Loveland Protestant Reformed Church
709 East 57th
Street; Loveland, CO 80538
Services: 9:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. June through
August)
Vol. 5, No. 18 Pastor: Rev. G. Van Baren Phone: (970)
667-9481
Homepage on Internet: http://www.prca.org
Contents:
We come here to the fifth of the so-called "Five Points of Calvinism," the Perseverance of Saints. This is the Biblical teaching that salvation once give cannot be lost.
Some will immediately notice, however, that there are two words used to describe this doctrine, the word "preservation" and the word "perseverance." Each has a different emphasis.
The word "preservation" emphasizes the fact that believers cannot lose their salvation because of God's power and grace. He PRESERVES His people (Ps. 37:28, Jer. 32:40, I Pet. 1:5).
That word reminds us, therefore, that salvation is ALL of grace. That believers do not lose their salvation is not due to their obedience, their faithfulness, and their efforts, but solely to the grace of God that keeps and protects them from falling.
What, then, does God preserve? He preserves the new life of regeneration that is in them as the seed of all their salvation (I Jn. 3:9). In preserving that, He also preserves their faith and their obedience, so that, though imperfectly, they do continue to believe and to keep God's commandments. To put it very simply, He preserves His own work of grace in them (Ps. 90:17, 138:8, Phil. 1:6).
He does not preserve the flesh and the works of the flesh! In the believer the flesh, its works, and its dominion are to be destroyed (Gal. 5:24, Heb. 9:13). Nor may the believer want them to be preserved and try to preserve them.
We do well to remember that according to this doctrine, it is saints, that is, those who are holy, who are preserved, and they are preserved unto more holiness. That they are not holy by their own strength makes no difference. Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).
Nor are they preserved apart from faith. Faith is always the way of, though never the reason for, salvation. I Peter 1:5 teaches that preservation, too, is in the way of faith: "Who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation...."
From what, then, are believers preserved? They are not preserved from temptation, from weakness, or from falling into temptation and sin.
How important it is to remember that. They are not preserved from falling, but from falling away. Due entirely to their own weakness and sinfulness, believers can and do fall into temptation and sin. Psalm 37:24 expresses this very beautifully: "though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.
That believers can and do fall is demonstrated in Scripture by the examples of men like David and Peter. That they cannot fall away is demonstrated by their restoration. Indeed, in the case of Peter the Lord gave assurance beforehand that Peter would not fall away (Lk. 22:31, 32).
What a wonderful work of grace! Rev. Ronald Hanko
(Continued from the previous issue)
In the last article we talked about the gospel's effect when it comes to and is heard by the reprobate.
We must now speak of the effect of the gospel on the elect.
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When the gospel is preached according to the command of Christ, the effect of that gospel upon God's people, while mysterious and wonderful, is nevertheless, not mechanical. God never works with His people in a mechanical fashion. He never works in such a way that a person is a robot who does things unconsciously because God, through the gospel, presses buttons in his psyche.
In general, we must remember that, before a man can respond to the gospel, the Holy Spirit has already begun to work in his heart. If he is dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1), then as a dead man he cannot respond to the gospel except to reject it. He must be given ears that hear (Matt. 13:11, 16).
This God-given ability to hear the gospel is what is meant by the inward call of the gospel. The outward call is the preaching; the inward call is the work of the Holy Spirit.
The inward call is never apart from the outward call. But the outward call is always effective in the hearts and lives of the elect because of the inward call.
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Nevertheless, while all this is true, it is also true that the Holy Spirit continues to work in the hearts of the elect when the gospel is preached.
The Holy Spirit does not make one receptive to the gospel, and then throw man on his own powers and abilities. Every moment that the gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit is also working in the heart. And this continues all the life long of the elect people of God.
How does the Holy Spirit work? He works in such a way that the gospel is impressed upon the consciousness of the individual child of God so that he not only becomes conscious of what the gospel says, but he understands and believes that gospel in the context of his own life with all its circumstances.
I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough.
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Let us take a few examples.
Supposing that the minister is explaining a doctrine. Let us, for purposes of the illustration, use the doctrine of total depravity. When the elect child of God in whom the Spirit works, hears the doctrine of total depravity explained, the Holy Spirit so works in his consciousness that he becomes aware, not only of the doctrine itself, but of the fact that he, personally, is a totally depraved sinner, worthy of God's wrath and eternal death.
When the minister is preaching on the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit so impresses that upon the consciousness of the elect sinner that he sees the sacrifice of Christ as the only way of salvation; but he sees it also as the only hope of salvation for him.
So it is with all the truth. When the minister is talking about the wonder that God uses afflictions to save His people, the child of God hears that word in such a way (because of the Spirit's work) that he finds peace in his afflictions, knowing that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that awaits him.
There is more, but our space is used up for this time.
Prof. H. Hanko
What is Reformed Evangelism (1)?
Several of our readers have asked for a Reformed perspective on evangelism. Since this is such an important matter, we hope to spend several issues on it.
First of all, then, let us be sure that the Reformed faith is not uncomfortable with evangelism. The two are not incompatible. Indeed, the Reformed faith and churches have the only real ground for evangelism. It is the Reformed doctrines of sovereign unconditional election, limited atonement and irresistible grace that give a reason to do evangelism and hope for fruit in that great work.
Think of it this way: how can there be any real hope of lost sinners being saved through evangelism if salvation depends on their free will? Sinful men and women have difficulty choosing which shoes to wear when dressing in the morning. How then shall they choose to be saved, especially if they truly are lost? How shall sinners whose minds are darkened by sin (II Cor. 4:4), and at enmity with God (Rom. 8:7), come to the knowledge of the truth, unless it be by sovereign, effectual grace enlightening their minds and freely granting them all of their salvation?
It is here first of all, therefore, that Reformed evangelism is unique. It sets out the true Biblical basis for evangelism. It does not believe that God loves and wills the salvation of all, that He sent Christ to die for all without exception, and that it now depends on man's free choice whether he will or will not be saved.
Rather, the Reformed faith teaches that God chooses who shall be saved (Jn. 1:12-13, 15:16, Rom. 9:16, Phil. 2:13, Jas. 1:18) according to His eternal love for them in Christ; that He provided salvation for them in the death of Christ on the cross (Gal. 6:14, Col. 1:21-22) and that He powerfully and infallibly gives them that salvation by the irresistible work and grace of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 6:37, 44, Eph. 2:8-10). Thus, in Reformed evangelism there is the sure hope that these at least will be saved. There is no such hope in the teaching that salvation depends on man's willing or running.
But how does the preaching of the gospel fit into this? Does this not, as some charge, make the preaching of the gospel unnecessary? Evangelism, after all, has to do with the preaching of the gospel. That is what the word "evangelism" means.
In answering these questions the Reformed faith teaches two things about the preaching of the gospel. First, it insists, as Scripture does also, that the gospel is the means God uses to find His elect (Acts 14:47-48) and to bring them to saving faith in Christ and so to salvation. In the second place, the Reformed faith teaches that the gospel as means is powerful. That power by which men repent and believe does not lie in the sinner or in his will, but in the gospel. By it sinners are powerfully called (Rom. 10:17), given repentance and faith (Acts 11:18), have their minds and wills changed, and are thus sovereignly, irresistibly, and sweetly drawn to Christ (Rom. 1:16, I Cor. 1:18, 24).
It is the doctrine of free will, therefore, that destroys evangelism. The teaching that God loves all men simply reassures sinners that all is well with them. The idea that Christ died for them only confirms them in the mistaken notion that their situation is not desperate. To say that they have the critical choice in their own salvation - that God depends upon and is waiting for them - just establishes them in their rebellion against God and teaches them that they are as gods! It does nothing for the salvation of lost sinners! Rev. Ronald Hanko
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We would offer a free pamphlet by the Rev. Barry Gritters: "Public Worship and the Reformed Faith." Send to the address in the heading of this leaflet.
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(Calvin comments on I Tim. 2:4): "The other texts adduced are not declarative of the Lord's determination respecting all men in his secret counsel: they only proclaim that pardon is ready for all sinners who sincerely seek it (Ps.145:9). For if they obstinately insist on its being said that God is merciful to all, I will oppose to them, what is elsewhere asserted, that 'our God is in the heavens; he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased' (Ps. 115:3). This text, then, must be explained in a manner consistent with another, where God says, 'I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy' (Ex. 33:19). He who makes a selection of objects for the exercise of his mercy, does not import that mercy to all. But as it clearly appears that Paul is there speaking, not of individuals, but orders of men, I shall forbear any further argument...."
(Calvin's Institutes, Book III, Chap. 24, XVI)
Last Modified: 15-Jul-1999