CALVINISM

The Chaff & The Wheat
 

L

 Here we come to the ‘L’ or ‘Limited Atonement’ also referred to as ‘Particular Redemption’. This is the claim that Jesus death was not for every person and not even for most people, but only for the elect. They also point out that non-Calvinists also limit the atonement in efficacy – that Christ did not die to cause the effect of salvation, or cause certain men to be saved but only make it possible for all men to be saved. Let us consider Spurgeon again- “We differ as to the nature of Atonement and as to the design of Redemption. For instance, the Arminian holds that Christ, when He died, did not die with an intent to save any particular person. And they teach that Christ’s death does not, in itself, secure beyond doubt the salvation of any man living. They believe that Christ died to make the salvation of all men possible, or that by the doing of something else, any man who pleases may attain unto eternal life! Consequently, they are obliged to hold that if man’s will would not give way and voluntarily surrender to Divine Grace, then Christ’s Atonement would be worthless! They hold that there was no particularity and specialty in the death of Christ. Christ died, according to them, as much for Judas in Hell as for Peter who mounted to Heaven!” (Sermon #181)

 Still present and unanswered is why God causes the regeneration of all the elect by Christ’s death and resurrection but not their spiritual maturity. Why does his death not cause the elect to be perfect and complete in all the will of God? Why are there believers who ought to be mature as provided for by Christ, but yet are carnal (Heb.5:11-14, 1 Cor.3:1-3)? It appears the Calvinist also has a limited efficacy in addition to a limited scope in the death of Christ. “Christ Jesus “gave His life a ransom for many” Spurgeon continues in the same sermon “noticing the vast number for whom this Redemption is made, who in our text are described as “many”. He continues here:”All Christians hold that Christ died to redeem, but all Christians do not teach the same Redemption!” Basically they deny that he died for everyone in general and no one in particular. But let us consider this claim and the verses they point to as evidence.

 Calvinists reason thus; that Christ either died for:

1) All the sins of all men; in which case all men are free from the damnation of hell. If you say- they are not saved because of unbelief, well unbelief is a sin for which Christ died and so all men should be saved.

2) Some of the sins of all men. And so all men have some sins to answer for, and so none are saved.

3) All the sins of some men; or Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of the elect in the whole world.

 We agree Christ did not die for some sins and so we consider the other points. We will see shortly that Christ died for particular people and for all people, but consider #1 briefly. For we before showed the operation of faith how faith is the will of a man in response to and in union with God’s will. The folly assumed with their thought here, that they are importing the idea that Christ’s death causes the elimination of some of the sins of the elect- firstly unbelief, at least the degree of it prohibiting salvation. And not even immediately when all the elect reach the ‘stage or age of accountability’ or necessarily when they first hear the gospel. Consider Saul who kicked against the pricks and once destroyed the faith (Ac.9:5, Gal.1:23). Basically they would have to remove any cause and effect nature of the death of Christ- that it causes belief in the elect- because they really hold that God sovereignly causes the faith of the elect at a chosen time in their lives. They also assume a certain definition for the meaning of ‘his death for sins’ namely that it causes particular behavior in the elect at unspecific times in their lives. But only a limited effect since they are not all spiritual (Gal.1:6, 3:1, 4:6-11 etc.). So to imagine, as they do, his death as causing the elect to be saved in a sort of law-like fashion is to exceed what is reasonable. Even in Calvinism God causes the elects salvation at a certain moment in their life; it does not occur as if his death triggers a force which activates the will of the elect as soon as they are able to understand the gospel and the first time they hear it; or even in the womb as a John Baptist (Lk.1:44, 7:20). John 12:24 would infer that the springing forth of fruit is from the resurrection- “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

 At #3 is it not a folly to say (as they do indeed) Christ died to cause men to be saved and believe and endure to the end but not cause them to be holy in their lives in all manner of conversation (Heb.5:11-12)? Or claim that Christ causes the elect to be steadfast in their faith but not in their obedience? While faith without works is evidently vain! (Ja.2:17, 26) Or claim that his death doesn’t cause the elect to receive a full reward (2 Jn.8, 1 Cor.3:15). That His particular redemption makes the elect have faith to endure and yet only generates little faith and wavering faith when it comes to daily struggles? His death didn’t keep Peter or Barnabbas from dissimulation (Gal.2:11-13) or the Galatians from being so soon removed from the grace of Christ (Gal.1:6, 3:1). What a perplexity they undoubtedly attribute to some mystery in God; a response which certainly mimics the Romish apologists and their innumerable mysteries (2 Thes.2:7)!

