Notwithstanding
I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,
which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to
commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave
her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I
will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great
tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children
with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the
reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works
(Rev. 2:20-23).
WELL-MEANT OFFER ARGUMENT:
Q. “In
Revelation 2:21, Christ states: ‘And I gave her space to repent of her
fornication; and she repented not.’ The woman Jezebel, mentioned in the passage
(vv. 20-23), is very likely to be a reprobate in that she (and her children)
will be judged for refusing to repent of her sin of teaching and seducing
Christ’s servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto
idols (v. 20). Yet Christ says that He ‘gave her space to repent.’ … A lot is
argued from these words. Some argue that, being a sinner, she would have been
undeserving of this ‘grace period,’ as it is sometimes called, and therefore
Christ, in some sense, is being ‘gracious’ toward her in giving her time to
come to her senses; others argue that the mere fact that her judgment was, in
one sense, ‘postponed,’ was a gracious act; others argue that if no man has any
ability apart from regeneration to repent, then Christ’s words—i.e., His giving
her space to repent—would be meaningless and tantamount to someone giving a
quadriplegic time to stand up on their feet and run a mile; others argue that
this is an example of Christ sincerely offering salvation to someone upon the
condition that they repent and believe, and that He must even desire this woman
to be saved, otherwise (it is averred) His giving her this time to repent would
be insincere. Obviously this passage doesn’t apply only to Jezebel but, by
extension, must apply to all human beings, elect and reprobate: Christ gives
all men time or space to repent and to come to Him. Thus, many see this text is
as proof of a ‘general saving will of God.’”
(I)
Prof. David J. Engelsma
Regarding Revelation 2:21, the word translated ‘space’ in the KJV is the word usually translated ‘time.’ Christ gave the Jezebel a space of time to repent, during which time she did not repent. The purpose of Christ in thus giving the false teacher and fornicator time to repent was to maintain and emphasize her full responsibility for her sins and for the punishment that was about to fall on her. The sovereignty of God in the damnation of reprobate sinners in no way denies or minimizes the full responsibility of these sinners for their sins and for the punishment of their sins. There was a space of time during which Christ confronted the woman with her sins and with the warning of punishment for them. This may well have been the time when the letter to the church in which she carried on her wickedness arrived and was read before the judgment fell on her. The warning of the letter called her to repent. She hardened herself against the warning, thus making evident her responsibility for the sins and for the impending judgments.
God commands desperately wicked, reprobate sinners, whom He has ordained unto damnation, to repent, and is serious about the command. The purpose of God is the insistence on the responsibility of the sinners. His decree of reprobation and eternal will to damn in no wise whatever negates or lessens the responsibility of the sinner regarding the sins or regarding the impending judgment. The sinner can never object to her punishment with the words, ‘I did not know that I must repent; I did not have space to repent.’ The blame for the sins that brought about her punishment was not God’s but hers. He gave her time to repent, which implies the command to repent over a period of time, but she repented not, although knowing that she ought to repent, at the command of God (probably, in the words of the letter to the church at Thyatira).
The profound doctrinal truth in the matter raised by this question is that divine sovereignty in the matter of reprobation does not set aside the reality of human responsibility. God eternally appointed the Jezebel of Revelation 2 to damnation, and she deserved damnation by her wicked rejection of the command to repent. The practical implication for the church is that she must seriously call all humans, including the most wicked, who come into her sphere, to repent of their sins, adding the promise that those who repent shall be forgiven and saved. The church warns impenitent sinners that the blame for their punishment will be theirs, and theirs only. The truth of predestination does not compromise or do away with the call to repentance.
Those who explain the text as expressing a well-meant offer of salvation to that Jezebel, that is, a sincere desire of God to save the woman, necessarily make themselves guilty of compromising the gospel of grace. First, evidently, repentance is not the gift of God, but a spiritual contribution of the sinner, contrary to II Timothy 2:25. Second, salvation now depends upon the sinner, rather than upon God’s gracious will. Salvation is conditional, the condition being the sinner’s act of repenting. Third, God is a disappointed God. He desired to save Jezebel but could not because she would not repent.
The theory of the well-meant offer exalts the
sinner, diminishes God, and compromises the gospel of grace. It is not the
explanation of Revelation 2:21. Those who make it the explanation of Revelation
2:21 should seriously consider my explanation concerning the full
responsibility of the sinner for his impenitent sin and for his punishment.
Consider whether this does not do justice to the text and whether it commends
itself by not compromising the gospel of grace! (DJE, 19/03/2022)
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(II)
More to come! (DV)
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