Dr. C. Matthew McMahon on Luke 6:35-36

 

[1] “The kindness shown is referred to as saving mercy which changes the heart from rebellion to service. Since this has been done for the son, it moves us to duty to show enemy love to others.  Ezekiel Hopkins says that this idea of being ‘merciful’ is the ‘tendency of grace.’53 Martin Luther is more explicit in stating that this kind of mercy is the mercy that brings about faith.54” (The Two Wills of God: Does God Really Have Two Wills? [Coconut Creek, FL: Puritan Publications, 2005], p. 187).

 

[2] “[God] is kind to the sinner because He is kind to some in Christ. The son understands this in that, since Christ has been kind to him, he now is able to love without the desire to earn or merit eternal life but show that he is a son by his actions to his enemies … In summary, Luke’s account teaches that sons of God show mercy because God has shown mercy to them. They were unthankful and evil, yet God abounded to them much more in grace and compassion. They, then, in turn, love their enemies with a mercy which only redeemed sons or daughter[s] could show or understand” (The Two Wills of God: Does God Really Have Two Wills? [Coconut Creek, FL: Puritan Publications, 2005], p. 188).

 

[3] “It is impossible from Matthew 5:45 or Luke 6:35-36 to exegetically conclude that common grace exists, nor is it possible for theologians to ascribe a double will to God. Rather, these texts prove the necessity of loving your enemies as the preceptive will (the divided sense) as God directs us. To read anything more into these passages is to do exactly that—read into them. And to do so is to take the text on a journey far and above the intent of the authors, and of the Holy Spirit” (The Two Wills of God: Does God Really Have Two Wills? [Coconut Creek, FL: Puritan Publications, 2005], pp. 198-199).