 Jonathon Edwards reasoned (-1722, The “Miscellanies” Ed. Harry S. Stout, page 1 74) that Christ could not have died with the intent of benefitting “such and such men that would never be the better for his death. And therefore, it was impossible that he should die with an intent to make them (particular persons) happy” because he is omniscient and would have known that his death would not have helped them. Could not the same be cast in their teeth? If God has made every spiritual blessing available to his saints and yet foreknew that they many times would not avail themselves of exceeding great and precious promises and manifold grace- are we to conclude “Christ could not have died with the intent of benefitting” them? For he would have known they would many times fail of his grace and frustrate his grace. Nay brethren this is also an equal folly.

 

 The Calvinist declares ‘Indeed God knoweth the hearts and that there is none good, thus he maketh men upright by particular redemption in Christ’. John Calvin in his institutes points to a number of verses to support the doctrine of limited atonement (Book II Chp.XVI & XVII). Although his conclusion is an error the truth Calvin catches a glimpse of is that God will not try to save or attempt to save but that the Lord God Omnipotent will save and is mighty to save! So let us consider this truth.

Do these verses for example teach that Christ’s death causes the elect to become righteous by making them believe? Could we not easily understand the efficacy to be for those after they believed (Eph.1:13)?

Isa.53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Rom.5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Tit.2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Heb. 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

1 Pet.3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 Christ justifies those that believe (Rom.3:28). Those made righteous are so made by faith (Rom.9:30, Phil.3:9); their faith- “the just shall live by his faith” (Hab.2:4). Christ’s death specially benefits those that believe. So he gave himself for “us” who “by him do believe in God” (1 Pt.1:21, Eph.1:19, Ac.11:17). Rom.4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;” Notice that it saith not ‘many shall be made to have faith’ but shall ‘be made righteous’ (Ro.5:19) Of course the Calvinist will try and block up the exits claiming that faith is only a grace God gives to the elect; we examined the biblical definition of faith at the beginning. This is really where the debate hinges.

 We know that “of him and through him and to him are all things” (Rom.11:36) and “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Cor.5:19). God reached into existence from eternity through the express image of his very person Jesus Christ (Heb.1:3) and pulled upon all men to bring them to Christ to greater and lesser degrees according to his own will. John 12:32-3 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.” But he laid hold upon some men (remnant) with the intent of not letting go but causing certain to believe and certain to endure. The Calvinist would identify these men as ‘the elect’. We have seen already that the elect are those who are in Christ ‘the elect’. Our thesis is bringing forward the point that your calling and election must be made secure and certain (2 Pt.1:10) by abiding in Christ the elect by faith in his saving grace (1 Pt.1:5). And so the present truth that all men can be saved but that some men will be saved, does not imply a contradiction to our thesis that men can depart from the faith and not abide in Christ the elect. But succinctly anyone in Christ is elect because Christ is elect. Some will depart from their faith and no longer be elect as they did not abide or remain in Christ. However there will be in the end men that are saved whom we can call the ‘remnant’ that will be saved by way of ‘election’ in Christ; that is they will be saved in Christ by faith that it might be by grace (Rom.4:16). We are not aware of who these will be for even Paul acknowledged that he could be a castaway (1 Cor.9:27 w/ Lk.9:25, Phil.3:11-14). Even though John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb (Lk.1:15) and could not have done other than what he was called to do (Lk.1:76, Jn.1:23, Mt.3:3), after his mission was complete he was warned of Christ not to be offended in him (Mt.11:1-6, 11). So we are not lead to be high minded by thinking ‘we are the elect and thus OSAS’ but fear him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell (Mt.10:28). Remember Judas. We will consider ‘the remnant’ further under ‘perseverence’.

