The cause or guilt of this
unbelief as well as of all other sins, is no wise in God, but in man himself;
whereas faith in Jesus Christ, and salvation through him is the free gift of
God, as it is written: “By grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8. “And unto you it is given in
the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him,” etc. Philippians 1:29 (Canons, I:5).
QUESTION BOX:
Q. 1. “Surely to say
that the gospel does not convey God’s mercy
when it comes to the non-elect is a way of putting the ‘cause or blame’ of
unbelief on God? In Canons I:5 it
says the cause of unbelief is in humanity, and ‘no wise in God.’”
(a) Prof.
David J. Engelsma:
The blame of the unbelief of
those who reject the gospel is their own, first, because as members of the race
fallen in Adam they are themselves responsible for their depraved condition
that renders them unable to believe. In addition, they
themselves consciously and deliberately refuse the Christ presented to
them in the gospel. They abide in unbelief because they themselves choose
to do so, foolishly despising the Savior. The cause of unbelief is the
sinner himself. God’s withholding of the gift of faith is not His causing
them to be unbelieving. It is His just decision not to give certain unbelievers
faith. My choice not to give a poverty-stricken wretch money, who is poor
because of his own choice not to work, but to drink himself into
poverty, is not the cause of his poverty. With regard to God’s
eternal decision not to give them faith, He owes faith and salvation to no
one. It is pure grace that He
gives faith and salvation to any. To teach otherwise is to say that salvation
is owed to sinners by God. This would be the perversion of the
gospel of grace. (Source:
Private Correspondence, November 20, 2017)
------------------------------------------------
(II)
More to
come! (DV)
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