The Personal Electing Love of God
In continuing my focus on the theme of God’s sovereign and gracious election, and it’s warm, pastoral application to our lives, I think it will serve us well to reflect on the individual, personal nature of this expression of the love of God. An expression of love, I might add, to sinful people who are utterly undeserving of this mercy; in fact quite to the contrary, it is expressed to those who are positively deserving of nothing except perishing in the eternal burning as eternal monuments of God’s holy wrath (Eph. 2:1-3).
So, to help us think about this very individual, personal dimension of God’s electing love, here is an excerpt from my reading for our blessing and edification:
How comforting to know that in this increasingly impersonal and cruel world we do not relate to the infinite-personal God as part of a nameless faceless mass of humanity. No, instead, the living God of the Bible has set His love upon us from eternity-- individually, personally, by name.
So, to help us think about this very individual, personal dimension of God’s electing love, here is an excerpt from my reading for our blessing and edification:
The personal nature of God’s election is warm, paternal, and relational. God treats His millions of children as if each were His only child. The minuteness of His loving, fatherly concern is staggering. The hairs of our heads are all numbered. Our names are engraved on the palms of Jehovah’s hands and carried in the heart of the Savior, the Lord Jesus. He whispers our blood-bought names into the ears of His Father in heaven as He makes intercession for us.
Personal election is an incredible comfort in today’s impersonal, computerized society. Many people feel lonely and insignificant, like creatures clinging desperately to a little planet in a vast universe. But the believing Calvinist finds his identity in the infinite God of this vast universe. He confesses with the psalmist, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Ps. 23:1). He who has chosen us graciously will never abandon us. All things will work out for our good (Rom. 8:28-39).
No Calvinist who has a personal relationship with the God of unconditional election ever need say, "No one cares; I do not matter." Rather, God grants him to say, "God cares for me so much that He has given me His own Son. He loves me and gave Himself for me" (Gal.2:20). How wondrous to confess that "Christ gave Himself for me, meeting all the conditions of God’s justice for me. He obeyed the law perfectly on my behalf in active obedience, loving God above all and His neighbor as Himself for thirty-three years in this world; for me, He suffered immense agony and cruel rejection; for me, He did not come down from the cruel tree, because I was on His heart as He hung under the curse of God. He fully paid the penalty of my sin, even to death, in passive obedience. For me, He declared that salvation is complete (John 19:30). Now He who rose for me lives to make intercession for me" (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25).
How intensely personal is God’s election. It involves the great heart of the living God. (Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism, Joel R. Beeke, Reformation Trust, 2008, pgs. 66-67).
How comforting to know that in this increasingly impersonal and cruel world we do not relate to the infinite-personal God as part of a nameless faceless mass of humanity. No, instead, the living God of the Bible has set His love upon us from eternity-- individually, personally, by name.
Labels: Doctrine, Election, Guest Post
18 Comments:
How sweet the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure..."
Jesus, in talking with the Father whom he loved, and was perfectly loved, prayed concerning us, the redeemed. "O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
The very love of God the Father for Jesus Christ His Son, is the love of God for us his redeemed. Oh, how I, and we all, need this reminder. Thanks Bruce.
Thank you Bruce for another expression of the tender truth of election. I've often answered believers who want to avoid the elcetion debates with the words: "I want relationship, not doctrine" that they are missing the point.
Election and its related doctrines ARE relational. They tell us of the Father's love and define and reveal just how much and how long and how securely and how unchangingly He loves us.
We cannot grow in our relationship with God without knowing those truths which define and reveal his great love for us.
Thank you for reminding us of them.
Tim
God's electing love is unlimited for His elect.
"...deserving of nothing except perishing in the eternal burning as eternal monuments of God’s holy wrath."
Not exactly a warm introduction to the "warm pastoral application" you then proceed to make.
This is an aspect of Calvinism that presents some difficulty. I am a Calvinist... but it has always seemed to me that election is a hard sell from the pulpit. How is one to understand that a loving God has damnation in store for millions born, through no choice of their own, because they are not among the elect?
Even for those of us who know the Lord, the "elect", how may we enjoy that doctrine fully when we ponder the question... "Why me?" "Why shall my neighbor go to hell, but not me?" Suddenly the warm side of election could appear a bit "cold" for the sake of my neighbor.
I have always had some trouble seeing election as a pulpit-friendly doctrine, and yet, it surely is scriptural.
Anonymous (# 3), I really appreciate your thoughtful comments and your evidently compassionate heart. You raise a number of important issues, all of which deserve careful interaction and response, and I find my mind going in many different directions as I think how best to respond to your questions.