 Even if we grant that these verses (above) teach his death causes the salvation of few (Mt.7:13, 20:16, Lk.12:32) does it by necessity infer that provision wasn’t made for the rest? Is this a logical conclusion? Christ’s death causes and makes possible many things. We know Christ died for the “sins of the whole world” (1 Jn.2:2, Jn.1:29 w/ 1:9-10), including those ‘he bought’ that deny him (2 Pt.2:1). Calling all men everywhere to repent (Ac.17:30), giving himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim.2:6) tasting death for every man (Heb.2:9). The shedding of his blood (Rev.7:14) makes possible escaping every spot of corruption in the world (Gal.6:14, 2 Pt.1:4, Ja.1:27, Eph.5:2). It makes possible the deliverance from the influence of sin. Consider Romans 6:4-7 (and the entire chapter) “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” This makes it possible for us to walk in the Spirit by faith and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh being provided every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ so that we can be holy and without blame before him. And so we have no excuse not to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. And yet many will be ashamed at his coming whose works will be burned up (1 Cor.3:9-15) and lose those things which they have wrought (2 Jn.8).

 Christ died for the church as a body of individuals (Eph.5:25-7), and for Paul himself as a single individual (Gal.2:20). And of course Christ died for the unknown “weak brother” (1 Cor.8:11) besides the well known apostle. Would we not be silly and superficial to argue that since Christ died for the weaker brother that he therefore didn’t die for Paul? Or since Christ died for Paul he must not therefore have died for the whole church! And yet here is the Calvinist arguing that because Christ died for the church he must not have died for the whole world (Jn.1:29).

 They point to a ‘limited scope’ of the redeemed in verses like “Christ died for our sins” “for our offences” “for the transgression of my people” “for the sheep”. But it is equally true that he died for the whole world and also for believers in the gospel. As Paul states “we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” (1 Tim.4:10)

1 Jn.2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. In one way Christ died for the whole world that they all might be justified and also his death provides for the sanctifying of the elect (Eph.5:26-7). Our contention is that both are true after a different sense. Through his death and resurrection God reconciles sinners to himself (Rom.5:8-10, 2 Cor.5:19) and sanctifies the saints from the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Pt.1:4, Heb.12:10). Through his death he brings the unjust to believe to God (1 Pt.3:18) and causes the just, by faith to bring forth fruit unto holiness (Rom.6:22). He draws upon all men in general through Christ but with more mercy upon others in particular (Rom.9:14-25).

 The benefits are available unto all men, but the ones that believe will be the ones specially benefitted. Through his death he grants believers deliverance “from this present evil world” (Gal.1:4), and draws all men unto him (Jn.12:32). He takes away the sin of the world (Jn.1:29, Heb.9:26) making propitiation for the whole world (1 Jn.2:2) and brings forth much fruit (Jn.12:24) making many righteous (Rom.5:19). The spiritual blessings available to the believers through the death and resurrection of Christ are sufficient to make them perfect in every good work (Heb.13:20-1); holy and without blame before him in love (Eph.1:4); standing perfect and complete in all the will of God (Col.4:12); unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work (Col.1:10); and not ashamed before him at his coming (1 Jn.2:28). And yet many will be ashamed and their works will be consumed before the flaming eyes of him with whom we have to do. When he searcheth the hearts and minds in that day, shall not he know (Psa.94:10)? Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart (Psa.44:21). Shall not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? (Prv.24:12)

 

