Hudsonville Protestant Reformed Church
5101 Beechtree
Hudsonville, Michigan 49426
Services: 9:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Homepage on Internet: http://www.prca.org
Vol. 9, No. 1
Contents:
Christ’s Words Shall Never Pass
Away (1)
The
Mysteries of the Kingdom (4)
Is
Universal Atonement True? (6)
Christ’s Words Shall Never Pass
Away (1)
Just
days before His cross and in the midst of His Olivet discourse on His coming at the fall
of Jerusalem and at the end of the world, Christ uttered these famous words: "Heaven
and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:3 5).
By speaking of the heavens
and earth as one day to pass away, Christ does not mean that they will be annihilated or
cease to exist. Instead the heaven and earth in their present condition and qualities will
pass away. This will happen at the return of Christ when the world is purged by fire (II
Peter 3). The renewed world or "new heavens and new earth" will result. Earth
will still be the same planet only much more beautiful and glorious. It will no longer be
a world of sin and death and the curse, for it will be filled with righteousness and the
knowledge of God will cover the whole earth (Hab. 2:14).
Man is like the grass of the field which withers and dies. Human houses—no matter what their owners might think—won't last forever (Ps. 49:11). Cities and empires decline and collapse—think of mighty Babylon! But the heavens and the earth, of all of created reality, are the most permanent and fixed. We take the solid ground underneath us for granted. It is terra firma. Sure it has existed for thousands of years!
But Christ states that God's Word is more firm, enduring and permanent. One day the heavens and the earth (in their present qualities) will pass away but Christ's words shall never pass away. The Greek text is emphatic: they shall never never pass away!
But why does Christ make this strong affirmation of the permanence of His words in this context? First, He has been speaking of glorious events which are hard to believe. The gospel will be preached to all nations (Matt. 24:14)! Think how incredible that must have appeared to the few disciples in the first century or the church in the middle ages. Christ will come again bodily in the clouds "with power and great glory" (30) and His angels will gather His elect "from one end of heaven to the other" (31). Could all these wonderful things really happen? Yes, for Christ says that His words shall never pass away.
Also,
this promise of the certainty of his words is necessary here, because Christ is predicting
events so terrible that we are apt to wonder if they could really happen: wars,
famines, pestilences and earthquakes; great apostasy, false Christs and false prophets;
great tribulation and persecution. The false Christs and false prophets "shall show
great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very
elect" (24). But lest we doubt, Christ tells us that His words are more firm and
enduring than the very earth under our feet! So believe it always, and don't doubt! Rev. Angus Stewart
The
Mysteries of the Kingdom (4)
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not hear (Luke 8:10).
In the last three articles, we have been answering this question about our text: "Is this election and reprobation, or just acknowledging that some just will not turn and believe (as some commentaries maintain)?" After a careful examination of the passage (and the parallel passages in Matthew and Mark) we have seen that indeed election and reprobation are taught in Luke 8:10.
At this point I would like to refer to four other passages for additional proof that God sovereignly accomplishes His purpose through the preaching of the gospel, both in the salvation of the elect and in the damnation of the reprobate.
(1) The first of these is Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." This is a strong statement that the gospel is the means to accomplish election. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. The gospel is God's sovereign means to save. That it is such a power only to the elect is evident from the phrase "to every one that believeth." Who are those who believe? They are the elect, for they alone receive the gift of faith (Phil. 1:29).
(2) In Isaiah 55:9-11 we read, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Not even once has the preaching of God’s Word returned void, nor does it ever fail in achieving God's will regarding any individual. For God accomplishes His pleasure in election and reprobation through the preaching of His Word.
(3) Paul writes in II Corinthians 2:14-17, "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ."
As he brought the Word to the heathen world of his day, Paul saw with his own eyes the fruit of the gospel in the gathering of the church. But he also met opposition, hatred and persecution—all of which arose our of hatred for the gospel. This rejection of the gospel was not a reason to be downcast or to despair. For even in this God gives the victory in Christ. Paul is victorious when the gospel saves; he is equally victorious when the gospel is rejected.