I do wonder whether there are misunderstandings and confusion about Calvinism and what Scripture teaches in general underlying your comments. I would very much like to be sure I am accurately hearing what you are saying and not saying.
One question that I would want to ask is what you mean by "pulpit friendly"? And what would be your Biblical basis for both your understanding and its application.
Another question I would like to ask is your understanding of how a particular truth would be Scriptural, yet not, as you say, be "pulpit friendly"? In this regard something that Calvin said, it seems to me, is very helpful:
"For Scripture is the school of the Holy Spirit, in which, as nothing is omitted that is both necessary and useful to know, so nothing is taught but what is expedient to know. Therefore we must guard against depriving believers of anything disclosed about predestination in Scripture, lest we seem either wickedly to defraud them of the blessing of their God or to accuse and scoff at the Holy Spirit for having published what is in any way profitable to suppress.......Let us, I say, permit the Christian man to open his mind and ears to every utterance of God directed to him, provided it be with such restraint that when the Lord closes his holy lips, he also shall at once close the way to inquiry" (see Deut. 29:29--"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.").
I would also say that Biblically there simply is no getting around the fact that God is absolutely sovereign and that he "has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills" (Rom. 9:18). And there is inescapably the "other side of the Good News"-----the reality of hell for all who die in their sin. In fact there is no Good News apart form this very bad news. Yes these are hard truths, and concerning the reality of eternal punishment, yes, emotionally it is very difficult. But this must never keep us from faithfully teaching and proclaiming what the Holy Spirit has revealed to us in his word-----lest we presume to act wiser than God.
Part 2-
There is so much more to be said in response-----many more questions, and a number of different directions to go in to adequately do justice to what you have expressed. Time is getting late for me at the moment, and the brain is getting weary-------and, post length is limited, as we have just observed. But let me say this, that concerning difficulties with the doctrine of unconditional election, what I have observed is that many times when someone has a problem with this doctrine, they only think that they have a problem with it. The real problem it turns out is often with the doctrine of Total Depravity---they do not regard the fallen condition and plight of humanity to be as serious as the Bible teaches it to be.
In this regard, and by way of conclusion for this post, I would like to share with you the following comments by Mark Webb, and I hope you find them helpful and perhaps clarifying:
"After giving a brief survey of these doctrines of sovereign grace, I asked for questions from the class. One lady, in particular, was quite troubled. She said, 'This is the most awful thing I've ever heard! You make it sound as if God is intentionally turning away men and women who would be saved, receiving only the elect.' I answered her in this vein: 'You misunderstand the situation. You're visualizing that God is standing at the door of heaven, and men are thronging to get in the door, and God is saying to various ones, 'Yes, you may come, but not you, and you, but not you, etc.' The situation is hardly this. Rather, God stands at the door of heaven with His arms outstretched, inviting all to come. Yet all men without exception are running in the opposite direction towards hell as hard as they can go. So God, in election, graciously reaches out and stops this one, and that one, and this one over here, and that one over there, and effectually draws them to Himself by changing their hearts, making them willing to come. Election keeps no one out of heaven who would otherwise have been there, but it keeps a whole multitude of sinners out of hell who otherwise would have been there. Were it not for election, heaven would be an empty place, and hell would be bursting at the seams. That kind of response, grounded as I believe that it is in Scriptural truth, does put a different complexion on things, doesn't it? If you perish in hell, blame yourself, as it is entirely your fault. But if you should make it to heaven, credit God, for that is entirely His work! To Him alone belong all praise and glory, for salvation is all of grace, from start to finish".
Thanks again for your interaction and honest responses. I do hope to hear back from you.
Bruce... only you could pull up a quote (from Calvin) that so precisely addresses the issue I raised! Amazing...
What you have written in both of your comments is very helpful, and I thank you for taking the time.
I think it was the idea of suffering souls as "eternal monuments to God's eternal wrath" that provoked my comment. When someone constructs a monument, it is usually to honor something noble (this is the normal usage, at least). I have a hard time with the thought that God would consider these eternally perishing souls as any type of monument in that respect. I could be wrong there. (God does not always see things as I do-- and He's always right!)
Forgive me-- I do need to understand and appreciate this doctrine, and see it as have presented it, and as Calvin does.
And your 2nd comment sheds a helpful light on the subject too. Thank you! Didn't mean for you to stay up so late, but I do admire you for taking the time to clarify-- and I do believe it will prove extremely helpful for any who have similar struggles with election.
