing fruit of good works. Our new nature cannot be killed, and will keep believing and obeying (I John 3). So, we are not saved by faith and works, but saved by grace through faith so that we may show our gratitude by good works (Eph. 2:8-10).
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Grace
1. No One Deserves Grace.
“Grace” is one of the most beautiful words in the Bible. It is that part of God's love that deals with our guilt. In Hebrew, it is HESED; in Greek, CHARIS. It is free and undeserved. Nobody has or can merit this grace. Grace is the undeserved love of God for sinners. Unfallen angels (like Adam) know love, but not grace. Fallen sinners can never earn God's grace. By its very definition it is unearned, not by our works (Rom. 11:6). We earn death by our sin, but grace is a free gift (Rom. 6:23).
2. We Are Saved by Grace Alone.
Salvation is completely “sola gratia” (by grace alone). It is not partly by God's grace and partly by our efforts. "By grace you have been saved" (Eph. 2:5, 8-9). It is solely by God's free, unmerited mercy to us (Tit. 3:5). There is no exception; anyone ever saved has been saved by free grace. And grace comes from God, not from Man. Grace being free does not make it cheap or worthless. Quite the opposite. It is beyond cost. We could never earn it in a million years. This is why it is so amazing, matchless, and wonderful. In fact, the original meaning of CHARIS was “that which produces joy”, something delightful and beautiful.
3. God Gives Grace to Whomever He Wills.
Since it is undeserved and free, God is not obliged to give it to anyone. Indeed, He could have justly withheld it from everyone. But He chose to bestow it on some. It is sovereign grace, or sovereignly bestowed on whomever God is pleased to give it . God said, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy” (Ex. 33:19, Rom. 9:15. Cf. Rom. 9:18). The word “will” here means “choose”. God chooses to give His grace away, and chooses the ones to whom He will give it. Is it not His sovereign prerogative to give it to whomever He chooses? (Matt. 20:15). Therefore, God is magnanimous when He gives it to some, and cannot be blamed if He decides to withhold it from others. Neither deserved it anyway.
4. God Has a Special Love for Some Men.
God chose to set this special love on some sinners, and not on others. He decided to give His free grace to some, but not all. We have already seen in these studies that God has a general love for all men as His creatures (Matt. 5:44-45, Psa. 33:5, 145:9). That is Common Grace, the love which God has for all men in common. It is His universal benevolency. But then there is also Special Grace, also known as Particular Grace. It is a greater and different kind of love. It is extraordinary, not common. Just as a man loves all people, but especially his wife, so Christ loves all people but especially those He has chosen to be His wife (Eph. 1:4, 5:25). God loves all men with some love, but He loves some men with all love. It is a distinguishing and directed love.
5. God Chose Some Sinners to Be Saved.
Out of this special grace, God chose some sinners to be rescued from their sins. This is the doctrine of election. It happened in eternity past (Eph. 1:4, 2 Thess. 2:13, 2 Tim. 1:9). God sovereignly chose some sinners to be saved from their sins and not to be punished for them (I Thess. 5:9, 2 Thess. 2:13). They were chosen to receive grace, not wrath. They were chosen individually by name, and their names were written in the Book of Life (Rev. 13:8, 17:8, Luke 10:20). God chose us; we did not choose Him (John 15:11). He chose us solely by consulting with His own counsel, not by foreseeing our choice (Eph. 1:11).
6. God Made a Covenant to Save the Elect.
Back in eternity, God made a covenant within Himself. The Father chose some sinners to be saved, and gave them to the Son, who agreed to die for them (John 17:2, 6, 9, 24). We call this the Covenant of Redemption. We did not even exist at the time, nor was that necessary. It was only necessary that we would exist in time. God sealed this covenant with an oath, thus guaranteeing that we would most definitely be saved at the right time. And in time, God worked out this Covenant through Christ, which we call the Covenant of Grace. Special grace was thus given to us in eternity “in Christ” (2 Tim. 1:9). We were chosen in Christ, by Christ and for Christ. it is definite and sure, not merely possible.
