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The Sovereignty of God
By Arthur Pink
God's Sovereignty and HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY
"Each of us will give an account of himself to God." Romans 14:12
In our last chapter we considered at some length, the much debated and difficult question of the human will. We have shown that the will of the natural man is neither sovereign nor free—but, instead, a servant and slave. We have argued that a right conception of the sinner's will—its servitude—is essential to a just estimate of his depravity and ruin. The utter corruption and degradation of human nature is something which man hates to acknowledge, and which he will hotly and insistently deny—until he is "taught of God." Much, very much, of the unsound doctrine which we now hear on every hand—is the direct and logical outcome of man's repudiation of God's expressed estimate of human depravity! Men are claiming that they are "increased with goods, and have need of nothing," and know not that they are "wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked!" (Revelation 3:17). They prate about the 'Ascent of Man,' and deny his Fall. They put darkness for light; and light for darkness. They boast of the 'free moral agency' of man when, in fact, he is in bondage to sin and enslaved by Satan, "taken captive by him at his will" (2 Timothy 2:26).
But if the natural man is not a 'free moral agent,' does it also follow that he is not accountable?
'Free moral agency' is an expression of human invention and, as we have said before, to talk of the freedom of the natural man—is to flatly repudiate his total spiritual ruin. Nowhere does Scripture speak of the freedom or moral ability of the sinner; on the contrary, it insists on his moral and spiritual inability.
This is, admittedly, the most difficult branch of our subject. Those who have ever devoted much study to this theme, have uniformly recognized that the harmonizing of God's Sovereignty with Man's Responsibility is the gordian knot of theology. (Gordian knot: 1. An intricate knot tied by King Gordius of Phrygia and cut by Alexander the Great with his sword after hearing an oracle promise that whoever could undo it would be the next ruler of Asia. 2. An exceedingly complicated and unsolvable problem (The American Heritage Dictionary)
The main difficulty encountered, is to define the relationship between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Many have summarily disposed of the difficulty by denying the existence of any difficulty. A certain class of theologians, in their anxiety to maintain man's responsibility, have magnified it beyond all due proportions, until God's sovereignty has been lost sight of, and in not a few instances flatly denied. Others have acknowledged that the Scriptures present both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man—but affirm that in our present finite condition, and with our limited knowledge it is impossible to reconcile the two truths, though it is the bounden duty of the believer to receive both.
The present writer believes that it has been too readily assumed that the Scriptures themselves do not reveal the several points which show the conciliation of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. While perhaps the Word of God does not clear up all the mystery (and this is said with reserve), it does throw much light upon the problem, and it seems to us more honoring to God and His Word to prayerfully search the Scriptures for the complete solution of the difficulty, and even though others have thus far searched in vain—that ought only to drive us more and more to our knees. God has been pleased to reveal many things out of His Word during the last century, which were hidden from earlier students. Who then dare affirm that there is not much to be learned yet respecting our present inquiry!
As we have said above, our chief difficulty is to determine the meeting-point of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. To many, it has seemed that for God to assert His sovereignty, for Him to put forth His power and exert a direct influence upon man, for Him to do anything more than warn or invite—would be to interfere with man's freedom, destroy his responsibility, and reduce him to a mere machine. It is sad indeed to find one like the late Dr. Pierson—whose writings are generally so scriptural and helpful—saying, "It is a tremendous thought that even God Himself cannot control my moral frame, or constrain my moral choice. He cannot prevent me defying and denying Him, and would not exercise His power in such directions if He could, and could not if He would" (A Spiritual Clinique). It is sadder still to discover that many other respected and loved brethren are giving expression to the same sentiments. Sad, because directly at variance with the Holy Scriptures!
It is our desire to face honestly the difficulties involved, and to examine them carefully in what light God has been pleased to grant us. The chief difficulties might be expressed thus:
First, How is it possible for God to so bring His power to bear upon men—that they are prevented from doing what they desire to do, and impelled to do other things they do not desire to do—and yet to preserve their responsibility?
Second, How can the sinner be held responsible for the doing of what he is unable to do? And how can he be justly condemned for not doing what he could not do?
Third, How is it possible for God to decree that men shall commit certain sins, hold them responsible in the committal of them, and judge them guilty because they committed them?
Fourth, How can the sinner be held responsible to receive Christ, and be damned for rejecting Him—when God had foreordained him to condemnation?
We shall now deal with these several problems in the above order. May the Holy Spirit Himself be our Teacher, so that in His light we may see light.
I. How is it possible for God to so bring His power to bear upon men, that they are PREVENTED from doing what they desire to do, and IMPELLED to do other things they do not desire to do—and yet to preserve their responsibility?
It would seem that if God put forth His power and exerted a direct influence upon men, that their freedom would be interfered with. It would appear that if God did anything wore than warn and invite men, that their responsibility would be infringed upon. We are told that God must not coerce man, still less compel him, or otherwise he would be reduced to a machine. This sounds very plausible; it appears to be good logic, and based upon sound reasoning; it has been almost universally accepted as an axiom in ethics. Nevertheless, it is soundly refuted by Scripture!
Let us turn first to Genesis 20:6, "Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her!" It is argued, almost universally, that God must not interfere with man's liberty, that he must not coerce or compel him—lest he be reduced to a mere machine. But the above scripture proves, unmistakably proves, that it is possible for God to exert His power upon man—without destroying his responsibility! Here is a case where God did exert His power, restrict man's freedom, and prevent him from doing that which he otherwise would have done!
Before turning from this scripture, let us note how it throws light upon the case of Adam, the first man. Would-be philosophers, who sought to be wise above that which was written, have argued that God could not have prevented Adam's fall without reducing him to a mere automaton. They tell us, constantly, that God must not coerce or compel His creatures, otherwise He would destroy their accountability. But the answer to all such philosophizing is, that Scripture records a number of instances where we are expressly told God did prevent certain of His creatures from sinning both against Himself and against His people—in view of which, all men's reasonings are utterly worthless!
If God could "withhold" Abimelech from sinning against Him, then why was He unable to do the same with Adam? Should someone ask, Then why did not God do so? we might return the question by asking, Why did not God "withhold" Satan from falling? or, Why did not God "withhold" the German emperor from starting the recent War? The usual reply is, as we have said, God could not—without interfering with man's "freedom" and reducing him to a machine.
But the case of Abimelech proves conclusively that such a reply is untenable and erroneous—we might add wicked and blasphemous, for who are we to limit the Most High! How dare any finite creature take it upon him to say what the Almighty can and cannot do? Should we be pressed further as to why God refused to exercise His power and prevent Adam's fall, we should say—Because Adam's fall better served His own wise and blessed purpose! Among other things, it provided an opportunity to demonstrate that where sin had abounded, that grace could much more abound. But we might ask further; Why did God place the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden—when He foresaw that man would disobey His prohibition and eat of it? For mark, it was God and not Satan who made that tree.
Should someone respond, Then is God the Author of Sin? We would have to ask, in turn, What is meant by "Author"? Plainly it was God's will that sin should enter this world, otherwise it would not have entered, for nothing happens, except what God has eternally decreed. Moreover, there was more than a bare permission, for God only permits that which He has purposed. But we leave now the origin of sin, insisting once more, however, that God could have "withheld" Adam from sinning—without destroying his responsibility!
The case of Abimelech does not stand alone. Another illustration of the same principle is seen in the history of Balaam, already noticed in the last chapter—but concerning which a further word is in place. Balak the Moabite King sent for this heathen prophet to "curse" Israel. A handsome reward was offered for his services, and a careful reading of Numbers 22-24 will show that Balaam was willing, yes, anxious, to accept Balak's offer and thus sin against God and His people. But Divine power "withheld" him. Mark his own admission, "Balaam replied, I have come, but I have no power to say just anything. I must speak only the message which God puts in my mouth!" (Num. 22:38). Again, after Balak had remonstrated with Balaam, we read, "He answered and said, Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth? . . . Behold, I have indeed received a command to bless; since He has blessed, I cannot change it!" (23:12, 20). Surely these verses show us God's power, and Balaam's powerlessness; man's will frustrated, and God's will performed. But was Balaam's "freedom" or responsibility destroyed? Certainly not, as we shall yet seek to show!
One more illustration, "The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah—so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat" (2 Chron. 17:10). The implication here is clear. Had not the "fear of the Lord" fallen upon these kingdoms—they would have made war upon Judah. God's restraining power alone prevented them. Had their own will been allowed to act, "war" would have been the consequence. Thus we see that Scripture teaches that God "withholds" nations as well as individuals, and that when it pleases Him to do so—He interposes and prevents war. Compare further, Genesis 35:5, "When they set out again, the fear of the Lord came over the people in all the towns of that area—and no one attacked them!"
The question which now demands our consideration is, How is it possible for God to "withhold" men from sinning—and yet not to interfere with their liberty and responsibility—a question which so many say is incapable of solution in our present finite condition. This question causes us to ask, In what does "moral freedom," real moral freedom, consist? We answer, it is the being delivered from the bondage of sin. The more any soul is emancipated from the thralldom of sin, the more does he enter into a state of freedom, "If the Son therefore shall make you free—you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).
In the above instances God "withheld" Abimelech, Balaam, and the heathen kingdoms from sinning, and therefore we affirm that He did not in any ways interfere with their real freedom. The nearer a soul approximates to sinlessness, the nearer does he approach to God's holiness. Scripture tells us that God "cannot lie," and that He "cannot be tempted," but is He any the less free because He cannot do that which is evil? Surely not! Then is it not evident that the more man is raised up to God, and the more he be "withheld" from sinning—the greater is his real freedom!
A pertinent example setting forth the meeting-place of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility, as it relates to the question of moral freedom, is found in connection with the giving to us of the Holy Scriptures. In the communication of His Word, God was pleased to employ human instruments, and in the using of them He did not reduce them to mere mechanical amanuenses, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation (Greek: of its own origination). For the prophecy came not at any time by the will of man—but holy men of God spoke moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20, 21). Here we have man's responsibility and God's sovereignty placed in juxtaposition. These holy men were moved" (Greek: "borne along") by the Holy Spirit—yet was not their moral responsibility disturbed, nor their "freedom" impaired. God enlightened their minds, enkindled their hearts, revealed to them His truth—and so controlled them, that error on their part was, by Him, made impossible, as they communicated His mind and will to men. But what was it that might have, would have, caused error—had not God controlled as He did, the instruments which He employed? The answer is sin—the sin which was in them. But as we have seen, the holding in check of sin, the preventing of the exercise of the carnal mind in these "holy men," was not a destroying of their "freedom," rather was it the inducting of them into real freedom.
A final word should be added here concerning the nature of true liberty. There are three chief things concerning which men in general greatly err:
misery and happiness,
folly and wisdom,
bondage and liberty.
The world counts none miserable—but the afflicted; and none happy—but the prosperous, because they judge by the present ease of the flesh. Again; the world is pleased with a false show of wisdom (which is "foolishness" with God), neglecting that which makes wise unto salvation. As to liberty, men would be at their own disposal, and live as they please. They suppose the only true liberty is to be at the command and under the control of none above themselves, and live according to their heart's desire. But this is a thralldom and bondage of the worst kind! True liberty is not the power to live as we please—but to live as we ought! Hence, the only One who has ever trod this earth since Adam's fall, who has enjoyed perfect freedom—was the Man Christ Jesus, the Holy Servant of God, Whose food it ever was to do the will of the Father.
We now turn to consider the question.
II. How can the sinner be held responsible FOR the doing of what he is UNABLE to do? And how can he be justly condemned for NOT DOING what he COULD NOT do?
As God's creature, the natural man is responsible to love, obey, and serve Him; as a sinner he is responsible to repent and believe the Gospel. But at the outset we are confronted with the fact that the natural man is unable to love and serve God, and that the sinner, of himself, cannot repent and believe.
First, let us prove what we have just said. We begin by quoting and considering John 6:44, "No man can come to Me—unless the Father who has sent Me draws him". The heart of the every man is so "desperately wicked" that if he is left to himself—he will never 'come to Christ.' This statement would not be questioned if the full force of the words "Coming to Christ" were properly apprehended. We shall therefore digress a little at this point, to define and consider what is implied and involved in the words "No man can come to Me"—cf. John 5:40, "You will not come to Me that you might have life."
For the sinner to come to Christ that he might have life, is for him to realize the awful danger of his situation; is for him to see that the sword of Divine justice is suspended over his head; is to awaken to the fact that there is but a step between him and death, and that after death is the "judgment;" and in consequence of this discovery, is for him to be in real earnest to escape, and in such earnestness that he shall flee from the wrath to come, cry unto God for mercy, and agonize to enter in at the "strait gate."
To come to Christ for life, is for the sinner to feel and acknowledge that he is utterly destitute of any claim upon God's favor; is to see himself as "without strength," lost and undone; is to admit that he is deserving of nothing but eternal wrath, thus taking side with God against himself; it is for him to cast himself into the dust before God, and humbly sue for Divine mercy.
To come to Christ for life, is for the sinner to abandon his own righteousness and be ready to be made the righteousness of God in Christ; it is to disown his own wisdom and be guided by His; it is to repudiate his own will and be ruled by His; it is to unreservedly receive the Lord Jesus as his Savior and Lord, as his All in all.
Such, in part and in brief, is what is implied and involved in "Coming to Christ." But is the sinner willing to take such an attitude before God? No! for in the first place, he does not realize the danger of his situation, and in consequence is not in real earnest after his escape; instead, men are for the most part at ease, and apart from the operations of the Holy Spirit, whenever they are disturbed by the alarms of conscience or the dispensations of providence, they flee to any other refuge but Christ.
In the second place, they will not acknowledge that all their 'good works' are as filthy rags but, like the Pharisee, will thank God they are not as bad as other heinous sinners.
And in the third place, they are not ready to receive Christ as their Savior and Lord, for they are unwilling to part with their idols! They had rather hazard their soul's eternal welfare—than give them up. Hence we say that, left to himself, the natural man is so depraved at heart—that he cannot come to Christ!
The words of our Lord quoted above by no means stand alone. Quite a number of Scriptures set forth the moral and spiritual inability of the natural man. In Joshua 24:19 we read, "And Joshua said unto the people, You cannot serve the Lord—for He is a holy God." To the Pharisees Christ said, "Why do you not understand My speech? Even because you cannot hear My word" (John 8:43). And again, "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:7, 8).
But now the question returns, How can God hold the sinner responsible for failing to do what he is unable to do? This necessitates a careful definition of terms. Just what is meant by "unable" and "cannot"?
Now let it be clearly understood that, when we speak of the sinner's inability, we do not mean that if men desired to come to Christ, that they lack the necessary power to carry out their desire. No! the fact is, that the sinner's inability or absence of power is itself due to lack of willingness to come to Christ, and this lack of willingness is the fruit of a depraved heart. It is of first importance that we distinguish between natural inability and moral and spiritual inability.
For example, we read, "But Abijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age" (1 Kings 14:4); and again, "The men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not—because the sea was raging against them more and more" (Jonah 1:13). In both of these passages the words "could not" refer to natural inability.
But when we read, "When his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him" (Genesis 37:4). It is clearly moral inability that is in view. They did not lack the natural ability to "speak peaceably unto him", for they were not mute. Why then was it that they "could not speak peaceably unto him"? The answer is given in the same verse: it was because "they hated him!"
Again, in 2 Peter 2:14 we read of a certain class of wicked men "having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin." Here again it is moral inability that is in view. Why is it, that these men "cannot cease from sin"? The answer is, Because their eyes were full of adultery.
So of Romans 8:8, "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God": here it is spiritual inability. Why is it that the natural man "cannot please God"? Because he is "alienated from the life of God" (Ephesians 4:18). No man can choose that from which his heart is averse, "O generation of vipers how can you, being evil, speak good things?" (Matthew 12:34). "No one can come to Me—unless the Father who sent Me draws him" (John 6:44). Here again it is moral and spiritual inability which is before us. Why is it the sinner cannot come to Christ unless he is "drawn"? The answer is, Because his wicked heart loves sin and hates Christ.
We trust we have made it clear that the Scriptures distinguish sharply between natural inability and moral and spiritual inability. Surely all can see the difference between the blindness of Bartimaeus, who was ardently desirous of receiving his sight; and the Pharisees, whose eyes were closed, "lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted" (Matthew 13:15). Should it be asked— But could not the natural man come to Christ—IF he wished to do so? We answer, Ah! but in that IF lies the hinge of the whole matter. The inability of the sinner, consists of the lack of moral power to wish and will—so as to actually perform.
What we have contended for above, is of first importance. Upon the distinction between the sinner's natural Ability, and his moral and spiritual Inability, rests his Responsibility. The depravity of the human heart does not destroy man s accountability to God; so far from this being the case—the very moral inability of the sinner only serves to increase his guilt. This is easily proven by a reference to the Scriptures cited above. We read that Joseph's brethren "could not speak peaceably unto him," and why? It was because they "hated" Him. But was this moral inability of theirs any excuse? Surely not! In this very moral inability, consisted the greatness of their sin! So of those concerning whom it is said, "They cannot cease from sin" (2 Peter 2:14), and why? Because "their eyes were full of adultery," but that only made their case worse. It was a real fact that they could not cease from sin—yet this did not excuse them—it only made their sin the greater.
Should some sinner here object, I cannot help being born into this world with a depraved heart, and therefore I am not responsible for my moral and spiritual inability which accrue from it; our reply would be, Responsibility and Culpability lie in the indulgence of the depraved propensities, the free indulgence, for God does not force any to sin.
For example, men might pity me—but they certainly would not excuse me if I gave vent to a fiery temper, and then sought to extenuate myself on the ground of having inherited that temper from my parents! Their own common sense is sufficient to guide their judgment in such a case as this. They would argue that I was responsible to restrain my temper. Why then cavil against this same principle in the case supposed above? "Out of your own mouth will I judge you—you wicked servant" surely applies here!
What would the reader say to a man who had robbed him, and who later argued in defense, "I cannot help being a thief—for that is my nature"? Surely the reply would be, Then the penitentiary is the proper place for that man! What then shall be said to the one who argues that he cannot help following the bent of his sinful heart? Surely, that the Lake of Fire is where such an one must go! Did ever murderer plead that he hated his victim so much—that he could not go near him without slaying him. Would not that only magnify the enormity of his crime! Then what of the one who loves sin so much—that he is "at enmity against God!"
The fact of man's responsibility is almost universally acknowledged. It is inherent in man's moral nature. It is not only taught in Scripture, but witnessed to by the natural conscience. The basis or ground of human responsibility is human ability. What is implied by this general term "ability" must now be defined. Perhaps a concrete example will be more easily grasped by the average reader, than an abstract argument.