Why is that? Because the gospel and the effects of the gospel among men are always a pleasing odor to God in Christ. The effects of the gospel are a pleasing odor to God in Christ because the effect of the gospel is controlled by what God accomplished through Christ on Calvary where Christ died only for the elect and for none other.
The gospel and its effects are a sweet smell to God in them that are saved because the purpose of God in gathering His people through the gospel is accomplished. But the gospel and its effects are also a sweet smell to God in them that perish because in the death of the wicked, brought about sovereignly through the gospel, God accomplishes His purpose in their damnation. No wonder the apostle exclaims in astonishment: "And who is sufficient for these things?" And no wonder that he adds: "We are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but [we preach] as of sincerity, as of God." How many today corrupt God's Word by preaching "smooth things" in order not to offend their hearers!
(4) The final passage is John 12:37-41: "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom bath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He bath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him."
Here also Isaiah 6 is quoted, the same passage as Jesus quotes in explaining why He taught in parables. But here the doctrine of reprobation in connection with Jesus' ministry is very sharply set forth. Because the prophecy of Isaiah had to be fulfilled, they could not believe. That is the final explanation for the unbelief of the Jews when they had seen so many mighty miracles. Jesus had come to accomplish all the purpose of the Father in the salvation of His own for whom He died, and in the damnation of the wicked who perish in their sin. Prof. Herman Hanko
Is Universal
Atonement True? (6)
(15) Let us consider an argument from Romans 8 against a death of Christ for all men head for head. Romans 8:28-30 speaks of a people whom God foreknew, predestinated, called according to his purpose, justified, glorified and conformed to the image of His Son. The apostle draws the following conclusion: "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (31). "Then" or "therefore" indicates that this is a logical inference based on his preceding statements, here called "these things." The "us" can only be those predestinated (or elected) and called according to God's eternal purpose (28-30). Thus Paul's argument is this: if God is "for us" (31) in predestination, calling, justification and glorification (29-30), then "who can be against us?" (31). Or to expand on this: if God in His eternal decree has chosen us to everlasting bliss, called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, acquitted us of all our sins and reckoned us righteous with the very righteousness of Christ Himself, and glorified us in conforming us to the image of His Son, then "who can be against us?" (31).
The apostle reinforces this already compelling argument with another: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (32). Who are the "us" referred to twice here for whom God sent His Son to die? Again, they are those predestinated and called according to God's eternal purpose (28-30). The only conclusion is that Christ died for the elect.
If it is objected that Christ also died for the non-elect, then we reply that the passage gives absolutely no hint of this. In fact, this would make the passage teach that God sent His Son to die for those who are not predestinated and not called, justified, glorified or conformed to Christ. Moreover, if it is argued that Christ died for the reprobate, this would make the passage teach that the reprobate will receive all the blessings of His cross. For verse 32 teaches that God freely gives all things to those for whom Christ died. The "all things" include freedom from the law of sin and death (2), life and peace (6), adoption as God's sons (14), the witness of the Spirit (16), an eternal inheritance (17), the redemption of the body (23), the ability to pray in the Spirit (26), etc. Furthermore, the "all things" would also include the blessings of justification, calling, glorification and conformity to Christ (29-30) according to God's eternal predestination! Thus the view that Jesus died for the reprobate read into Romans 8:32 would mean that God freely gives the blessings of justification, calling and glorification to the reprobate, those whom He never calls, justifies or glorifies. This verse teaches an absolutely inseparable connection between those for whom Christ died and spiritual blessings. Some do not receive these blessings. Therefore Jesus did not die for them.
The
passage proceeds to say that no charge (33) and no condemnation (34) can be laid against
those who are justified (33), those for whom Christ died (34). But many charges are
righteously made by the God of heaven against the reprobate wicked so that they are
condemned! This is the case because they are not justified (33) for Christ did not die for
them and does not intercede for them (34). Rev. Angus Stewart