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Condemnation - Search - The Staunch Calvinist
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...n themselves not conclusive. What we read here is basically that there are people redeemed by the blood of the Lamb from all corners of the world. In heaven and on the New Earth, there will be people from every place on earth. There would be representatives from every tribe and nation. But how can this be said about tribes and places where the gospel has not (yet) come? The Bible is clear that those who are mature in their understanding know that God exists and they hate Him and therefore they are without excuse (Rom. 1:18-23). That won’t work. They will not be pardoned simply because they had not heard the gospel. They knew the God against whom they sinned, that is the basis of their Condemnation, not because they rejected the gospel. But it would be literally true if what is spoken of here are unborn children, infants, children, and the disabled. In this case, we would certainly have representatives and people from all over the world, even places where the gospel has not yet conquered them. Not conclusive in itself, but certainly strengthens our case, I believe.
Condition of Accountability
Dr. MacArthur does not speak of the age of accountability, but the condition of accountability. In his own words:
A child who has not reached moral culpability is a child who has not reached sufficient mature understanding to comprehend convincingly the issues of law and grace, sin and salvation…
At some point the child’s maturation, he or she comes to have an understanding of law and grace. In other words, the child begins to comprehend and understand these principles: God has rules and commandments; sin involves the violation or breaking of God’s laws; forgiveness of sin has been made possible through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross; the grace of God allows for all who believe in and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and submit to Him as Lord to be cleansed of their sin and live in the newness of life and joyful obedience to Him.
From child to child, that precise age varies. It is the “conditional” that counts, not a calendar.[8]
It is not a specific age, which God has set that when someone gets passed that they are condemned, while those under that age no matter what they’ve done or what kind of understanding they have they are saved. Rather it is the condition of the child. A child who understands the gospel and willfully rejects it and rebels against God obviously does not have an excuse. But one who is still immature in their understanding and in a sense has “no knowledge of good and evil” (Deut. 1:39), will have an excuse according to Romans 1. God ultimately decides what the condition of accountability is and He always does that which is just (Gen. 18:25).
Damnation by Works
We are saved by grace but damned by works. A very convincing point that Pastor MacArthur makes is that the inhabitants of hell are always described as those who have willfully and rebelliously sinned against God. In his own words:
Scripture teaches that we are saved by grace, but we are damned by work. Scripture teaches that eternal punishment is the wage due those who have willfully sinned. Nowhere in the Bible is anyone ever threatened with hell merely for the guilt inherited from Adam. Instead, whenever Scripture describes the inhabitants of hell, the stress is on their willful acts of sin and rebellion (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:[5-]6; Rev. 21:8; 22:15). Scripture always connects eternal Condemnation with works of un...
..., especially of those who believe. Paul is obviously not teaching universalism, that all people will be saved in the spiritual and eternal sense, since the rest of Scripture clearly teaches that God will not save everyone. Most will reject him and spend eternity in hell (Matt. 25:41, 46; Rev. 20:11–15). Yet, the Greek word translated “especially” must mean that all people enjoy God’s salvation in some way like those who believe enjoy his salvation. The simple explanation is that God is the Savior of all people, only in a temporal sense, while of believers in an eternal sense. Paul’s point is that while God graciously delivers believers from sin’s Condemnation and penalty because he was their substitute (2 Cor. 5:21), all people experience some earthly benefits from the goodness of God. Those benefits are: 1) common grace—a term that describes God’s goodness shown to all mankind universally (Ps. 145:9) in restraining sin (Rom. 2:15) and judgment (Rom. 2:3–6), maintaining order in society through government (Rom. 13:1–5), enabling man to appreciate beauty and goodness (Ps. 50:2), and showering him with temporal blessings (Matt. 5:45; Acts 14:15–17; 17:25); 2) compassion—the broken-hearted, loving pity that God shows to undeserving, unregenerate sinners (Ex. 34:6, 7; Ps. 86:5; Dan. 9:9; Matt. 23:37; Luke 19:41–44; cf. Isa. 16:11–13; Jer. 48:35–37); 3) admonition to repent—God constantly warns sinners of their fate, demonstrating the heart of a compassionate Creator who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:30–32; 33:11); and 4) the gospel invitation—salvation in Christ is indiscriminately offered to all (Matt. 11:28–29; 22:2–14; John 6:35–40; Rev. 22:17; cf. John 5:39–40). God is, by nature, a saving God. That is, he finds no pleasure in the death of sinners. His saving character is revealed even in how he deals with those who will never believe, but only in these four temporal ways. See notes on 1 Tim. 2:6.
