Sermon #1493                                    Miscellaneous Sermons

 

     Title:            The Questions of a Young Preacher

     Text:            2 Timothy 2:7

     Subject:      

     Date:            Sunday Morning -- 2001

     Tape #         W-86a

     Reading: 2 Timothy 1:7-14 and 2:1-26

     Introduction:

 

The title of my message today is – The Questions of a Young Preacher. My text will be 2 Timothy 2:7-9. I am admonished in 2 Timothy 2:2 to teach other faithful men the gospel God has so graciously taught me by many faithful witnesses, so that they may “be able to teach others also.” Let’s read verses 7-9.

 

(2 Timothy 2:7-9)  "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. 8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel (The Gospel is One. The Doctrine is one.): 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound."

 

My reasons for using this as the text for my message will become apparent in a minute or two.

 

I am always delighted to run across anyone who is interested in learning the things of God, who is seeking to understand the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ. I spend many, many hours every week answering questions from people who seem to be sincerely seeking instruction. I have no time for religious curiosity, the quibbles of Pharisees, or the debates that rage between men about theological nuances. But I gladly spend hours helping folks who need and want someone to guide them in the light of Holy Scripture. What can be more joyful than taking hungry souls by the hand and leading them to Christ, the Bread of Life?

 

But I cannot tell you how excited I get, how thankful I am, and how hopeful when the Lord begins to stir the heart of a preacher and allows him to cross my path. I can’t tell you what a weight of responsibility I feel when a preacher, confused by religious tradition, asks me to help him to understand the gospel and the glorious doctrines of the grace of God. I take the matter seriously.

 

Two weeks ago, I received first one letter and then a second letter from a young preacher in Bradley, California who has been reading our articles on the Sovereign Grace web page. Both letters were well written, polite, and obviously expressed the sincere desire of a man wanting to know the gospel. They simply could not be answered without much prayer and thoughtful consideration.

 

After sitting on them for almost two weeks, I spent most of the day Thursday answering this preacher’s questions. As I did, I quickly realized that I was answering questions that trouble some, if not many, of you. So today, I am going tell you what I wrote to those young preachers on Thursday.—“Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

 

I will not read all that this young man wrote to me. That would take too much time and have no bearing on my message. Let me give you just the questions.

 

Predestination

 

His letter began by expressing his confusion regarding divine predestination.—“I have often wondered about the words ‘predestined’ and ‘elect’ and ‘called’ in the Bible but have always had trouble with the concept, always understanding that God desires that none should perish and so loved the entire world that He sent His Son to die and that what we must do on our behalf is accept that gift and believe in Him. I am afraid I don't understand predestination as it comes across in your writings and would really like to know more about it.”

 

I began my letter to him with a word of warning.— You need to be aware, my friend, that should you begin to preach the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ, those who now support you, financially and otherwise, will turn upon you in fury. Nothing riles lost religious men like free grace. The gospel of Christ stirs the fury of hell. Any man who preaches this gospel must be prepared to swim against the tide as long as he lives. He must have the heart of a lion, the hide of a rhinoceros, and a backbone of steel.

 

Regarding God's love, I wrote:— God’s love for the world must be understood in the context in which it is stated. God loves all sorts of men, black, white, red, learned, unlearned, etc., in all ranks of society; but God clearly states that he does not love all men and shows it. He hated Esau (Rom. 9:13).

 

·        Read Isaiah 43:1-5.

 

He has sent multitudes to hell in his wrath. Never can we imagine that the Holy Lord God is fickle like us, loving today and hating tomorrow (Mal. 3:6).

 

If God loved all men alike and all are not saved (as is clearly the case), what does the love of God have to do with salvation? -- Nothing. -- What kind of love would that be that has the ability to save its object but does not?

 

This young preacher also said, “I am afraid I don't understand predestination.” Few do! Yet, predestination is not at all difficult to understand. It simply means, "determine before." Divine predestination is God’s sovereign, eternal determination and purpose to do all that is done in time for the salvation of his own elect (Eph. 1:3-6, 11; Rom. 8:28-30).

 

(Romans 8:28-30)  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

 

(Ephesians 1:3-6)  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

 

(Ephesians 1:11)  "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"

 

2 Peter 3:9

 

Then I began where he did, in 2 Peter 3:9. Let’s look at that passage.

 

(2 Peter 3:9)  "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

 

The key word here is “us-ward.” God’s long suffering is toward his elect. He is not willing that any of his elect perish. He tolerates and uses the rest of the world; but God is long suffering toward his elect. This is obviously the intended meaning of the Holy Spirit in this passage, because he tells us to account that the long suffering of our God is our salvation (v. 15).

 

(2 Peter 3:15)  "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;"

 

In other words, Christ will come and the world shall end, when the last of God’s elect, the last of Christ’s redeemed ones has been saved.

 

After acknowledging his confusion about predestination, my friend asked me to answer these eight questions. I will give them in the order in which they were asked and answer them as we move along.

