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THE CROSS AND GRACE. Rubens, BJU Art Gallery. STARTING POINT .
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THE CROSS AND GRACE Rubens, BJU Art Gallery
STARTING POINT • WCF 3:1, God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. First Presbytery Conference
STARTING POINT, cont. • WCF 3:2, Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions, yet hath He not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions. First Presbytery Conference
STARTING POINT, cont. • WCF 3:3, By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death. First Presbytery Conference
STARTING POINT, cont. • WCF 3:4, These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. First Presbytery Conference
STARTING POINT, cont. • WCF 3:5, Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto; and all to the praise of His glorious grace. First Presbytery Conference
ELECTION • Biblical Language • bachar, rxB, “choose, elect, decide for” 198x; Deut. 7:6,7; Deut. 4:37; Ps. 135:4; 78:68; I Kings 8:16; I Chr. 28:5; I Sam. 10:24 • eklegomai, “Pick for oneself, choose” 22x, Eph. 1:4 • eklektos, “elected, chosen” 22x, I Peter 1:1, 2:4,6,9 • eklogh, “election, choosing” 7x, Rom. 9:11; 11:5,7,28; I Thess. 1:4 • airew, “take, choose” II Thess. 2:13 • tassw, “appoint, ordain” Acts 13:48 First Presbytery Conference
ELECTION • Biblical Language • proginwskw, “foreknow” 5x; Romans 8:29, 11:2 • prognwsij, “foreknowledge” 2x; Acts 2:23, I Peter 1:1-2 • proorizw, “decide upon beforehand, predestine” 6x of God’s decree, Romans 8:29-30; I Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5; 11 • protiqhmi, “plan, propose, purpose” 3x, (Rom. 1:13; 3:25) Eph. 1:9 • proetoimazw, “prepare before” Rom. 9:23; Eph. 2:10 First Presbytery Conference
FOREKNOWLEDGE • Knowledge, to know, often means intimate personal relationship: Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5; Amos 3:2; Matt. 1:25; 7:23; I Cor. 8:3; Gal. 4:9; II Tim. 2:19 • Foreknowledge is more than merely “knowing beforehand”: Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29, 11:2; I Peter 1:2, 19-20 • In Acts 2:23, “by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge” tou/ton th/| w`risme,nh| boulh/| kai. prognw,seitou/ qeou/ • In I Peter 1:1-2, “Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit unto obedience” and the sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. • What is NOT asserted here is the idea that foreknowledge is foreknowledge of (ek) or on account of (dia) but unto (eij)obedience. *kata. pro,gnwsinqeou/ patro,jevna`giasmw/| pneu,matojeivju`pakoh.nkai. r`antismo.nai[matojVIhsou/ Cristou/( First Presbytery Conference
ARMINIANISM • An abstract concept of Justice governs how God may dispense his grace. “A major part of Christendom has never been able to accept the concept of the unconditional election of individuals as biblical. They declare that Scripture just does not teach such an idea, which appears to be unjust and arbitrary on God’s part and seems to lead to pessimism and quietism on man’s part.” Cottrell, Grace Unlimited, 56. • Re abstract notions, Calvinists argue we must get our concepts of justice and freedom of the will from the biblical data- not from some other philosophical or a-priori source. The concrete biblical teaching on this issue must be determinative for the Calvinist. First Presbytery Conference
ARMINIANISM • Based on several concepts • Some passages appear to teach universal atonement, John 6:51; II Cor. 5:19; Col. 1:20; I Tim. 2:6, 4:10; Titus 2:11; Heb. 2:9; II Peter 2:1, 3:9; I John 2:2 • An abstract notion of Free-Will is usually played off against the notion of Divine sovereignty. “So when a theory comes along, whether philosophical, theological, or psychological, which endeavors to deny this intuition of freedom, it is up against a basic human self-perception that will eventually overwhelm it.” Clark Pinnock, Grace Unlimited, 96. First Presbytery Conference
CALVINISM Calvinism Argues: • No one is saved except God intends his/her salvation • Ultimately, “all” God’s people (eschatologically) will be saved • Broad or general passages in Scripture (“all”) are limited by the more detailed and specific passages (“his sheep,” “the elect”) • The practical impact of Arminianism in evangelism may not be significantly different from Calvinism; it explains the universal offer by another, less consistent means First Presbytery Conference
WORK OF CHRIST • WCF 8.5, The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He, through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him. • WCF 8.8, To all those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption, He doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same . . . First Presbytery Conference
EXTENT OF ATONEMENT • Arminian. Christ died for all people equally. It is Arminian doctrine that “Christ came to save all men; that he died for all; that he atoned for all, even for those that finally perish.” Wesley, Works, 10:215 • Calvinistic. Christ died for the elect. The extent of the atonement is identical with the intent of divine election • Hypothetical Universalism. Moses Amylraut (1596-1664) made “a distinction between objective and subjective grace. The former rendering salvation objectively available to all men, he held was universal. The latter, which give the gracious ability to accept the gospel, he admitted was designed for the elect alone.” This is often referred to as “4-Point Calvinism.” First Presbytery Conference