Suppose a man owed me $100 and could find plenty of money for his own pleasures, but none to repay me—yet pleaded that he was unable to pay me. What would I say? I would say that the only ability that was lacking—was an honest heart! But would it not be an unfair construction of my words—if a friend of my dishonest debtor would say I had stated that an honest heart was that which constituted the ability to pay the debt? No! I would reply: the ability of my debtor lies in the power of his hand to write me a check, and this he has—but what is lacking is an honest principle. It is his power to write me a check—which makes him responsible to do so, and the fact that he lacks an honest heart, does not destroy his accountability.
Now, in like manner, the sinner while altogether lacking in moral and spiritual ability does, nevertheless, possess natural ability—and this it is which renders him accountable unto God. Men have the same natural faculties to love God with—as they have to hate Him with! They have the same hearts to believe Christ with—as which they disbelieve Him. It is their failure to love and believe which constitutes their guilt. An idiot or an infant is not personally responsible to God, because lacking in natural ability. But the normal man who is endowed with rationality, who is gifted with a conscience that is capable of distinguishing between right and wrong, who is able to weigh eternal issues is a responsible being—and it is because he does possess these very faculties, that he will yet have to "give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12).
We say again that the above distinction between the natural ability—and the moral and spiritual inability of the sinner, is of prime importance. By nature he possesses natural ability—but lacks moral and spiritual ability. The fact that he does not possess the latter, does not destroy his responsibility, because his responsibility rests upon the fact that he does possess the former.
Let me illustrate again. Here are two men guilty of theft: the first is an idiot; the second perfectly sane, but the offspring of criminal parents. No just judge would sentence the former; but every right-minded judge would the latter. Even though the second of these thieves possessed a vitiated moral nature inherited from criminal parents, that would not excuse him, providing he was a normal rational being. Here then is the ground of human accountability—the possession of rationality plus the gift of conscience. It is because the sinner is endowed with these natural faculties—that he is a responsible creature. Because he does not use his natural powers for God's glory—constitutes his guilt.
How can it remain consistent with His mercy that God should require the debt of obedience from him that is not able to pay? In addition to what has been said above, it should be pointed out that God has not lost His right—even though man has lost his power. The creature's impotence does not cancel his obligation. A drunken servant is a servant still, and it is contrary to all sound reasoning to argue that his master loses his rights through his servant's default. Moreover, it is of first importance that we should ever bear in mind that God contracted with us in Adam, who was our federal head and representative; and in him, God gave us a power which we lost through our first parent's fall; but though our power is gone, nevertheless, God may justly demand His due of obedience and of service.
We turn now to ponder,
III. How is it possible for God to DECREE that men SHOULD commit certain sins, hold them RESPONSIBLE in the committal of them, and adjudge them GUILTY because they committed them?
Let us now consider the extreme case of Judas. We hold that it is clear from Scripture, that God decreed from all eternity that Judas should betray the Lord Jesus. If anyone should challenge this statement we refer him to the prophecy of Zechariah, through whom God declared that His Son should be sold for "thirty pieces of silver" (Zech. 11:12). As we have said in earlier pages, in prophecy God makes known what will be, and in making known what will be, He is but revealing to us what He has ordained shall be. That Judas was the one through whom the prophecy of Zechariah was fulfilled, needs not to be argued.
But now the question we have to face is, Was Judas a responsible agent in fulfilling this decree of God? We reply that he was! Responsibility attaches mainly to the motive and intention of the one committing the act. This is recognized on every hand. Human law distinguishes between a blow inflicted by accident (without evil design), and a blow delivered with 'deliberate malice.' Apply then, this same principle to the case of Judas. What was the design of his heart when he bargained with the priests? Manifestly he had no conscious desire to fulfill any decree of God—though unknown to himself he was actually doing so. On the contrary, his intention was only evil, and therefore, though God had decreed and directed his act, nevertheless, his own evil intention rendered him justly guilty, as he afterwards acknowledged himself, "I have betrayed innocent blood."
It was the same with the Crucifixion of Christ. Scripture plainly declares that He was "delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23), and that though "the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ;" yet, notwithstanding, it was but "to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to take place" (Acts 4:26, 28). These verses teach very much more than a bare permission by God, declaring, as they do, that the Crucifixion and all its details had been decreed by God. Yet, nevertheless, it was by "wicked hands," not merely "human hands", that our Lord was "crucified and slain" (Acts 2:23). "Wicked" because the intention, of His crucifiers was only evil.
But it might be objected that, if God had decreed that Judas should betray Christ, and that the Jews and Gentiles should crucify Him—that they could not do otherwise, and therefore, they were not responsible for their intentions. The answer is, God had decreed that they should perform the acts they did—but in the actual perpetration of these deeds they were justly guilty, because their own purposes in the doing of them was only evil.
Let it be emphatically said, that God does not produce the sinful dispositions of any of His creatures; though He does restrain and direct them to the accomplishing of His own purposes. Hence He is neither the Author nor the Approver of sin. Thus it is written, "A man's heart devises his way—but the Lord directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). What we would here insist upon is, that God's decrees are not the necessitating cause of the sins of men—but the fore-determined and prescribed boundings and directings of men's sinful acts.
In connection with the betrayal of Christ, God did not decree that He should be sold by one of His creatures—and then take up a holy man—instill an evil desire into his heart—and thus force him to perform the terrible deed in order to execute His decree. No! The Scriptures do not represent it thus. Instead, God decreed the act and selected the one who was to perform the act—but He did not make him evil in order that he should perform the deed. On the contrary, the betrayer was a "devil" at the time the Lord Jesus chose him as one of the twelve (John 6:70), and in the exercise and manifestation of his own devilry—God simply directed his actions, actions which were perfectly agreeable to his own vile heart, and performed with the most wicked intentions. Thus it was with the Crucifixion.
IV. How can the sinner be held responsible to receive Christ, and be damned for rejecting Him, when God FOREORDAINED him TO condemnation?
Really, this question has been covered in what has been said under the other queries—but for the benefit of those who are exercised upon this point—we give it a separate, though brief, examination. In considering the above difficulty, the following points should be carefully weighed:
In the first place, no sinner, while he is in this world, knows for certain, nor can he know, that he is a "vessel of wrath fitted to destruction". This belongs to the hidden counsels of God, to which he has no access. God's secret will is no business of his; God's revealed will (in the Word) is the standard of human responsibility. And God's revealed will is plain. Each sinner is among those whom God now "commands to repent" (Acts 17:30). Each sinner who hears the Gospel is "commanded" to believe (1 John 3:23). And all who do truly repent and believe—are saved. Therefore, is every sinner responsible to repent and believe.
In the second place, it is the duty of every sinner to search the Scriptures which "are able to make him wise unto salvation" (2 Timothy 3:15). It is the sinner's "duty" because the Son of God has commanded him to search the Scriptures (John 5:39). If he searches them with a heart that is seeking after God, then does he put himself in the place where God is accustomed to meet with sinners. Upon this point the Puritan Thomas Manton has written very helpfully.
"I cannot say to everyone that plows, infallibly—that he shall have a good crop. But this I can say to him—It is God's normal way—to bless the diligent and provident. I cannot say to everyone who desire children—Marry, and you shall have children. I cannot say infallibly to him that goes forth to battle for his country's good, that he shall have victory and success. But I can say, as Joab, (1 Chron. 19:13) 'Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people and the cities of our God, and let the Lord do what is good in His sight'. I cannot say infallibly that you shall obtain saving grace. But I can say to everyone—Let him use the means, and leave the success of his labor and his own salvation to the will and good pleasure of God. I cannot say this infallibly, for there is no obligation upon God. And still this work is made the fruit of God's will and mere arbitrary dispensation, 'Of His own will He begat us by the Word of Truth' (James 1:18). Let us do what God has commanded, and let God do what He wills. And I need not say so; for the whole world in all their actings, are and should be guided by this principle. Let us do our duty—and refer the success to God, whose ordinary practice it is to meet with the creature that seeks after Him. And therefore, since He is beforehand with us, and has not showed any backwardness to our good, we have no reason to despair of His goodness and mercy—but rather to hope for the best" (Vol. 21, page 312).
God has been pleased to give to men the Holy Scriptures, which "testify" of the Savior, and make known the way of salvation. Every sinner has the same natural faculties for the reading of the Bible as he has for the reading of the newspaper; and if he is illiterate or blind so that he is unable to read, he has the same mouth with which to ask a friend to read the Bible to him, as he has to inquire concerning other matters. If, then, God has given to men His Word, and in that Word has made known the way of salvation, and if men are commanded to search those Scriptures which are able to make them wise unto salvation, and they refuse to do so—then is it plain that they are justly censurable, that their blood lies on their own heads, and that God can righteously cast them into the Lake of Fire!
In the third place, should it be objected, Admitting all you have said above, Is it not still a fact that each of the non-elect is unable to repent and believe? The reply is, Yes. Of every sinner it is a fact that, of himself, he cannot come to Christ. And from God's side—the "cannot" is absolute. But we are now dealing with the responsibility of the sinner (the sinner foreordained to condemnation, though he knows it not), and from the human side—the inability of the sinner is a moral one, as previously pointed out. Moreover, it needs to be borne in mind that in addition to the moral inability of the sinner—there is a voluntary inability, too. The sinner must be regarded not only as impotent to do good—but as delighting in evil. From the human side, then, the "cannot" is a will not; it is a voluntary impotence. Man's impotence lies in his obstinacy. Hence, is everyone left "without excuse". And hence, is God "clear" when He judges (Psalm 51:4), and righteous in damning all who "love darkness rather than light".
That God does require what is beyond our own power to render—is clear from many scriptures. God gave the Law to Israel at Sinai and demanded a full compliance with it, and solemnly pointed out what would be the consequences of their disobedience (see Deut. 28). But will any readers be so foolish as to affirm that Israel were capable of fully obeying the Law! If they do, we would refer them to Romans 8:3 where we are expressly told, "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh".
Come now to the New Testament. Take such passages as Matthew 5:48, "Be therefore perfect—even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect". 1 Corinthians 15:34, "Awake to righteousness, and sin not". 1 John 2:1, "My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not". Will any reader say he is capable in himself of complying with these demands of God? If so, it is useless for us to argue with him.
But now the question arises, Why has God demanded of man—that which he is incapable of performing? The first answer is, Because God refuses to lower His standard to the level of our sinful infirmities. Being perfect, God must set a perfect standard before us. Still we must ask, if man is incapable of measuring up to God's standard, wherein lies his responsibility? Difficult as the problem seems—it is nevertheless capable of a simple and satisfactory solution.
Man is responsible to (1st) acknowledge before God his inability, and (2nd) to cry unto Him for enabling grace. Surely this will be admitted by every Christian reader. It is my bounden duty to own before God my ignorance, my weakness, my sinfulness, my impotence to comply with His holy and just requirements. It is also my bounden duty, as well as blessed privilege, to earnestly beseech God to give me that wisdom, strength, grace, which will enable me to do that which is pleasing in His sight; to ask Him to work in me "both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).
In like manner, the sinner, every sinner, is responsible to call upon the Lord. Of himself he can neither repent nor believe. He can neither come to Christ, nor turn from his sins. God tells him so; and his first duty is to "set to his seal that God is true". His second duty is to cry unto God for His enabling power—to ask God in mercy to overcome his enmity, and "draw" him to Christ; to bestow upon him the gifts of repentance and faith. If he will do so, sincerely from the heart, then most surely God will respond to his appeal, for it is written, "For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
Suppose, I had slipped on the icy pavement, late at night, and had broken my hip. I am unable to arise; if I remain on the ground, I must freeze to death. What, then, ought I to do? If I am determined to perish, I shall lie there silent—but I shall be to blame for such a course. If I am anxious to be rescued, I shall lift up my voice and cry for help. So the sinner, though unable of himself to rise and take the first step toward Christ—is responsible to cry to God, and if he does (from the heart), there is a Deliverer to rescue him. God is "not far from everyone of us" (Acts 17:27); yes, "He is a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). But if the sinner refuses to cry unto the Lord, if he is determined to perish—then his blood is on his own head, and his "damnation is just!" (Romans 3:8).
A brief word now concerning the EXTENT of human responsibility.
It is obvious that the measure of human responsibility varies in different cases, and is greater or less with particular individuals. The standard of measurement was given in the Savior's words, "For unto whom much is given—of him shall much be required" (Luke 12:48). Surely God did not require as much from those living in Old Testament times—as He does from those who have been born during the Christian dispensation. Surely God will not require as much from those who lived during the 'dark ages,' when the Scriptures were accessible to but a few—as He will from those of this generation, when practically every family in the land owns a copy of His Word for themselves. In the same way, God will not demand from the heathen—what He will from those in Christendom. The heathen will not perish because they have not believed in Christ—but because they failed to live up to the light which they did have—the testimony of God in nature and conscience.
To sum up. The fact of man's responsibility rests upon his natural ability, is witnessed to by conscience, and is insisted on throughout the Scriptures. The ground of man's responsibility, is that he is a rational creature capable of weighing eternal issues, and that he possesses a written Revelation from God, in which his relationship with and duty toward his Creator is plainly defined. The measure of responsibility varies in different individuals, being determined by the degree of light each has enjoyed from God. The problem of human responsibility receives at least a partial solution in the Holy Scriptures, and it is our solemn obligation as well as privilege to search them prayerfully and carefully for further light, looking to the Holy Spirit to guide us "into all truth." It is written, "He leads the humble in what is right and teaches them His way" (Psalm 25:9).
In conclusion, it remains to point out that it is the responsibility of every man to use the means which God has placed to his hand. An attitude of fatalistic inertia, because I know that God has irrevocably decreed whatever comes to pass—is to make a sinful and hurtful use of what God has revealed for the comfort of my heart! The same God who has decreed that a certain end shall be accomplished, has also decreed that that end shall be attained through and as the result of His own appointed means. God does not disdain the use of means—nor must we.
For example: God has decreed that "while the earth remains, seed-time and harvest. . . shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22); but that does not mean man's ploughing of the ground and sowing of the seed are needless. No! God moves men to do those very things, blesses their labors, and so fulfills His own ordination. In like manner, God has, from the beginning, chosen a people unto salvation; but that does not mean there is no need for evangelists to preach the Gospel, or for sinners to believe it; it is by such means that His eternal counsels are effectuated.
To argue that, because God has irrevocably determined the eternal destiny of every man—that this relieves us of all responsibility for any concern about our souls, or any diligent use of the means to salvation; would be on a par with refusing to perform my temporal duties because God has fixed my earthly lot. And that He has is clear from Acts 17:26, Job 7:1; 14:5, etc. If then the foreordination of God may consist with the respective activities of man in present concerns, why not in the future? What God has joined together—we must not cut asunder. Whether we can or cannot see the link which unites the one to the other, our duty is plain, "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God—but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law" (Deut. 29:29).
In Acts 27:22 God made known that He had ordained the temporal preservation of all who accompanied Paul in the ship; yet the apostle did not hesitate to say, "unless you abide in the ship—you cannot be saved" (v. 31); God appointed that means for the execution of what He had decreed. From 2 Kings 20 we learn that God was absolutely resolved to add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life—yet he must take a lump of figs and lay it on his deadly boil! Paul knew that he was eternally secure in the hand of Christ (John 10:28)—yet he "kept his body under control" (1 Corinthians 9:26). The apostle John assured those to whom he wrote, "You shall abide in Him"—yet in the very next verse he exhorted them, "And now, little children, abide in Him" (1 John 2:27, 28). It is only by taking heed to this vital principle—that we are responsible to use the means of God's appointing, that we shall be enabled to preserve the balance of Truth, and be saved from a paralyzing fatalism!
God's Sovereignty and PRAYER
"If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 1 John 5:14
Throughout this book it has been our chief aim to exalt the Creator—and abase the creature. The well-near universal tendency, now, is to magnify man—and dishonor and degrade God. On every hand it will be found that, when spiritual things are under discussion, the human side and element is pressed and stressed, and the Divine side, if not altogether ignored, is relegated to the background. This holds true of very much of the modern teaching about prayer. In the great majority of the books written and in the sermons preached upon prayer, the human element fills the scene almost entirely: it is the conditions which we must meet, the promises we must "claim", the things we must do, in order to get our requests granted. God's claims, God's rights, God's glory are disregarded.
As a fair sample of what is being given out today, we subjoin a brief editorial which appeared recently in one of the leading religious weeklies entitled "Prayer, or Fate?"
"God in His sovereignty has ordained that human destinies may be changed and molded by the will of man. This is at the heart of the truth that prayer changes things, meaning that God changes things when men pray. Some one has strikingly expressed it this way: 'There are certain things that will happen in a man's life whether he prays or not. There are other things that will happen if he prays, and will not happen if he does not pray'. A Christian worker was impressed by these sentences as he entered a business office, and he prayed that the Lord would open the way to speak to some one about Christ, reflecting that things would be changed because he prayed. Then his mind turned to other things and the prayer was forgotten. The opportunity came to speak to the business man on whom he was calling—but he did not grasp it, and was on his way out when he remembered his prayer of a half hour before, and God's answer. He promptly returned and had a talk with the business man, who, though a church-member, had never in his life been asked whether he was saved. Let us give ourselves to prayer, and open the way for God to change things. Let us beware lest we become virtual fatalists by failing to exercise our God-given wills in praying".
The above illustrates what is now being taught on the subject of prayer, and the deplorable thing is that scarcely a voice is lifted in protest. To say that "human destinies may be changed and molded by the will of man" is rank infidelity—that is the only proper term for it. Should anyone challenge this classification, we would ask them whether they can find an infidel anywhere who would dissent from such a statement, and we are confident that such an one could not be found. To say that "God has ordained that human destinies may be changed and molded by the will of man", is absolutely untrue. "Human destiny" is settled not by "the will of man," but by the will of God. That which determines human destiny, is whether or not a man has been born again, for it is written, "Unless a man is born again—he cannot see the kingdom of God".
And as to whose will, whether God's or man's, is responsible for the new birth is settled, unequivocally, by John 1:13, "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man—but OF GOD". To say that "human destiny" may be changed by the will of man, is to make the creature's will supreme, and that is, virtually, to dethrone God. But what do the Scriptures say? Let the Book answer, "The Lord kills, and makes alive! He brings down to the grave, and brings up. The Lord makes poor, and makes rich: He brings low, and lifts up. He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory" (1 Sam. 2:6-8).
Turning back to the Editorial here under review, we are next told, "This is at the heart of the truth that prayer changes things, meaning that God changes things when men pray." Almost everywhere we go today one comes across a motto-card bearing the inscription "Prayer Changes Things". As to what these words are designed to signify is evident from the current literature on prayer—we are to persuade God to change His purpose. Concerning this we shall have more to say below.
