Does God So Love the World? (John MacArthur)

Love is the best known but least understood of all God's attributes. Almost everyone who believes in God these days sees Him as a God of love. I have even met agnostics who are quite certain that if God exists, He must be benevolent, compassionate, and loving.

All those things are infinitely true about God, of course, but not in the way most people think. Because of the influence of modern liberal theology, many suppose that God's love and goodness ultimately nullify His righteousness, justice, and holy wrath. They envision God as a benign heavenly grandfather-tolerant, affable, lenient, permissive, devoid of any real displeasure over sin, who without consideration of His holiness will benignly pass over sin and accept people as they are.

Liberal thinking about God's love also permeates much of evangelicalism today. We have lost the reality of God's wrath. We have disregarded His hatred for sin. The God most evangelicals now describe is all-loving and not at all angry. We have forgotten that "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). We do not believe in that kind of God anymore.

We must recapture some of the holy terror that comes with a right understanding of God's righteous anger. We need to remember that God's wrath does burn against impenitent sinners (Psalm 38:1-3). That reality is the very thing that makes His love so amazing. Only those who see themselves as sinners in the hands of an angry God can fully appreciate the magnitude and wonder of His love.

In that regard, our generation is surely at a greater disadvantage than any previous age. We have been force-fed the doctrines of self-esteem for so long that most people don't really view themselves as sinners worthy of divine wrath. On top of that, religious liberalism, humanism, evangelical compromise, and ignorance of the Scriptures have all worked against a right understanding of who God is. Ironically, in an age that conceives of God as wholly loving, altogether devoid of wrath, few people really understand what God's love is all about.

How we address the misconception of the present age is crucial. We must not respond to an overemphasis on divine love by denying that God is love. Our generation's imbalanced view of God cannot be corrected by an equal imbalance in the opposite direction, a very real danger in some circles. I'm deeply concerned about a growing trend I've noticed-particularly among people committed to the biblical truth of God's sovereignty and divine election. Some of them flatly deny that God in any sense loves those whom He has not chosen for salvation.

I am troubled by the tendency of some-often young people newly infatuated with Reformed doctrine-who insist that God cannot possibly love those who never repent and believe. I encounter that view, it seems, with increasing frequency.

The argument inevitably goes like this: Psalm 7:11 tells us "God is angry with the wicked every day." It seems reasonable to assume that if God loved everyone, He would have chosen everyone unto salvation. Therefore, God does not love the non-elect. Those who hold this view often go to great lengths to argue that John 3:16 cannot really mean God loves the whole world.

Perhaps the best-known argument for this view is found the unabridged edition of an otherwise excellent book, The Sovereignty of God, by A. W. Pink. Pink wrote, "God loves whom He chooses. He does not love everybody." [1] He further argued that the word world in John 3:16 ("For God so loved the world…") "refers to the world of believers (God's elect), in contradistinction from 'the world of the ungodly.'"[2]

Pink was attempting to make the crucial point that God is sovereign in the exercise of His love. The gist of his argument is certainly valid: It is folly to think that God loves all alike, or that He is compelled by some rule of fairness to love everyone equally. Scripture teaches us that God loves because He chooses to love (Deuteronomy 7:6-7), because He is loving (God is love, 1 John 4:8), not because He is under some obligation to love everyone the same.

Nothing but God's own sovereign good pleasure compels Him to love sinners. Nothing but His own sovereign will governs His love. That has to be true, since there is certainly nothing in any sinner worthy of even the smallest degree of divine love.

Unfortunately, Pink took the corollary too far. The fact that some sinners are not elected to salvation is no proof that God's attitude toward them is utterly devoid of sincere love. We know from Scripture that God is compassionate, kind, generous, and good even to the most stubborn sinners. Who can deny that those mercies flow out of God's boundless love? It is evident that they are showered even on unrepentant sinners.

We must understand that it is God's very nature to love. The reason our Lord commanded us to love our enemies is "in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45). Jesus clearly characterized His Father as One who loves even those who purposefully set themselves at enmity against Him.

At this point, however, an important distinction must be made: God loves believers with a particular love. God's love for the elect is an infinite, eternal, saving love. We know from Scripture that this great love was the very cause of our election (Ephesians 2:4). Such love clearly is not directed toward all of mankind indiscriminately, but is bestowed uniquely and individually on those whom God chose in eternity past.

But from that, it does not follow that God's attitude toward those He did not elect must be unmitigated hatred. Surely His pleading with the lost, His offers of mercy to the reprobate, and the call of the gospel to all who hear are all sincere expressions of the heart of a loving God. Remember, He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but tenderly calls sinners to turn from their evil ways and live.

Reformed theology has historically been the branch of evangelicalism most strongly committed to the sovereignty of God. At the same time, the mainstream of Reformed theologians have always affirmed the love of God for all sinners. John Calvin himself wrote regarding John 3:16, "[Two] points are distinctly stated to us: namely, that faith in Christ brings life to all, and that Christ brought life, because the Father loves the human race, and wishes that they should not perish." [3]

Calvin continues to explain the biblical balance that both the gospel invitation and "the world" that God loves are by no means limited to the elect alone. He also recognized that God's electing, saving love is uniquely bestowed on His chosen ones.

