THAT IT PRECLUDES A SINCERE
OFFER OF THE GOSPEL TO THE NON-ELECT
1. The Same Objection Applies Against God's Foreknowledge.
2. The Offer Is Sincerely Made.
1. THE SAME OBJECTION APPLIES AGAINST GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE
ALTHOUGH the
Gospel is offered to many who will not, and who for subjective reasons
cannot, accept, it is, nevertheless, sincerely offered to all. The
objection so strenuously urged on some occasions by Arminians, to the
effect that if the doctrine of Predestination is true the Gospel cannot
be sincerely offered to the non-elect, should be sufficiently answered
by the fact that it bears with equal force against the doctrine of God's
Foreknowledge. We might ask, How can the offer of salvation be sincerely
made to those who God foreknows will despise and reject it, especially
when their guilt and condemnation will only be increased by their
refusal? Arminians admit that God knows beforehand who will accept and
who will reject the message; yet they know themselves to be under a
divine command to preach to all men, and they do not feel that they act
insincerely in doing so.
The difficulty,
however, in both cases is purely subjective, and is due to our limited
knowledge and to our in-ability to comprehend the ways of God, which are
past finding out. We do know that the Judge of all the earth will do
right, and we trust Him even though our feeble reason cannot always
follow His ways. We know definitely that abundant provision has been
made for all who will come, and that every one who sincerely accepts
will be saved. From Christ's own lips we have a parable which
illustrates the love of God for His children. The father saw the
returning prodigal when he was still a great way off, and ran and fell
on his neck and kissed him. And the welcome given to this prodigal God
is willing to give to any prodigal.
2. THE OFFER IS
SINCERELY MADE
God commanded
Moses to gather together the elders of Israel, to go to Pharaoh and
demand that they be allowed to go three days' journey into the
wilderness to hold a feast and offer sacrifices. Yet in the very next
verse God Himself says, "I know that the king of Egypt will not give you
leave to go, no, not by a mighty hand," Ex. 3:18,19. If it is not
inconsistent with God's sincerity for Him to command all men to love
Him, or to be perfect (Luke 10:27; Matt. 5:48), it is not inconsistent
with His sincerity for Him to command them to repent and believe the
Gospel. A man may be altogether sincere in giving an invitation which he
knows will be refused. A father who knows that his boys are going to do
wrong feels constrained to tell them what is right. His warnings and
pleadings are sincere; the trouble is in the boys.
Will any one
contend that God cannot sincerely offer salvation to a free moral agent
unless in addition to the invitation He exerts a special influence which
will induce the person to accept it? After a civil war in a country it
often happens that the victorious general offers free pardon to all
those In the opposing army, provided they will lay down their arms, go
home, and live peaceable lives, although he knows that through pride or
malice many will refuse. He makes the offer in good faith even though
for wise reasons he determines not to constrain their assent, supposing
him possessed of such power.
We may imagine
the case of a ship with many passengers on board sinking some distance
out from shore. A man hires a boat from a near-by port and goes to
rescue his family. Incidentally it happens that the boat which he takes
is large enough to carry all the passengers, so he invites all those on
the sinking vessel to come on board, although he knows that many of
them, either through lack of appreciation of their danger, or because of
personal spite toward him, or for other reasons, will not accept. Yet
does that make his offer any the less sincere? "If a man's family were
with others held in captivity, and from love of them and with the
purpose of their redemption, a ransom should be offered sufficient for
the delivery of the whole body of captives, it is plain that the offer
of deliverance might be extended to all on the ground of that ransom,
although specially intended only for a part of their number. Or, a man
may make a feast for his own friends and the provisions be so abundant
that he may throw open his doors to all who are willing to come. This is
precisely what God, according to the Calvinistic doctrine, has actually
done. Out of special love to His people, and with the design of securing
their salvation He has sent His Son to do what justifies the offer of
salvation to all who choose to accept it. (Hodge, Systematic Theology,
II, p.556.)
When the Gospel
is presented to mankind in general nothing but a sinful unwillingness on
the part of some prevents their accepting and enjoying it. No stumbling
block is put in their way. All that the call contains is true; it is
adapted to the conditions of all men and freely offered if they will
repent and believe. No outside influence constrains them to reject it.