 

1.     Why would God create some people to purposely go to hell?

 

I do not know of any place in the Scriptures where it is stated that God created some people to go to hell. Certainly, I have never stated such, orally or in writing. This is something gospel preachers are often accused of teaching, but I do not know of any do; and I know a few.

 

2.     How is predestination/election reconciled with God desiring none to perish?

 

Nowhere do the Scriptures state, or imply that God does not desire or want any to perish. People go to hell because God Almighty sends them to hell. The Scriptures do declare that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. That is to say, God does not find satisfaction in the death of sinners. That is why hell is eternal. God’s justice was and is satisfied only with the sacrifice of Christ as the sinner’s Substitute.

 

(Isaiah 53:8-11)  "He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."

 

3.     What about the verses where Jesus says we must believe unto him?

 

God has ordained the means as well as the end. He saves chosen, redeemed sinners by faith, faith given to and created in his people by the effectual operations of the Holy Spirit in the new birth and effectual calling, through the preaching of the gospel (1 Pet. 1:23-25; Rom. 10:10-17).

 

(Romans 10:10-17)  "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

 

(1 Peter 1:23-25)  "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."

 

4.     Where is the urgency for someone to believe or even share the Gospel if God has already willed certain to come and His will is not going to be thwarted?

 

The urgency is the will and command of God. Every sinner is entirely responsible for his own soul. If a person is saved, it is all God's fault, God's work, and for God's glory (2 Tim. 1:9; Ps. 115:1). If anyone is lost and goes to hell, it is altogether his own fault and he alone bears the blame (Pro. 1:23-33).

 

(Psalms 115:1)  "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."

 

(2 Timothy 1:9)  "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,"

 

(Romans 6:23)  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

 

(Proverbs 1:23-33)  "Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil."

 

The urgency is in the need of the sinner.

 

     Illustration: They’re your eyes.

 

5.     What role does free will have, if any, in our lives, then, if we are already pre-called to our eternal fate?

 

I have yet to find any reference in the Book of God to man's imaginary "free will." There is no such thing as free will. Our will is bound, governed, ruled, and in bondage to our nature. Man neither "will" nor "can" (John 5:40; 6:37-30) come to Christ until he is drawn of God; and all who are drawn of God do come to Christ, without exception.

(John 5:40)  "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

 

(John 6:37-40)  "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

 

Even God's will is not free in an absolute sense. God cannot lie, because he is holy. God cannot do wrong, because he is righteous. God cannot change, because he is immutable. Even if it could be conceded that man has a "free will," man's will is not in any way or to any degree, at any point, the determining factor in salvation, according to the plain statements Holy Scripture (John 1:11-13; Rom. 9:16). Salvation is not, at all, conditioned upon what a man does (Eph. 2:8-9).

 

(John 1:11-13)  "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

 

(Romans 9:16)  "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."

 

(Ephesians 2:8-9)  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."

 

(2 Timothy 1:9-10)  "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works (Will WorksHand Works!), but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"

 

6.     What is man's role and what is God's and where does the Bible give us these answers?

 

Man's role in salvation does not exist. Salvation is the work of the triune God alone (Jonah 2:9; Ps. 115:1; Isa. 45:20-25; Rom. 3:19-28; 9:16; Eph. 1:3-14; 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9-10; Tit. 3:4-6; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; Rev. 5:9-11).

 

(Psalms 115:1)  "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."

 

(Isaiah 45:20-25)  "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. 21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. 22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. 24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. 25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory."

 

(Jonah 2:9)  "But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD."

 

(Romans 3:19-28)  "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

 

(Romans 9:16)  "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."

 

(Ephesians 1:3-14)  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."

 

(Ephesians 2:8-9)  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."

 

(2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)  "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

(2 Timothy 1:9-10)  "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"

 

(Titus 3:4-6)  "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 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; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;"

 

(Revelation 5:9-11)  "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands."

 

7.     If God has elected some and his will cannot be thwarted, then will they not eventually come to him no matter what?

 

That election is a Bible doctrine is beyond dispute (John 15:16; Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:3-6; 1 Thess. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 2 Tim. 1:9-10; 1 Pet. 1:1-2).

 

(John 15:16)  "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

 

(Romans 8:28-30)  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

 

(Ephesians 1:3-6)  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

 

(1 Thessalonians 1:4)  "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God."

 

(2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)  "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

(2 Timothy 1:9-10)  "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"

 

(1 Peter 1:1-2)  "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."

 

This, too, is a matter of indisputable fact.—The will of God, the Almighty, cannot be thwarted. This is beyond even the possibility of question. God declares, "I will do all my pleasure.” He who is God does exactly what he will, when he will, in all things, with all people, all creatures, all things, in all places, at all times. Either that, or there is no God at all, only the imaginary conjectures and inventions of men that are called gods, which are nothing more than idolatrous "good luck" charms.—The god of this age is nothing but a rabbit foot god!

 

(Psalms 115:3)  "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."