Those same truths, reflecting a biblical balance, have been vigorously defended by a host of Reformed stalwarts, including Thomas Boston, John Brown, Andrew Fuller, W. G. T. Shedd, R. L. Dabney, B. B. Warfield, John Murray, R. B. Kuiper, and many others. In no sense does belief in divine sovereignty rule out the love of God for all humanity.

We are seeing today, in some circles, an almost unprecedented interest in the doctrines of the Reformation and the Puritan eras. I'm very encouraged by that in most respects. A return to those historic truths is, I'm convinced, absolutely necessary if the church is to survive. Yet there is a danger when overzealous souls misuse a doctrine like divine sovereignty to deny God's sincere offer of mercy to all sinners.

We must maintain a carefully balanced perspective as we pursue our study of God's love. God's love cannot be isolated from His wrath and vice versa. Nor are His love and wrath in opposition to each other like some mystical yin-yang principle. Both attributes are constant, perfect, without ebb or flow. His wrath coexists with His love; therefore, the two never contradict. Such are the perfections of God that we can never begin to comprehend these things. Above all, we must not set them against one another, as if there were somehow a discrepancy in God.

Both God's wrath and His love work to the same ultimate end-His glory. God is glorified in the condemnation of the wicked; He is glorified in every expression of love for all people without exception; and He is glorified in the particular love He manifests in saving His people.

Expressions of wrath and expressions of love-all are necessary to display God's full glory. We must never ignore any aspect of His character, nor magnify one to the exclusion of another. When we commit those errors, we throw off the biblical balance, distort the true nature of God, and diminish His real glory.

Does God so love the world? Emphatically-yes! Proclaim that truth far and wide, and do so against the backdrop of God's perfect wrath that awaits everyone who does not repent and turn to Christ.

Does the love of God differ in the breadth and depth and manner of its expression? Yes it does. Praise Him for the many manifestations of His love, especially toward the non-elect, and rejoice in the particular manifestation of His saving love for you who believe. God has chosen to display in you the glory of His redeeming grace.

[3]John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, William Pringle, trans. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1979 reprint), 123.

Salvation is not about God meeting your wants and needs, it is about man becoming a trophy of Gods grace because of His mercy.

How does what you say here accord with the words of the Saviour ...
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Where does God ever say ... ?
Come to Me ... that you may be a trophy of My grace ...
... rather than ...
Come to Me ... and I will give you life.
Is that a firm promise on "accepting Christ" ? When does that start?

Eh ... ?

Is having your problems solved and needs met a gospel you would have wanted to preach on the 100th floor of the NY Trade center on 9/10/01 ?

I'm not saying that this particular presentation of the gospel is for every time and place, ... but it is one of many that Jesus used.

What do you say to the martyrs?

That they have gained eternal spiritual life ... made possible by the sacrifice of the Saviour.

If that is the gospel you preach it is a false gospel.

Tell that to Jesus ... it is His preaching.

There is no place for purgatory just because "God so loved the world..."

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but F15 have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

You remind me of some people I know who have much head knowledge about the Bible and can nit-pick with the best of them; but they don't really have the knowledge in their hearts. The Pharisees had lots of 'head knowledge' but their hearts were cold. That describes many Calvinists I know, but certainly not all.

I asked a straight question . It was not a trick question. You gave a programed answer so afraid that I asked a "trick ' question.

I fully expected an answer of No from you to the question "Does ANY man DESERVE salvation"

I was not asking if any would be saved or How they would be saved, I simply was addressing the depravity of men and the holiness of God.

But you proved a Calvinist assertion to be true.. that the act of "choosing Christ " in Arminian speak is a work that God must reward with salvation.

To be honest CTD that was not my expectation when I asked it, it was a "give me" by you .

So think again. Does anyman deserve to be saved?

I think we all lament the "quantity over quality" approach of evangelism, RnMom. But I've been in many a Church, Calvinist and otherwise, and frankly, the finer points of soteriology don't seem to be the deciding factor.

Well if you hear a seeker friendly come to the altar, so life will be better ,in a Calvinist church they are not Calvinist no matter what the sign says.

Pretty consistently sin and the need for a saviour are preached . One needs no special soteriology to repent and believe, only the gospel preached and a work of the Holy Spirit. Our kids do that in youth groups and camp etc. They will not say "God has a perfect plan for your life"

To me, the major factor missing in modern evangelism is discipleship. We call people forward to get dunked and then send them on their merry way, hoping that they'll find a church or keep coming to the one they were dunked at, but not really providing any direction for the new believer--nor, for that matter, providing meat for the more mature Christians.

You can not disciple the unsaved. This is a salvation issue. I am firmly convinced one of the markers of a true salvation is a love of the word of God . Gods word is what the apostles were discipled with, so in the absence of an active discipleship ministry God will do what needs to be done .