Again, the Editor tells us, "Some one has strikingly expressed it this way: 'There are certain things that will happen in a man's life whether he prays or not. There are other things that will happen if he prays, and will not happen if he does not pray.'" That things happen whether a man prays or not is exemplified daily in the lives of the unregenerate, most of whom never pray at all. That 'other things will happen if he prays' is in need of qualification. If a believer prays in faith and asks for those things which are according to God's will, he will most certainly obtain that for which he has asked. Again, that other things will happen if he prays, is also true in respect to the subjective benefits derived from prayer: God will become more real to him and His promises more precious. That other things 'will not happen if he does not pray' is true so far as his own life is concerned—a prayerless life, means a life lived out of communion with God and all that is involved by this. But to affirm that God will not and cannot bring to pass His eternal purpose unless we pray—is utterly erroneous, for the same God who has decreed the end—has also decreed that His end shall be reached through His appointed means, and one of these is prayer. The God who has determined to grant a blessing, also gives a spirit of supplication which first seeks the blessing.
The example cited in the above Editorial of the Christian Worker and the business man is a very unhappy one to say the least, for according to the terms of the illustration, the Christian Worker's prayer was not answered by God at all, inasmuch as, apparently, the way was not opened to speak to the business man about his soul. But on leaving the office and recalling his prayer the Christian Worker (perhaps in the energy of the flesh) determined to answer the prayer for himself, and instead of leaving the Lord to "open the way" for him, took matters into his own hand.
We quote next from one of the latest books issued on Prayer. In it the author says, "The possibilities and necessity of prayer, its power and results, are manifested in arresting and changing the purposes of God and in relieving the stroke of His power". Such an assertion as this is a horrible reflection upon the character of the Most High God, "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to him—What have you done?" (Daniel 4:35). There is no need whatever for God to change His designs, or alter His purpose, for the all-sufficient reason that these were framed under the influence of perfect goodness and unerring wisdom. Men may have occasion to alter their purposes, for in their short-sightedness, they are frequently unable to anticipate what may arise after their plans are formed. But not so with God, for He knows the end from the beginning. To affirm that God changes His purpose—is either to impugn His goodness—or to deny His eternal wisdom.
In the same book we are told, "The prayers of God's saints are the capital stock in heaven by which Christ carries on His great work upon earth. The great throes and mighty convulsions on earth are the results of these prayers. Earth is changed, revolutionized, angels move on more powerful, more rapid wing, and God's policy is shaped as the prayers are more numerous, more efficient". If possible, this is even worse, and we have no hesitation in denominating it as blasphemy! In the first place, it flatly denies Ephesians 3:11, which speaks of God's having an "eternal purpose". If God's purpose is an eternal one, then His "policy" is not being "shaped" today. In the second place, it contradicts Ephesians 1:11 which expressly declares that God "works all things after the counsel of His own will," therefore it follows that, "God's policy" is not being "shaped" by man's prayers. In the third place, such a statement as the above makes the will of the creature supreme, for if our prayers shape God's policy, then is the Most High subordinate to worms of the earth. Well might the Holy Spirit ask through the apostle, "For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been His Counselor?" (Romans 11:34).
Such thoughts on prayer as we have been citing are due to low and inadequate conceptions of God Himself. It ought to be apparent, that there could be little or no comfort in praying to a God that was like the chameleon, which changes its color continually. What encouragement is there to lift up our hearts to One who is in one mind yesterday, and another today? What would be the use of petitioning an earthly monarch, if we knew he was so mutable as to grant a petition one day and deny it another? Is it not the very unchangeableness of God which is our greatest encouragement to pray? It is because He is "without variableness or shadow of turning" we are assured that if we ask anything according to His will we are most certain of being heard. Well did Luther remark, "Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance—but laying hold of His willingness."
And this leads us to offer a few remarks concerning the DESIGN of prayer. Why has God appointed that we should pray? The vast majority of people would reply, In order that we may obtain from God the things which we need. While this is one of the purposes of prayer, it is by no means the chief one. Moreover, it considers prayer only from the human side, and prayer sadly needs to be viewed from the Divine side. Let us look, then, at some of the reasons why God has bidden us to pray.
First and foremost, prayer has been appointed that the Lord God Himself should be honored. God requires that we should recognize that He is, indeed, "the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity" (Isaiah 57:17). God requires that we shall own His universal dominion! In petitioning God for rain—Elijah did but confess His control over the elements. In praying to God to deliver a poor sinner from the wrath to come—we acknowledge that "salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9). In supplicating His blessing on the Gospel unto the uttermost parts of the earth—we declare His rulership over the whole world.
Again, God requires that we shall worship Him, and prayer, real prayer, is an act of worship. Prayer is an act of worship, inasmuch as it is the prostrating of the soul before Him; inasmuch as it is a calling upon His great and holy name; inasmuch as it is the owning of His goodness, His power, His immutability, His grace; and inasmuch as it is the practical recognition of His sovereignty, manifested by a submission to His will. It is highly significant to notice in this connection that the Temple was not termed by Christ the House of Sacrifice—but instead, the House of Prayer.
Again, prayer redounds to God's glory, for in prayer we do but acknowledge our dependency upon Him. When we humbly supplicate the Divine Being, we cast ourselves upon His power and mercy. In seeking blessings from God, we own that He is the Author and Fountain of every good and perfect gift. That prayer brings glory to God, is further seen from the fact that prayer calls faith into exercise, and nothing from us is so honoring and pleasing to Him—as the confidence of our hearts.
In the second place, prayer is appointed by God for our spiritual blessing, as a means for our growth in grace. When seeking to learn the design of prayer, this should ever occupy us before we regard prayer as a means for obtaining the supply of our need. Prayer is designed by God for our humbling. Prayer, real prayer, is a coming into the Presence of God, and a sense of His solemn majesty, produces a realization of our nothingness and unworthiness.
Again, prayer is designed by God for the exercise of our faith. Faith is begotten in the Word (Romans 10:17) —but it is exercised in prayer; hence, we read of "the prayer of faith".
Again, prayer calls love into action. Concerning the hypocrite the question is asked, "Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God?" (Job 27:10). But those who love the Lord cannot be long away from Him, for they delight in unburdening themselves to Him. Not only does prayer call love into action—but through the direct answers vouchsafed to our prayers, our love to God is increased, "I love the Lord—because He has heard my voice and my supplications" (Psalm 116:1).
Again, prayer is designed by God to teach us the value of the blessings we have sought from Him, and it causes us to rejoice the more when He has bestowed upon us that for which we supplicate Him.
Third, prayer is appointed by God for our seeking from Him the things which we are in need of. But here a difficulty may present itself to those who have read carefully the previous chapters of this book. If God has foreordained, before the foundation of the world, everything which happens in time, what is the use of prayer? If it is true that "of Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Romans 11:36), then why pray? Before replying directly to these queries, it should be pointed out how that there is just as much reason to ask, What is the use of me coming to God and telling Him what He already knows? wherein is the use of me spreading before Him my need, seeing He is already acquainted with it? as there is to object, What is the use of praying for anything when everything has been ordained beforehand by God?
Prayer is not for the purpose of informing God, as if He were ignorant, (the Saviour expressly declared "for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him"—Matthew 6:8) —but it is to acknowledge He does know what we are in need of. Prayer is not appointed for the furnishing of God with the knowledge of what we need—but it is designed as a confession to Him of our sense of the need. In this, as in everything, God's thoughts are not as ours. God requires that His gifts should be sought for. He designs to be honored by our asking, just as He is to be thanked by us after He has bestowed His blessing.
However, the question still returns on us, If God is the Predestinator of everything that comes to pass, and the Regulator of all events—then is not prayer a profitless exercise? A sufficient answer to these questions is, that God bids us to pray, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). And again, "men ought always to pray" (Luke 18:1). And further, Scripture declares that, "the prayer of faith shall save the sick", and, "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:15, 16); while the Lord Jesus Christ—our perfect Example in all things—was pre-eminently a Man of Prayer. Thus, it is evident, that prayer is neither meaningless nor valueless. But still this does not remove the difficulty, nor answer the question with which we started out. What then is the relationship between God's sovereignty and Christian prayer?
First of all, we would say with emphasis, that prayer is not intended to change God's purpose, nor is it to move Him to form fresh purposes. God has decreed that certain events shall come to pass—but He has also decreed that these events shall come to pass through the means He has appointed for their accomplishment. God has elected certain ones to be saved—but He has also decreed that these ones shall be saved through the preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel, then, is one of the appointed means for the working out of the eternal counsel of the Lord; and prayer is another. God has decreed the means as well as the end, and among the means is prayer. Even the prayers of His people are included in His eternal decrees. Therefore, instead of prayers being in vain, they are among the means through which God exercises His decrees. "If indeed all things happen by a blind chance, or a fatal necessity, prayers in that case could be of no moral efficacy, and of no use; but since they are regulated by the direction of Divine wisdom, prayers have a place in the order of events" (Haldane).
That prayers for the execution of the very things decreed by God are not meaningless, is clearly taught in the Scriptures. Elijah knew that God was about to give rain—but that did not prevent him from at once betaking himself to prayer, (James 5:17, 18). Daniel "understood" by the writings of the prophets that the captivity was to last but seventy years—yet when these seventy years were almost ended, we are told that he "set his face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9:2, 3). God told the prophet Jeremiah "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end"; but instead of adding, 'there is, therefore, no need for you to supplicate Me for these things,' He said, "Then shall you call upon Me, and you shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you" (Jer. 29:12).
Once more; in Ezekiel 36 we read of the explicit, positive, and unconditional promises which God has made concerning the future restoration of Israel—yet in verse 37 of this same chapter we are told, "Thus says the Lord God; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them!" Here then is the design of prayer: not that God's will may be altered—but that it may be accomplished in His own good time and way. It is because God has promised certain things, that we can ask for them with the full assurance of faith. It is God's purpose that His will shall be brought about by His own appointed means, and that He may do His people good upon His own terms, and that is, by the 'means' and 'terms' of entreaty and supplication.
Did not the Son of God know for certain that after His death and resurrection He would be exalted by the Father? Assuredly He did. Yet we find Him asking for this very thing, "O Father, glorify Me with Yourself—with the glory which I had with You before the world was" (John 17:5)! Did not He know that none of His people could perish? yet He besought the Father to "keep" them (John 17:11)!
Finally; it should be said that God's will is immutable, and cannot be altered by our prayers. When the mind of God is not toward a people to do them good, it cannot be turned to them by the most fervent and importunate prayers of those who have the greatest interest in Him, "Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me—yet My mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth" (Jer. 15:1). The prayers of Moses to enter the promised land is a parallel case.
Our views respecting prayer need to be revised and brought into harmony with the teaching of Scripture on the subject. The prevailing idea seems to be, that I come to God and ask Him for something that I want, and that I expect Him to give me that which I have asked. But this is a most dishonoring and degrading conception. This popular belief reduces God to a servant—our servant! doing our bidding, performing our pleasure, granting our desires. No! True prayer is a coming to God, telling Him my need, committing my way unto Him, and leaving Him to deal with me as seems best to Him. This makes my will subject to His, instead of, as in the former case, seeking to bring His will into subjection to mine.
No prayer is pleasing to God, unless the spirit actuating it is, "not my will—but may Yours will be done". "When God bestows blessings on a praying people, it is not for the sake of their prayers, as if He was inclined and turned by them; but it is for His own sake, and of His own sovereign will and pleasure. Should it be said, to what purpose then is prayer? It is answered, This is the way and means God has appointed, for the communication of the blessing of His goodness to His people. For though He has purposed, provided, and promised them—yet He will be sought unto, to give them, and it is a duty and privilege to ask. When they are blessed with a spirit of prayer, it forebodes well, and looks as if God intended to bestow the good things asked, which should be asked always with submission to the will of God, saying, Not my will—but may Yours will be done" (John Gill).
The distinction just noted above, is of great practical importance for our peace of heart. Perhaps the one thing that exercises Christians as much as anything else—is that of unanswered prayers. They have asked God for something: so far as they are able to judge, they have asked in faith believing they would receive that for which they had supplicated the Lord: and they have asked earnestly and repeatedly—but the answer has not come. The result is that, in many cases, faith in the efficacy of prayer becomes weakened, until hope gives way to despair, and the closet is altogether neglected. Is it not so?
Now will it surprise our readers, when we say that every real prayer of faith that has ever been offered to God has been answered? Yet we unhesitatingly affirm it. But in saying this, we must refer back to our definition of prayer. Let us repeat it. Prayer is a coming to God, telling Him my needs (or the needs of others), committing my way unto the Lord, and then leaving Him to deal with the case as seems best to Him. This leaves God to answer the prayer in whatever way He sees fit, and often, His answer may be the very opposite of what would be most acceptable to the flesh; yet, if we have really LEFT our need in His hands, it will be His answer, nevertheless. Let us look at two examples.
In John 11 we read of the sickness of Lazarus. The Lord "loved" him—but He was absent from Bethany. The sisters sent a messenger unto the Lord, acquainting Him of their brother's condition. And note particularly how their appeal was worded, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." That was all. They did not ask Him to heal Lazarus. They did not request Him to hasten at once to Bethany. They simply spread their need before Him, committed the case into His hands, and left Him to act as He deemed best! And what was our Lord's reply? Did He respond to their appeal and answer their mute request? Certainly He did, though not, perhaps, in the way they had hoped. He answered by abiding "two days still in the same place where He was" (John 11:6), and allowing Lazarus to die! But in this instance, that was not all. Later, He journeyed to Bethany and raised Lazarus from the dead. Our purpose in referring here to this case, is to illustrate the proper attitude for the believer to take before God in the hour of need.
The next example will emphasize, rather, God's method of responding to His needy child. Turn to 2 Corinthians 12. The apostle Paul had been granted an unheard-of privilege. He had been transported into Paradise. His ears have listened to, and his eyes have gazed upon—that which no other mortal had heard or seen this side of death. The wondrous revelation was more than the apostle could endure. He was in danger of becoming "puffed up" by his extraordinary experience. Therefore, a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, was sent to buffet him lest he be exalted above measure. And the apostle spreads his need before the Lord; he thrice beseeches Him that this thorn in the flesh should be removed. Was his prayer answered? Assuredly, though not in the manner he had desired. The "thorn" was not removed—but grace was given to bear it. The burden was not lifted—but strength was granted to carry it.
Does someone object that it is our privilege to do more than spread our need before God? Are we reminded that God has, as it were, given us a blank check and invited us to fill it in? Is it said that the promises of God are all-inclusive, and that we may ask God for what we will? If so, we must call attention to the fact that it is necessary to compare Scripture with Scripture, if we are to learn the full mind of God on any subject, and that as this is done we discover God has qualified the promises given to praying souls by saying, "If we ask anything according to His will He hears us" (1 John 5:14).
Real prayer is communion with God, so that there will be common thoughts between His mind and ours. What is needed—is for Him to fill our hearts with His thoughts—and then His desires will become our desires flowing back to Him. Here then is the meeting-place between God's sovereignty and Christian prayer: If we ask anything according to His will He hears us, and if we do not so ask, He does not hear us; as says the apostle James, "You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you might consume it upon your lusts" or desires (4:3)
But did not the Lord Jesus tell His disciples, "Truly, truly, I say unto you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you" (John 16:23)? He did; but this promise does not give praying souls carte blanche. These words of our Lord are in perfect accord with those of the apostle John, "If we ask anything according to His will He hears us." What is it to ask "in the name of Christ"? Surely it is very much more than a prayer formula, the mere concluding of our supplications with the words "in the name of Christ." To apply to God for anything in the name of Christ—it must needs be in keeping with what Christ is! To ask God in the name of Christ—is as though Christ Himself were the suppliant. We can only ask God for what Christ would ask for. To ask in the name of Christ, is therefore, to set aside our own wills, accepting God's!
Let us now amplify our definition of prayer. What is prayer? Prayer is not so much an act—as it is an attitude—an attitude of dependency, dependency upon God. Prayer is a confession of creature weakness, yes, of helplessness. Prayer is the acknowledgment of our need, and the spreading of it before God. We do not say that this is all there is in prayer, it is not—but it is the essential, the primary element in prayer. We freely admit that we are quite unable to give a complete definition of prayer within the compass of a brief sentence, or in any number of words.
Prayer is both an attitude and an act—a human act, and yet there is the Divine element in it too, and it is this which makes an exhaustive analysis impossible, as well as impious to attempt. But admitting this, we do insist again, that prayer is fundamentally an attitude of dependency upon God. Therefore, prayer is the very opposite of dictating to God. Because prayer is an attitude of dependency, the one who really prays is submissive, submissive to the Divine will; and submission to the Divine will means, that we are content for the Lord to supply our need according to the dictates of His own sovereign pleasure. And hence it is that we say, every prayer that is offered to God in this spirit is sure of meeting with an answer or response from Him.
Here then is the reply to our opening question, and the scriptural solution to the seeming difficulty. Prayer is not the requesting of God to alter His purpose, or for Him to form a new one. Prayer is the taking of an attitude of dependency upon. God, the spreading of our need before Him, the asking for those things which are in accordance with His will, and therefore there is nothing whatever inconsistent between Divine sovereignty and Christian prayer.
In closing this chapter we would utter a word of caution to safeguard the reader against drawing a false conclusion from what has been said. We have not here sought to epitomize the whole teaching of Scripture on the subject of prayer, nor have we even attempted to discuss in general, the problem of prayer; instead, we have confined ourselves, more or less, to a consideration of the relationship between God's Sovereignty and Christian Prayer. What we have written is intended chiefly as a protest against much of the modern teaching, which so stresses the human element in prayer, that the Divine side is almost entirely lost sight of.
In Jeremiah 10:23 we are told "I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Proverbs 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course—but the Lord determines his steps." And yet in many of his prayers, man impiously presumes to direct the Lord as to His way, and as to what He ought to do—even implying that if only he had the direction of the affairs of the world and of the Church—he would soon have things very different from what they are! This cannot be denied: for anyone with any spiritual discernment at all could not fail to detect this spirit in many of our modern prayer-meetings where the flesh holds sway. How slow we all are to learn the lesson that the haughty creature needs to be brought down to his knees and humbled into the dust. And this is where the very act of prayer is intended to put us. But man (in his usual perversity) turns the footstool into a throne, from whence he would gladly direct the Almighty God—as to what He ought to do! giving the onlooker the impression that if God had half the compassion that those who pray (?) have, all would quickly be put right! Such is the arrogance of the old nature, even in a child of God.
