Clarifying Calvinism (Part 7)
January 20th, 2009
(By Phil Johnson)
Part VII: A second look at one of the shortest verses in the Bible
We’re looking at five doctrinal implications of a very short verse, 1 John 4:19: “We love Him because He first loved us.”
We’ve reached point three. This verse not only highlights the perverseness of our fallen state; and teaches us about the priority of God’s electing choice; but, third, it shows us—
3. THE PARTICULARITY OF HIS SAVING WORK
What do I mean by that? Look at the verse again: “We love Him, because He first loved us.” Those words express John’s conviction that God has done something special for us. “We love Him . . . ” but not everyone loves Him. God has done something on our behalf and in our hearts that He does not do for everyone. He has demonstrated a particular love for us.
The apostle John was always keenly aware of this fact. He gloried in the knowledge that Jesus’ love for him was a special love. That is the implication of his favorite self description: “that disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:7). John used that phrase again and again because he delighted in the knowledge that Christ loved him in particular. God had redeemed him in particular. He was not merely the beneficiary of a general goodwill that God has for all creation; he was convinced that Christ’s love for him was personal and special. Jesus loved him in particular.
You know what? Every born-again Arminian will say that, too: He loves me in particular. He loves me with a special love. I’m not merely a dog, licking up the crumbs of God’s general love for all mankind. I am one of the children He has seated at His table. He has a special love for me. Every believing Arminian could refer to himself, as the apostle John did, as “That guy whom Jesus loves.”
By the way, I do believe with all my heart that God has a general love of God for everyone in the human race. “His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). Acts 17:25: “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things”—and those are tokens of a genuine goodwill and lovingkindness that extends to everyone who was ever born. God even loves His enemies (Matthew 5:45) so “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Yet God’s love for the elect is a particular love. He loves them with the love of a Father for His own children. He loves them each uniquely. He loves them in a special way. His love for them is the highest and most sacred kind of love known to man. No greater love can possibly be extended to any creature. And that great love is manifest in a particular way. It is a sacrificial kind of love that will stop at nothing to preserve its object. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Christ’s love moved Him to give His life for His friends.
Look back a few verses at verses 9-10: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” The proof of His electing love—and the thing that lovingly guarantees the salvation of His people—is the atoning work of Christ.
God gave Christ to die for them in order to be a propitiation for their sins. That simply means He satisfied justice on their behalf. He satisfied the wrath of God on their behalf. He bore their guilt. He died in their place and in their stead, so that they wouldn’t have to suffer the penalty for their own sins. He bore the wrath of God on their behalf. He paid in full the penalty of their sins. He was their substitute. He died for them in particular.
So let’s talk about “limited atonement.” Some of you are thinking, There’s a doctrine no Arminian presupposes. Actually, I think anyone who believes the atonement was substitutionary presupposes a Calvinistic doctrine of the atonement. And historic, evangelical Arminians do believe in substitutionary atonement. Christ suffered in my place and in my stead. He wasn’t such a substitute for Judas’s punishment, because if what Jesus said about Judas is true, Judas is in hell this very moment, bearing the wrath of God for himself.
I don’t like the expression “limited atonement,” because it suggests that the atonement is limited in its sufficiency.
Let me clear this up for you: No true Calvinist believes that. If you had the idea that Calvinism places some limit on the value or sufficiency of the atonement, forget that idea. Any Calvinist who denies that Christ’s death was sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world is a bad Calvinist. Christ’s sacrifice was infinite in its sufficiency, “abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world.” (In fact, that phrase, “abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world,” is quoted directly from the canons of the Synod of Dordt, which is the original manifesto of Calvinism.) The death of Christ is infinitely sufficient and that one sacrifice could have atoned for the sins of the whole world, if that had been God’s design.
