Acknowledgment
I wish to express my thanks to two of the Lord's people who helped in the preparation of this volume.
To Hal Lochrie who read the manuscript in an earlier stage with great care and perceptiveness and made a number of valuable suggestions.
To Ruth Lochrie who provided invaluable help in making the Index of Biblical References.
And to Marie Schaub who, in a busy life, found time to do a splendid job of typing the greater part of the original manuscript.
Contents
Introduction
1. The Biblical BackgroundPart One: From The New Testament To The Reformation: A Historical Survey
The fundamental importance of the doctrine of Election
Evidences of it in the Old Testament
Evidences of it in the New Testament
The theology of it expounded by Paul
The adulteration of it in the first centuriesA sketch of his life and conversion
The emergence of pre-Arminius Arminianism
Augustine's stand against it
The significance of his Retractions
Summary3. From Augustine to the Reformation
The development of two opposing theologies
Augustine vs. Pelagius: conversion vs. education
Prosper vs. Cassian Semi-Pelagianism and precedent grace
Gottschalk: double predestination
Anselm: freedom of the will
Thomas Aquinas: the grace of good works
Wycliffe against the grace of good works
SummaryThe political, social, and religious background of his time...
His confrontation with Erasmus
The Congress of Augsburg
The Roman Catholic Confutation and Melancthon's reply
The Smalcald Articles and the Book of Concord
The seeds of synergism re-appear
The dilemma of sovereignty and human responsibilityPredestination to Election: the issues at stake
Calvin's life and contribution
The challenge of Arminius and the Five Points of the Remonstrants
Summary: the two opposing theologiesPart Two: The Crystallization Of The Theology Of Grace
Introduction
The five Points and the rationale of their re-arrangement beginning with Total DepravityThe fact of Depravity demonstrated by history
In question are the degree and mechanismSection One: Definition of Total
The apparent goodness of man: inspired activity in man and animals as evidence of Common Grace
The apparent failure of the Church: natural and supernatural goodness
The constitution of man as a body/spirit entity, and the origin of the soul's defect
How is the corruption of spirit transmitted
How early in life does this occur?
The meaning of the word flesh
Inherited corruption and inherited guiltSection Two: Definition of Depravity
Sin vs. Sins, i.e., defect vs. fruits
Original Sin, the cause of Total Depravity
The extent of human freedom and responsibility
How the will is set free
The stages of conversion
Life before faith, and the source of that faith
Why eternal life must be the reward of perfection
The Confessions on DepravityThe several kinds of Election
Foreknowledge: special meaning of the word
Double predestination
Why does God not elect all men
Unconditional Election is a Direct Corollary of Total DepravityEvidence for Limited Atonement from Scripture
Some arguments for the universalistic view briefly considered
Sufficiency vs. efficacy: the nature of God's intention
Unlimited Atonement and double jeopardy
Double Predestination and the question of intent or extent of the Atonement (Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism)I Timothy 2:1-6 examined
2 Corinthians 5:14, 15 examined
A universal aspect of the Atonement
1 John 2:1, 2 examinedThe circumstances of irresistibility
New Birth: process or event
Spiritual conception precedes the new birth
The spiritual gestation period
Repentance the result of the new life conceived but not yet brought to birth
The moment of new birth
Monergism and Synergism in new birth
The necessity of irresistible grace10. The Perseverance of the Saints
The issues; perseverance or preservation; liberty or license; incentives for a godly life
The Calvinist position, the only logical one
The believer's responsibility to preserve fellowship or salvation--Calvinist Arminian, and Lutheran views
The Roman Catholic conception of baptism as a form of eternal security; (Venial and mortal sins).