Our main purpose in this chapter has been to emphasize the need for submitting, in prayer—our wills to God's. But it must also be added, that prayer is much more than a pious exercise, and far otherwise than a mechanical performance. Prayer is, indeed, a Divinely appointed means whereby we may obtain from God the things we ask, providing we ask for those things which are in accord with His will. These pages will have been penned in vain unless they lead both writer and reader to cry with a deeper earnestness than heretofore, "Lord, teach us to pray!" (Luke 11:1)
OUR ATTITUDE Toward God's Sovereignty
"Even so, Father—for so it seemed good in Your sight!" Matthew 11:26
In the present chapter we shall consider, somewhat briefly, the practical application to ourselves, of the great truth which we have pondered in its various ramifications in earlier pages. In a future chapter, we shall deal more in detail with the value of this doctrine—but here we would confine ourselves to a definition of what ought to be our attitude toward the sovereignty of God.
Every truth that is revealed to us in God's Word is there not only for our information, but also for our inspiration. The Bible has been given to us—not to gratify an idle curiosity—but to edify the souls of its readers. The sovereignty of God is something more than an abstract principle which explains the rationale of the Divine government: it is designed as a motive for godly fear; it is made known to us for the promotion of righteous living; it is revealed in order to bring our rebellious hearts into subjection to Him. A true recognition of God's sovereignty humbles—as nothing else does or can humble, and brings the heart into lowly submission before God, causing us to relinquish our own self-will and making us delight in the perception and performance of the Divine will.
When we speak of the sovereignty of God, we mean very much more than the exercise of God's governmental power, though, of course, that is included in the expression. As we have remarked in an earlier chapter, the sovereignty of God means the Godhood of God. In its fullest and deepest meaning, the title of this book signifies the Character and Being of the One whose pleasure is performed, and whose will is executed. To truly recognize the sovereignty of God is, therefore, to gaze upon the Sovereign Himself! It is to come into the presence of the august "Majesty on High." it is to have a sight of the thrice holy God in His excellent glory. The effects of such a sight may be learned from those scriptures which describe the experience of different ones who obtained a view of the Lord God.
Mark the experience of JOB—the one of whom the Lord Himself said, "There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8). At the close of the book which bears his name, we are shown Job in the Divine presence, and how does he carry himself when brought face to face with Jehovah? Hear what he says, "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5, 6). Thus, a sight of God, God revealed in His awesome majesty, caused Job to abhor himself, and not only so—but to abase himself before the Almighty.
Take note of ISAIAH. In the sixth chapter of his prophecy a scene is brought before us which has few equals even in Scripture. The prophet beholds the Lord upon the Throne, a Throne, "high and lifted up." Above this Throne stood the seraphim with veiled faces, crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty." What is the effect of this sight upon the prophet? We read, "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty" (Isaiah 6:5). A sight of the Divine King humbled Isaiah into the dust, bringing him, as it did, to a realization of his own nothingness.
Once more. Look at the prophet DANIEL. Toward the close of his life this man of God beheld the Lord in theophanic manifestation. He appeared to His servant in human form "clothed in linen" and with loins "girded with fine gold"—symbolic of holiness and Divine glory. We read that, "His body looked like a dazzling gem. From His face came flashes like lightning, and His eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and His voice was like the roaring of a vast multitude of people." Daniel then tells the effect this vision had upon him and those who were with him, "I, Daniel, am the only one who saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide. So I was left there all alone to watch this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak. When I heard him speak, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground" (Daniel 10:6-9). Once more, then, we are shown that to obtain a sight of the Sovereign God is for creature strength to wither up, and results in man being humbled into the dust before his Maker.
What then ought to be our attitude toward the Supreme Sovereign? We reply,
1. One of Godly fear.
Why is it that, today, the masses are so utterly unconcerned about spiritual and eternal things, and that they are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? Why is it that even on the battlefields multitudes were so indifferent to their soul's welfare? Why is it that defiance of heaven is becoming more open, more blatant, more daring? The answer is, Because "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). Again, why is it that the authority of the Scriptures has been lowered so sadly of late? Why is it that even among those who profess to be the Lord's people, there is so little real subjection to His Word, and that its precepts are so lightly esteemed and so readily set aside? Ah! what needs to be stressed today, is that God is a God to be feared!
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7). Happy the soul who has been awed by a view of God's majesty, who has had a vision of God's awesome greatness, His ineffable holiness, His perfect righteousness, His irresistible power, His sovereign grace. Does someone say, "But it is only the unsaved, those outside of Christ, who need to fear God"? Then the sufficient answer is that the saved, those who are in Christ, are admonished to work out their own salvation with "fear and trembling." Time was, when it was the general custom to speak of a believer as a "God-fearing man"—that such an appellation has become nearly extinct—only serves to show where we have drifted. Nevertheless, it still stands written, "Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:13)!
When we speak of godly fear, of course, we do not mean a servile fear, such as prevails among the heathen in connection with their gods. No! we mean that spirit which Jehovah is pledged to bless, that spirit to which the prophet referred when he said, "To this man will I (the Lord) look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word" (Isaiah 66:2). It was this the apostle had in view when he wrote, "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Peter 2:17). And nothing will foster this godly fear—like a recognition of the sovereign Majesty of God.
What ought to be our attitude toward the Sovereignty of God? We answer again,
2. One of Implicit Obedience.
A sight of God leads to a realization of our littleness and nothingness, and issues in a sense of dependency and of casting ourselves upon God. Again, a view of the Divine Majesty promotes the spirit of godly fear and this, in turn, begets an obedient walk. Here then is the Divine antidote for the native evil of our hearts. Naturally, man is filled with a sense of his own importance, with his greatness and self-sufficiency; in a word, with pride and rebellion. But, as we remarked, the great corrective is to behold the Mighty God, for this alone will really humble him. Man will glory either in himself or in God. Man will live either to serve and please himself, or he will seek to serve and please the Lord. None can serve two masters.
Irreverence begets disobedience. Said the haughty monarch of Egypt, "Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord; neither will I let Israel go!" (Exodus 5:2). To Pharaoh, the God of the Hebrews was merely a god—one among many, a powerless entity who needed not to be feared or served. How sadly mistaken he was, and how bitterly he had to pay for his mistake—he soon discovered! But what we are here seeking to emphasize is, that Pharaoh's defiant spirit was the fruit of irreverence, and this irreverence was the consequence of his ignorance of the majesty and authority of the Divine Being.
Now if irreverence begets disobedience, true reverence will produce and promote obedience. To realize that the Holy Scriptures are a revelation from the Most High, communicating to us His mind and defining for us His will, is the first step toward practical godliness. To recognize that the Bible is God's Word, and that its precepts are the precepts of the Almighty, will lead us to see what an awful thing it is to despise and ignore them. To receive the Bible as addressed to our own souls, given to us by the Creator Himself, will cause us to cry with the Psalmist, "Incline my heart unto Your testimonies. Order my steps in Your Word" (Psalm 119:36, 133). Once the sovereignty of the Author of the Word is apprehended, it will no longer be a matter of picking and choosing from the precepts and statutes of that Word, selecting those which meet with our approval; but it will be seen that nothing less than an unqualified and whole-hearted submission befits the creature.
What ought to be our attitude toward the Sovereignty of God? We answer, once more,
3. One of entire resignation.
A true recognition of God's absolute sovereignty, will exclude all murmuring. This is self-evident—yet the thought deserves to be dwelt upon. It is natural to murmur against afflictions and losses. It is natural to complain when we are deprived of those things upon which we had set our hearts. We are apt to regard our possessions as ours unconditionally. We feel that when we have prosecuted our plans with prudence and diligence, that we are entitled to success; that when by dint of hard work we have accumulated a 'competence,' we deserve to keep and enjoy it; that when we are surrounded by a happy family, no power may lawfully enter the charmed circle and strike down a loved one. And if in any of these cases disappointment, bankruptcy, death, actually comes, the perverted instinct of the human heart is to cry out against God. But in the one who, by grace, has recognized God's sovereignty, such murmuring is silenced, and instead, there is a bowing to the Divine will, and an acknowledgment that He has not afflicted us as sorely as we deserve.
A true recognition of God's sovereignty will avow God's perfect right to do with us as He wills. The one who bows to the pleasure of the Almighty—will acknowledge His absolute right to do with us as seems good to Him. If He chooses to send poverty, sickness, domestic bereavements, even while the heart is bleeding at every pore—it will say, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right! Often there will be a struggle, for the carnal mind remains in the believer to the end of his earthly pilgrimage. But though there may be a conflict within his breast, nevertheless, to the one who has really yielded himself to God's sovereignty, there will presently be heard that Voice saying, as of old it said to the turbulent Gennesaret, "Peace be still"; and the tempestuous flood within will be quieted and the subdued soul will lift a tearful but confident eye to heaven and say, "May Your will be done!"
A striking illustration of a soul bowing to the sovereign will of God, is furnished by the history of Eli, the high priest of Israel. In 1 Samuel 3 we learn how God revealed to the young child Samuel that He was about to slay Eli's two sons for their wickedness, and on the morrow Samuel communicates this message to the aged priest. It is difficult to conceive of more appalling news for the heart of a pious parent. The announcement that his child is going to be stricken down by sudden death is, under any circumstances, a great trial to any father—but to learn that his two sons—in the prime of their manhood, and utterly unprepared to die—were to be cut off by a Divine judgment, must have been overwhelming. Yet, what was the effect upon Eli when he learned from Samuel the tragic tidings? What reply did he make when he heard the awful news? "And he said, It is the Lord—let Him do what seems good to Him!" (1 Sam. 3:18). And not another word escaped his mouth. Wonderful submission! Sublime resignation! Lovely exemplification of the power of Divine grace to control the strongest affections of the human heart and subdue the rebellious will, bringing it into unrepining acquiescence to the sovereign pleasure of Jehovah.
Another example, equally striking, is seen in the life of Job. As is well known, Job was one who feared God and shunned evil. If ever there was one who might reasonably expect Divine providence to smile upon him, (we speak as a man,) it was Job. Yet, how did it fare with him? For a time, the lines fell in pleasant places unto him. The Lord filled his quiver by giving him seven sons and three daughters. He prospered him in his temporal affairs until he owned great possessions. But suddenly, the sun of life was hidden behind dark clouds. In a single day Job lost not only his flocks and herds—but his sons and daughters as well. News arrived that his cattle had been carried off by robbers, and his children slain by a cyclone. And how did he receive this news? Hearken to his sublime words, "The Lord gave—and the Lord has taken away!" He bowed to the sovereign will of Jehovah. He traced his afflictions back to their First Cause. He looked behind the Sabeans who had stolen his cattle, and beyond the winds that had destroyed his children—and saw the hand of God. But not only did Job recognize God's sovereignty, he rejoiced in it, too. To the words, "The Lord gave—and the Lord bath taken away," he added, "Blessed be the name of the Lord!" (Job 1:21). Again we say, Sweet submission! Sublime resignation!
A true recognition of God's sovereignty causes us to hold our every plan in abeyance to God's will. The writer well recalls an incident which occurred in England over twenty years ago. Queen Victoria was dead, and the date for the coronation of her eldest son, Edward, had been set for April 1902. In all the announcements which were sent out, two little letters were omitted— D. V. (Deo Volente) God willing. Plans were made and all arrangements completed for the most imposing celebrations that England had ever witnessed. Kings and emperors from all parts of the earth had received invitations to attend the royal ceremony. The Prince's proclamations were printed and displayed—but, so far as the writer is aware, the letters D. V. were not found on a single one of them. A most imposing program had been arranged, and the late Queen's eldest son was to be crowned Edward the Seventh at Westminster Abbey at a certain hour on a fixed day. And then God intervened, and all man's plans were frustrated. A still small voice was heard to say, "You have reckoned without Me," and Prince Edward was stricken down with appendicitis, and his coronation postponed for months!
As remarked, a true recognition of God's sovereignty causes us to hold our plans in abeyance to God's will. It makes us recognize that the Divine Potter has absolute power over the clay and molds it according to His own imperial pleasure. It causes us to heed that admonition—now, alas! so generally disregarded, "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." (James 4:13-15). Yes, it is to the Lord's will we must bow. It is for Him to say where I shall live—whether in America or Africa. It is for Him to determine under what circumstances I shall live—whether amid wealth or poverty, whether in health or sickness. It is for Him to say how long I shall live—whether I shall be cut down in youth like the flower of the field, or whether I shall continue for three score and ten years. To really learn this lesson is, by grace, to attain unto a high grade in the school of God; and even when we think we have learned it, we discover, again and again, that we have to relearn it!
4. One if deep thankfulness and joy.
The heart's apprehension of this most blessed truth of the sovereignty of God, produces something far different than a sullen bowing to the inevitable. The philosophy of this perishing world knows nothing better than to "make the best of bad circumstances". But with the Christian it should be far other wise. Not only should the recognition of God's supremacy beget within us godly fear, implicit obedience, and entire resignation—but it should cause us to say with the Psalmist, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name!" Does not the apostle say, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20)? Ah, it is at this point the state of our souls is so often put to the test. Alas, there is so much self-will in each of us. When things go as we wish them, we appear to be very grateful to God; but what of those occasions when things go contrary to our plans and desires?
We take it for granted when the real Christian takes a train-journey that, upon reaching his destination, he devoutly returns thanks unto God—which, of course, argues that God controls everything; otherwise, we ought to thank the engine-driver, the stoker, the signalmen etc. Or, if in business, at the close of a good week, gratitude is expressed unto the Giver of every good (temporal) and of every perfect (spiritual) gift—which again, argues that He directs all customers to your shop. So far, so good. Such examples occasion no difficulty. But imagine the opposites. Suppose my train was delayed for hours—did I fret and fume? Or suppose another train ran into it, and I am injured! Or, suppose I have had a poor week in business, or that lightning struck my shop and set it on fire, or that burglars broke in and rifled it—then what? Do I see the hand of God in these things?
Take the case of Job once more. When loss after loss came his way, what did he do? Bemoan his "bad luck"? Curse the robbers? Murmur against God? No! he bowed before Him in worship. Ah, dear reader, there is no real rest for your poor heart until you learn to see the hand of God in everything. But for that, faith must be in constant exercise. And what is faith? A blind credulity? A fatalistic acquiescence? No, far from it. Faith is a resting on the sure Word of the living God, and therefore says, "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). And therefore faith will give thanks "always for all things". Operative faith will "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil. 4:4).
We turn now to mark how this recognition of God's sovereignty which is expressed in godly fear, implicit obedience, entire resignation, and deep thankfulness and joy—was supremely and perfectly exemplified by the Lord Jesus Christ.
In all things the Lord Jesus has left us an example that we should follow His steps. But is this true in connection with the first point made above? Are the words "godly fear" ever linked with His peerless name? Remembering that 'godly fear' signifies not a servile terror—but rather a filial subjection and reverence, and remembering too that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," would it not rather be strange if no mention at all were made of godly fear in connection with the One who was wisdom incarnate! What a wonderful and precious word is that of Hebrews 5:7, "Who in the days of His flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and having been heard for His godly fear." What was it but 'godly fear' which caused the Lord Jesus to be "subject" unto Mary and Joseph in the days of His childhood? Was it not 'godly fear'—a filial subjection to and reverence for God—that we see displayed, when we read, "And He came to Nazareth where He had been brought up—and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day" (Luke 4:16)? Was it not 'godly fear' which caused the incarnate Son to say, when tempted by Satan to fall down and worship him, "It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve"? Was it not 'godly fear' which moved Him to say to the cleansed leper, "Go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded" (Matthew 8:4)? But why multiply illustrations?
How perfect was the obedience that the Lord Jesus offered to God the Father! And in reflecting upon this—let us not lose sight of that wondrous grace which caused Him, who was in the very form of God, to stoop so low as to take upon Him the form of a Servant, and thus be brought into the place where obedience was befitting. As the perfect Servant He yielded complete obedience to His Father. How absolute and entire that obedience was we may learn from the words, He "became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross" (Phil. 2:8). That this was a conscious and intelligent obedience, is clear from His own language, "This is why the Father loves Me, because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father" (John 10:17, 18).
And what shall we say of the absolute resignation of the Son to the Father's will—what, but between them there was entire oneness of accord. Said He, "For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will—but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 6:38). And how fully He substantiated that claim, all know who have attentively followed His path as marked out in the Scriptures. Behold Him in Gethsemane! The bitter 'cup,' held in the Father's hand, is presented to His view. Mark well His attitude. Learn of Him who was meek and lowly in heart. Remember that there in the Garden we see the Word become flesh—a perfect Man. His body is quivering at every nerve, in contemplation of the physical sufferings which await Him; His holy and sensitive nature is shrinking from the horrible indignities which shall be heaped upon Him; His heart is breaking at the awful "reproach" which is before Him; His spirit is greatly troubled as He foresees the terrible conflict with the Power of Darkness; and above all, and supremely, His soul is filled with horror at the thought of being separated from God Himself. There He pours out His soul to the Father, and with strong crying and tears He sheds, as it were, great drops of blood. And now observe and listen. Still the beating of your heart, and hearken to the words which fall from His blessed lips, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will—but may Your be done" (Luke 22:42). Here is submission personified. Here is resignation to the pleasure of a sovereign God superlatively exemplified. And He has left us an example that we should follow His steps. He who was God became man, and was tempted in all points like as we are—sin apart—to show us how to wear our creature nature!
Above we asked, What shall we say of Christ's absolute resignation to the Father's will? We answer—that here, as everywhere, He was unique and peerless. In all things He has the pre-eminence. In the Lord Jesus there was no rebellious will to be broken. In His heart there was nothing to be subdued. Was not this one reason why, in the language of prophecy, He said, "I am a worm, and no man" (Psalm 22:6). A worm has no power of resistance! It was because in Him there was no resistance that He could say, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me" (John 4:34). Yes, it was because He was in perfect accord with the Father in all things that He said, "I delight to do Your will, O God! Yes, Your law is within My heart" (Psalm 40:8). Note the last clause here and behold His matchless excellency. God has to put His laws into our minds, and write them in our hearts (see Hebrews 8:10)—but His law was already in Christ's heart!
What a beautiful and striking illustration of Christ's thankfulness and joy is found in Matthew 11. There we behold, first, the failure in the faith of His forerunner (vv. 22, 23). Next, we learn of the discontent of the people: satisfied neither with Christ's joyous message, nor with John's solemn one (vv. 16-20). Third, we have the non-repentance of those favored cities in which our Lord's mightiest works were done (vv. 21-24). And then we read, "At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes" (v. 25)! Note the parallel passage in Luke 10:21 opens by saying, "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank You" etc. Ah, here was submission in its purest form. Here was One by which the worlds were made—yet, in the days of His humiliation, and in the face of His rejection, thankfully and joyously bowing to the will of the "Lord of heaven and earth".
What ought to be our attitude towards God's sovereignty? Finally,
5. One of adoring worship.
It has been well said that "true worship is based upon recognized GREATNESS, and greatness is superlatively seen in Sovereignty, and at no other footstool will men really worship" (J. B. Moody). In the presence of the Divine King upon His throne—even the seraphim 'veil their faces.'
