And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither
did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes (Luke 12:47).
COMMON GRACE
ARGUMENT:
“According to the Bible, the preaching of the gospel increases
the responsibility of men. Surely our ‘responsibility’ keeps step with
things that are blessings? If they weren’t blessings, then why
would their responsibility be increased? It doesn’t make sense. How could the
reprobate’s responsibility be increased if those things which descend upon them
in this life were merely curses? The more we come into contact with
the gospel, the greater is our knowledge of the way of salvation: greater,
then, is what will be required of us. In this sense, the most significant word
of the Savior in Luke 12:47 holds true: ‘And that servant, which knew his
lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall
be beaten with many stripes.’ This statement applies especially to those,
who labor in the vineyard of the Lord, yet the principle is of far broader
extent. The men of Nineveh and the Queen of the South will stand up in the
judgment against the generation of Jews of Jesus’ day, and condemn them (Matt.
12:41-42); for they, though less privileged, gave more honor to the word of the
Lord. Tyre and Sidon will find it more tolerable in the day of judgment than
the cities of Galilee, where Jesus had labored the most (Matt. 11:21); for they
were deprived of the preaching of the gospel, which the Jews received in such
rich measure. Is not this ‘greater responsibility’ to find its explanation in
that the preaching of the gospel is, indeed, generally intended by God as
a blessing: even for those, who refuse to give obedience to the
word of the gospel?”
(I)
Prof. David J.
Engelsma
Human responsibility does not imply
divine mercy. The gospel itself is good and presents to all to whom it
comes the goodness of salvation, the way of salvation, and the calling of all
who hear the gospel to repent and believe. But this in no wise implies
either the ability of all to believe or the gracious will of God for the
salvation of all who hear the gospel. Has the author of this argument never
read Romans 8 and 9? There the Holy Spirit treats of the very subject
about which he inquires. The gospel itself is good—the greatest
good. It is the means of salvation to some—all for whom God in His
sovereign grace makes it a blessing. But this good gospel, for the
rejection of which the unbeliever is responsible, is purposed and actually made,
by God, the means of hardening and damnation. If God intends it to be a
blessing to all alike, the implication is that those who are saved by it have
themselves to thank for their salvation, since God on His part intends it to be
salvation to all alike. Thus, the gospel of grace is lost.
Universal grace or blessing necessarily means salvation by the will of man.
The issue is predestination, which
teaches that the gospel is grace (and a blessing) to some only, and
which truth proclaims salvation by grace—particular grace.
I advise the one making this argument
to study the Canons of Dordt. The Reformed churches fought this
battle and defended grace at Dordt.
They must not suppose that their
objections are new to the Reformed faith. (DJE, 03/08/2019)
-------------------------------------------
(II)
(II)
Prof. Herman C.
Hanko
[Source:
Covenant Reformed News,
vol. 18, no. 3 (July 2020)]
Generally
speaking, the questioner is stating a clear and true principle of one’s
relation to the gospel: the closer one stands to the pure preaching of the
gospel, the greater is his responsibility. Luke 12:47, referred to by the questioner, clearly
states this.
It
is well that the implication of this is impressed upon us. We in Reformed and
Presbyterian churches have a long and noble tradition to hold, brought to us by
the gospel. But what has happened in America and Europe? These same churches
have become unfaithful for the most part. Many have fallen away into
materialism and worldliness. Many, rejecting the gospel, have joined sects or
have abandoned Scripture altogether. Many have corrupted the truth with the
heresy of Arminianism. The true church is a hut “in a garden of cucumbers,” a
“besieged city,” a “very small remnant” (Isa. 1:8, 9). Think of the judgment that shall come on
those who have departed into apostasy in comparison with heathen in the Orient
who worship idols of silver and stone. The awful responsibility that is implied
in the question makes one get on his knees and beg for mercy.
However,
it is not at all the case that Luke 12:47 speaks of the gracious and well-meant gospel offer.
There is nothing in the passage referring to God’s blessing upon, or love for,
absolutely all who hear the preaching. There is only a warning that their
judgment is greater because in unbelief they reject the fuller revelation of
the gospel.
When
we consider the Scriptures’ teaching, we learn something very different from
the Arminian theory. The preaching of the gospel to many who reject it is
indeed good. It is like the rain and sunshine that come upon the fields of all
farmers. That is not common grace: that is common rain and sunshine. But is not
every gift of God good? Does he ever give bad gifts? He sends terrible
judgments upon the wicked, but His gifts are wonderful and always good.
If
what God does for anyone in giving him his daily bread is good, is the
coronavirus bad? Does God suddenly decide to give bad things to man when He
usually gives good gifts? What constitutes good gifts? And what constitutes bad
gifts? What we like is good? What we dislike is a bad gift? Is good and bad determined
by how we feel about what God sends into our life?
I
do not understand this type of reasoning. The fact is that God’s gifts in
themselves are good. God never gives bad gifts. But is rain grace? Ought the
farmer consider the drought that destroyed his crops a bad gift from God? There
are a lot of people who, when faced with this dilemma, say, “No, the devil
sends bad things; God sends only good things.” When four preachers from four
different denominations were quizzed on TV about the terrorists’ destruction of
the World Trade Center (11 September, 2001), they were asked by the host, “Did
God send this disaster? Or even have anything to do with it?” None would answer
in the affirmative. The host was so incensed that, though not a Christian
himself, he walked away.
Though
all God’s gifts are good, those who use them to sin suffer greater punishment
for misusing them. If the prodigal son in Luke 15 was one who misused his
portion of the inheritance in riotous living, does that make the father’s gift
to him bad? It was good, was it not, regardless of how the wayward son used it?
Scripture teaches that all things are good for His people, even calamities (Rom. 8:28), but all things are curses upon the
wicked. Read Psalm 73 and Proverbs 3:33.
But
we are talking about the preaching of the gospel. Scripture looks at this from
God’s side. In Isaiah 55:8-11, we
are told that God’s Word never returns to Him void. He does not bring the
gospel to all men in grace and then find that men foiled His plans. The gospel
is like the rain that God sends. It surely makes the crops grow but it also
makes the thorns grow. That is, it is “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16) to the elect but it is also the means He
uses to harden sinners who reject the gospel. This same figure is found in Hebrews
6:7-8 in connection with
the unpardonable sin.
I
appeal, finally, to II Corinthians 2:14-17. Paul recognizes that there are many who
have heard his ministry but rejected the command that comes to them to believe
in Christ. But, he says, in any case, faithful preachers are pleasing to God
whether the gospel is believed or rejected, for the gospel always accomplishes
His purpose. In some, it continues to bring life, over and over, until it
finally brings everlasting life in heaven; but for others, who are spiritually
dead, it works death that becomes worse and worse until it ends in hell. But,
says Paul, God always makes the preaching of the gospel triumph, for it always
accomplishes the purpose He intends.
No
wonder the apostle says, “who is sufficient for these things?” (16). It is a
difficult thing for a minister of the gospel to see the Word of God rejected,
especially in his own congregation but also on the mission field. But, Paul
goes on to say, “Because of our pain in seeing the gospel rejected, we do not
make the gospel more palatable by corrupting it with preaching so that the
minister says to the sinner, ‘God loves you and wants to save you’” (cf. 17).
God’s
sovereign purpose is always accomplished, not because men reject His love but
because He is sovereign in all He does.
-------------------------------------------
(III)
(III)
More to come!
(DV)
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