The statement that Jesus is the Savior of everyone, especially of those who believe may seem to teach universalism, the belief that every person will eventually go to heaven regardless of whether they accept Christ. But the rest of Scripture clearly denies this idea. The Greek word translated here as "especially" expresses the sense of "particularly." The point is not that Jesus saves everybody and then saves believers even more. Rather, Jesus is the Savior for all—all who believe. Further, "everyone" pictures the trans-national scope of the gospel. Thus Christ is the "Savior" of people from every race and nation.
By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; 1 others being left to act in their sin to their just Condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.2
Matt. 25:34; 1 Tim. 5:21
John 12:37-40; Rom. 9:6-24; Eph. 1:5-6; 1 Pet 2:8-10; Jude 4
These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. 1
Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, 1without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto. 2
As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so he hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will,foreordained all the means thereunto; 1 wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, 2 are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, 3 and kept by his power through faith unto salvation; 4 neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only. 5
Eph. 1:4; 2:10; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2
1 Thess. 5:9-10; Titus 2:14
Rom. 8:30; Eph. 1:5; 2 Thess. 2:13
1 Peter 1:5
John 6:64-65; 8:47; 10:26; 17:9; Rom. 8:28; 1 John 2:19
The doctrine of thehigh mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, 1 that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election; 2 so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, 3 and of humility, 4 diligence, 5and abundant consolation 6 to all that sincerely obey the gospel.
In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 1 for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, 2 to create or make the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, 3 in the space of six days, 4 and all very good. 5
After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; 1 being made afte...
...is given to His church. It is for them that “all things work together for good”. The Lord Christ is given as head over all things “to the church” (Eph. 1:22). He exercises His sovereign rule for the good of the church and disposeth of all things to the good thereof. What a comfort and what a blessing to know that all things work together for our good and that nothing is outside of His control.
It is only the elect—the church of God, the people of God, that have received the promise of Romans 8:28. For the reprobate, everything works for the bad and for more Condemnation. For the sake of the righteous, the godless often are blessed (e.g., Gen. 39:2-4). Joseph found favor with Potiphar because the Lord was with Him and God gave success both to Joseph and Potiphar, because of Joseph’s presence. Laban says to Jacob, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed mebecause of you” (Gen. 30:27). God takes care of all His creation, but especially of His covenant people, and He often blesses the godless for their sake.
The love of God for His own is shown in Isaiah 43:3-5, 14 in how God gives other nations away as “ransom” for His covenant people. He regards these people as nothing compared to the love that He has for Israel, His covenant people, which He brought up from the Babylonian captivity. Why? “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you” (Isa. 43:4). The love of God for His people is incomparable to the common grace and love which He displays toward the godless. God does not give His people up for the sake of the wicked, but He does give the wicked up for the sake of His people. Although it is true that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth”, it is especially true that they do so as “to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Chron. 16:9). Although the Lord Christ is God and ruler over all things (e.g., Matt. 28:18), yet He is especially given to His church (Eph. 1:22). King Jesus exercises His sovereign reign for the good of His people to whom He is given as ruler over all things, even for those who persecute them (Rev. 1:5). Although God is the Savior, i.e., Preserver and Protector, of all people without exception, yet He is “especially” the Savior of His people who believe in Him (1Tim. 4:10).
It is those, chosen by God, who are promised that God works everything for their good, what a blessing. We, wicked sinners, loved by an infinitely holy, righteous, pure and sovereign God! Amazing Grace. We have not earned it, we are not only undeserving, but we are also ill-deserving—we deserve God’s punishment. But His grace in Jesus Christ through faith in Him and repentance toward God saves the most wretched of sinners!
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
...liness.” He disciplines us for our own good so that we will be purified from sin and seek Christ instead of the fleeting pleasures of sin. He makes us more like Christ through His fatherly discipline.