 Next we will be dragged into one of the more ridiculous and tedious discussion in Calvinism about who are “all” and who are the “world”. The Calvinist will assert that phrase in scripture ‘all men’ does not mean every man everywhere without exception but sometimes means every man in an area without distinction. Such as these instances- Mk. 1:37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. Mk. 11:32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. John 3:26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. These would be instances of the phrase ‘all men’ meaning a limited number relative to a region or locality in a certain time period; thus ‘all men without distinction’. Sometimes ‘all men’ means all without exception. For example Jn.5:29 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. Ac.17:30-31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Rom.5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

 Likewise the word world can mean all men of a certain geographic region at a particular time- ‘the public’. As in these instances:

Lk.2:1- And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

Jn.7:4- For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

8:26- I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

12:19- The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

14:19- Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. (v22) …Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

Acts11:28- …signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Acts 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

Acts 19:27 …the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

Rom.1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

1 Cor.4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

 We agree the context dictates the meaning. And so with occurrences as John 1:7 “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe”; we must ask what this means in context. We read in John 1:9-12 “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” ‘All men’ is ‘every man’ and would include those that receive him and those that received him not.

 Christ was sent in the body of his flesh to testify unto the house of Israel, his own (Mt.15:24, Rom.15:8), and yet his own received him not. John the Baptist was only sent to Israel to bear record of the true Light. Would the context dictate that his intention and purpose was that all men of Israel without exception might believe or that all men of Israel without distinction might believe? It would seem both. But yet the vast majority of ‘his own received him not’ and were blinded unto this day (Rom.11). Should we conclude something so absurd as that Christ intended ‘all men of Israel without distinction’ to believe on him and by “all men” mean a very small remnant (Isa.1:6 w/ Rom.9:29 also “little flock” Lk.12:32 “few” Mt.7:14, 20:16)? I trow not.

 Tit.2:11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,”- This thing was not done in a corner (Ac.26:26). 1 Tim.2:4 God “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth”, “Who gave himself a ransom for all” (v6), “lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (Jn.1:9). Again he spoke these things to the Jews that they might be saved (Jn.5:34) but still they will not come to him that they might be saved (v40). Rom.11:32 For God hath concluded them all (Israel- context) in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all (Jew & Gentile- context).

Consider the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16- would this not be the most revealing on the question of the scope of the Atonement. For whom was the atonement made- all Israel without exception or distinction or both? v17 “And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.” v21-2 “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.” v33-4 “And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.” This atonement was made every year “in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month” (v29) for all the congregation of Israel without exception from when it was instituted until Christ came and the veil of the temple was rent in twain. But all the congregation of Israel was not effectually caused to be the elect. The atonement was only effectual for those “that believed” (1 Thes.2:13).

‘This cannot be’ declares the Calvinist. For in their paralogy Christ will make intercession only for those for whom he died causing them and only them to believe. In their thinking Christ would only be half of a priest unless all and only those for whom he died were the only ones for whom he makes intercession. Let everyone who nameth the name of Calvin depart from sophistry. The work of the priest is revealed in the law. Have ye not read Leviticus 16? Atonement was made for all Israel- but not all Israel believed. As we stated above- he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. He saves those for whom he intercedes, and they are those that come unto God by him. Again we know their feverish reply that only those that are drawn come, and again we already silenced this folly. All that come are drawn but not all that are drawn come. And as we stated above he ever liveth to make intercession- which cannot mean forever prays for them to stay saved, otherwise the blood atonement did not secure their salvation. But rather he effectually appears in God’s presence for those that believe the gospel.

 

 Sometimes all and many are used interchangeably- and while we know ‘all’ may or may not be many (give me all the marbles in your hand- may not be many); ‘many’ likewise may or may not be all (there are many marbles in the bag- may or may not be all). In these cases ‘many’ would mean ‘not a few’ (2 Ki.4:3, Isa.10:7, Jer.30:19, Ac.17:4, 12).