Well, I'm off to Shabbat service. I'll be taking the teen to Six Flags Sunday, so I probably won't be around until next week.

Have a good week end

I punished my children because I loved them. And I still loved them. I could be angry with them and love them. I could hate their rebellion and love them. I could even be in solid opposition to them and still love them. There are stories of parents of killers turning their own children in to the law, even though they knew it would result in death.

And God punishes and corrects us here. But to what end would hell be correction ? Is it so behavior is better in hell ? One can not get out of hell, so what is the purpose of ETERNAL correction?

That yoke is the yoke of subjection to Jesus. it does not mean that He takes your yoke for you

Jesus spoke more of HELL than heaven
Lets look at the gospel of Matthew

Jesus mention hell and eternal punishment often—about 15 times—but even John the Baptist referred to it twice within a short paragraph.

Here are some of the Scriptures from the book of Matthew:

3:10 " … and thrown into the fire."

3:12 " … with unquenchable fire."

5:30 " … than for your whole body to go into hell."

7:19 " … thrown into the fire."

8:12 " … will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

10:28 "Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

13:40 " … burned in the fire … "

13:24 " … into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

13:50 " … and throw them into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

18:8 " … be thrown into eternal fire."

18:9 " … and be thrown into the fire of hell."

22:13 " … and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

The next Scripture quotes come after the seven woes declared by Jesus in Matthew 23. I reasoned that if hell was real and important to Jesus, He would likely have mentioned it here. He did in verse 33:

23:33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?"

24:51 " … and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

25:30 " … into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

25:41 " … depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

25:46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment … "

To emphasize this point even further, in the great commission (Matthew 28:19) Jesus stated: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Ghost, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

"Everything" included many of His commands that talk about eternal judgment—ones that were to direct us away from hell.

jesus talked more about hell than He did about heaven. Part of the "good news" of the Gospel is the bad news about hell , not to tell someone WHAT they are saved from is only 1/2 a gospel .

So you tell people how good they will have it here if they only say the magic words and watch them fall away when there is trouble .

I will preach that "the wages of sin is death and the gift of God is eternal life "

http://www.thelakeoffire.com/

Understanding the Gospel and obtaining salvation is not difficult to understand. Do not let the simplicity of the process lead you to think there must be something more complex in the process.

Why some choose to accept Christ and others reject Christ is not very important. The great commission simply requires that Christians present the Gospel so people can make their own decision. I am not responsible for their decision; only to present the message and the consequences of their choices. They make their own decision for their own reasons; not mine.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
That yoke is the yoke of subjection to Jesus. it does not mean that He takes your yoke for you.

I don't believe that anyone here has argued otherwise.

And, ... as He says ... His yoke is easy.

Jesus spoke more of HELL than heaven.

I'm afraid that you are mistaken here.

I know that I've heard countless preachers preach this too ... but it simply isn't so.

I've done the tally ... years ago.

You say that Jesus speaks of hell about 15 times in Matthew ... that sounds about right, I think.

It may be surprising, however, to find that that Jesus speaks of heaven in the gospel of Matthew some ... 40+ times.

Just give it a little thought ... how many times do you think that Jesus used the phrase ... "The kingdom of heaven is like unto ... ".

Think about it a little more ... why would Jesus speak more of hell (to which He was opposed) ... than of heaven (which was home for Him).
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

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Revelations 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
The easiest thing to do, of course, is to do your own survey. Go through the gospels ... note how often Jesus spoke of heaven ... and how often He spoke of hell.

I think that you shall be surprised (pleasantly or not).

Part of the "good news" of the Gospel is the bad news about hell , not to tell someone WHAT they are saved from is only 1/2 a gospel .

Believe it or not ... I agree with you that the whole gospel should be preached ... the good ... and the bad.

We should certainly preach that sinners have no chance of avoiding hell, other than by coming to the Saviour. This was, after all, ... a major reason I came.

But we should not be slack in also detailing the wondrous blessing which God has prepared for those which are His. Certainly the apostles weren't slack in doing so ... and it certainly isn't any false gospel.
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

I am firmly convinced one of the markers of a true salvation is a love of the word of God . Gods word is what the apostles were discipled with, so in the absence of an active discipleship ministry God will do what needs to be done .

I have experienced this myself. It is as you say, although that is not the preferred way.

I think many women are in marriages where the husband is not fulfilling his role. God watches over them in spite of their husband's weakness.

***The kinder, gentler, cozier God of this type of evangelism parallels modern liberalism.***

More so that we realize!

I am becoming more and more convinced (actually I AM convinced) that the Seeker Sensitive/Church Growth Movement/Entertainment/Psychology complex is the "new" liberalism - repackaged for Evangelical.

I see them discarding inconvenient truths right and left.

European liberalism pruned and repackaged Christianity for the intellectual elite. Modern Evangelicalism is pruning and repackaging Christianity for the theraputic culture.

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