The Scriptural basis for preservation: the Father's covenant with the Son; preservation based on faith of Christ. not ours
Scripture used against preservation: the problem of disobedience in sinner vs. saint (punishment vs. chastening; relationship vs. fellowship); meaning of sudden death
Hebrew Christians a special case (Heb. 6:1-6)
The Prodigal SonPart Three: The Implications For Daily Life
Introduction
Sovereignty and the fact of sin and failure
Disobedience: ordained or allowed
The master plan of God like a river in history
Sovereignty as reflected in Israel's history Jacob and Esau, Joseph. The Exodus. possession of the Promised Land. Samson, division of the kingdom; the coming of the Messiah
"Failure" and "success" from God's point of view12. The Gifts and Calling of God
The believer as an individual and as a member of the body
Sovereignty in the shaping of the saint-to-be
Sovereignty after salvation: ordination of life work (gifts and calling); meaning of "fruit '; purpose of the calling and gifts
Sovereignty and the responsibility of the believerThe perfecting of a saint
The meaning of the word mature
Agents of chastening
Response to chastening
Friend vs. servant; ways vs. acts
Sovereignty and daily disappointments
The maturing process; the crucifixion of self14. Sovereignty and Responsibility
Evil vs. sin: goodness vs. righteousness
Sovereignty and accountability
God ordains evil but not sin
The separation of deed and motive as a basis of reward and punishmentPart Four: Election And Evangelism
Introduction
It is commanded
The "tool." the Word of God. and the "agents"
The target is elect and non-elect alikeA problem impropriety of "Christ died for you"
Message to declare Christ: a warning to the non-elect and an invitation to the elect
God's command, not man's ability, is the measure of man's duty: but the Gospel is often rightly presented rather as an invitation than a command
Is God's love exclusive?
"Another" gospel now often presentedThe "offense" of the doctrine of election
Augustine's argument for preaching election
Luther's argument for preaching election
Bucer's argument for preaching election
The arguments of Melancthon and Calvin
The "error" of modern evangelism (Packer)
Calvinism is the Gospel (Spurgeon and Warfield)Part Five: The Future Of The Non-Elect
Introduction
My personal introduction to the subject
Some certainties and some uncertainties
BibliographyThe two basic issues
The dignity of the offended determines the magnitude of the offense
Intensive vs. extensive punishment: quality vs. quantity
Problem of eternal vs. everlasting
The few saved vs. the many lost19. Four Alternative Solutions
The denial of any future existence for saved or unsaved
1. Annihilation of the unsaved: Scripture and arguments for
2. Universalism: two classes of universalists; basic false assumptions the necessary sanctions of law; reward inconceivable without punishment
Pros and cons of alternatives 1 and 23. Limited Punishment Scripture for and against; if punishment is corrective, it is limited; Origen's view
4. Everlasting punishment: the meaning of everlasting, eternal. etc.; Greek and Hebrew words; time and eternityA summary of the four alternatives
The basic issue not punishment. but length of punishmentGod only or God and: the constant threat
The "little" as fatal as the "much"--Luther
The legacy of Arminius
There is but one way of salvation: God only
BibliographyIndexes (not included)
In the very worst period of the great depression in Canada, I found myself in the fall of 1933 in the province of Saskatchewan, which was perhaps the hardest hit of all the provinces. And I found myself in the worst possible position in terms of survival, since I had no resources and no job, and at that time there was no such thing as relief or welfare for transients. I was some miles north of Prince Albert, facing the winter months in a tiny little shack about twelve by sixteen feet in an area where coal was not available and wood was scarce. The temperature in this part of Canada can be bitterly cold, so cold in fact that the tiny stove I had would not keep itself going much of the time, and the temperature would drop to about -25 degrees F. inside. On one occasion a hot water bottle froze in the bed during the night!
Yet it was marvelously quiet, and, since I had come to know the Lord only about a year before, the Bible was largely an unknown book to me and I had a wonderful opportunity to study it. That winter I went eight times through the entire Bible and worked out, almost entirely on my own, a personal systematic theology. I shall never regret the cold or the isolation. It was a golden period of my life in many ways, and an enormous privilege.
One afternoon that stands out in my memory as a time of glorious apprehension, I knelt down on a small rug which a friend had made for me out of overcoat samples, and I opened my Bible that lay on the bed before me at John 15. I have always loved to study on my knees. I still have my bed lighted specifically for this purpose--and what better attitude could there be for studying the Word of God. I read meditatively with pencil in hand, marking things as I went, and in due time I came to John 15:16: "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you." The words seemed to stand out from the page and this tremendous truth flooded my soul. I seemed to be kneeling in the silence of an eternity and hearing the words inwardly for the first time, though it was by no means the first time I had read them. I was quite simply overwhelmed. He, the Lord Jesus Christ, had chosen me; not I Him! I had always assumed myself to be the one who had acted. It was I who for some reason had felt a need and sought the Lord to fulfill it. I was the one who had taken the initiative.