Divine sovereignty is not the sovereignty of a tyrannical Despot—but the exercised pleasure of One who is infinitely wise and good! Because God is infinitely wise—He cannot err; and because He is infinitely righteous—He will not do wrong. Here then is the preciousness of this truth. The mere fact itself that God's will is irresistible and irreversible—fills me with fear; but once I realize that God wills only that which is good—my heart is made to rejoice!
Here then is the final answer to the question of this chapter—What ought to be our attitude toward the sovereignty of God? The befitting attitude for us to take is that of godly fear, implicit obedience, and unreserved resignation and submission. But not only so—the recognition of the sovereignty of God, and the realization that the Sovereign Himself is my Father, ought to overwhelm the heart and cause me to bow before Him in adoring worship! At all times I must say, "Even so, Father, for so it seems good in Your sight." We conclude with an example which well illustrates our meaning.
Some two hundred years ago the saintly Madam Guyon, after ten years spent in a dungeon lying far below the surface of the ground, lit only by a candle at meal-times, wrote these words,
"A little bird I am,
Shut from the fields of air;
Yet in my cage I sit and sing
To Him who placed me there!
Well pleased a prisoner to be,
Because, my God, it pleases Thee.
Nothing have I else to do
I sing the whole day long;
And He whom most I love to please,
Does listen to my song!
He caught and bound my wandering wing
But still He bends to hear me sing.
My cage confines me round;
Abroad I cannot fly;
But though my wing is closely bound,
My heart's at liberty!
My prison walls cannot control
The flight, the freedom of the soul.
Ah! it is good to soar
These bolts and bars above,
To Him whose purpose I adore,
Whose Providence I love!
And in Your mighty will to find
The joy, the freedom of the mind."
DIFFICULTIES and OBJECTIONS
"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just!' Hear, O house of Israel: Is My way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?" Ezekiel 18:25
A convenient point has been reached when we may now examine, more definitely, some of the difficulties encountered, and the objections which might be advanced against what we have written in previous pages. The author deemed it better to reserve these for a separate consideration, rather than deal with them as he went along, requiring as that would have done, the breaking of the course of thought and destroying the strict unity of each chapter, or else cumbering our pages with numerous and lengthy footnotes.
That there are difficulties involved in an attempt to set forth the truth of God's sovereignty is readily acknowledged. The hardest thing of all, perhaps, is to maintain the balance of truth. It is largely a matter of perspective. That God is sovereign is explicitly declared in Scripture; that man is a responsible creature is also expressly affirmed in Holy Writ. To define the relationship of these two truths, to fix the dividing line between them, to show exactly where they meet, to exhibit the perfect consistency of the one with the other—is the weightiest task of all. Many have openly declared that it is impossible for the finite mind to harmonize them. Others tell us it is not necessary or even wise to attempt it. But, as we have remarked in an earlier chapter, it seems to us more honoring to God to seek the solution to every problem, in His Word. What is impossible to man is possible with God, and while we grant that the finite mind is limited in its reach—yet, we remember that the Scriptures are given to us that the man of God may be "thoroughly furnished," and if we approach their study in the spirit of humility and of expectancy, then, according unto our faith, will it be unto us.
As remarked above, the hardest task in this connection is to preserve the balance of truth, while insisting on both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of the creature. To some of our readers it may appear that in pressing the sovereignty of God to the lengths we have, that man is reduced to a mere puppet. Hence, to guard against this, they would modify their definitions and statements relating to God's sovereignty, and thus seek to blunt the keen edge of what is so offensive to the carnal mind. Others, while refusing to weigh the evidence that we have adduced in support of our assertions, may raise objections which to their minds are sufficient to dispose of the whole subject. We would not waste time in the effort to refute objections made in a carping and contentious spirit—but we are desirous of meeting fairly the difficulties experienced by those who are anxious to obtain a fuller knowledge of the truth. Not that we deem ourselves able to give a satisfactory and final answer to every question that might be asked. Like the reader, the writer knows but "in part" and sees through a glass "darkly." All that we can do is to examine these difficulties in the light we now have, in dependence upon the Spirit of God that we may follow on to know the Lord better.
We propose now to retrace our steps and pursue the same order of thought as that followed up to this point. As a part of our "definition" of God's sovereignty we affirmed, "To say that God is sovereign is to declare that He is the Almighty, the Possessor of all power in heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will. . . The sovereignty of the God of Scripture is absolute, irresistible, infinite." To put it now in its strongest form, we insist that God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases: that whatever takes place in time—is but the outworking of that which He decreed in eternity. In proof of this assertion we appeal to the following Scriptures, "But our God is in the heavens—He has done whatever He has pleased" (Psalm 115:3). "For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?" (Isaiah 14:27). "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: "What have You done?" (Daniel 4:35). "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:36). "The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths!" (Psalm 135:6)
The above declarations are so plain and positive, that any comments of ours upon them would simply be darkening counsel by words without knowledge. Such express statements as those just quoted, are so sweeping and so dogmatic that all controversy concerning the subject of which they treat ought forever to be at an end. Yet, rather than receive them at their face value, every device of carnal ingenuity is resorted to so as to neutralize their force.
For example, it has been asked, If what we see in the world today is but the outworking of God's eternal purpose, if God's counsel is NOW being accomplished, then why did our Lord teach His disciples to pray, "May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"? Is it not a clear implication from these words that God's will is not now being done on earth? The answer is very simple. The emphatic word in the above clause is "as." God's will is being done on earth today, if it is not, then our earth is not subject to God's rule, and if it is not subject to His rule then He is not, as Scripture proclaims Him to be, "The Lord of all the earth" (Josh. 3:13). But God's will is not being done on earth as it is in heaven. How is God's will "done in heaven"? Consciously and joyfully. How is it "done on earth"? For the most part, unconsciously and sullenly. In heaven the angels perform the bidding of their Creator intelligently and gladly—but on earth the unsaved among men accomplish His will blindly and in ignorance. As we have said in earlier pages, when Judas betrayed the Lord Jesus and when Pilate sentenced Him to be crucified, they had no conscious intention of fulfilling God's decrees yet, nevertheless, unknown to themselves they did do so!
But again. It has been objected: If everything that happens on earth is the fulfilling of the Almighty's pleasure, if God has fore-ordained, before the foundation of the world—everything which comes to pass in human history, then why do we read in Genesis 6:6, "The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain"? Does not this language intimate that the antediluvians had followed a course which their Maker had not marked out for them, and that in view of the fact they had "corrupted" their way upon the earth, the Lord regretted that He had ever brought such a creature into existence?
Before drawing such a conclusion, let us note what is involved in such an inference. If the words "The Lord was grieved that He had made man" are regarded in an absolute sense, then God's omniscience would be denied, for in such a case the course followed by man must have been unforeseen by God in the day that He created him. Therefore it must be evident to every reverent soul that this language bears some other meaning. We submit that the words, "The Lord was grieved" is an accommodation to our finite intelligence; and in saying this we are not seeking to escape a difficulty, or cut a knot—but are advancing an interpretation which we shall seek to show is in perfect accord with the general trend of Scripture.
The Word of God is addressed to men, and therefore it speaks the language of men. Because we cannot rise to God's level He, in grace, comes down to ours and converses with us in our own speech. The apostle Paul tells us of how he was "caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not possible to utter" (2 Corinthians 12:4) Those on earth, could not understand the vernacular of heaven. The finite cannot comprehend the Infinite, hence the Almighty deigns to couch His revelation in terms we may understand. It is for this reason the Bible contains many anthropomorphisms—that is, representations of God in the form of man. God is Spirit—yet the Scriptures speak of Him as having eyes, ears, nostrils, breath, hands etc., which is surely an accommodation of terms brought down to the level of human comprehension.
Again, we read in Genesis 18:20, 21, "And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come up unto Me; and if not, I will know." Now, manifestly, this is an anthropomorphism—God, speaking in human language. God knew the conditions which prevailed in Sodom, and His eyes had witnessed its fearful sins—yet He is pleased to use terms here that are taken from our own vocabulary.
Again, in Genesis 22:12 we read, "And He (God) said, Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do you anything unto him: for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." Here again, God is speaking in the language of men, for He "knew" before He tested Abram exactly how the patriarch would act. So too the expression used of God so often in Jeremiah (7:13 etc.), of Him "rising up early", is manifestly an accommodation of terms.
Once more: in the parable of the vineyard Christ Himself represents its Owner as saying, "Then said the Lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send My beloved Son: it may be they will reverence Him when they see Him" (Luke 20:13), and yet, it is certain that God knew perfectly well that the "farmers" of the vineyard—the Jews—would not "reverence His Son" but, instead, would "despise and reject" Him, as His own Word had declared!
In the same way we understand the words in Genesis 6:6, "The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth"—as an accommodation of terms to human comprehension. This verse does not teach that God was confronted with an unforeseen contingency, and therefore regretted that He had made man—but it expresses the abhorrence of a holy God at the awful wickedness and corruption into which man had fallen. Should there be any doubt remaining in the minds of our readers as to the legitimacy and soundness of our interpretation, a direct appeal to Scripture should instantly and entirely remove it, "The Strength of Israel (a Divine title) will not lie nor repent: for He is not a man, that He should repent" (1 Sam. 15:29)! "Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1 :17)!
Careful attention to what we have said above will throw light on numerous other passages which, if we ignore their figurative character and fail to note that God applies to Himself human modes of expression, will be obscure and perplexing. Having commented at such length upon Genesis 6:6, there will be no need to give such a detailed exposition of other passages which belong to the same class—yet, for the benefit of those of our readers who may be anxious for us to examine several other Scriptures, we turn to one or two more.
One Scripture which we often find cited in order to overthrow the teaching advanced in this book, is our Lord's lament over Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" (Matthew 23:37). The question is asked, Do not these words show that the Savior acknowledged the defeat of His mission, that as a people the Jews resisted all His gracious overtures toward them?
In replying to this question, it should first be pointed out that our Lord is here referring not so much to His own mission, as He is upbraiding the Jews for having in all ages rejected His grace—this is clear from His reference to the "prophets." The Old Testament bears full witness of how graciously and patiently Jehovah dealt with His people, and with what extreme obstinacy, from first to last, they refused to be "gathered" unto Him, and how in the end He (temporarily) abandoned them to follow their own devices—yet, as the same Scriptures declare, the counsel of God was not frustrated by their wickedness, for it had been foretold (and therefore, decreed) by Him—see, for example, 1 Kings 8:33.
Matthew 23:37 may well be compared with Isaiah 65:2 where the Lord says, "I spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in the wrong path, following their own thoughts." But, it may be asked, Did God seek to do that which was in opposition to His own eternal purpose? In words borrowed from Calvin we reply, "Though to our apprehension the will of God is manifold and various—yet He does not in Himself will things at variance with each other—but astonishes our faculties with His various and 'manifold' wisdom, according to the expression of Paul, until we shall be enabled to understand that He mysteriously wills what now seems contrary to His will."
As a further illustration of the same principle we would refer the reader to Isaiah 5:1-4, "I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?"
Is it not plain from this language that God reckoned Himself to have done enough for Israel to warrant an expectation—speaking after the manner of men—of better returns? Yet, is it not equally evident when Jehovah says here "He looked for a crop of good grapes" that He is accommodating Himself to a form of finite expression? And, so also when He says "What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it?" we need to take note that in the previous enumeration of what He had done—the "fencing" etc.—He refers only to external privileges, means, and opportunities, which had been bestowed upon Israel, for, of course, He could even then have taken away from them their stony heart and given them a new heart, even a heart of flesh, as He will yet do, had He so pleased.
Perhaps we should link up with Christ's lament over Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37, His tears over the City, recorded in Luke 19:41, "He beheld the city, and wept over it." In the verses which immediately follow, we learn what it was that occasioned His tears, "Saying, If you had known, even you, at least in this your day, the things which belong unto your peace! but now they are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, that your enemies shall cast a trench about you, and compass you round, and keep you in on every side." It was the prospect of the fearful judgment which Christ knew was impending. But did those tears make manifest a disappointed God? No! Instead, they displayed a perfect Man. The Man Christ Jesus was no emotionless stoic—but One "filled with compassion." Those tears expressed the sinless sympathies of His real and pure humanity. Had He not "wept", He would have been less than human. Those "tears" were one of many proofs that "in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren" (Hebrews 2:17).
In chapter one, we have affirmed that God is sovereign in the exercise of His love, and in saying this we are fully aware that many will strongly resent the statement and that, furthermore, what we have now to say will probably meet with more criticism than anything else advanced in this book. Nevertheless, we must be true to our convictions of what we believe to be the teaching of Holy Scripture, and we can only ask our readers to examine diligently in the light of God's Word what we here submit to their attention.
One of the most popular beliefs of the day is that God loves everybody, and the very fact that it is so popular with all classes, ought to be enough to arouse the suspicions of those who are subject to the Word of Truth. God's Love toward all His creatures is the fundamental and favorite tenet of Universalists, Unitarians, Theosophists, Christian Scientists, Spiritualists, Russellites, etc. No matter how a man may live—in open defiance of Heaven, with no concern whatever for his soul's eternal interests, still less for God's glory, dying, perhaps with a swear on his lips—notwithstanding, God loves him, we are told. So widely has this dogma been proclaimed, and so comforting is it to the heart which is at enmity with God, we have little hope of convincing many of their error. That God loves everybody, is, we may say, quite a modern belief. The writings of the church-fathers, the Reformers or the Puritans will be searched in vain for any such concept. Perhaps the late D. L. Moody—captivated by Drummond's "The Greatest Thing in the World"—did more than anyone else last century to popularize this concept.
It has been customary to say God loves the sinner—though He hates his sin. But that is a meaningless distinction. What is there in a sinner, but sin? Is it not true that his "whole head is sick", and his "whole heart faint", and that "from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness" in him? (Isaiah 1:5,6). Is it true that God loves the one who is despising and rejecting His blessed Son? God is Light as well as Love, and therefore His love must be a holy love. To tell the Christ-rejecter that God loves him is to cauterize his conscience, as well as to afford him a sense of security in his sins. The fact is, that the love of God, is a truth for the saints only, and to present it to the enemies of God is to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs!
With the exception of John 3:16, not once in the four Gospels do we read of the Lord Jesus—the perfect Teacher— telling sinners that God loved them! In the book of Acts, which records the evangelistic labors and messages of the apostles, God's love is never referred to at all! But, when we come to the Epistles, which are addressed to the saints, we have a full presentation of this precious truth—God's love for His own people. Let us seek to rightly divide the Word of God, and then we shall not be found taking truths which are addressed to believers—and misapplying them to unbelievers! That which unsaved sinners need to have brought before them is, the ineffable holiness, the exacting righteousness, the inflexible justice and the terrible wrath of God!
Risking the danger of being mis-understood, let us say—and we wish we could say it to every evangelist and preacher in the country—there is far too much presenting of Christ to sinners today (by those sound in the faith), and far too little showing sinners their need of Christ, that is, their absolutely ruined and lost condition, their imminent and awful danger of suffering the wrath to come, the fearful guilt resting upon them in the sight of God—to present Christ to those who have never been shown their need of Him, seems to us to be guilty of casting pearls before swine!
If it is true that God loves every member of the human family then why did our Lord tell His disciples, "The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him. If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:21, 23)? Why say "the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father" if the Father loves everybody? The same limitation is found in Proverbs 8:17, "I love those who love Me."
Again, we read, "You hate all workers of iniquity"—not merely the works of iniquity. Here, then, is a flat repudiation of popular teaching, that God hates sin but loves the sinner. Scripture says, "You hate all workers of iniquity" (Psalm 5:5)! "God is angry with the wicked every day." "He who believes not the Son shall not see life—but the wrath of God"—not "shall abide," but even now, "abides on him" (Psalm 5:5; 7:11 John 3:36). Can God "love" the one on whom His "wrath" abides? Again, is it not evident that the words "The love of God, which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:39) mark a limitation, both in the sphere and objects of His love? Again, is it not plain from the words "Jacob have I loved—but Esau have I hated" (Romans 9:13) that God does not love everybody? Again, it is written, "For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives" (Hebrews 12:6). Does not this verse teach that God's love is restricted to the members of His own family? If He loves all men without exception, then the distinction and limitation here mentioned is quite meaningless.
Finally, we would ask, Is it conceivable that God will love the damned in the Lake of Fire? Yet, if He loves them now He will do so then, seeing that His love knows no change—He is "without variableness or shadow of turning!"
Turning now to John 3:16, it should be evident from the passages just quoted, that this verse will not bear the construction usually put upon it. "God so loved the world". Many suppose that this means, The entire human race. But "the entire human race," includes all mankind from Adam until the close of the earth's history. It reaches backward as well as forward! Consider, then, the history of mankind before Christ was born. Unnumbered millions lived and died before the Savior came to the earth, lived here "having no hope and without God in the world", and therefore passed out into an eternity of woe. If God "loved" them, where is the slightest proof thereof? Scripture declares, "God in times past allowed all nations to walk in their own ways" (Acts 14:16). Scripture declares that, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient" (Romans 1:28). To Israel God said, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2). In view of these plain passages, who will be so foolish as to insist that God in the past loved all mankind!
The same applies with equal force to the future. Read through the book of Revelation, noting especially chapters 8 to 19, where we have described the judgments which will yet be poured out from heaven on this earth. Read of the fearful woes, the frightful plagues, the vials of God's wrath, which shall be emptied on the wicked. Finally, read the 20th chapter of the Revelation, the great white throne judgment, and see if you can discover there the slightest trace of love.
But the objector comes back to John 3:16 and says, "World means world". True—but we have shown that "the world" does not mean the whole human family. The fact is that "the world" is used in a general way. When the brethren of Christ said, "Show Yourself to the world" (John 7:4), did they mean "show Yourself to all mankind"? When the Pharisees said, "Behold, the whole world is gone after Him" (John 12:19), did they mean that "all the human family" were flocking after Him? When the apostle wrote, "Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Romans 1:8), did he mean that the faith of the saints at Rome was the subject of conversation by every man, woman, and child on the earth? When Revelation 13:3 informs us that "The whole world was amazed and followed the beast", are we to understand that there will be no exceptions? What of the godly remnant, who will be slain (Revelation 20:4) rather than submit? These, and other passages which might be quoted, show that the term "the world" often has a relative, rather than an absolute force.