As we seek to be more and more in love and satisfied with the Triune God, and as we seek to reverently fear Him we will realize that the “fear of the LORD is hatred of evil” (Prov. 8:13). Hated for sin and evil begins with an acknowledgment of the God against whom all our sin is committed (Ps. 51:4; Luke 15:18). It is the Triune God Who created us, owns us and has graciously redeemed us from the power of sin! As we seek to set His fear before us, not fear of Condemnation (Rom. 8:1), but a healthy and reverent fear of disrespecting or dishonoring the God Who graciously saved us, we realize that we will not take pleasure in our sins anymore as we did before, because we have through our sin displeased the God Who saved us. We will be displeased with ourselves and troubled in our spirits when we realize that we have sinned against God. This is the Holy Spirit’s work convicting us of our sin. When we realize this, we should go to the throne of grace and seek forgiveness and ask that God would cleanse us from our sins (Heb. 4:14-16; 1 John 1:8-9). In times of temptation, we should pray to the Spirit of grace that He may grant that we do not sin against our Lord. We should pray that God grant us victory against our sin; that God would keep us from sinning against Him (Gen. 20:6). Our goal should always be to strive and pursue after holiness and to be conformed to the image of Christ. We look up to our Lord Who obeyed His Father in every way and prayed that God’s will be done. Our goal is to be like Him and be conformed to His blessed image according to God’s will.
Heb 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Gracious Holy Spirit of God Whom Christ has given us, please make us more like Christ that God may be glorified in us. Grant that we may walk in His ways and take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Him.
Sanctification Completed
This irreconcilable war is not without end. The outcome was already decided in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For all who are in Him, perfection awaits. But this perfection or completion of sanctification comes in two stages. The complete sanctification of our souls is at death and for the body, at the resurrection. For those at the time of our Lord’s blessed return, their sanctification will be complete at once.
Our soul/spirit will be perfected at our death. Scripture speaks of the believers in heaven as “the spirits of the righteous made perfect” (Heb. 12:23). These are the “saints now glorified and perfected—i.e. brought to the consummation of their course—in heaven (Rev 7:14-17).”[18] They no longer ache because of sin, nor are they affected by its power or presence in their lives. Grudem observes that ‘This is only appropriate because it is in anticipation of the fact that “nothing unclean shall enter” into the presence of God, the heavenly city (Rev. 21:27).’[45] In Romans 8:29, being conformed to Christ’s image is the goal f...
...expected response from fallen man is rejection unless God works in his heart. Yet this does not take their culpability away. The Lord taught that the Pharisees were in sin because they saw the works of Jesus and rejected them:
John 9:39-41 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
Not believing in Christ will result in Condemnation (John 3:16-18, 33). Charles Hodge explains, “The special object of faith, therefore, is Christ, and the promise of salvation through Him. And the special definite act of faith which secures our salvation is the act of receiving and resting on Him as He is offered to us in the Gospel.”[27]
We see that Christ and His work are everywhere said to be the principal objects of faith. We may take note of the passages with the pisteuo and eis construction with Christ as their object (e.g. John 1:12; 3:16; 6:35; 11:25; Acts 10:43; 16:31; Gal. 2:16, 20). For example, the most popular Bible verse says “that whoever believes in [Christ] should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). It is not merely believing in Christ, but also believe in Christ as the sacrifice to atone for our sins. Romans 3:25 says that Christ was put “forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith”. The preaching of the gospel was the preaching of Christ crucified and risen (Acts 17:18; 1 Cor. 1:23; Col. 1:27). It is said that Felix called Paul and “heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus” (Acts 24:24). Therefore, the expected response was for the hearers to repent and place their hope and trust in Jesus. When the troubled Philippian jailor asks “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30), Paul and Silas’ response is very clear:
Acts 16:31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Christ is here presented as the solution to the jailor’s problem. He is the answer when one asks how they must be saved or what they must do to be saved. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown explain, “The brevity, simplicity, and directness of this reply are, in the circumstances, singularly beautiful. Enough at that moment to have his faith directed simply to the Saviour, with the assurance that this would bring to his soul the needed and sought salvation—the how being a matter for after teaching.”[28]John Calvin sheds more light on this passage, especially in light of the Roman Catholic doctrine of implicit faith: See Berkhof’s, Dabney’s, Hodge’s, Boyce’s chapters on faith for discussion and refutation of it.[29]
Believe in the Lord Jesus. This is but a short, and, to look to, a cold and hungry definition of salvation, and yet it is perfect to believe in Christ. For Christ alone hath all the parts of blessedness and eternal life included in him, which he offereth to us by the gospel; and by faith we receive them, as I have declared, ( Act 15:9.) And here we must note two things; first, that Christ is the mark − whereat faith must aim; and, therefore, men’s minds do nothing else but wander when they turn aside from him. Therefore, no marvel if all the divinity of Popery be nothing else but an huge lump − and horrible labyrinth; because, neglecting Christ, they flatter themselves in vain and...