7. God Calls the Elect in a Special Way.
Just as God loved all men but especially the elect, so He calls all men to be saved, but especially the elect. God invites all men; we call this the General Call or the Free Offer. It is what we do in evangelism. But God also gives a Special Call, which is given only to the elect. The parable of Luke 14:16-24 illustrates this. First God invites everyone, then He sends and compels some of them to come in. The General Call is given by men; the Special Call is by God alone. The first is audible, the second is inaudible to the natural ear. It is the Good Shepherd calling His sheep; the others do not hear His voice (John 10:3, 16, 26- 27). It is given through the General Call, not in some mystical inner voice. “Many are called [general], but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14).
8. Saving Grace is Irresistible.
This Special Call is by grace. The General Call is resistible - indeed, sinners always successfully resist it. But the Special Call cannot be successfully resisted, for God overcomes all resistance. He exerts His omnipotence and overwhelms the sinner’s will. He makes us willing in the day of His power (Psa. 110:3). He “compels” us to come in (Luke 14:23). He “drags” us in (John 6:44). But it is not raw force, but a holy violence and a sweet wooing. He draws us with the irresistible song of grace (Jer. 31:3, Song 1:4, Hos. 11:4). It is heavenly romance, for Christ irresistibly wins the hand of His bride. God thus changes our wills, and we come willingly (Psa. 65:4). This is Irresistible Grace.
9. God Left the Rest of Sinners in Their Sins.
Back in eternity, God sovereignly chose some sinners by His free love. But He did not chose to bestow this grace on all men. He withheld it from some. He owed them nothing but wrath, and left them under that wrath. Therefore nobody can argue that it was not fair. This is the doctrine of Reprobation. In eternity, God divided the lump of sinful mankind into two parts, like a potter with clay (Rom. 9). He left some in their sins. He did not write their names in the Book of Life (Rev. 13:8, 17:8.). He never knew them in special love (Matt. 7:23). He thus predestined them to be punished for their sins (I Thess. 5:9, Pro. 16:4).
10. God Hardens the Reprobate's Hearts.
God softens the hearts of the elect by His grace, but He hardens the hearts of those He has not chosen. He hides the light of the Gospel from them (Matt. 11:25), blinds them (Rom. 9:18, 11:7, John 12:39-40). He fattens them up for the slaughter they deserve. They do not resist, but willingly comply, for they love their sins even unto death and Hell. Election and reprobation are two parallel lines running from eternity past to eternity future, ending in Heaven for some and Hell for others. One glorifies God's grace, the other His wrath.
“Grace” is one of the most beautiful words in the Bible. It is that part of God's love that deals with our guilt. In Hebrew, it is HESED; in Greek, CHARIS. It is free and undeserved. Nobody has or can merit this grace. Grace is the undeserved love of God for sinners. Unfallen angels (like Adam) know love, but not grace. Fallen sinners can never earn God's grace. By its very definition it is unearned, not by our works (Rom. 11:6). We earn death by our sin, but grace is a free gift (Rom. 6:23).
2. We Are Saved by Grace Alone.
Salvation is completely “sola gratia” (by grace alone). It is not partly by God's grace and partly by our efforts. "By grace you have been saved" (Eph. 2:5, 8-9). It is solely by God's free, unmerited mercy to us (Tit. 3:5). There is no exception; anyone ever saved has been saved by free grace. And grace comes from God, not from Man. Grace being free does not make it cheap or worthless. Quite the opposite. It is beyond cost. We could never earn it in a million years. This is why it is so amazing, matchless, and wonderful. In fact, the original meaning of CHARIS was “that which produces joy”, something delightful and beautiful.
3. God Gives Grace to Whomever He Wills.
Since it is undeserved and free, God is not obliged to give it to anyone. Indeed, He could have justly withheld it from everyone. But He chose to bestow it on some. It is sovereign grace, or sovereignly bestowed on whomever God is pleased to give it . God said, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy” (Ex. 33:19, Rom. 9:15. Cf. Rom. 9:18). The word “will” here means “choose”. God chooses to give His grace away, and chooses the ones to whom He will give it. Is it not His sovereign prerogative to give it to whomever He chooses? (Matt. 20:15). Therefore, God is magnanimous when He gives it to some, and cannot be blamed if He decides to withhold it from others. Neither deserved it anyway.