 

(Psalms 135:6)  "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places."

 

Again, God has ordained both the end and all the means by which he accomplishes his determined end. He saves chosen, redeemed sinners by faith in Christ, faith given to and created in his people by the effectual operations of the Holy Spirit in the new birth and effectual calling, through the preaching of the gospel (1 Pet. 1:23-25; Rom. 10:10-17).

 

8.     If we are lost as a result of what we do, then that means to me that God chose not to elect us because of what we would do, therefore wouldn't the argument be that he elected those he foreknew would choose him?

 

Not according to the Scriptures. Divine foreknowledge, according to Scripture (Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Pet. 1:1-2, 20) is not an attribute of God’s nature but an act of his grace. Foreknowledge is not omniscience, but foreordination. (Compare 1 Pet. 1:2 and 20. The same word is used for foreknowledge in verse 2 as is used for foreordain in verse 20. God's foreknowledge of his elect is his eternal love for them in Christ (Jer. 31:3), his everlasting approval of them in Christ (Eph. 1:6), his unconditional care of them in Christ (Rom. 8:28), and his absolute purpose of grace in eternal predestination to make them like Christ in resurrection glory (Rom. 8:28-30).

 

We must look to the Bible alone to tell us what to believe; and we must believe what it teaches, no matter how contradictory the revelation of God in Holy Scripture may appear to be to our puny brains. We must not subject the Word of God to our reason. We must subject our reason to the Word of God. If one point of Divine Revelation appears to contradict another, we must bow to both, realizing that the contradiction is in us, not in God's Word.

 

God sends people to hell because of the record of what they have done (Rev. 20:11-15), because he is just. None are damned arbitrarily. Damnation is a matter of justice. He saves his elect and brings them into glory by grace, because of what Christ has done for us as our Substitute, according to the record of Divine election in the Lamb's book of life written before the world began (Rev. 13:8; 17:8; 20:11-15).

 

Here are the final remarks in this young preacher’s correspondence. In closing, at the core of the whole thing, it is just really hard for my wife and I to believe that some are special to God and others aren't.

 

Why is this difficult? Has not the Lord both stated it and proved it throughout history? He chose some angels and not others. He chose Abel, not Cain. He chose Noah, not the rest of the world. He chose Abraham, and no one else in Ur. He chose Isaac, not Ishmael. He chose Jacob, not Esau. He chose Israel alone as those to whom he would give his law (Deut. 7). He sends the gospel to some and not to others (Acts 16:6-7). Without question, God's mercy, love and grace are distinguishing. It is he who makes his own to differ (1 Cor. 4:7). I have never yet been able to understand how men and women find it more comforting to trust a god who loves everyone, but cannot save anyone without their help, than trust God Almighty, whose very love guarantees the salvation of all whom he loves. I cannot grasp such reasoning, unless, in reality, men prefer trusting themselves, worshipping their own will, as Paul puts it, making a show of humility and wisdom in "will worship" (Col. 2:23), while claiming to worship God.

 

He said, “We tell our youth that they are all special to God and that He lovingly created each and loves them all. It would be hard to call a God just and loving who only thinks some are special and others aren't.”

 

Where, in the Book of God, do we ever find a command given to tell unbelieving rebels that God loves them? Where do we find anyone assured of God's loves in the Bible, except those who trust his Son?

 

It is our business to declare to rebels that they fully deserve the wrath of God, persuading them that their only hope is to sue for mercy through the merits of Christ the sinners' only Substitute, at the throne of grace.

 

It is abhorrently evil to convince lost rebels that God loves them. The Book only declares that God hates all workers of iniquity. The only way God can, will, or does love anyone is in His Son, made righteous by his obedience and blood, by Divine imputation.

 

To teach unbelieving rebels that God loves them is to convince them either that God's love is useless, meaningless, and utterly irrelevant (If he loved all those who go to hell, is that not the case?), or that everything is all right, they are sure to be saved, no matter whether they believe or don't, no matter whether they bow to Christ or don't. After all, God certainly would not send someone to hell that he loves. Would he?

 

Then, this young preacher asked, “What am I missing?” Here is my response to that final question.

 

What you're missing is this.—None of Adam's fallen race are special. We are all fallen sinners, God hating rebels, trying just as hard as we can to get rid of God forever, deserving to be cast into hell yesterday.

Christ is the only special human being who ever lived since the fall of Adam. Christ alone is special, well pleasing to God. And the only way sinners are special is because they are in him. -- In Him by Divine Choice from Eternity. -- In Him as a Federal Head and Representative. -- In Him by the Blessed Union of Faith. -- In Him as One with Him Forever!

The justice of God has no more to do with the love of God than the justice of a judge sitting on the judicial bench, passing sentence on a guilty mass murderer, rapist, and beastly terrorist has to do with his love.

It was God's justice that demanded the sacrifice of his Son for the salvation of his people. Justice must be satisfied. It was the love of God for his people that made him willing to make the sacrifice.