In the youthful enthusiasm of my Christian experience (I was then twenty-three) I had often preached to small groups and spoken to individuals about their need of a Savior. It had seemed proper to argue with them, or plead with them, or in one way or another try to persuade them to "make their decision for the Lord," as I supposed I had made my decision for the Lord. It seemed to me to be my privilege and responsibility to persuade men by the zeal of my missionary activity. But here, suddenly, I was jolted into the realization that it was not I who had decided for the Lord; the Lord had decided for me! I have had the joy since of leading not a few to the Lord over the years and, what is perhaps every bit as important, of seeing many of these new bairns go on and grow into mature and fruitful children of God. And I know that at times it must have seemed to anyone watching my activities that I really did believe my powers of persuasion can be critical in the moment of decision. Yet I know this is not so.
I know with my heart and my mind that in the final analysis it is the Lord's work to draw men unto Himself and ours only to "lift Him up" (John 3:14). Men are not born again by human will, nor because of blood relationships, nor even because out of their own inner being they desire to be saved (John 1:12, 13). It is perfectly true that whosoever will may come, but it is also true that whosoever may, will come. We will to come only because God has graciously worked upon our wills to turn them about. We may come only because He has opened the way for us and in us, making it possible. Whosoever will, may come; and whosoever may, will come. When God makes it possible by converting our wills to seek his face, then we may come, and only then. At the same time, because of his sovereignty, once this turnabout has been wrought in us by his Holy Spirit, then the rest is certain, no matter how long it takes. We shall come.
As I knelt before the Lord after hearing these wonderful words, in a manner of speaking, for the first time, there was instantly born in my mind a first real intimation of man's true nature and of the sovereignty of God's grace. And I spent the remainder of those winter months reading nothing but the Word of God and constantly finding in it reflections of the wonderful truth of his sovereignty in our salvation. This became the rock upon which over a period of some forty years I thereafter built the edifice of my theology.
During the winter months of 1970-1976, after retirement, I lectured or gave seminars to varying numbers of people from fifteen to two hundred in this quiet little town and always the ultimate emphasis has been upon the sovereignty of grace. finally it seemed good to try to set down something of the substance of these lectures and seminars in the hope that their usefulness might in the Lord's goodness be extended to a larger audience.
Due to the circumstances under which my theological development took place, without formal training in the subject and usually far away from the kind of library facilities that are considered normal to such a training, surprisingly little was owed in my development to the great writers on these themes like Augustine, Calvin, Owen, Spurgeon, Hodge, Strong, Warfield and a host of others. All of these I read now with delight, and it never ceases to amaze me how a deep study of these great fundamental truths in the Word of God leads to a meeting of minds. Those winter months nearly forty-five years ago established a pattern of thinking which subsequently worked itself out until the agreement with these great men of God was very nearly complete. What they contributed above all was refinement and certain modes of expression which are beautifully apt. When I began to read them for the first time about fifteen years ago, I found their powers of expression when dealing with matters that I had struggled to put into words by myself were like a great liberating force, setting my mind free in wonderful new ways. But this circumstance may explain in part why I have not always followed the lines of reasoning which are customarily followed by those whose training and background has been more formal and routine. This is why I have sometimes used different passages of Scripture to support the same basic conclusions. And this is why I have coined some phrases and developed some lines of argument that they did not employ. But my agreement with them is well-nigh complete.
I'm not sure that Calvin was always wholly logical in his conclusions, but then I am sure I am not either. I do not agree with him, for example, in his view regarding Double Predestination, not for philosophical reasons, but because I do not believe either Scripture or logic demands it. And I suspect Calvin himself may have had second thoughts on the matter.
As to the great Confessions--the Westminster Confession, the Thirty-nine Articles, the Heidelberg Confession, the Canons of Dort, and so forth--I rejoice in them. Surely here the human mind has been exercised with the deepest and most profound aspects of truth, finding a peculiarly appropriate eloquence for the task in the choice of words. What feasts the statements are, and how poor is the man who has never reflected upon them! Surely there is no meatier food for the human intellect than is here displayed in an ordered form.
And so with these words of explanation, I commend to the Lord this study of his gracious sovereignty in salvation, without which no man would be saved, but all would remain dead and lost. I cannot but rejoice in the wonderful words of a hymn which expresses so profoundly, yet so succinctly, the great truth which I have struggled to elaborate in the chapters which follow.
I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me;
It was not I that found, O Saviour true; No! 1 was found of Thee.
Thou didst reach forth thy hand and mine enfold; I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea; 'Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold, As Thou, dear Lord, on me.
I find, I walk, I love; but O the whole of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee! For Thou wert long beforehand with my soul; Always Thou lovedst me. (Anonymous)
Published in 1979 and 1987. Online version April 19, 1997, May 13, 1997, May 15, 1997.