4. God Has a Special Love for Some Men.
God chose to set this special love on some sinners, and not on others. He decided to give His free grace to some, but not all. We have already seen in these studies that God has a general love for all men as His creatures (Matt. 5:44-45, Psa. 33:5, 145:9). That is Common Grace, the love which God has for all men in common. It is His universal benevolency. But then there is also Special Grace, also known as Particular Grace. It is a greater and different kind of love. It is extraordinary, not common. Just as a man loves all people, but especially his wife, so Christ loves all people but especially those He has chosen to be His wife (Eph. 1:4, 5:25). God loves all men with some love, but He loves some men with all love. It is a distinguishing and directed love.
5. God Chose Some Sinners to Be Saved.
Out of this special grace, God chose some sinners to be rescued from their sins. This is the doctrine of election. It happened in eternity past (Eph. 1:4, 2 Thess. 2:13, 2 Tim. 1:9). God sovereignly chose some sinners to be saved from their sins and not to be punished for them (I Thess. 5:9, 2 Thess. 2:13). They were chosen to receive grace, not wrath. They were chosen individually by name, and their names were written in the Book of Life (Rev. 13:8, 17:8, Luke 10:20). God chose us; we did not choose Him (John 15:11). He chose us solely by consulting with His own counsel, not by foreseeing our choice (Eph. 1:11).
6. God Made a Covenant to Save the Elect.
Back in eternity, God made a covenant within Himself. The Father chose some sinners to be saved, and gave them to the Son, who agreed to die for them (John 17:2, 6, 9, 24). We call this the Covenant of Redemption. We did not even exist at the time, nor was that necessary. It was only necessary that we would exist in time. God sealed this covenant with an oath, thus guaranteeing that we would most definitely be saved at the right time. And in time, God worked out this Covenant through Christ, which we call the Covenant of Grace. Special grace was thus given to us in eternity “in Christ” (2 Tim. 1:9). We were chosen in Christ, by Christ and for Christ. it is definite and sure, not merely possible.
7. God Calls the Elect in a Special Way.
Just as God loved all men but especially the elect, so He calls all men to be saved, but especially the elect. God invites all men; we call this the General Call or the Free Offer. It is what we do in evangelism. But God also gives a Special Call, which is given only to the elect. The parable of Luke 14:16-24 illustrates this. First God invites everyone, then He sends and compels some of them to come in. The General Call is given by men; the Special Call is by God alone. The first is audible, the second is inaudible to the natural ear. It is the Good Shepherd calling His sheep; the others do not hear His voice (John 10:3, 16, 26- 27). It is given through the General Call, not in some mystical inner voice. “Many are called [general], but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14).
8. Saving Grace is Irresistible.
This Special Call is by grace. The General Call is resistible - indeed, sinners always successfully resist it. But the Special Call cannot be successfully resisted, for God overcomes all resistance. He exerts His omnipotence and overwhelms the sinner’s will. He makes us willing in the day of His power (Psa. 110:3). He “compels” us to come in (Luke 14:23). He “drags” us in (John 6:44). But it is not raw force, but a holy violence and a sweet wooing. He draws us with the irresistible song of grace (Jer. 31:3, Song 1:4, Hos. 11:4). It is heavenly romance, for Christ irresistibly wins the hand of His bride. God thus changes our wills, and we come willingly (Psa. 65:4). This is Irresistible Grace.
9. God Left the Rest of Sinners in Their Sins.
Back in eternity, God sovereignly chose some sinners by His free love. But He did not chose to bestow this grace on all men. He withheld it from some. He owed them nothing but wrath, and left them under that wrath. Therefore nobody can argue that it was not fair. This is the doctrine of Reprobation. In eternity, God divided the lump of sinful mankind into two parts, like a potter with clay (Rom. 9). He left some in their sins. He did not write their names in the Book of Life (Rev. 13:8, 17:8.). He never knew them in special love (Matt. 7:23). He thus predestined them to be punished for their sins (I Thess. 5:9, Pro. 16:4).
10. God Hardens the Reprobate's Hearts.
God softens the hearts of the elect by His grace, but He hardens the hearts of those He has not chosen. He hides the light of the Gospel from them (Matt. 11:25), blinds them (Rom. 9:18, 11:7, John 12:39-40). He fattens them up for the slaughter they deserve. They do not resist, but willingly comply, for they love their sins even unto death and Hell. Election and reprobation are two parallel lines running from eternity past to eternity future, ending in Heaven for some and Hell for others. One glorifies God's grace, the other His wrath.
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