Now the first thing to note in connection with John 3:16 is that our Lord was there speaking to Nicodemus—a man who believed that God's mercies were confined to his own nation. Christ there announced that God's love in giving His Son had a larger object in view, that it flowed beyond the boundary of Palestine, reaching out to "regions beyond". In other words, this was Christ's announcement that God had a purpose of grace toward Gentiles, as well as Jews. "God so loved the world", then, signifies, God's love is international in its scope. But does this mean that God loves every individual among the Gentiles? Not necessarily, for as we have seen, the term "world" is general rather than specific; relative rather than absolute. The term "world" in itself is not conclusive. To ascertain who are the objects of God's love, other passages where His love is mentioned must be consulted.
In 2 Peter 2:5 we read of "the world of the ungodly". If then, there is a world of the ungodly—there must also be a world of the godly. It is the latter who are in view in the passages we shall now briefly consider. "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world" (John 6:33). Now mark it well, Christ did not say, "offers life unto the world"—but "gives". What is the difference between the two terms? This: a thing which is "offered" may be refused—but a thing "given", necessarily implies its acceptance. If it is not accepted, it is not "given", it is simply offered. Here, then, is a Scripture that positively states Christ gives life (spiritual, eternal life) "unto the world." Now He does not give eternal life to the "world of the ungodly" for they will not have it, they do not want it. Hence, we are obliged to understand the reference in John 6:33 as being to "the world of the godly", that is, God's own people.
One more: in 2 Corinthians 5:19 we read, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself". What is meant by this is clearly defined in the words immediately following, "not imputing their trespasses unto them". Here again, "the world" cannot mean "the world of the ungodly", for their "trespasses" are "imputed" to them, as the judgment of the Great White Throne will yet show. But 2 Corinthians 5:19 plainly teaches there is a "world" which are "reconciled", reconciled unto God, because their trespasses are not reckoned to their account, having been borne by their Substitute. Who then are they? Only one answer is fairly possible—the world of God's people!
In like manner, the "world" in John 3:16 must, in the final analysis, refer to the world of God's people. Must we say, for there is no other alternative solution. It cannot mean the whole human race—for one half of the race was already in hell when Christ came to earth. It is unfair to insist that it means every human being now living—for every other passage in the New Testament where God's love is mentioned, limits it to His own people—search and see! The objects of God's love in John 3:16 are precisely the same as the objects of Christ's love in John 13:1, "Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His time was come, that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end". We may admit that our interpretation of John 3:16 is no novel one invented by us—but one almost uniformly given by the Reformers and Puritans, and many others since them.
Coming now to the topic of a former chapter—the Sovereignty of God in Salvation; innumerable are the questions which might be raised here. It is strange—yet it is true, that many who acknowledge the sovereign rule of God over material things, will cavil and quibble when we insist that God is also sovereign in the spiritual realm. But their quarrel is with God—and not with us. We have given Scripture in support of everything advanced in these pages, and if that will not satisfy our readers it is idle for us to seek to convince them. What we write now is designed for those who do bow to the authority of Holy Writ, and for their benefit we propose to examine several other Scriptures which have purposely been held over for this chapter.
Perhaps the one passage which has presented the greatest difficulty to those who have seen that passage after passage in Holy Writ plainly teaches the election of a limited number unto salvation is 2 Peter 3:9, "not willing that any should perish—but that all should come to repentance".
The first thing to be said upon the above passage is that, like all other Scripture, it must be understood and interpreted in the light of its context. What we have quoted in the preceding paragraph is only part of the verse, and the last part of it at that! Surely it must be allowed by all that the first half of the verse needs to be taken into consideration. In order to establish what these words are supposed by many to mean, namely, that the words "any" and "all" are to be received without any qualification, it must be shown that the context is referring to the whole human race! If this cannot be shown, if there is no premise to justify this, then the conclusion also must be unwarranted. Let us then ponder the first part of the verse.
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise". Note "promise" in the singular number, not "promises." What promise is in view? The promise of salvation? Where, in all Scripture, has God ever promised to save the whole human race!! Where indeed? No! the "promise" here referred to is not about salvation. What then is it? The context tells us.
"Knowing this, first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming?" (vv. 3,4). The context then refers to God's promise to send back His beloved Son. But many long centuries have passed, and this promise has not yet been fulfilled. True—but long as the delay may seem to us, the interval is short in the reckoning of God. As the proof of this we are reminded, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (v. 8). In God's reckoning of time, less than two days have yet passed since He promised to send back Christ.
But more, the delay in the Father sending back His beloved Son is not only due to no "slackness" on His part—but it is also occasioned by His "longsuffering". His long-suffering to whom? The verse we are now considering tells us, "but is longsuffering to us". And whom are the "us"?—the human race, or God's own people? In the light of the context this is not an open question upon which each of us is free to form an opinion. The Holy Spirit has defined it. The opening verse of the chapter says, "This second Epistle, beloved, I now write unto you". And, again, the verse immediately preceding declares, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing etc.," (v. 8). The "us" then are the "beloved" of God. Those to whom this Epistle is addressed are "those who have obtained (not "exercised"—but "obtained" as God's sovereign gift) like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11). Therefore we say there is no room for a doubt, a quibble or an argument—the "us" are the elect of God.
Let us now quote the verse as a whole, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish—but that all should come to repentance." Could anything be clearer? The "any" that God is not willing should perish, are the "us" to whom God is "longsuffering", the "beloved" of the previous verses! 2 Peter 3:9 means, then, that God will not send back His Son until "the fullness of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25). God will not send back Christ until that "people" whom He is now "taking out of the Gentiles" (Acts 15:14) are gathered in. God will not send back His Son until the Body of Christ is complete, and that will not be until the ones whom He has elected to be saved—shall have been brought to Him. Thank God for His "longsuffering to us". Had Christ come back twenty years ago the writer would have been left behind to perish in His sins. But that could not be, so God graciously delayed the Second Coming. For the same reason He is still delaying His Advent. His decreed purpose is that all His elect will come to repentance, and repent they shall. The present interval of grace will not end until the last of the "other sheep" of John 10:16 are safely folded—then will Christ return!
In expounding the sovereignty of God the Spirit in Salvation we have shown that His power is irresistible, that, by His gracious operations upon and within them, He "compels" God's elect to come to Christ. The sovereignty of the Holy Spirit is set forth not only in John 3:8 where we are told "The wind blows where it pleases . . . so is everyone that is born of the Spirit," but is affirmed in other passages as well. In 1 Corinthians 12:11 we read, "But all these works that one and the self same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will." And Again, we read in Acts 16:6, 7, "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to." Thus we see how the Holy Spirit interposed His imperial will—in opposition to the determination of the apostles.
But, it is objected against the assertion that the will and power of the Holy Spirit are irresistible, that there are two passages, one in the Old Testament and the other in the New, which appear to militate against such a conclusion. God said of old, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3), and to the Jews Stephen declared, "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?" (Acts 7:51, 52). If then the Jews "resisted" the Holy Spirit, how can we say His power is irresistible? The answer is found in Nehemiah 9:30, "For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention." It was the external operations of the Spirit which Israel "resisted." It was the Spirit speaking by and through the prophets to which they "paid no attention." It was not anything which the Holy Spirit wrought in them that they "resisted," but the motives presented to them by the inspired messages of the prophets.
Perhaps it will help the reader to catch our thought better if we compare Matthew 11:20-24, "Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not. Woe unto you Chorazin!" etc. Our Lord here pronounces woe upon these cities for their failure to repent because of the "mighty works" (miracles) which He had done in their sight, and not because of any internal operations of His grace!
The same is true of Genesis 6:3. By comparing 1 Peter 3:18-20 it will be seen that it was by and through Noah that God's Spirit "strove" with the antediluvians. The distinction noted above was ably summarized by Andrew Fuller (another writer long deceased—from whom our moderns might learn much) thus, "There are two kinds of influences by which God works on the minds of men. First, That which is common, and which is effected by the ordinary use of motives presented to the mind for consideration. Secondly, That which is special and supernatural. The one contains nothing mysterious, anymore than the influence of our words and actions on each other. The other is such a mystery that we know nothing of it but by its effects. The former ought to be effectual; the latter is so." The work of the Holy Spirit upon or towards men is always "resisted," by them; His work within is always successful. What do the Scriptures say? This, "He who has begun a good work IN you, will finish it!" (Phil. 1:6)
The next question to be considered is: Why preach the Gospel to every creature? If God the Father has predestined only a limited number to be saved, if God the Son died to effect the salvation of only those given to Him by the Father, and if God the Spirit is seeking to quicken none but God's elect—then what is the use of giving the Gospel to the world at large; and where is the propriety of telling sinners that "Whoever believes in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life"?
First; it is of great importance that we should be clear upon the nature of the Gospel itself. The Gospel is God's good news concerning Christ—and not concerning sinners, "Paul a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God . . . . concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:1-3). God would have proclaimed far and wide the amazing fact that His own blessed Son "became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross!" A universal testimony must be borne to the matchless worth of the person and work of Christ. Note the word "witness" in Matthew 22:14. The Gospel is God's "witness" unto the perfections of His Son. Mark the words of the apostle, "For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in those who are saved, and in those who perish" (2 Corinthians 2:15)!
Concerning the character and contents of the Gospel, the utmost confusion prevails today. The Gospel is not an "offer" to be bandied around by evangelistic peddlers. The Gospel is no mere invitation—but a proclamation, a proclamation concerning Christ. It is true, whether men believe it or not. No man is asked to believe that Christ died for him in particular. The Gospel, in brief, is this: Christ died for sinners, you are a sinner, believe in Christ, and you shall be saved. In the Gospel, God simply announces the terms upon which men may be saved (namely, repentance and faith) and, indiscriminately, all are commanded to fulfill them.
Second; repentance and remission of sins are to be preached in the name of the Lord Jesus "unto all the nations" (Luke 24:47), because God's elect are "scattered abroad" (John 11:52) among all nations, and it is by the preaching and hearing of the Gospel—that they are called out of the world. The Gospel is the means which God uses in the saving of His own chosen ones. By nature God's elect are children of wrath "even as others"; they are lost sinners needing a Savior, and apart from Christ there is no salvation for them. Hence, the Gospel must be believed by them before they can rejoice in the knowledge of sins forgiven. The Gospel is God's winnowing fan—it separates the chaff from the wheat, and gathers the latter into His garner.
Third; it is to be noted that God has other purposes in the preaching of the Gospel, than the salvation of His own elect. The world exists for the elect's sake—yet others have the benefit of it. So the Word is preached for the elect's sake—yet others have the benefit of an external call. The sun shines, though blind men see it not. The rain falls upon rocky mountains and waste deserts, as well as on the fruitful valleys. Just so, God allows the Gospel to fall on the ears of the non-elect. The power of the Gospel, is one of God's agencies for holding in check the wickedness of the world. Many who are never saved by it, are reformed—their lusts are bridled, and they are restrained from becoming worse. Moreover, the preaching of the Gospel to the non-elect is made an admirable test of their characters. It exhibits the inveteracy of their sin; it demonstrates that their hearts are at enmity against God; it justifies the declaration of Christ that "men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).
Finally; it is sufficient for us to know that we are commanded to preach the Gospel to every creature. It is not for us to reason about the consistency between this, and the fact that "few are chosen." It is for us to obey. It is a simple matter to ask questions relating to the ways of God, which no finite mind can fully fathom. We, too, might turn and remind the objector that our Lord declared, "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin" (Mark 3:28, 29), and there can be no doubt whatever but that certain of the Jews were guilty of this very sin (see Matthew 12:24 etc.), and hence their destruction was inevitable. Yet, notwithstanding, scarcely two months later, He commanded His disciples to preach the Gospel to every creature. When the objector can show us the consistency of these two things—the fact that certain of the Jews had committed the sin for which there is never forgiveness, and the fact that to them the Gospel was to be preached—we will undertake to furnish a more satisfactory solution than the one given above to the harmony between a universal proclamation of the Gospel, and a limitation of its saving power to those only that God has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.
Once more, we say, it is not for us to reason about the Gospel; it is our business to preach it. When God ordered Abraham to offer up his son as a burnt-offering, he might have objected that this command was inconsistent with His promise "In Isaac shall your seed be called." But instead of arguing he obeyed, and left God to harmonize His promise and His precept. Jeremiah might have argued that God had bade him do that which was altogether unreasonable when He said, "When you tell them all this—they will not listen to you; when you call to them—they will not answer!" (Jer. 7:27) But instead, the prophet obeyed. Ezekiel, too, might have complained that the Lord was asking of him a hard thing when He said, "Go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel—not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate!" (Ezek. 3:4-7).
"But, O my soul, if truth so bright
Should dazzle and confound your sight,
Yet still His written Word obey,
And wait the great decisive day!"
Isaac Watts
It has been well said, "The Gospel has lost none of its ancient power. It is, as much today as when it was first preached, 'the power of God unto salvation'. It needs no pity, no help, and no handmaid. It can overcome all obstacles, and break down all barriers. No human device need be tried to prepare the sinner to receive it—for if God has sent it no power can hinder it; and if He has not sent it—no power can make it effectual." (Bullinger).
This chapter might be extended indefinitely—but it is already too long, so a word or two more must suffice. A number of other questions will be dealt with in the pages yet to follow, and those that we fail to touch upon the reader must take to the Lord Himself who has said, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).
The PRACTICAL VALUE of this Doctrine
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16, 17
"Doctrine" means "teaching," and it is by doctrine or teaching that the great realities of God and of our relation to Him; and of Christ, the Spirit, salvation, grace, glory—are made known to us. It is by doctrine (through the power of the Spirit) that believers are nourished and edified, and where doctrine is neglected, growth in grace and effective witnessing for Christ necessarily cease. How sad then that doctrine is now decried as "unpractical" when, in fact, doctrine is the very base of the practical Christian life.
There is an inseparable connection between belief and practice, "As he thinks in his heart—so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). The relation between Divine truth and Christian character—is that of cause to effect, "And you shall know the truth—and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Free from ignorance, free from prejudice, free from error, free from the wiles of Satan, free from the power of evil. But if the truth is not "known"—then such freedom will not be enjoyed.
Observe the order of mention in the passage with which we have opened. All Scripture is profitable, first for "doctrine!" The same order is observed throughout the Epistles, particularly in the great doctrinal treatises of the apostle Paul. Read the Epistle of "Romans" and it will be found that there is not a single admonition in the first five chapters. In the Epistle of "Ephesians" there are no exhortations until the fourth chapter is reached. The order is first doctrine—and then admonition or exhortation for the regulation of the daily walk.
The substitution of so-called "practical" preaching for the doctrinal exposition which it has supplanted, is the root cause of many of the evil maladies which now afflict the church of God. The reason why there is so little depth, so little intelligence, so little grasp of the fundamental verities of Christianity, is because so few believers have been established in the faith, through hearing expounded and through their own personal study of the doctrines of grace.
While the soul is unestablished in the doctrine of the Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures—their full and verbal inspiration— there can be no firm foundation for faith to rest upon. While the soul is ignorant of the doctrine of Justification— there can be no real and intelligent assurance of its acceptance in the Beloved. While the soul is unacquainted with the teaching of the Word upon Sanctification— it is open to receive all the crudities and errors of the Perfectionists or "Holiness" people. While the soul knows not what Scripture has to say upon the doctrine of the New Birth— there can be no proper grasp of the two natures in the believer, and ignorance here inevitably results in loss of peace and joy. And so we might go on right through the whole range of Christian doctrine.
It is ignorance of doctrine which has rendered the professing church helpless to cope with the rising tide of infidelity. It is ignorance of doctrine which is mainly responsible for thousands of professing Christians being captivated by the numerous fallacies of the day. It is because the time has now arrived, when the bulk of our churches "will not endure sound doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:3) that they so readily receive false doctrines. Of course it is true that doctrine, like anything else in Scripture, may be studied from a merely cold intellectual viewpoint, and thus approached, doctrinal teaching and doctrinal study will leave the heart untouched, and will naturally be "dry" and profitless. But, doctrine properly received, doctrine studied with an exercised heart—will ever lead into a deeper heart knowledge of God, and of the unsearchable riches of Christ.
The doctrine of God's sovereignty then is no mere philosophic dogma which is devoid of practical value—but is one that is calculated to produce a powerful effect upon Christian character and the daily walk. The doctrine of God's sovereignty lies at the foundation of Christian theology, and in importance is perhaps second only to the Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures. God's sovereignty is the center of gravity in the system of Christian truth. It is the sun around which all the lesser orbs are grouped. It is the golden milestone to which every highway of knowledge leads and from which they all radiate. It is the cord upon which all other doctrines are strung like so many pearls, holding them in place and giving them unity. It is the plumb-line by which every creed needs to be measured. God's sovereignty is the balance in which every human dogma must be weighed. It is designed as the anchor for our souls amid the storms of life. The doctrine of God's sovereignty is a Divine cordial to refresh our hearts. It is designed and adapted to mold the affections of the heart and to give a right direction to conduct. It produces gratitude in prosperity and patience in adversity. It affords comfort for the present and a sense of security respecting the unknown future. It is, and it does all, and much more than we have just said, because it ascribes to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—the glory which is His due, and places the creature in his proper place before Him—in the dust.
We shall now consider the practical value of the doctrine of God's sovereignty in detail.
1. It deepens our veneration of the Divine Character.
The doctrine of God's sovereignty, as it is unfolded in the Scriptures, affords an exalted view of the Divine perfections. It maintains His creatorial rights. It insists that "to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him" (1 Corinthians 8:6). It declares that His rights are those of the "potter" who forms and fashions the "clay" into vessels of whatever type and for whatever use He may please. Its testimony is, "You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11). It argues that none has any right to "reply" against God, and that the only befitting attitude for the creature to take is one of reverent submission before Him.
Thus the apprehension of the absolute supremacy of God is of great practical importance, for unless we have a proper regard to His high sovereignty He will never be honored in our thoughts of Him; nor will He have His proper place in our hearts and lives.
The doctrine of God's sovereignty, exhibits the inscrutableness of His wisdom. It shows that while God is immaculate in His holiness—He has permitted evil to enter His fair creation; that while He is the Possessor of all power—He has allowed the Devil to wage war against Him for six thousand years at least; that while He is the perfect embodiment of love—He spared not His own Son; that while He is the God of all grace—multitudes will be tormented forever and ever in the Lake of Fire. These are high mysteries! Scripture does not deny them—but acknowledges their existence, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33).
The doctrine of God's sovereignty, makes known the irreversibleness of His will. "Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world" (Acts 15:18). From the beginning God purposed to glorify Himself "in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end" (Ephesians 3:21). To this end, He created the world, and formed man. His all-wise plan was not defeated when man fell—for in the Lamb "slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8) we behold the Fall anticipated. Nor will God's purpose be thwarted by the wickedness of men since the Fall, as is clear from the words of the Psalmist, "Surely the wrath of man shall praise You: the remainder of wrath shall You restrain" (Psalm 76:10). Because God is the Almighty—His will cannot be withstood. "His purposes originated in eternity, and are carried forward without change to eternity. They extend to all His works, and control all events. He 'works all things after the counsel of His own will.'" (Dr. Rice). Neither man nor devil can successfully resist Him, therefore is it written, "The Lord reigns! Let the people tremble." (Psalm 99:1).
