A sinner comes to you and says, "What must I do to be saved." What are you going to tell him?
Applogies for butting in but my answer would be "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
A sinner comes to you and says, "What must I do to be saved." What are you going to tell him?
Applogies for butting in but my answer would be "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).
I must object to this most strongly. The general call is not common love and nor did Calvin teach that:
Can I take a moment and give a plug for a book that would clear this up readily?
The Two Wills of God
by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon
Description: THROUGH THE CENTURIES, hard questions have been deliberated concerning God’s will. Understanding God’s will and how it theologically functions in relationship to man’s salvation can be a daunting task. Answering some of those questions from the Scriptures brings clarity and helps us understand the glorious God that we serve. Have you ever wondered: Does God love only the elect? If God does not desire the wicked to perish, is God’s will frustrated when the sinner goes his own way? Why is God is seen as “repenting,” or “sad,” and even “changing His mind”?! What is “common grace,” and is it really found in the Bible? Does God desire things He does not decree, and does He decree things He does not desire? How many wills does God have? This book is an attempt to give the Christian the proper hermeneutical tools to define “God’s will” and how that will works in and through redemptive history.
Printed: 550 pages, Paperback, perfect-bound.
Purchase: Click Here to Purchase
Very well. And then this sinner says to you, "But I don't know if I'm elect! How can I believe on Jesus without knowing I'm elect?"
You would reject the general call (Free Offer) and common love.
Read here what Calvin says and let me know what you think.
After having spoken concerning his grace, and exhorted his disciples to steady faith, he now begins to strike the rebellious, though even here he mitigates the severity due to the wickedness of those who deliberately — as it were — reject God; for he delays to pronounce judgment on them, because, on the contrary, he has come for the salvation of all. In the first place, we ought to understand that he does not speak here of all unbelievers without distinction, but of those who, knowingly and willingly, reject the doctrine of the Gospel which has been exhibited to them. Why then does Christ not choose to condemn them? It is because he lays aside for a time the office of a judge, and offers salvation to all without reserve, and stretches out his arms to embrace all, that all may be the more encouraged to repent. And yet there is a circumstance of no small moment, by which he points out the aggravation of the crime, if they reject an invitation so kind and gracious, for it is as if he had said, "Lo, I am here to invite all, and, forgetting the character of a judge, I have this as my single object, to persuade all, and to rescue from destruction those who are already twice ruined." No man, therefore, is condemned on account of having despised the Gospel, except he who, disdaining the lovely message of salvation, has chosen of his own accord to draw down destruction on himself. (Comment on John 12:47)
But please do read what Calvin says in all his writings before you pontificate what Calvin did or did not teach.
Isaiah 55:1-3, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price.” How gracious is he here in inviting everyone that thirsts, and in so repeating his invitation over and over, “Come ye to the waters, come, buy and eat; yea come!”
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Question: do all thirst?
Who is God inviting? He is "inviting everyone that thirsts". Question: do all thirst?
Who is Christ bidding? Christ bids "all ye that labor and are heavy laden". Question: are all heavy laden?
Question: Would you judge if someone truely is thirsting or heavy laden before extending the outward gospel call?
Another Question: Are all who are thirsty and heavy laden elect?
Then I would ask him where he heard such nonsense!
No because the external call is general.
Yes.
This is what you hear from convicted sinners in Hypercalvinist churches who don't believe in a free offer.
Puritan Sailor said:He is waiting for you to clarify why his question is nonsense. How can he believe on Christ as his Savior without the assurance that he is elect?
In what way is the EC 'general'?
Have you first hand experience of this? I know a few ex-Gospel Standard folks.
It is nonsense because it is not true, it is nowhere in Scripture. Such people would need a careful listener not a militant anti-(hyper)Calvinist ranter.
Canons I, 3 "And that men may be brought to believe, God mercifully sends the messengers of these most joyful tidings, to whom he will and at what time he pleaseth; by whose ministry men are called to repentance and faith in Christ crucified. Romans 10:14, 15:"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? And how shall they preach except they be sent?""
Canons II, 5 "Moreover, the promise of the gospel is, that whosoever believeth in Christ crucified, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be declared and published to all nations, and to all persons promiscuously and without distinction, to whom God out of his good pleasure sends the gospel."
Canons III/IV, 8 "As many as are called by the gospel, are unfeignedly called. For God hath most earnestly and truly shown in his Word, what is pleasing to him, namely, that those who are called should come to him. He, moreover, seriously promises eternal life, and rest, to as many as shall come to him, and believe on him."
The above does not discriminate.
Yes I know people who struggled with this, from Dutch circles. And yes I would agree its nonsense. But why? You still haven't answered the question. The frustated seeker is still waiting for you to tell him the answer now that you have called his concern nonsense and unbiblical. How can he believe on Christ as HIS Savior without assurance of election?
Because the assurance of our election is not a precondition of our believing but rather our believeing makes manifest our election (if it is persevering).
Very true. But that still doesn't help this seeker out. What grounds does he have go to Christ, the Savior of the elect, and call upon Him to be HIS Savior if he doesn't need assurance of election? How can he know that Christ will receive him? Christ only loves and receives the elect, correct? If it's not on the grounds of knowing he is elect, then on what grounds can he come to Christ for salvation?
What grounds does he have go to Christ, the Savior of the elect, and call upon Him to be HIS Savior if he doesn't need assurance of election? How can he know that Christ will receive him? Christ only loves and receives the elect, correct? If it's not on the grounds of knowing he is elect, then on what grounds can he come to Christ for salvation?
If he goes to Christ then Christ will receive him:
John 4:14 "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
Rev 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
Is he weary, heavy laden? Then "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Ah. So Christ has issued an invitation to him. Would you agree?