Consider these passages:

Rom.5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. (v19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Rom.11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. (Where all is Jew & Gentile- v11-12, 25)

 Some think these passages teach universal salvation; but the only ones that are made righteous are the ones in Christ as 1 Cor. 15:21-23 show- For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

 

 While we acknowledge that the word world in scripture can mean all men of a certain geographic region at a particular time - ‘the public’, we cannot find it ever meaning ‘the elect’. This interpretation is imported by Calvinist into a number of places because of theological bias; but cannot be extracted from a specific context in scripture. Imagine concluding that because one passage of scripture does mean ‘all men of a certain geographic region at a particular time’ that another passage can mean ‘few men from all geographic regions throughout all time’! This is very obviously illogical. But the Calvinist cannot blush when reading this definition into the word ‘world’ in key passages of scripture, for their heart is hardened by their error.

 Here are passages where world means all men:

Mt.24:14- And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations…

Mark 16:15- And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Luke 12:30- For all these things do the nations of the world seek after:

Luke 16:8- for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

Luke 20:34- And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:      

John 1:9-10 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

John 3:16-17- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:19- And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

9:39- And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

12:46-7- I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

15:18-19- If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. (compare with Lk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. Also Mt.10:22, Mk.13:13)

17:21 …that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Also when contrasted with Israel, it means all the Gentiles

Rom.11:11-12 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? (v30-32) For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

 

Gal.6:14- But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

 This passage has particular significance when considering Noah’s flood and the like figure of baptism (1 Pet.3:20-21). In the cross of Christ the wrath of God flooded his soul (Ps.69:1) while his soul was made an offering for sin (Isa.53:10) and in the travail of his soul it was poured out unto death (v11-12). As the sign of Jonah (Mt.12:39) “all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me” (Ps.42:7, Jon.2:3). Again “Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves.” (Ps.88:7) “Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off” (v16) “I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.” (69:2)

 Clearly God’s great and just recompense swept over the Lord Jesus as the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isa.53:6). The figure of this wrath is seen in the flood in the days of Noah. How was this flood described? “All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.”(Gen.7:22) This was without distinction or exception. Even as it pleased God for “God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Gen.6:12-13) “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.” (v17). If this figure is to have any meaning or signification then everything that is in the earth; all flesh would include “all men everywhere”. God himself chose this manner of judgment to help us understand the nature of the cross whereby “the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world”. All of the world died in Christ. And holding the figure consistently “all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man” (7:22)- where the animals figure Gentiles (Ac.10:11-12, 28).

 Some will declare that if Christ took their judgment then they should not also or this is some form of injustice or ‘double jeopardy’. But beloved in that Christ bore the sins of the unbelievers he will dispense their judgment and be the conduit through whom God shall condemn them. John 5: 22- For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son v27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. The man Christ Jesus will execute God’s wrath upon them; which will be called “the wrath of the Lamb” (Rv.6:16). He was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin, and he will judge from that position (Heb.4:15-6). Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Rom.14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. Acts 10:40-2 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

 What praise springs forth from this thought- that God so loved the whole world that Christ drank the cup of the wine of God’s wrath for all men. “Love so amazing so divine demands my soul my life my all”. This love confounds the angels and is manifest in the church (Eph.3:10,21, 1 Pt.1:12). It causes us to meditate in awe as the beloved hymn: 

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

 

 Beloved behold what manner of love has the Father bestowed upon us! Can we not see in the flood the totality of his fierceness, the severity of his wrath? Who can stand before him? Consider what great anger so pure and just, was satisfied by that man of sorrows. And sorrow beyond all sorrows “wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger” who “From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them” (Lam.1:12-13). Eternity waits for us to consider and meditate that we “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Eph.3:18-19)

 But what incorruptible glory of God is changed in the mind overthrown by the gainsaying of Calvin? God cannot received the fullness of praise of which he is worthy in this most wicked slander of the Calvinist. For they have taken what is to be “to the praise of the glory of his grace” and removed the splendor and covered as with a veil only to have a form ‘to the praise of the glory of his sovereign will’. And surely his will is supreme- but his will is to magnify his grace; to exalt his everlasting mercy. Truly God is righteous and will not acquit the wicked but even more profound is that God is love and will justify the ungodly through the cross. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Eph.3:21)

 

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