But was that God’s design? Or was the central and supreme object of His death the salvation of those whom God had loved with a special love from before the foundation of the world? I believe those questions are definitively settled forever by 1 Timothy 4:10: “We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” In the design of God, the atoning work of Christ has a special significance for the elect, because it was the means by which He secured and guaranteed their salvation forever. “The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). And even Arminians affirm the basic gist of that truth—Christ’s atonement is efficacious only for those who actually believe.
Notice: when John writes, “We love Him, because He first loved us,” he is addressing those who were the particular objects of Christ’s redemptive work. Look once again at verse 9: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” This was the object of God in the death of His Son: “that we might live through Him.” He undertook this saving work for us in particular, because we are special objects of His eternal love.
There’s more. Here’s a fourth doctrine we find taught in this verse:
4. THE POWER OF HIS LOVING DELIVERANCE
Look at our verse again: “We love Him because He first loved us.” John is saying that God’s love for us is the cause—the effectual cause—of our love for Him. Once again, he is not saying merely that God’s love is a motive or an incentive for our love. Rather, John’s point is that God’s love is the actual productive cause of our love.
Remember that it is impossible for an unregenerate person to love God. The heart of fallen flesh is by definition an enemy of God. It has no power to change itself, any more than a leopard can change its spots. It is the nature of a sinner to love sin, and nothing is more contrary to a sinful heart than love for God. So it is morally impossible for the sinner to love God.
“Who then can be saved?” Do you remember Jesus’ answer to that question? “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). He does the impossible. His own love for us is such that He purchases us and pursues us and persuades us lovingly to love Him. And in order to make that love possible, He even graciously gives us new hearts that are capable of loving. That’s the promise He makes to His people in Ezekiel 36:
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.
That speaks of God’s regenerating work, whereby He resurrects us to a state of vibrant spiritual life, enlightens our minds to understand His truth, and makes the glories of His love so attractive to us that we find them absolutely irresistible.
In fact, that is exactly the expression we sometimes use to speak of this truth: irresistible grace.
Some people misunderstand that term and imagine that there is some type of violent force or coercion involved in God’s drawing us to Christ. But irresistible grace isn’t something that pushes us against our wills toward Christ; it is something that draws us willingly to Him.
It is similar to my love for my wife. I find her irresistible. But she doesn’t force my love for her. She doesn’t employ any constraint other than the sheer attractiveness of her charms to draw me to her. But she is irresistible to me.
God’s saving grace is irresistible to the elect in the very same sense. We speak of it as “effectual grace,” because it always secures its object. God always procures a reciprocal love from those upon whom He has set His redemptive love. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14, “the love of Christ constraineth us.” He died for us, so we cannot henceforth live unto ourselves.
Think about what this means: We cannot take personal credit for loving God. Our love for God is a fruit of the Spirit, according to Galatians 5:22. It is the work of God in us. “We love Him, because He first loved us”—our love for Him is the natural fruit of His great love for us. So you see the power of His loving deliverance.
Here’s a fifth doctrinal lesson from this simple verse: It also reminds us of—
5. THE PERFECTION OF HIS REDEMPTIVE PLAN
Just consider the first two words of our verse: “We love.” Again, that speaks of a totally transformed heart. At first, we didn’t love. “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” That’s Titus 3:4 5. It speaks once again of that regenerating work that turns our cold, unloving hearts of stone into hearts that are capable of true love for God.
And inherent in the same lovingkindness that obtained our salvation is a guarantee that we will persevere in that love to the very end. We love Him. We’re completely free from that sinful enmity that once kept us hostile to Him. And He loves us. He will not permit anything or anyone to snatch us out of His hand.
Notice verses 17-18:
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
That love is a fruit of God’s own Spirit, and therefore it is a permanent love. It casts out fear; it gives us boldness even in the day of judgment. It will not fade or diminish. Why? “Because as He is, so are we in this world.” This love conforms us to His image, and keeps conforming us to His image, until that goal is perfectly achieved. In other words, the same love that guaranteed our salvation from sin in the first place guarantees our perseverance in the faith.