ARMINIANISM • Arminianismresults in a limited atonement also (as does everyone- except Universalists!) • All people are “salvable,” since the atonement is not limited • Not all people are saved, since not all choose to believe • Furthermore, even those who will not believe are created and allowed to rebel, according to Arminian doctrine. They are just as certain of damnation as the reprobate in a Calvinistic construct • To interpose “foreknowledge” only moves the problem back one level- it does not remove the problem! First Presbytery Conference
EXTENT OF ATONEMENT • “Did Christ offer himself a sacrifice for the whole human race, for every individual . . . ?” Boettner, Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, 150 • Or for the ELECT particularly? • This question does not involve the nature of Christ’s work; it is a satisfaction for sin • It does not involve the value of Christ’s satisfaction which is deemed by all to be of infinite value • It does not involve the suitableness of the atonement, for it is appropriate for and adapted to all • It does not involve the application of the atonement- which all (except Universalists) limit! • “The whole question, therefore, concerns simply the purpose of God in the mission of His Son.”Hodge, ST, 2:544-5. First Presbytery Conference
EXTENT OF ATONEMENT • There are many passages which teach particular or definite atonement (preferred to “limited”): • John 10:11, “the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep”; 14-15, “I know my sheep” • Acts 20:28, “the church of God, which he bought with his blood” • Eph. 5:25, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” • There are passages which limit the extent of the atonement: • Matt. 20:28, “give his life a ransom for many”; 26:28, “my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” • Heb. 9:28, “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many” First Presbytery Conference
EXTENT OF ATONEMENT • There are additional passages of importance: • Rom. 8:33-34, “gave him up for us all . . . Whom God has chosen” • I Cor. 15:3-4, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” • Eph. 1:4-7, “in him we have redemption” • Matt. 7:23, “I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you’” • John 10:26, “you do not believe because you are not my sheep” • Rom. 9:24-32, “even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles” First Presbytery Conference
OBJECTIONS • Election violates my free choice to accept or reject Christ • I am not a robot! • What about my free will? • The Devil votes against you, God votes for you- you cast the deciding vote! • BUT, APART FROM THE REGENERATING WORK OF GOD, YOU WILL ALWAYS VOTE THE WRONG WAY! See Rom. 1:18-25; 3:10-18 • Election is unfair • This stacks the deck! • BUT- ISN’T THAT THE WHOLE POINT OF GRACE? IT ISN’T FAIR OR JUST! First Presbytery Conference
OBJECTIONS • God only expects of me what I am able to give him • But, cf. Ezekiel 37:1-4. Were the bones capable of doing what God required? • God loves everyone alike • BUT, Cf. Luke 22:31 with John 13:27; Cf. John 17:9 and 17:20 • God is no respecter of persons! • Indeed- Rom. 3:10, 3:23- in reference to sin • Election removes any reason for evangelizing • So- God ordains ends without necessary means? Does that make sense? • Election means the free offer of the gospel cannot be sincere First Presbytery Conference
SINCERETY: FREE OFFER OF GOSPEL • “The Scriptures clearly teach that the gospel must be preached to all. Whether we can square this with particular election is another question. But the rule for our preaching must always be the revealed will of God. In the last analysis, it is God’s business to bring into harmony the predetermined outcome of the preaching of the gospel with the general offer of salvation.” Hoekema, Saved By Grace, 68. First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL: Calvin • Ezekiel 18:23, 33:11, God does not desire the death of the wicked. “We hold, then, that God wills not the death of a sinner, since he calls all equally to repentance, and promises himself prepared to receive them if they only seriously repent. If anyone should object- then there is no election of God, by which he has predestinated a fixed number to salvation, the answer is at hand: the Prophet does not here speak of God’s secret counsel, but only recalls miserable men from despair, that they may apprehend the hope of pardon, and repent and embrace the offered salvation.” Calvin, Commentaries, ad loc. First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL: Calvin • II Peter 3:9, “not willing that any should perish.” “It could be asked here, if God does not want any to perish, why do so many in fact perish? My reply is that no mention is made here of the secret decree of God by which the wicked are doomed to their own ruin, but only of His loving-kindness as it is made known to us in the Gospel. There