The elect accept; the non-elect may accept if they will, and nothing but
their own nature determines them to do otherwise. "According to the
Calvinistic scheme," says Dr. Hodge, "the non-elect have all the
advantages and opportunities of securing their salvation, that,
according to any other scheme, are granted to mankind indiscriminately.
Calvinism teaches that a plan of salvation adapted to all men and
adequate for the salvation of all, is freely offered to the acceptance
of all, although in the secret purpose of God He intended that it should
have precisely the effect which in experience it is found to have. He
designed in its adoption to save His own people, but consistently offers
its benefits to all who are willing to receive them. More than this no
anti-Calvinist can demand." (Systematic Theology, II, p.644.)
Arminians
object that God could not offer the Gospel to those who in His secret
counsel were not designed to accept it; yet we find the Scriptures
declaring that He does this very thing. His commands to Pharaoh have
already been referred to. Isaiah was commissioned to preach to the Jews,
and in 1:18, 19, we find that he extended a gracious offer of pardon and
cleansing. But in 6:9-13, immediately following his glorious vision and
official appointment, he is informed that this preaching is destined to
harden his countrymen to their almost universal destruction. Ezekiel was
sent to speak to the house of Israel, but was told beforehand that they
would not hear, Ezek. 3:4-11. Matt. 23:33-37 presents the same teaching.
In these passages God declares that He does the very thing which
Arminians say He must not do. Hence the objection now under
consideration has arisen not because of any Calvinistic misstatement of
the divine plan, but through erroneous assumptions made by Arminians
themselves.
The decree of
election is a secret decree. And since no revelation has been given to
the preacher as to which ones among his hearers are elect and which are
non-elect, it is not possible for him to present the Gospel to the elect
only. It is his duty to look with hope on all those to whom he is
preaching, and to pray for them that they may each be among the elect.
In order to offer the message to the elect, he must offer it to all; and
the Scripture command is plain to the effect that it should be offered
to all. Even the elect must hear before they can believe and accept,
Rom. 10:13-17. The attentive reader, however, will perceive that the
invitations are not, in the strict sense, general, but that they are
addressed to the "weary," the "thirsty," the "hungry," the "willing,"
those who "labor and are heavy laden," and not to those who are
unconscious of any need and unwilling to be reformed. While the message
is preached to all, it is God who chooses among the hearers those to
whom He is speaking, and He makes this selection known to them through
the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit. The elect thus receive the
message as the promise of salvation, but to the non-elect it appears
only as foolishness, or if their conscience is aroused, as a judgment to
condemnation. As a rule, the non-elect are not concerned about
salvation, do not envy the elect their hope of salvation, but rather
laugh and scorn at them. And since the secret as to which ones in the
audience belong to the elect is hidden from the preacher, usually he
does not know who got the message to salvation and who got it to
judgment. Among the elect themselves there are so many weaknesses, and
on the other hand the evil one is so able to appear as an angel of light
and to make such an outward show of good deeds and words, that the
preacher usually cannot be sure of the outcome. The effect of the
preaching is not in the preacher's hands, but in God's hands; and it
often happens that the sermons which seemed unsuccessful were
strengthened and made effective by the Holy Spirit.
Yet while it is
certain that the non-elect will not turn to God, repent of their sins,
and live good moral lives, it is, nevertheless, their duty to do so.
Though members of a fallen race, they are still free moral agents,
responsible for their character and conduct. God is, therefore,
perfectly consistent in commanding them to repent. For Him not to do so
would be for Him to give up the claims of His law. We commonly hear the
idea expressed that man is under no obligation to do anything for which
he has not full and perfect ability in himself. The reasoning, however,
is fallacious; for man labors under a self-acquired inability. He was
created upright and voluntarily sank himself into sin. He is, therefore,
as responsible as is the person who in order to escape military service
deliberately mutilates a hand or an eye. If inability canceled
obligation, then Satan with his inherent depravity would be under no
obligation to do right, and his fiendish enmity toward God and men would
be no sin. Sinners in general would then be lifted above the moral law.
In conclusion
it may be further said that even in regard to the non-elect the
preaching is not altogether vain; for they are thus made the objects of
general restraining and directing influences which prevent them from
sinning as much as they otherwise would.
