CALVINISM
The Chaff & The Wheat
I
Next we have the ‘I’ in TULIP which stands for
‘irresistible grace’ or as they prefer ‘effectual calling’. This is the
teaching
that the effectual call was as Spurgeon puts it "a
personal call. There were boys in the tree as well as Zaccheus but there was no
mistake about the person who was called. It was, "Zaccheus, make haste and
come down." There are other calls mentioned in Scripture. It is said
especially, "Many are called, but few are chosen." Now that is not
the effectual call which is intended by the apostle when he said, "Whom he
called, them he also justified" That is a general call which many
men, yes, all men reject, unless there comes after it the personal, particular
call which makes us Christians." (Spurgeon sermon #73) Calvin summarized
this stating “The election of God is secret, but is manifested by effectual
calling.” (Section summary 1 in chapter 14 of book 3) The Westminster Shorter
Catechism defines it like this: The Effectual calling is
the work of God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery,
enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he
doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in
the gospel. (Q31) The Larger Catechism states:
All the elect, and they only, are effectually called: although others may
be, and often are, outwardly called by the ministry of the Word, and have some
common operations of the Spirit; who, for their wilful neglect and
contempt of the grace offered to them, being justly left in their unbelief, do
never truly come to Jesus Christ. (Q68)
In effect the change produced in sinners is
called regeneration or passing from death in sin to life- the new birth;
passing out of darkness to light. The sinner does nothing to contribute to this
change it is exclusively the Spirit of God applying the atonement of Christ to
the elect. The elect no more contributed to anything in their salvation than
Lazarus did in his rising to life when Christ called him forth; or than as a
child contributes to being born after the flesh. So to the elect as a sinner
passes from unbelief to saving faith by the irresistible grace of God as
applied by the Holy Spirit. Man of himself, or from his
natural powers, cannot contribute anything or help to his conversion, and that
conversion is not only in part, but altogether an operation of the Holy Spirit.
Man cannot even in the very least ascribe aught of salvation to his free will-
this is what is meant by monergism. By
contrast, in scripture we are justified by faith and so faith came before righteousness (Ro.3:28, 4:5, 10:10,
Gal.2:16, 3:11). And so the Calvinists have it backwards again for if we are
regenerated in order to believe then righteousness comes before faith. We don’t see righteousness separated from life in scripture-
Rom.8:10, 5:21, Gal.3:21, Prv.21:21, 12:28, 11:19, 30, 10:16.
We would summarize briefly that they teach there
is a common call to all men which is not effective to convert them and so God
exerts an effectual call to the elect only causing them alone to be saved. We
will likewise see 2 calls but will explain that there is a call for salvation genuine
and possible for all men and there is a vocational call which is for those
foreknown in Christ by their faith. The general call or as the Calvinist would
state a call of the common operations of the Spirit is seen here:
Matt.9:13 …I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance. 20:16…for many be called,
but few chosen.
The Calvinist would contend that this call is
to all men just as the law of God applies to all men although they refuse to
heed it due to their incorrigibility and total depravity in sin. And so the
effectual calling is necessary to bring them into light and raise them out of
their sins so they might believe. We will be refuting this but contend that God
impresses conviction upon the unbeliever, granting him space to repent and he
is able then to either reject or
accept the word of the truth of the gospel. And to a greater or lesser degree
depending upon many factors (such as prayer- 1 Tim.2:1-2, obedience of
believers- 1 Cor.9:22, chastening- Isa.26:16) God is able to bring about the
repentance of the obstinate; having mercy upon whom he will have mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are
over all his works. (Psa.145:9) The Calvinist would claim common grace applies
to all men (as in all men everywhere- the whole world) and they resist his
grace. Their position sees it as God’s mercy for not striking someone down
immediately when they sin (which would be better for them than preserving them
for more wrath). And so ‘common grace’ will allow the non-elect to live after
their first sin- when in fact they are simply being preserved as vessels of
wrath who it were better that they had never been born or had died in the womb.
So this idea of mercy is simply to make them vessels more fitted for
destruction- hardly conceivable as mercy.
We see here a vocation call for
those preserved in Christ. This calling such as Paul being an apostle is a
calling for those in Christ, in his
body. God according to foreknowledge before the world began chose us in Christ
and called us unto a particular vocation as a member of the body of Christ.