God stretches out His hand to all alike, but He only grasps those (in such a way as to lead to Himself) whom He has chosen before the found-ation of the World.” Calvin, Commentaries, ad loc. First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL: Hodge • “To all men the presumption is that Christ died for himself and for each other man until final reprobation proves the reverse. Therefore we are all under obligation to carry ourselves, and to regard and treat all other men as those for whom Christ died until the contrary is proved. . . . If the non-elect believes, he will be nonetheless saved because of his non-election. If the elect does not believe and persevere to the end, he will none the more be saved because of his election.” A.A. Hodge, The Atonement, 429. First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL: Murray • “It must be said without reserve that there is no limitation or qualification to the overture of grace in the gospel proclamation. As there is no restriction to the command that ‘all everywhere’ should repent (Acts 17:30), so there is no correlative with it. The doctrines of particular election, differentiating love, limited atonement do not erect any fence around the offer in the gospel.” John Murray, Collected Writings, 1:81. First Presbytery Conference
The Gospel call must be understandable It must be presented in a way that is relevant It is an invitation that is a command, Luke 14:23 Evangelism also occurs in the covenant context; the preacher should invite the Lord’s people to faith and obedience The gospel call is a promise of forgiveness and salvation There is a condition attached to the promise Faith and repentance The condition is one that we cannot fulfill But, God can do that which we cannot do It is appropriate to ask him to do that which we cannot do THE GOSPEL CALL: Its Nature First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL and Election • The Arminian Rationalization: • God does not desire the death of Any • God invites All to be saved • God does not, therefore, determine the eternal state of Any, but allows the individual’s free will, aided by prevenient grace, to determine his/her eternal state. • “It is indeed his good pleasure that all should be saved. . . .Yet, if the doctrine of an absolute sovereignty of grace be true, God cannot wish the salvation of any who are not efficaciously called. How, then, can he sincerely utter such words?” Orton Wiley, Systematic Theology, 2:268. First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL and Election • The Hyper-Calvinistic Rationalization: • God elects some unto salvation, passes by others unto reprobation. • God brings about the salvation of the elect by the efficacious work of the Spirit. • Therefore, God does not desire the salvation of the non-elect. First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL and Election • “Others speak, sometimes without even defining it very carefully at all, of a universal gospel offer. Others say, . . . that we must say in the preaching that Christ desires the salvation of all men, and that God desires not the death of any but the salvation of all. . . . Often this disjunction between Christ’s death only for the elect and God’s purported desire for the salvation of all men is presented as a mystery. But that is no mystery. If you say that Christ died for the elect, and for them only, and that God desires the salvation of all men, that is no mystery, but a flat contradiction. That is impossible. It is impossible because there is nothing positive, no benefit, no salvation, no love, no so-called non-saving benefit,- nothing positive whatsoever,- in that cross for anyone but the elect.” Herman Hanko, et al. The Five Points of Calvinism, 62-63. First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL and Election ARMINIANISM God “desires” the salvation of all God “wills,” decrees to save the elect x x CALVINISM: BOTH HYPER-CALVINISM First Presbytery Conference
THE GOSPEL CALL and Election • “We must refuse to go into either of these two rationalistic directions. Since the Scriptures teach both eternal election and the well-meant gospel call, we must continue to hold on to both, even though we cannot reconcile these two teachings with our finite minds. We should remember that we cannot lock God up in the prison of human logic. Our theology must maintain the Scriptural paradox. With Calvin, our theological concern must be not to build a rationally coherent system, but to be faithful to all the teachings of the Bible.” Hoekema, SBG, 79. First Presbytery Conference
CALVINISM • Christ did make salvation, as an objective fact, possible to all men to whom it is offered, if they will believe • A purpose to make salvation objectively available to those for whom it was never intended (purpose) must not be an independent purpose in itself • Rather, this availability of salvation for all is subsidiary to the main design of entirely effecting the salvation of those for whom it was intended • QUESTIONS??? First Presbytery Conference
THE CROSS AND GRACE Rubens, BJU Art Gallery http://acad.erskine.edu/facultyweb/gore/gore.htm Click: “Sermons and Addresses” for First Presbyter Conference PPTs