The doctrine of God's sovereignty, magnifies His grace. Grace is unmerited favor, and because grace is shown to the undeserving and Hell-deserving, to those who have no claim upon God, therefore is grace free and can be manifested toward the chief of sinners. But because grace is exercised toward those who are destitute of worthiness or merit—grace is sovereign; that is to say, God bestows grace upon whom He pleases. Divine sovereignty has ordained that some shall be cast into the Lake of Fire—to show that all deserved such a doom. But grace comes in like a dragnet and draws out from a lost humanity, a people for God's name, to be the monuments of His inscrutable favor throughout all eternity! Sovereign grace reveals God breaking down the opposition of the human heart, subduing the enmity of the carnal mind, and bringing us to love Him—because He first loved us.
2. The doctrine of God's sovereignty is the solid foundation of all true religion.
This naturally follows from what we have said above under the first head. If the doctrine of Divine sovereignty alone gives God His rightful place—then it is also true that it alone can supply a firm base for practical religion to build upon. There can be no progress in Divine things—until there is the personal recognition that God is Supreme, that He is to be feared and revered, that He is to be owned and served as Lord. We read the Scriptures in vain—unless we come to them earnestly desiring a better knowledge of God's will for us—any other motive is selfish and utterly inadequate and unworthy. Every prayer we send up to God is but carnal presumption, unless it is offered "according to His will". Anything short of this is to ask 'amiss,' that we might consume the thing requested upon our own lusts. Every service we engage in is but a "dead work" unless it is done for the glory of God. Experimental religion consists mainly in the perception and performance of the Divine will—performance both active and passive. We are predestined to be "conformed to the image of God's Son", whose food it always was, to do the will of the One who sent Him; and the measure in which each saint is becoming "conformed" practically, in his daily life, is largely determined by his response to our Lord's word, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart."
3. The doctrine of God's sovereignty repudiates the heresy of salvation by works.
"There is a way that seems right to a man—but its end is the way to death" (Proverbs 14:12). The way which "seems right" and which ends in "death," eternal death, is salvation by human effort and merit. The belief in salvation by works is one that is common to human nature. It may not always assume the grosser form of Popish penances, or even of Protestant "repentance"; that is, sorrowing for sin, which is never the meaning of repentance in Scripture—anything which gives man a place at all is but a variety of the same evil genus. To say, as alas! many preachers are saying, God is willing to do His part—if you will do yours—is a wretched and excuseless denial of the Gospel of His grace. To declare that God helps those who help themselves—is to repudiate one of the most precious truths taught in the Bible! The Bible alone, teaches that God helps those who are unable to help themselves, who have tried again and again only to fail. To say that the sinner's salvation turns upon the action of his own will—is another form of the God-dishonoring dogma of salvation by human efforts. In the final analysis, any movement of the will is a work: it is something from me, something which I do. But the doctrine of God's sovereignty lays the axe at the root of this evil tree by declaring, "it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs—but of God who shows mercy" (Romans 9:16).
Does someone say, Such a doctrine will drive sinners to despair! The reply is—Be it so; it is just such despair, that the writer longs to see prevail. It is not until the sinner despairs of any help from himself, that he will ever fall into the arms of sovereign mercy. But if once the Holy Spirit convicts him that there is no help in himself—then he will recognize that he is lost, and will cry, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" And such a cry will be heard!
If the author may be allowed to bear personal witness, he has found during the course of his ministry that, the sermons he has preached on human depravity, the sinner's helplessness to do anything himself, and the salvation of the soul turning upon the sovereign mercy of God—have been those most owned and blessed in the salvation of the lost. We repeat, then—a sense of utter helplessness is the first prerequisite to any sound conversion. There is no salvation for any soul until it looks away from itself, looks to something, yes, to Someone, outside of itself!
4. The doctrine of God's sovereignty is deeply humbling to the creature.
This doctrine of the absolute sovereignty of God, is a great battering-ram against human pride—and in this it is in sharp contrast from "the doctrines of men." The spirit of our age is essentially that of boasting and glorying in the flesh. The achievements of man, his development and progress, his greatness and self-sufficiency, are the shrine at which the world worships today! But the truth of God's sovereignty, with all its corollaries, removes every ground for human boasting and instills the spirit of humility in its stead. It declares that salvation is of the Lord—of the Lord in its origination, in its operation, and in its consummation. It insists that the Lord has to apply as well as supply salvation; that He has to complete as well as begin His saving work in our souls; that He has not only to reclaim—but to maintain, preserve and sustain us to the end. It teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, and that all our works (before conversion), good as well as evil, count for nothing toward salvation. It tells us we are "born, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man—but of God" (John 1:13). And all this is most humbling to the heart of man, who wants to contribute something to the price of his redemption, and do that which will afford ground for boasting and self-satisfaction!
But if this doctrine humbles us—it also results in praise to God. If, in the light of God's sovereignty, we have seen our own worthlessness and helplessness, we shall indeed cry with the Psalmist, "All my springs are in You!" (Psalm 87:7). If by nature we were "children of wrath," and by practice rebels against the Divine government and justly exposed to the "curse" of the Law; and if God was under no obligation to rescue us from the fiery indignation; and yet, notwithstanding, He delivered up His well-beloved Son for us—then how such grace and love will melt our hearts, how the apprehension of it will cause us to say in adoring gratitude, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us—but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake!" (Psalm 115:1) How readily shall each of us acknowledge, "By the grace of God I am what I am!" With what wondering praise shall we exclaim—
"Why was I made to hear His voice,
And enter while there's room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?
'Twas the same love that spread the feast,
That sweetly forced me in;
Else I had still refused to taste
And perished in my sin!"
5. The doctrine of God's sovereignty affords a sense of absolute security.
God is infinite in power, and therefore it is impossible for any to withstand His will, or resist the outworking of His decrees!
Such a statement as that is well calculated to fill the lost sinner with alarm—but from the saint it evokes nothing but praise. Let us add a word and see what a difference it makes—My God is infinite in power! Then "I will not fear what man can do unto me." My God is infinite in power! Then "whenever I am afraid—I will trust in Him." My God is infinite in power! Then "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep—for You alone Lord, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8).
All down the ages—God's sovereignty has been the source of the saints' confidence. Was not this the assurance of Moses when, in his parting words to Israel, he said, "There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor. The eternal God is your refuge, and His everlasting arms are under you!" (Deuteronomy 33:26, 27)
Was it not this sense of security that caused the Psalmist, moved by the Holy Spirit, to write, "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I am trusting Him. For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from the fatal plague. He will shield you with His wings. He will shelter you with His feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day, nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter—no evil will conquer you! The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. I will satisfy them with a long life and give them My salvation!" (Psalm 91)
"Death and plagues around me fly,
Until He bids—I cannot die!
Not a single shaft can hit,
Until the God of love sees fit!"
O the preciousness of this truth! Here I am—a poor, helpless, senseless "sheep," yet I am secure in the hand of Christ. And why am I secure there? None can pluck me thence—because the hand that holds me is that of the Son of God, and all power in heaven and earth is His!
Again, I have no strength of my own: the world, the flesh, and the Devil, are arrayed against me, so I commit myself into the care and keeping of my Lord Jesus, and say with the apostle, "I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). And what is the ground of my confidence? How do I know that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him? I know it because He is God Almighty—the King of kings and Lord of lords!
6. The doctrine of God's sovereignty supplies comfort in sorrow.
The doctrine of God's sovereignty is one that is full of consolation and imparts great peace to the Christian. The sovereignty of God is a foundation that nothing can shake, and is more firm than the heavens and earth! How blessed to know there is no corner of the universe that is out of His reach! as said the Psalmist, "Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to heaven—You are there; if I make my bed in Hell—You are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits—even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will become night'—even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You!" (Psalm 139:7-12).
How blessed it is to know that God's strong hand is upon every one and every thing! How blessed to know that not a sparrow falls to the ground without His notice! How blessed to know that our very afflictions come not by chance, nor from the Devil—but are ordained and ordered by God, "That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto" (1 Thess. 3:3)!
But our God is not only infinite in power, He is infinite in wisdom and goodness too. And herein is the preciousness of this truth. God wills only that which is good—and His will is irreversible and irresistible! God is too wise to err—and too loving to cause His child a needless tear. Therefore if God is perfect in wisdom, and perfect in goodness—how blessed is the assurance that everything is in His hand, and molded by His will according to His eternal purpose! "If He snatches away, who can stop Him? Who can say to Him, 'What are You doing?'" (Job 9:12). Yet, how comforting to learn that it is "He", and not the Devil, who "takes away" our loved ones! Ah! what peace for our poor frail hearts to be told that the number of our days is with Him (Job 7:1; 14:5); that disease and death are His messengers, and always march under His orders; that it is the Lord who gives—and the Lord who takes away!
7. The doctrine of God's sovereignty begets a spirit of sweet resignation.
To bow before the sovereign will of God, is one of the great secrets of peace and happiness. There can be no real submission with contentment, until we are broken in spirit, that is, until we are willing and glad for the Lord to have His way with us. Not that we are insisting upon a spirit of fatalistic acquiescence; far from it. The saints are exhorted to "prove what is the good and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).
We touched upon this subject of resignation to God's will in the chapter upon our attitude towards God's Sovereignty; and there, in addition to the supreme Pattern, we cited the examples of Eli and Job. We would now supplement their cases with further examples.
What a word is that in Leviticus 10:3, "And Aaron held his peace." Look at the circumstances, "Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord . . . . And Aaron held his peace." Two of the high priests' sons were slain, slain by a visitation of Divine judgment, and they were probably intoxicated at the time. Moreover, this trial came upon Aaron suddenly, without anything to prepare him for it; yet, "Aaron held his peace." Precious exemplification of the power of God's all-sufficient grace!
Consider now an utterance which fell from the lips of David, "Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord's eyes, He will bring me back and let me see it and His dwelling place again. But if He says, 'I am not pleased with you,' then I am ready; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him!" (2 Sam. 15:25, 26). Here, too, the circumstances which confronted the speaker were exceedingly trying to the human heart. David was sore pressed with sorrow. His own son was driving him from the throne, and seeking his very life. Whether he would ever see Jerusalem and the Tabernacle again—he knew not. But he was so yielded up to God, he was so fully assured that His will was best, that even though it meant the loss of the throne and the loss of his life he was content for Him to have His way, "let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him!"
There is no need to multiply examples—but a reflection upon the last case will be in place. If amid the shadows of the Old Testament dispensation, David was content for the Lord to have His way; now that the heart of God has been fully revealed at the Cross—how much more ought we to delight in the execution of His will!
8. The doctrine of God's sovereignty evokes a song of praise.
It could not be otherwise. Why should I, who am by nature no different from the careless and godless throngs all around—have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, and now blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Him! Why was I, who once was an alien and a rebel, singled out for such wondrous favors! Ah, that is something I cannot fathom! Such grace, such love, "passes knowledge." But if my mind is unable to discern a reason, my heart can express its gratitude in praise and adoration.
But not only should I be grateful to God for His grace toward me in the past—His present dealings will fill me with thanksgivings. What is the force of that word "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Phil. 4:4) Mark, it is not "Rejoice in the Savior," but we are to "Rejoice in the Lord" —as "Lord," as the Master of every circumstance. Need we remind the reader that when the apostle penned these words, he was himself a prisoner in the hands of the Roman government. A long course of affliction and suffering lay behind him. Perils on land and perils on sea, hunger and thirst, scourging and stoning—had all been experienced. He had been persecuted by those within the church as well as by those without! The very ones who ought to have stood by him—had forsaken him! And still he writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always!"
What was the secret of his peace and happiness? Ah! had not this same apostle written, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). But how did he, and how do we, "know," that all things work together for good? The answer is, Because all things are under the control of, and are being regulated by—the Supreme Sovereign! And because He has nothing but thoughts of love toward His own people, then "all things" are so ordered by Him—that they are made to minister to our ultimate good. It is for this cause we are to give "thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20). Yes, give thanks for "all things" for, as it has been well said "Our disappointments, are but His appointments!" To the one who delights in the sovereignty of God—the clouds not only have a 'silver lining' but they are silver all through, the darkness only serving to offset the light—
"You fearful saints fresh courage take
The clouds you so much dread,
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings o'er your head!"
9. The doctrine of God's sovereignty guarantees the final triumph of good over evil.
Ever since the day that Cain slew Abel, the conflict on earth between good and evil, has been a sore problem to the saints. In every age the righteous have been hated and persecuted, while the unrighteous have appeared to defy God with impunity. The Lord's people, for the most part, have been poor in this world's goods, whereas the wicked in their temporal prosperity have flourished like the green bay tree. As one looks around and beholds the oppression of believers, and the earthly success of unbelievers; and notes how few are the former—and how numerous the latter; as he sees the apparent defeat of the right—and the triumphing of might and the wrong; as he hears the roar of battle, the cries of the wounded, and the lamentations of the bereaved; as he discovers that almost everything down here is in confusion, chaos, and ruins—it seems as though Satan was getting the better of the conflict!
But as one looks above, instead of around, there is plainly visible to the eye of faith a Throne, a Throne unaffected by the storms of earth, a Throne that is "set," stable and secure; and upon it is seated One whose name is the Almighty, and who "works all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:11). This then is our confidence—God is on the Throne! The helm is in His hand—and being Almighty, His purpose cannot fail, for "He is in one mind, and who can turn Him? and what His soul desires—even that He does!" (Job 23:13). Though God's governing hand is invisible to the eye of sense, it is real to faith—that faith which rests with sure confidence upon His Word, and therefore is assured He cannot fail.
What follows is from the pen of our brother Gaebelein, "There can be no failure with God. 'God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak—and then not act? Does He promise—and not fulfill?' (Num. 23:19). All HIS PLAN will be accomplished. The promise made to His own beloved people—to come for them and take them from hence to glory—will not fail. He will surely come and gather them to His own presence. The solemn words spoken to the nations of the earth by the different prophets will also not fail. 'Come here and listen, O nations of the earth. Let the world and everything in it hear my words. For the Lord is enraged against the nations. His fury is against all their armies. He will completely destroy them, bringing about their slaughter!' (Isaiah 34:1, 2). Nor will that day fail in which 'the lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted' (Isaiah 2:11). The day in which He is manifested, when His glory shall cover the heavens and His feet will stand again upon this earth, will surely come. His kingdom will not fail, nor all the promised events connected with the end of the age and the consummation.
"In these dark and trying times, how well it is to remember that He is on the throne, the throne which cannot be shaken, and that He will not fail in doing all He has spoken and promised. 'Search the book of the Lord, and see what He will do. He will not miss a single detail' (Isaiah 34:16). In believing, blessed anticipation, we can look on to the glory-time when His Word and His Will is accomplished, when through the coming of the Prince of Peace, righteousness and peace comes at last. And while we wait for the supreme and blessed moment when His promise to us is accomplished, we trust Him, walking in His fellowship and daily find afresh, that He does not fail to sustain and keep us in all His ways.
10. The doctrine of God's sovereignty provides a resting place for the heart.
Much that might have been said here has already been anticipated under previous heads. The One seated upon the Throne of Heaven, the One who is Governor over the nations, and who has ordained and now regulates all events—is infinite not only in power—but in wisdom and goodness as well. He who is Lord over all creation—is the One that was "manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16). Ah! here is a theme which no human pen can do justice to. The glory of God consists not merely in that He is the Highest—but in that being high—He stooped in lowly love to bear the burden of His own sinful creatures! "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19). The Church of God was purchased "with His own Blood" (Acts 20:28). It is upon the gracious self-humiliation of the King Himself—that His kingdom is established. O wondrous Cross! By it He who suffered upon it has become not the Lord of our destinies (He was that before)—but the Lord of our hearts! Therefore, it is not in abject terror, that we bow before the Supreme Sovereign—but in adoring worship we cry, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain—to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing!" (Revelation 5:12).
Here then is the refutation of the wicked charge that this doctrine is a horrible calumny upon God, and dangerous to expound to His people. Can a doctrine be "horrible" and "dangerous" —which gives God His true place, which maintains His rights, which magnifies His grace, which ascribes all glory to Him, and which removes every ground of boasting from the creature? Can a doctrine be "horrible" and "dangerous" —which affords the saints a sense of security in danger, which supplies them comfort in sorrow, which begets patience within them in adversity, which evokes from them praise at all times? Can a doctrine be "horrible" and "dangerous"— which assures us of the certain triumph of good over evil, and which provides a sure resting-place for our hearts—and that place, the perfections of the Sovereign Himself? No! a thousand times, no! Instead of being "horrible and dangerous" this doctrine of the Sovereignty of God is glorious and edifying, and a due apprehension of it will but serve to make us exclaim with Moses, "Who among the gods is like You, O Lord? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders!" (Exodus 15:11).
The Sovereignty of God, CONCLUSION
"Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns!" Revelation 19:6
In our Foreword to the second edition, we acknowledge the need for preserving the balance of Truth. Two things are beyond dispute: God is sovereign, man is responsible. In this book we have sought to expound the former; in our other works we have frequently pressed the latter. That there is real danger of over-emphasizing the one, and ignoring the other—we readily admit; yes, history furnishes numerous examples of cases of each. To emphasize the sovereignty of God, without also maintaining the accountability of the creature tends to fatalism! To be so concerned in maintaining the responsibility of man, as to lose sight of the sovereignty of God, is to exalt the creature and dishonor the Creator!
Almost all doctrinal error is, really—Truth perverted, Truth wrongly divided, Truth disproportionately held and taught. The fairest face on earth, with the most lovely features, would soon become ugly and unsightly—if one member continued growing while the others remained undeveloped. Beauty is, primarily, a matter of proportion. Thus it is with the Word of God—its beauty and blessedness are best perceived when its manifold wisdom is exhibited in its true proportions. Here is where so many have failed in the past. A single phase of God's Truth has so impressed this man or that man, that he has concentrated his attention upon it, almost to the exclusion of everything else. Some portion of God's Word has been made a "pet doctrine", and often this has become the distinctive badge of some party. But it is the duty of each servant of God to "declare all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27).