Eph.4:1 I therefore, the
prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith
ye are called,
Ac.13:2 As they ministered to
the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for
the work whereunto I have called
them.
Ac.16:10 And after he had seen
the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly
gathering that the Lord had called
us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Rom.1:1 Paul, a servant of
Jesus Christ, called to be an
apostle, separated unto the gospel of God (v6-7) Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be
in Rome, beloved of God, called
to be saints…
Lk.6:13 And when it was day, he
called unto him his disciples:
and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; (Ac.1:22)
Rom.8:28 And we know that all
things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
1 Cor.1:1-2 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus
Christ through the will of God… Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to
them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our
Lord, both their's and our's:
1 Cor.1:26-8 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many
wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath
chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath
chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised,
hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that
are:
1 Cor.7:17 But as God hath
distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all
churches. v20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
v22 For he that is called in the
Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's
servant.
Gal.1:15 But when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Col.3:15 And let the peace of
God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye
are called in one body; and
be ye thankful.
2 Tim.1:9 Who hath saved us,
and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began,
Jd.1 Jude, the servant of Jesus
Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father,
and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
Rev.17:14 These shall make war
with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and
King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Here from scripture we see a
salvation call:
Matt.9:13 …I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance. 20:16…for many be called,
but few chosen. 22:16 For many are called,
but few are chosen.
Prov.1:24 Because
I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man
regarded;
Ac.2:39 For the promise is unto
you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Rom.8:30 Moreover whom he did
predestinate, them he also called:
and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (This is the
salvation call as it precedes justification where v28 the “called according to
his purpose” are those that “love God”, not something that would apply to
sinners before they are justified.)
9:11 (For the children being
not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God
according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) v24-6 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also
of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved,
which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it
was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
1 Cor.1:9 God is faithful, by
whom ye were called unto the
fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord
Gal.1:6 I marvel that ye are so
soon removed from him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal.5:13 For, brethren, ye have
been called unto liberty; only
use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Eph.1:18 The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the
glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph.4:4 There is one body, and
one Spirit, even as ye are called
in one hope of your calling;
Phil.3:14 I press toward the
mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus.
1 Thess.2:12 That ye would walk
worthy of God, who hath called
you unto his kingdom and glory. 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
2 Thess.1:11 Wherefore also we
pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good
pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the
obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Tim.6:12 Fight the good fight
of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good
profession before many witnesses.
Heb.3:1 Wherefore, holy
brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,
consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
1 Pt.2:9 But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
1 Pt.5:10 But the God of all
grace, who hath called us unto
his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make
you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
2 Pt.1:3 According as his
divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: v10 Wherefore the rather, brethren,
give diligence to make your calling
and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
The scriptures
offer us a salvation call which is to all men everywhere to repent and be saved
in Christ. This is a call to salvation that involves eternal life and glory and
a kingdom; a heavenly calling out of darkness into his marvellous light,
liberty and virtue. This calling and election involves steadfastness of faith
to make it sure (Heb.6:11-19), through sanctification of the
Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ (1 Pt.1:2)
as we walk in the light (1 Jn.1:7). This calling however is not irresistible as
men in fact do resist. “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my
spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I
have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But
ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:”
(Prv.1:23-5) And we know many are called, but few are chosen (Mt.22:16). God gives them sufficient
opportunity to humble themselves and express contrition and sorrow for their
sins and which in turn he would grant them a chance to hear and believe the
truth of the gospel. Consider a few instances of God calling men to repentance
and they resisted his grace:
Act.7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and
ears, ye do always resist the
Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Isa.63:8-10 For he said, Surely they are
my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his
presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare
them, and carried them all the days of old. But they
rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy,
and he fought against them.
Ezek.18:23 Have I any pleasure at all
that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not
that he should return from his ways, and live? v30-32 Therefore
I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the
Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so
iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all
your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and
a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have
no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Ezek.33:11 Say
unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and
live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of
Israel?
Matt.23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often
would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Rom.10:21 But to Israel he saith, All
day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying
people.