There is something from C.S. Lewis that has helped me very much. He pictures judgment day as a host of eternal souls, before the Lord. Many will say to the Lord, (as they have said during their life-time) "Thy will be done." To these he will extend his grace and these will have eternal life with Him.
To others, God will say: "Thy will be done." These had not sought the Lord, not followed Him, had chosen to live without Him, inspite of the truth they had seen in both nature, and scripture. I.e., their will was to live apart from God, never to seek Him...and now, at the brink of eternity, God grants them their will, forever. "Thy will be done."
I'm sure I don't have that quite as C.S. Lewis put it-- but that is the idea. It shifts the responsibility for one's eternal separation from God to them, not to God. I have found this helpful in any discussion about hell.
Thanks Bruce... I appreciate you!
Petros (alias, Anonymous #3)
What a helpful and edifying exchange!
Thanks guys.
Tim
This is very interesting stuff! I hope I will be able to think and write effectively like this one day like Bruce and my dad.
Peter Jr.
Thanks PJ... now you can go to the beach on this "Senior Cut Day."
With respect to the reprobates becoming an eternal monument of the wrath of God, I wholeheartedly agree. This wrath actually began right after the fall. (Rom. 1-2)It is nothing new. Unbelief is the working of the wrath of God. Would you see the first fruits of the wrath of God? Look to the impenitent, look to the unbeliever, look to the disobediant. Eternity already started.
The "justice" of God, is nothing more than an attribute of the one we love. How can we say we love him whom we do not know. We should be equally offended by the elect being an eternal monument of the "mercy" of God. As these attributes, demonstrated by God and through God in human history, are the outworking of who God is, as He has chosen to reveal himself in the scriptures, we must learn to think God's thoughts after him. We are not at liberty to have an original thought about God. There are certain things which are sin to think about. We are urged by Paul to bring every thought captive to the obediance of Christ.
The incredible thing to me is that one day, when I am made glorious in my new body, mind and soul,(as we all), will rejoice in the right doings of God in eternal judgement upon all impenitant sinners. Even, my own impenitant parents and siblings. One day I will say with pure heart, "has not the judge of all the earth done that which is right". Who can comprehend the mind of God? He is past finding out. When human emotion and remaining corruption mix (as they always do), we are bound to have difficulty with the revealed truth of God concerning himself. While he takes no delight in the death of the wicked, for the joy that was set before him, he endured the abandonment of God for us at the cross. Imagine, God abandoned by God. He takes sin very seriously. If He does not righteously judge each and every human sin, then he becomes complicit in human sin. God must needs become a sinner if he does not punish every sin. The difficulty with election, as Bruce cited earlier, is why God chose to punish my sins in the person of my Lord Jesus. Why he chose to save any is the wonder of wonders. Were it not for electing love, we would all become eternal monuments of his wrath. Remember the words of the serpent in the garden, "you shall not surely die". There may be an excuse for not understanding everything revealed in the word. I submit that it is a different matter not to believe everything clearly revealed in the word. Lord, we believe, help our unbelief.
JR
Thank you JR. I guess some of us are better able to "think God's thoughts after Him" than others.
Religious language is analogical-- I have been honest in saying that I have at times struggled with God's justice. My own notion of fairness would not punish someone eternally. I am also careful and quick to acknowledge that HIS definition of justice, (as well as its outworking in eternity), is the truest, purest, and best (by definition).
Really, is this case any different than saying affirming that I don't fully comprehent the Wisdom of God, or the Love of God? If I were to say this, I would be considered theologically humble... and yet, when I say I don't understand the Justice in eternal damnation, I am in danger of being considered a doubter, or skeptic.
I don't think He is offended by my honest struggle with this. I have never, and will never call the Almighty Sovereign Lord "unjust" in this matter of eternal judgment. I suppose what my questions amount to is a willing admission before God, and my brothers, of my ignorance and even(perhaps to a degree) unbelief.
"Eternal monuments to the wrath of God..." yes, I suppose it's true, but I still don't know how often I would use the phrase.
I KNOW that in eternity, I will view this as God does, and my views of justice and punishment will be wonderfully correct, and I will fully understand just how poorly I understood things, and just how glorious it is to have eternal monuments to the wrath of God... But for now, we creatures are stuck with a theology that presents us with analogies, they aren't perfect... but He is.
I hope I have not offended Him, or anyone else with my remarks-- (that's why I sometimes enter my thoughts as "anonymous"!)