It is true that the degenerate days in which our lot is cast, when on every side man is exalted, and "superman" has become a common expression, there is real need for a special emphasis upon the glorious fact of God's supremacy. The more so where this is expressly denied. Yet even here much wisdom is required, lest our zeal should not be according to knowledge." The words "food in due season" should ever be before the servant of God. What is needed, primarily, by one congregation, may not be specifically needed by another. If called to labor where Arminian preachers have preceded, then the neglected truth of God's sovereignty should be expounded—though with caution and care, lest too much "strong meat" be given to "babes". The example of Christ in John 16:12, "I have many things yet to say unto you—but you cannot hear them now", must be borne in mind. On the other hand, if I am called to take charge of a distinctly Calvinistic pulpit, then the truth of human responsibility (in its many aspects) may be profitably set forth. What the preacher needs to give out is not what his people most like to hear—but what they most need, that is those aspects of truth they are least familiar with, or least exhibiting in their walk.
To carry into actual practice what we have inculcated above will, most probably, lay the preacher open to the charge of being a turncoat. But what does that matter—if he has his Master's approval? He is not called upon to be "consistent" with himself, nor with any rules drawn up by man; his business is to be consistent with Holy Writ. And in Scripture each part or aspect of truth is balanced by another aspect of truth. There are two sides to everything, even to the character of God, for He is "light" (1 John 1:5) as well as "love" (1 John 4:8), and therefore are we called upon to "Behold, therefore the goodness and severity of God" (Romans 11:22). To be all the time preaching on the one to the exclusion of the other, caricatures the Divine character.
When the Son of God became incarnate, He came here in "the form of a servant" (Phil. 2:6); nevertheless, in the manger He was "Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11)! All things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26)—yet God "cannot lie" (Titus 1:2). Scripture says, "Bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2); yet the same chapter insists "every man shall bear his own burden" (Galatians 6:5). We are enjoined to take "no anxious thought for the morrow" (Matthew 6:34); yet "if any does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel" (1 Timothy 5:8). No sheep of Christ's can perish (John 10:28, 29); yet the Christian is bidden to make his "calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10). And so we might go on multiplying illustrations. These things are not contradictions, but complementaries: the one "balances the other". Thus, the Scriptures set forth both the sovereignty of God—and the responsibility of man. So too should every servant of God, and that, in their proper proportions.
But we return now to a few closing reflections upon our present theme. "O Lord, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You!" (2 Chron. 20:5, 6). Yes, the Lord is God, ruling over all the kingdoms of men, ruling in supreme majesty and might. Yet in our day, a day of boasted enlightenment and progress, this is denied on every hand. A materialistic science and an atheistic philosophy have bowed God out of His own world, and everything is regulated, forsooth, by (impersonal) laws of nature. So in human affairs: at best God is a far-distant spectator, and a helpless one at that. God could not help the launching of the dreadful war, and though He longed to put a stop to it—He was unable to do so—and this in the face of 1 Chronicles 5:22 and 2 Chronicles 24:24! Having endowed man with "free agency" God is obliged to let man make his own choice and go his own way, and He cannot interfere with him, or otherwise his moral responsibility would be destroyed.
Such are the popular beliefs of the day. One is not surprised to find these sentiments emanating from German neologians, but how sad that they should be taught in many of our Seminaries, echoed from many of our pulpits, and accepted by many of the rank and file of professing Christians.
One of the most flagrant sins of our age, is that of irreverence—the failure to ascribe the glory which is due to the august majesty of God. Men limit the power and activities of the Lord in their degrading concepts of His being and character. Originally, man was made in the image and likeness of God—but today we are asked to believe in a god who is made in the image and likeness of man! The Creator is reduced to the level of the creature! His omniscience is called into question, His omnipotency is no longer believed in, and His absolute sovereignty is flatly denied. Men claim to be the architects of their own fortunes and the determiners of their own destiny. They know not that their lives are at the disposal of the Divine Determiner. They know not they have no more power to thwart His secret decrees—than a worm has to resist the tread of an elephant! They know not that "The Lord has prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all!" (Psalm 103:19).
In the foregoing pages we have sought to repudiate such paganistic views as the above-mentioned, and have endeavored to show from Scripture that God is God, on the Throne of universal dominion—and that so far from the recent war being an evidence that the helm had slipped out of His hand, it was a sure proof that He still lives and reigns, and is now bringing to pass that which He had fore-determined and fore-announced (Matthew 24:6-8 etc.). That the carnal mind is enmity against God, that the unregenerate man is a rebel against the Divine government, that the sinner has no concern for the glory of his Maker, and little or no respect for His revealed will—is freely granted. But, nevertheless, behind the scenes, God is ruling and over-ruling, fulfilling His eternal purpose, not only in spite of, but also by means of, those who are His enemies!
How earnestly are the claims of man contended for, against the claims of God! Has not man power and knowledge—but what of it? Has God no will, or power, or knowledge? Suppose man's will conflicts with God's—then what? Turn to the Scripture of Truth for answer. Men had a will on the plains of Shinar and determined to build a tower whose top should reach unto heaven—but what came of their purpose? Pharaoh had a will when he hardened his heart and refused to allow Jehovah's people to go and worship Him in the wilderness—but what came of his rebellion? Balak had a will when he hired Balaam to come and curse the Hebrews—but of what avail was it? The Canaanites had a will when they determined to prevent Israel occupying the land of Canaan—but how far did they succeed? Saul had a will when he hurled his javelin at David—but it entered the wall instead! Jonah had a will when he refused to go and preach to the Ninevites—but what came of it? Nebuchadnezzar had a will when he thought to destroy the three Hebrew children—but God had a will too, and the fire did not harm them. Herod had a will when he sought to slay the Child Jesus, and had there been no living, reigning God, his evil desire would have been effected; but in daring to pit his puny will against the irresistible will of the Almighty, his efforts came to nothing. Yes, my reader, and you, too, had a will when you formed your plans without first seeking counsel of the Lord, therefore did He overturn them! "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails!" (Proverbs 19:21).
What a demonstration of the irresistible sovereignty of God, is furnished by that wonderful statement found in Revelation 17:17, "For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled." The fulfillment of any single prophecy is but the sovereignty of God in operation. It is the demonstration that what He has decreed—He is able also to perform. It is proof that none can withstand the execution of His counsel or prevent the accomplishment of His pleasure. It is the evidence that God inclines men to fulfill that which He has ordained—and perform that which He has fore-determined. If God were not absolute Sovereign, then Divine prophecy would be valueless, for in such case no guarantee would be left that what He had predicted would surely come to pass.
"For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled" (Revelation 17:17). Even in that terrible time, when Satan has been cast down to the earth itself (Revelation 12:9), when the Antichrist is reigning in full power (Revelation 13), when the basest passions of men are let loose (Revelation 6:4), even then God is supreme above all, working "through all" (Ephesians 4:6), controlling men's hearts and directing their counsels to the fulfilling of His own purpose.
We cannot do better than quote here, the excellent comments of our esteemed friend Walter Scott upon this verse, "God works unseen—but not the less truly, in all the political changes of the day. The astute statesman. the clever diplomatist, is simply an agent in the Lord's hands. He knows it not. Self-will and motives of policy may influence to action—but God is steadily working toward an end—to exhibit the heavenly and earthly glories of His Son. Thus, instead of kings and statesmen thwarting God's purpose, they unconsciously forward it. God is not indifferent—but is behind the scenes of human action. The doings of the future secular powers—are not only under the direct control of God—but all is done in fulfillment of His words."
Closely connected with Revelation 17:17 is that which is brought before us in Micah 4:11, 12, "Many nations have gathered together against you, calling for your blood, eager to gloat over your destruction. But they do not know the Lord's thoughts or understand His plan. These nations don't know that He is gathering them together to be beaten and trampled like bundles of grain on a threshing floor." Here is another instance which demonstrates God's absolute control of the nations, of His power to fulfill His secret counsel or decrees through and by them, and of His inclining men to perform His pleasure—though it is performed blindly and unwittingly by them.
Once more. What a word was that of the Lord Jesus as He stood before Pilate! Who can depict the scene! There was the Roman official, and there also was the Servant of Jehovah standing before him. Said Pilate, "Where are You from?" And we read, "Jesus gave him no answer. Then said Pilate unto Him, "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" (John 19:10). Ah! that is what Pilate thought. That is what many others have thought. He was merely voicing the common conviction of the human heart—the heart which leaves God out of its reckoning. But hear the Lord Jesus as He corrects Pilate, and at the same time repudiates the proud boasting of men in general, "You would have no power over Me if it were not given to you from above" (John 19:11).
How sweeping is this assertion! Man—even though he is a prominent official in the most influential empire of his day—has no power except that which is given him from above, no power, even, to do that which is evil, that is, carry out his own evil designs, unless God empowers him so that His purpose may be forwarded. It was God who gave Pilate the power to sentence to death His well-beloved Son! And how this rebukes the sophistries and reasonings of men, who argue that God does nothing more than permit evil! Why, go right back to the very first words spoken by the Lord God to man after the Fall, and hear Him saying, "I will put ENMITY between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed" (Genesis 3:15)! Bare permission of sin does not cover all the facts which are revealed in Scripture touching this mystery. As Calvin succinctly remarked, "But what reason shall we assign for His permitting it—but because it is His will?"
At the close of a previous chapter, we promised to give attention to one or two other difficulties which were not examined at that time. To them we now turn. If God has not only pre-determined the salvation of His own—but has also fore-ordained the good works which they are to walk in (Ephesians 2:10), then what incentive remains for us to strive after practical godliness? If God has fixed the number of those who are to be saved, and the others are vessels of wrath fitted to destruction—then what encouragement have we to preach the Gospel to the lost? Let us take up these questions in the order of mention.
1. God's Sovereignty and the believer's growth in grace.
If God has fore-ordained everything that comes to pass, of what avail is it for us to "exercise" ourselves "unto godliness" (1 Timothy. 4:7)? If God has before ordained the good works in which we are to walk (Ephesians 2:10), then why should we be "careful to maintain good works" (Titus 3:8)? This only raises once more—the problem of human responsibility. Really, it should be enough for us to reply—because God has bidden us do so. Nowhere does Scripture inculcate or encourage a spirit of fatalistic indifference. Contentment with our present spiritual attainments, is expressly disallowed. The word to every believer is, "Press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14). This was the apostle's aim, and it should be ours. Instead of hindering the development of Christian character, a proper apprehension and appreciation of God's sovereignty will forward it.
Just as the sinner's despair of any help from himself is the first prerequisite of a sound conversion, so the loss of all confidence in himself is the first essential in the believer's growth in grace! And just as the sinner despairing of help from himself will cast him into the arms of sovereign mercy, so the Christian, conscious of his own frailty, will turn unto the Lord for strength. It is when we are weak—that we are strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). That is to say, there must be consciousness of our weakness, before we shall turn to the Lord for help. While the Christian imagines that he is sufficient in himself, while he imagines that by mere force of will he shall resist temptation, while he has any confidence in the flesh—then, like Peter who boasted that though all forsook the Lord, yet he would not—so we shall certainly fail and fall. Apart from Christ—we can do nothing (John 15:5). The promise of God is, "He gives power to the faint; and to those who have no might (of their own) He increases strength" (Isaiah 40:29).
The question now before us is of great practical importance, and we are deeply anxious to express ourselves clearly and simply. The secret of development of Christian character, is the realization of our own powerlessness, acknowledged powerlessness, and the consequent turning unto the Lord for help. The plain fact is—that of ourselves we are utterly unable to practice a single precept, or obey a single command that is set before us in the Scriptures. For example, "Love your enemies"—but of ourselves we cannot do this, or make ourselves do it. "In nothing be anxious"—but who can avoid and prevent anxiety when things go wrong? "Awake to righteousness and sin not"—but who can help sinning? These are merely examples selected at random from scores of others.
Does then God mock us by bidding us do what He knows we are unable to do? The answer of Augustine to this question is the best we have met with, "God gives commands we cannot perform, that we may know what we ought to request strength from Him." A consciousness of our powerlessness should cast us upon Him who has all power. Here then is where a vision and view of God's sovereignty helps, for it reveals His sufficiency and shows us our insufficiency.
2. God's Sovereignty and Christian service.
If God has determined before the foundation of the world, the precise number of those who shall be saved—then why should we concern ourselves about the eternal destiny of those with whom we come into contact? What place is left for zeal in Christian service? Will not the doctrine of God's sovereignty, and its corollary of predestination, discourage the Lord's servants from faithfulness in evangelism? No! Instead of discouraging His servants, a recognition of God's sovereignty is most encouraging to them.
Here is one, for example, who is called upon to do the work of an evangelist, and he goes forth believing in the freedom of the will and in the sinner's own ability to come to Christ. He preaches the Gospel as faithfully and zealously as he knows how; but, he finds the vast majority of his hearers are utterly indifferent, and have no heart at all for Christ. He discovers that men are, for the most part, thoroughly enrapt up in the things of the world, and that few have any concern about the world to come. He beseeches men to be reconciled to God, and pleads with them over their soul's salvation. But it is of no avail. He becomes thoroughly disheartened, and asks himself, What is the use of it all? Shall he quit, or had he better change his mission and message? If men will not respond to the Gospel, had he not better engage in that which is more popular and acceptable to the world? Why not occupy himself with humanitarian efforts, with social work, with the morality campaign? Alas! that so many men who once preached the Gospel are now engaged in these activities instead.
What then is God's corrective for His discouraged servant? First, he needs to learn from Scripture that God is not now seeking to convert the world—but that in this age He is "taking out of the Gentiles" a people for His name (Acts 15:14). What then is God's corrective for His discouraged servant? This—a proper apprehension of God's plan for this Dispensation. Again, what is God's remedy for dejection at apparent failure in our labors? This—the assurance that God's purpose cannot fail, that God's plans cannot miscarry, that God's will must be done. Our labors are not intended to bring about that which God has not decreed!
Once more: what is God's word of cheer for the one who is thoroughly disheartened at the lack of response to his appeals and the absence of fruit for his labors? This—that we are not responsible for results: that is God's side, and God's business. Paul may "plant," and Apollos may "water," but it is God who "gives the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6). Our business is to obey Christ and preach the Gospel to every creature, to emphasize the "Whoever believes", and then to leave the sovereign operations of the Holy Spirit to apply the Word in quickening power to whom He wills, resting on the sure promise of Jehovah, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it!" (Isaiah 55:10, 11).
Was it not this assurance that sustained the beloved apostle when he declared "Therefore (see context) I endure all things for the elect's sake" (2 Timothy 2:10)! Yes, is not this same lesson to be learned from the blessed example of the Lord Jesus! When we read that He said to the people, "But as I told you, you’ve seen Me, and yet you do not believe. Every one the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out." (John 6:36, 37). He knew that His labor would not be in vain. He knew God's Word would not return unto Him "void." He knew that "God's elect" would come to Him and believe on Him. And this same assurance fills the soul of every servant who intelligently rests upon the blessed truth of God's sovereignty.
Ah, fellow Christian worker, God has not sent us forth to "draw a bow at a venture". The success of the ministry which He has committed into our hands is not left contingent on the fickleness of the wills in those to whom we preach. How gloriously encouraging, how soul-sustaining are those words of our Lord's, if we rest on them in simple faith, "I have other sheep ("have" mark you, not "will have"; "have," because given to Him by the Father before the foundation of the world), whom are not of this fold (that is the Jewish fold then existing). I must bring them also, and they shall listen to My voice." (John 10:16). Not simply, "they ought to hear My voice," not simply "they may hear My voice", not "they will do so if they are willing." There is no "if", no "perhaps", no uncertainty about it. "They shall listen to My voice" is His own positive, unqualified, absolute promise! Here then, is where faith is to rest!
Continue your quest, dear friend, after the "other sheep" of Christ's. Be not discouraged because the "goats" heed not His voice as you preach the Gospel. Be faithful, be Scriptural, be persevering, and Christ may use even you to be His mouthpiece in calling some of His lost sheep unto Himself. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain!" (1 Corinthians 15:58).
It now remains for us to offer a few closing reflections, and our happy task is finished.
God's sovereign election of certain ones to salvation is a MERCIFUL provision. The sufficient answer to all the wicked accusations that the doctrine of Predestination is cruel, horrible, and unjust—is that, unless God had chosen certain ones to salvation, none would have been saved, for "there is none that seeks after God" (Romans 3:11). This is no mere inference of ours—but the definite teaching of Holy Scripture. Attend closely to the words of the apostle in Romans 9, where this theme is fully discussed, "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall be saved. . . . Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah" (Romans 9:27, 29). The teaching of this passage is unmistakable: but for Divine interference, Israel would have become as Sodom and Gomorrah. Had God left Israel alone, human depravity would have run its course to its own tragic end. But God left Israel a "remnant". Of old the cities of the plain had been obliterated for their sin, and none were left to survive them; and so it would have been in Israel's case—had not God "left" or spared a remnant. Thus it is with the human race—but for God's sovereign grace in sparing a remnant—all of Adam's descendants would have perished in their sins! Therefore, we say that God's sovereign election of certain ones to salvation, is a merciful provision.
And, be it noted, in choosing the ones He did, God did no injustice to the others who were passed by—for none had any right to salvation. Salvation is by grace, and the exercise of grace is a matter of pure sovereignty—God might save all or none, many or few, one or ten thousand, just as He saw best. Should it be replied, But surely it were "best" to save all. The answer would be: We are not capable of judging. We might have thought it "best" never to have created Satan, never to have allowed sin to enter the world, or having entered, to have brought the conflict between good and evil to an end long before now. Ah! God's ways are not ours—and His ways are unfathomable!
God fore-ordains everything which comes to pass. His sovereign rule extends throughout the entire Universe and is over every creature. "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things" (Romans 11:36). God initiates all things, regulates all things, and all things are working unto His eternal glory. "There is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him" (1 Corinthians 8:6). And again, "According to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:11). Surely if anything could be ascribed to chance it is the casting of lots, and yet the Word of God expressly declares, "The lot is cast into the lap—but its every decision is from the Lord" (Proverbs 16:33)!!
God's wisdom in the government of our world shall yet be completely vindicated before all created intelligences. God is no idle Spectator, looking on from a distant world at the happenings on our earth—but is Himself shaping everything to the ultimate promotion of His own glory. Even now He is working out His eternal purpose, not only in spite of human and Satanic opposition—but by means of them. How wicked and futile have been all efforts to resist His will—shall one day be as fully evident as when of old He overthrew the rebellious Pharaoh and his hosts at the Red Sea.
It has been well said, "The end and object of all, is the glory of God. It is perfectly, divinely true, that God has ordained whatever comes to pass—for His own glory!"
That what we have written gives but an incomplete and imperfect presentation of this most important subject, we must sorrowfully confess. Nevertheless, if it results in a clearer apprehension of the majesty of God and His sovereign mercy—we shall be amply repaid for our labors. If the reader has received blessing from the perusal of these pages, let him not fail to return thanks to the Giver of every good and every perfect gift, ascribing all praise to His inimitable and sovereign grace!
"Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigns!" (Revelation 19:6).
The Righteous Aren't Always As Bold As A Lion. Lol
10 years ago
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