Isa.65:2-3 I have spread out my hands
all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good,
after their own thoughts; A people that provoketh me to anger
continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon
altars of brick;
Hos.7:1-2 When I would have healed
Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of
Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of
robbers spoileth without. And they consider not in
their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have
beset them about; they are before my face.
Gen.6:6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
This wicked teaching (Irresistible grace) of
Calvinists would make God disingenuous telling them to turn and live when they
cannot for he alone forbids it. Or that they are resisting his common grace
which is made resistible by design to maintain the unchangeable number of the
elect. Or that he stretched out his hands and would have healed and gathered
them while he foreordained them unto this condemnation. Blasphemy! O slanderous
doctrine, making him who alone is true to be mendacious. For what could be
genuine or sincere in the mind of the Calvinist portrayal of God regarding his
grieving at men’s sin while creating them for this selfsame purpose and
allowing nothing else. If God foreknew and purposed to allow sin and the
damnation of men based upon their willful rebellion while he genuinely offers
and provides salvation for them and they can receive it but refuse, then who
can charge God with folly? Nay, we would have to confess as David “I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against
thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou
mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold,
I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psa.51:3-5)
But yet if God eternally purposed and caused men to be inescapably sinful with
no hope of anything other than eternal damnation and then said he had no
pleasure in their death and beckoned unto them to repent and turn as if he were
grieved for them- who could believe him? All those subject to the same
condemnation could reply against the potter when he stretched out his hands unto
them that he was deceptively insincere and feigned love to them. God forbid the
wicked have a true accusation against the righteous LORD. Shall not the
Judge of all the earth do right?
(Gen.18:25) Thinkest thou this to be right,
that thou saidst, My righteousness
is more than God's? (Job 35:2) Then let us cast away this slanderous tradition
so we can truly say “yea, let God be true, but every man a
liar”. (Rom.3:4)
There are stages
or degrees of pride and depravity that men descend into which makes them less
and more likely to be humbled before God based upon their own works (2
Chr.6:30, Rom.2:6). All things are not as simplistic as thinking God makes
whatsoever happens happen by directly controlling whatsoever comes to pass. The
dynamics are much more complicated with free choices continually made by men and
devils and angels. Even among men factors involve levels or stages of hardness
of their own hearts in sin and pride and yet still God omnipotently and
sovereignly worketh all things after the council of his own will. Men can
execrate and defile themselves exceedingly or refrain from such wickedness and
make themselves more likely to respond to the gospel call (Ac.10:1-6, Rom.2:6-8).
Parents can train up their children (Prv.22:15) in the way they should go
(Prv.22:6) or the child can be left to himself and bring shame (Prv.29:15). All
men are subject to Gods revelation of himself through nature (Rom.1:19-21) and
conscience (Rom.2:14-15) and sin to a greater or lesser degree making it easier
or harder to be humbled before God; albeit all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God (Rom.3:23) and none is righteous, no not one (v10).
Psa.19:12-13 Who can understand his
errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back
thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me:
then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
1 Jn.5:16-7 If any man see his brother
sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for
them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he
shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto
death.
Prv. 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in
their scorning, and fools hate
knowledge? 19:25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware… 22:11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise…
Prv.1:32 For the turning away
of the simple shall slay them,
and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 8:5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye
fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
1 Ki.21:29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he
humbleth himself before me, I
will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the
evil upon his house.
2 Chr.12:12 And
when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from
him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went
well.
2 Chr.32:26 …
Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he
and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
Rev.18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and
God hath remembered her iniquities.
Gen.18:20 And
the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because
their sin is very grievous; 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the
cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
Jon.1:2 Arise,
go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is
come up before me.
God is tender and compassionate upon those who
humble themselves before him. Not that they earn or merit grace- which comes
only through faith that is a product of revelation from God. But we see men
broken and humbled and God responding in pity and granting them space to
repent. They do not merit this compassion or sympathy from the Lord any more
than a physically or mentally handicapped person earns pity and help from his
brethren by his works. Did the man who fell among thieves earn the compassion
of the good Samaritan through his good works (Lk.10:29-37)? I trow not; but
instead God’s goodness and compassion should lead them to repentance;
nevertheless many will harden their hearts still and bring great wrath upon
themselves. God even alerted men in the early stages of their rebellion- Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but
ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
(Jer.29:19, 7:13, 25, 26:5, 32:33, 35:15) Again- And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his
messengers, rising up betimes,
and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling
place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his
words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. (2
Chr.36:15-6) “Why will ye die?” (Jer.27:13)
Neh.9:27-8 Therefore thou
deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the
time of their trouble, when they cried
unto thee, thou heardest them
from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours,
who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest, they
did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the land of their
enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many
times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;
2 Chr.34:27 Because
thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou
heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and
humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I
have even heard thee also, saith the Lord.