It is truly so, as the Lord tells us in His word concerning Himself in relation to us----"my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Is. 5:8-9).
There are many truths in Sacred Scripture that are difficult for us to comprehend; difficult emotionally and difficult intellectually. We are finite creatures before the Infinite One, and we are sinful creatures before the absolutely Holy One. As such, our hearts at times resist His truth, and our minds at times struggle to understand His truth. Moreover, we find ourselves bumping up against mystery again and again, before which, and before Whom, we must just fall prostrate and worship.
In my own experience, concerning the doctrines of grace and the sovereignty of God, I was very resistant at first. In fact I think that would probably be true of most (though not all) of us who have now come to see and rejoice in these truths, embracing them as the verities of God. We want to spit them out of our mouths so to speak----until the Lord softens our hearts and opens our eyes to the teaching of His word.
And here I think is the crux of the matter. When I was resistant to these truths, I was by God's grace nevertheless committed to the Bible as the verbum Dei, the vox Dei (JR, the Latin is for you)---- the very word and voice of God written. Accordingly, it was absolutely authoritative, and was to function as such in my life----what I must believe about God and how I must live.
So, with this awareness and conviction, though I was disposed in myself against the doctrines of God's sovereign grace, I also knew that if the Bible taught them, then they were the very truth of God and I must embrace them. I would be a fool not to. And when I began to look at the Biblical text itself they were virtually everywhere! What was I to do but embrace them. By God's kindness I did, and as I have come to grow in my understanding of them, they have increasingly grown in their preciousness to me.
So, what I am essentially saying is that we must allow the Biblical text itself, as the very word of the living God, to function with absolute authority in our lives. We must be committed to believing, preaching, teaching, and living out what the Bible says is true, not what we may want the Bible to say is true. I know that this is not always easy to do, and we have a proclivity to deceive ourselves in this area. But we must be committed before God and each other to press on in faithful obedience.
I want to thank everyone who participated in this discussion---it has indeed been, as Tim stated, edifying and helpful. Iron sharpens iron, and we have served to sharpen each other (see Pr. 27:17)!
Thank you Bruce! Those are some excellent "acumen conclusio" (closing points) for this discussion.
And, in the process of this discussion, I discovered an on-line English to Latin dictionary at NotreDame.edu that may prove useful in future correspondence with JR!
Seriously-- thank you all, and pray that I will more readily embrace and even rejoice in some of these mystseries, for though difficult, they are glorious.
To Brother Peter, my words were intended only to defend and bring glory and honor to the one who first loved me. Bruce has put things much more eloquently than I have. Forgive my rushed thoughts on the subject. With respect to your comment about offending any, I must respond. Peter, your evident growth in grace as a husband, father and member of our church could never offend me. Your heart felt struggles with one aspect of God's truth is no different than mine in other areas. I am provoked to greater levels of godliness as I observe your life and words in this blog. Your open and candid wrestling with truth shall always be welcome and could never offend. It actually has the effect, as Bruce said, of sharpening each of us. Thank you for your thoughts and contribution to our family here at TFC.
As to some of being better able to think God's thoughts after him, I am the least of you all. I know but a little, and my life should reflect much more than it does, for that which I do know. This much I know.....God has not let me go. There is a better, more Godly JR that is coming soon. For now, I with you my brothers, agonize to enter at the gate which is called "straight". It is a joy to be at your side in the journey.
In Christ' love,
JR
Brothers:
I am astounded at the grace and humility and confessions exchanged in this recent conversation!
It is an example of how truth should be discussed and carefully processed.
Thank you for the model.
Tim
JR, thank you for your very gracious words (adlocutio benignus). Hey, this is fun!
For me, this is wonderful. I have a whole new set of friends, and these written exchanges are so very rewarding. Not everyone will engage in, much less enjoy, this kind of dialogue.
This discussion has served to highlight the need in my life for a greater reverence of scripture and of doctrine.
I think some of my struggle stems from a lack of good preaching through the years. How often is the Holiness, and Wisdom of God preached on these days?
I did have some early exposure as an 18 year old, at Trinity Baptist. I was transfixed by Al Martin's preaching. Never had I seen anyone preach with such authority and conviction.
And now at Trinity Fellowship, my own boys will be exposed to solid, reverent, and meaningful preaching. How thankful we are! It thrills me to look down the aisle at my boys now, and see them engaged. This was not the case before.
So thank you all. And Tim, I'm glad that this is also serving to help "make your joy complete" as I believe we have all ended on the "same page" and of one mind.
Deo fideles est, idio confido sum Deus.
JR
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