...[our] minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). This peace, which we have by justification through faith alone, is able to guard us completely and this peace is found in Christ alone. We have this peace from the moment of justification and we may know that we have this peace and live knowing that we have this peace with God through our Savior.
2. Through Jesus and His sacrifice we have by faith access “into this grace in which we stand”. This speaks of the “state of grace”, as the Confession says, into which, we as believers find ourselves in. We have been saved by grace and translated from a state of wrath and Condemnation to a state of grace and peace. This state of grace we are standing in is because of Christ and through faith, not because of our works and performance.
3. Lastly, based on all these things we “hope of the glory of God.” Here the apostle is speaking about the future and looking forward to the day that He will meet and see the glory of God. This hope is not wishful thinking, but rather this “hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). Our hope is not based on ourselves, but rather it is based upon God’s work in us. We do not search for hope in ourselves, but rather we search for hope in the work of God in us. This hope is based on God’s promise and word, and we will not be put to shame because we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We are happy now in our hope that we will see God in the future. God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit and the apostle later says that the Spirit “bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:16). This assurance is a gift of God to the believer and based on the work of God in the believer.
§2 An infallible assurance of faith founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ
This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith 1founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel; 2 and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, 3 and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; 4and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble and holy. 5
Matt. 3:7-10; Mark 1:15; 2 Peter 1:4-11; 1 John 2:3; 3:14, 18-19, 24; 5:13
Rom. 8:15-16; 1 Cor. 2:12; Gal. 4:6-7
1 John 3:1-3
Paragraph 1 defined what this certainty consists in, namely, being “certainly assured that [we] are in the state of grace”. Paragraph 2 goes on to describe the ground of this assurance. This certainty is not a bare conjectural (i.e., guesswork) and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope. It is an assurance grounded upon the work of God in us. It is not a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith. It is therefore grounded upon a true and lasting hope from God. It is founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ. His righteousness is our only hope and consolation to stand before God and remain in the state of grace. From the beginning until the end, the righteousness of Christ is the only ground on which we can stand. It is also grounded upon the work of the Spirit in us, the graces which He works in us. He is also called the Spirit of ado...
...tural revelation and the distinctive tenets of Christianity. Such men wanted to establish a completely rational basis for the existence of God and morality. They disliked the idea that a special revelation given only to some men was necessary to worship and serve God acceptably.[1]
Against such men, the Confession asserts the necessity of special revelation about God through the gospel and Scripture for salvation. The Confession acknowledges the strength of natural/general revelation, but general revelation is not enough for salvation. General revelation is enough for Condemnation. The gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit are necessary for salvation. This chapter concerns itself less with “what” the gospel is than to confess the necessity of special revelation over against those who would reject special revelation and claim that they can come to salvation merely through general revelation.