(To be concluded tomorrow)
This series NEEDS MUST be published as a Defence of Grace: An apologetic and simple exposition of the Redemtive particular love of YAHWEH.
Does Phil publish any of his OWN writings?
HE SHOULD.
I look foward to seeing my brothers in Christ in the Kingdom of our Father and perhaps (If the LORD wills) one day at GraceLife or GCC?
Thank you brothers for your sacrifices of family time and of your lives for the Gospel of merciful grace to us who where Once also children of WRATH.
I am so thankful that my stony heart had been transformed by the Spirit of grace and truth, through the proclamation of the Law & the Gospel of grace; to be made a heart of compassion, truth and love (Both general and particular).
To our Father and Triune God be all due fear, reverance, awe and love forever!
I can’t take this place seriously because of comments like this. Someone needs to make and enforce a rule about not typing anything into your computer you would never actually say in real life.
James,
That rule would never fly in the music world, so why here?
Can you picture anyone uttering this line from Help! (The Beatles)
“..and now my life has changed in oh so many ways…”
James,
Or for that matter the benedictions at the close of the epistles?
James,
Are you implying that we are inconsistent with our speech and lives?
If so; you have judged unrighteously what you do not know (According with your own personal judgement; and NOT with the Righteouss judgement of Scriptural authority) and trust me you do not know us, if that is what you are implying.
Or are you saying that Phil’s comments are a lie?
Please do clarify as your statement is without specific meaning, taken in isolation without qualification, not directing itself against a specific individual or grouping.
On a more Biblical point David M made a good observation in this series concerning the HIDDEN WISDOM and MYSTERY of the Gospel which is REVEALED by the Spirit Alone and not found to be with every human being (Which 1 Corinthians 1 -2, especially elaborates further in regards to Ezekiel 36:25-27)
Here is some Scriptures which addresses Jesus teaching on the exclusivism of the Gospel and salvation thereby:
Matthew 13:3-30; Matthew 13:34-43
“3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell BY THE WAYSIDE; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell ON STONEY PLACES, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some FELL AMONG THORNS, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others FELL ON GOOD GROUND and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He WHO HAS EARS TO EAR, let him hear!”
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES of the kingdom of heaven, but to them IT HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because SEEING THEY DO NOT SEE, and HEARING THEY DO NOT HEAR, NOR DO THEY UNDERSTAND. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘ Hearing you WILL HEAR and SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND,
And seeing you WILL SEE and NOT PERCEIVE;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are HARD OF HEARING,
And their eyes THEY HAVE CLOSED,
LEST they SHOULD SEE with their eyes and hear with their ears,
LEST THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND [Trust by Faith] WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN [Repent],
So that I should[a]heal them.’[b]
16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that MANY PROPHETS and RIGHTEOUS MEN DESIRED TO SEE what you see, and DID NOT SEE IT, and to hear what you hear, and DID NOT HEAR IT.
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When ANYONEHEARS THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM, and DOES NOT UNDERSTAND IT, then THE WICKED ONE COMES and SNACTHES AWAY what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he WHO HEARS the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has NO ROOT IN HIMself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he WHO HEARS THE WORD, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches CHOKE THE WORD, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he WHO HEARS THE WORD and UNDERSTANDS it, who indeed BEARS FRUIT AND PRODUCES: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, HIS ENEMY CAME AND SOWED TARES AMONG THE WHEAT and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? HOW THEN DOES IT HAVE TARES?’ 28 He said to them, ‘AN ENEMY HAS DONE THIS.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, LEST WHILE YOU GATHER up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and BIND THEM IN BUNDLES TO BURN them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“ I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter THINGS KEPT SECERET FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”[a]
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 He answered and said to them: “He who SOWS THE GOOD SEED is the Son of Man. 38 THE FIELD is the world, the GOOD SEEDS ARE THE SONS OF THE KINGDOM, but the TARES ARE THE SONS OF THE WICKED ONE. 39 The ENEMY WHO SOWED THEM IS THE DEVIL, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the TARES ARE GATHERED and BURNED IN THE FIRE, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom ALL THINGS THAT OFFEND, and THOSE WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS, 42 and will cast them INTO THE FURNACE OF FIRE. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, let him hear!”
I am still waiting for a Biblical response to the CLEAR Salvific doctrine taught in
John 1:6-13
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and THE WORLD DID NOT KNOW Him. He came to His own, and His own DID NOT RECEIVE Him. BUT as many AS RECEIVED Him, to them He GAVE the right to become children of God, to those WHO BELIEVE in His name: WHO WERE BORN, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, but of God.” (The last part being the most clear and fundemental Doctrine of Effectual Grace and Responsibility by Faith Alone).
Still waiting for a decent Scriptural support that REFUTES PREDESTINATION and ELECTION as Biblical Doctrines (Which face it, ARE definately and at least clearly mentioned in Scripture); as seperate to God’s eternal foreknowledge in opposition to His Election, and as seperate to the CHARGE of the LAW’s first and second Commands which tie in with teh summary of the COMPLETE LAW, to love from a pure and unfailing heart the LORD continually. We make no such distinction, but I contend that my Armenian brothers do contend these doctrines as opposite exclusives.
We affirm that foreknowledge and love are intertwined and co-dependant doctrines to Predesitination, Election, Effectual grace, The limited capacity of Free will (As allowed by the working of the Spirit into the secrect and hiddenn mysteries of the Gospel. As clearly taught by Scripture); and that the LAW is not void by our inability, but that our inability to keep it simply points to our Depravity and Nature of wrath and sin and our Spiitual death – Which by the working of the Spirit Alone through the teaching of the truths of Scripture Alone calls and MAKES ALIVE the Regenerated to need and willing conform their hearts’ inclination to seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness by the merciful grace of Christ Alone as the Way, Truth and LIFE.
We contend that WITHOUT THE SPIRIT’s Making us Alive, we continue to remain in the love of the darkness:
John 3:18-20
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION, that the light has come into the world, and MEN LOVED DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT, BECAUSE their deeds were evil. For EVERYONE PRACTICING evil HATES the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”
I just think people say really funny things on blogs like this to vent and take themselves way too seriously. Perfect example:
“Or are you saying that Phil’s comments are a lie?”
See? Way too tense. Way too tense.
I figured the only way to test my theory was to make a provocative statement and see what happened. So far one comment has affirmed my theory, the other refuted it.
Speaking of which, point well taken David M.
James,
Perhaps you missed English grammar, but when someone puts (?) at the end of a sentence it is called a Question, not a Comment.
As you freely admit you where looking to PROVOKE people; Hardly a Christian attitude of edivication, and one which seeks to promote a sinful attitude (Shame be upon yourself, not us).
And Finally, YES, this is a Blog concerning serious matters, as we are dying men proclaiming the ONLY Gospel Way of life to spiritually dead people; and speaking about the deep mysteries of YAHWEH, entreating His Spirit to soften the hearts of stone that He may ead them to Repentant Faith in Messiah.
If you where looking for worldly conversaton or comedy, I would suggest you seek elsewhere. If you are looking for lighthearted chatting, I am sure there are plenty of Social Networks that would accommodate that, without making you ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Jesus which is the power of God unto salvation.
Please do not come to Pulpit Magazine to seek to disturb us, we are engaged in serious matters that may lead to eternal life (IF our time is wasted with futile arguments, for instance); OR the ETERNAL Spiritual & Physical damnation in Hell of those whom we love and persue with the Truth of Christ.
NATE, I think we may need some moderation: If my comments are out of place, then I ask you remove them and please notify me.
Your servant with the Gospel of grace and reconciliation with our Almighty Judge through Christ Alone,
W
James said:
Speaking of which, point well taken David M.
James, I appreciate that in oh so many ways! lol