Psa.103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth
them that fear him.
Jon.3:5 So the
people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth,
from the greatest of them even to the least of them. v10 And God saw their
works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that
he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Psa.78:37-9 For their heart was not
right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and
destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir
up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but
flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
Psa.107:17-21 Fools because of their
transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the
gates of death. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from
their destructions. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of
men!
Lam.3:22-3 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail
not. They are new every morning: great is thy
faithfulness.
2 Pt.3:9 The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. v15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;
Mic.7:18-19 Who is a God like unto thee,
that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his
heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will
subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the
sea.
Rom.2:3-5 And
thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest
the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or
despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering;
not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy
hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day
of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Yet in spite of God’s goodness which should
result in humility and repentance many will not return to the Lord. Even God’s
affliction which should cause them to return they will spurn and despise (Amos
4:6-12). Corruption can become so thorough and complete that God gives them
over with no chance of repentance; even the land itself will vomit out the
inhabitants.
Prov.29:1 He,
that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and
that without remedy.
Isa.1:4-6 Ah sinful nation, a people
laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they
have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are
gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more?
ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart
faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in
it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed,
neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
Rom.1:24 Wherefore
God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonour their own bodies between themselves: v26 For this cause God gave them
up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into
that which is against nature: v28 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;
2 Chr.36:15-16 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up
betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his
dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and
despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Jer.7:16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither
lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee
Lev.18:24-29 Defile not ye yourselves in
any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out
before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do
visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her
inhabitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall
not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any
stranger that sojourneth among you: (For all these abominations
have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)
That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it
spued out the nations that were before you. For
whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit
them shall be cut off from among their people.
Zeph.3:1-2 Woe to her that is filthy and
polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice; she
received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew
not near to her God.
Job.21:13-15 They spend their days in
wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they
say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What
is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if
we pray unto him?
Isa.65:12 Therefore will I number you to
the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called,
ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine
eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
Isa.66:4 I also will choose their
delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none
did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine
eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Zech.7:11-13 But they refused to
hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should
not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should
hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts
hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath
from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he
cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts:
Heb.12:15-17 Looking diligently lest any
man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble
you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator,
or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For
ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was
rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully
with tears.
This infers the
alternate truth that we cannot seek the Lord and repent whenever we so desire.
As Esau we may shed many tears and find no place of repentance (Heb.12:17) if
we don’t respond to his hand of mercy stretched out. Seek ye
the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let
the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him
return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will
abundantly pardon. (Isa.55:6-7) In meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth; (2 Tim.2:25). God gave the children of Israel 10 chances before
refusing that older generation entrance into the promised land (Num.14:22-3);
and when they tried to go anyway and drive out the inhabitants they could not
prevail (14:42-5).
The scriptures tell us on the one hand
that ‘There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God’ (Rom.3:10) without
his assistance. But also God enables men to seek him by his revelation of
himself. God made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell
on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed,
and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply
they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of
us (Ac.17:26-7) For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto
them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? (Dt.4:7) What
advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much
every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
(Rom.3:1-2) And while there are none good in themselves we see men like
Cornelius (Ac.10) who although not a regenerate man continued in a state of
humility and found grace before God. Not that he earned it, but that God’s pity
was towards him as a father pitieth his children (Ps.103:13-14). Call is common
grace if you like, but God maintains a level of civility through various means-
governments, family, church, righteous men and women standing in the gap, his
direct judgments, humbling men and keeping a level of peace and quiet (1
Tim.2:1-2) like as a husbandman weeding and protecting his garden waiting for
the precious fruit of the earth. 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. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance. (2 Pt.3:8-9)