§1 God was pleased to give forth the promise of Christ
The covenant of works being broken by sin, and made unprofitable unto life, God was pleased to give forth the promise of Christ, the seed of the woman, as the means of calling the elect, and begetting in them faith and repentance; in this promise the gospel, as to the substance of it, was revealed, and [is] therein effectual for the conversion and salvation of sinners. 1
Gen. 3:15 with Eph. 2:12; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 11:13; Luke 2:25, 38; 23:51; Rom. 4:13-16; Gal. 3:15-22; Rev. 13:8[2]
The covenant of works that was given to Adam was broken by sin and thereby made unprofitable unto life (see also chapter 6:1). Now, it only administers its curse—death. Therefore, God was pleased to give forth the promise of Christ (Gen. 3:15; Eph. 2:12) as He had purposed to save the elect by Christ from all eternity. In this promise of Christ, the gospel was revealed as the means of calling the elect (Gal. 3:8; Luke 2:25, 38). As the gospel was revealed in thispromise, God worked to beget in the elect faith and repentance so that they would embrace this promise, which was effectual for the conversion and salvation of sinners (Gal. 3:15-22). This promise of Christ was, essentially or in substance, the promise of the gospel and salvation, which is what Christ accomplished on behalf of the elect.
Salvation was always through Christ, whether people were consciously aware of that or not. They were saved by faith alone and by not works. By loosely reading the Old Testament and seeing the absence of the cross, we may think that salvation was by works under the Old Testament, but now, in the New Testament era, it is by grace. This is completely false and a grave mistake. Salvation has always been by grace. The reason that this is so is because the Adamic Covenant (see here), which could have provided eternal life if Adam obeyed, was broken. When that covenant was broken, the promise of eternal life by obedience was likewise broken and became unprofitable for Adam’s fallen and sin-cursed descendants. The Covenant of Works which was made with Adam in Eden lost the ability to give eternal life because it is now broken. That covenant did not contain provisions for atonement and now it could only administer the curse of that covenant—death. We see in Genesis 3 that just after God, the covenant Lord, confronts Adam and Eve with their sin, He likewise gives the promise of the Savior:
Gen. 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise ...
An important power which the Lord has given to the church is the power of discipline. This power is given to the whole church not merely to the leadership. This is largely spoken of in Matthew 18:15-20. The purpose of discipline is not for the sake of merely pointing false doctrine or sin, but for the purpose that the sinning brother or sister may be corrected in their error and come back to repentance. Discipline is for the good of the church as a whole, so that those, for example, teaching false doctrine, may be stopped to do so. Furthermore, its purpose is for the good of the erring person. It is not discipline for the sake of Condemnation, but restoration.
The Lord Jesus taught us that this discipline first should be one-on-one (Matt. 18:15). We go to the erring or sinning brother and tell them their fault, hoping that they may come back to repentance and see their sin. But, if they refuse to listen to our correction and discipline, then we are to “take one or two others along with” us (Matt. 18:16). In this way, they would see that this is not a personal issue, but more people are actually concerned about this person. But, if the erring or sinning brother still refuses discipline, then the last step is to “tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matt. 18:17). If he still refuses to listen to discipline from the leadership and the church as a whole, then he is to be excommunicated and to be treated as an unbeliever. He is to be removed from the list of membership in the church and not admitted to the privileges and ordinances of the church. The Lord promises His presence as a Judge when the church takes such a decision. When they judge a particular matter, He is there in their midst judging the rightness or wrongness of their decision. See Matthew 18:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 5, see also above.
Notice that throughout this discussion, implicitly, church membership is necessitated. This person at one time belonged to the church and is walking in ways contrary to healthy doctrine, therefore, the church takes it up with him. A church cannot exercise such power and authority with those who have not committed themselves to that church. A church has no power or authority over a visiting person to bring that person under discipline. But those who dedicate themselves to a particular local church at the same time accept to voluntarily submit to the correction and elders of the church.
Things which the New Testament says call for discipline and excommunication include:
all kinds of sexual sins (1 Cor. 5:1-5);
false teaching (1 Tim. 1:10-11, 19-20);
those who seek divisions (Rom. 16:17-18; Titus 3:9-11);
idolatry (Rev. 2:14-16),
disobeying what Paul wrote (2 Thess. 3:14-15),
laziness and refusing to work (2 Thess. 3:6-10).
Also, the list which is given in 1 Corinthians 5:11:
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of [1] sexual immorality or [2] greed, or is an [3] idolater, [4] reviler, [5] drunkard, or [6] swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
We also get a general principle from 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 that sins to which the death penalty applied under the Mosaic Civil Law, have excommunication applied to them in the New Covenant. Such sins include:
