THE BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL FAITH OF
BAPTISTS ON GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY
AND RELATED DOCTRINES
AN ANTHOLOGY CONTAINING WRITINGS BY SOME OF THE MOST
OUTSTANDING BAPTISTS OF ALL AGES, REVEALING THE "FAITH OF OUR
FATHERS"
"Remove not the ancient landmark,
which thy fathers have set."
CONTENTS
The Bible Doctrine of Election— J. P. BOYCE
Remarks on
Predestination and Election— B. H. CARROLL
Statement on
Election— JOHN BUNYAN
Comment on Election—
JOHN A. BROADUS
Election—
J. M. PENDLETON
Election
Consistent— ANDREW FULLER
If
Some Are Elect, Why Preach? — C. H. SPURGEON
Chosen,
Redeemed and Called— JOHN GILL
Foreordination
and Foreknowledge— A. H. STRONG
Divine
Foreknowledge— ARTHUR W. PINK
The
Limited Atonement— C. H. SPURGEON
On
the Limited Atonement— J. R. GRAVES
Particular
Redemption— J. R. GRAVES
God's
Sovereignty Exhibited— ALEXANDER CARSON
God's
Distinguishing Grace— ABRAHAM BOOTH
Notes on
Election— BOYCE TAYLOR
Testimonies
of Baptists of the Past
Baptist
Confessions on the Doctrines of Grace
(1827-1888)
Founder and first president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville); president of the Southern Baptist Convention 1872 — 1879, 1888. Boyce is regarded as one of the outstanding Baptist theologians of the nineteenth century.
1. THEORY STATED. The theory of Calvinists as to election is that God (not man) of
His own purpose (in accordance with His will, and not from any obligation to
man, nor because of any will of man), has from eternity (the period of God's
action, not in time in which man acts), determined to save (not has actually
saved, but simply determined so to do, and to save, not merely to confer gospel
or church privileges upon) a definite number of mankind (not the whole race,
nor indefinitely merely some of them, nor indefinitely a certain proportionate
part; but a definite number), as individuals (not the whole or part of the
race, nor of a nation, nor of a church, nor of a class, as of believers or the
pious; but individuals), not for or because of any merit or work of theirs, nor
of any value to Him of them (not for their good works, or their holiness, or
excellence, or their faith, or their spiritual sanctification, although the
choice is to a salvation attained through faith and sanctification; nor for their
value to Him, though their salvation tends greatly to the manifested glory of
His grace); but of His good pleasure (simply because He was pleased so to
choose).
An analysis of the foregoing statement will show that this theory
holds as to election, that: (1) It is an act of God, and not in any sense the
result of the choice of the elect. (2) It has been with God an eternal purpose.
(3) It is an election to salvation, and not to outward privileges. (4) This
election, or choice, is one of individuals and not of classes. (5) It was made
without respect to the action or merits of the persons elected. (6) It was made
simply according to God's own good pleasure.
2. PROOF. Whether we should believe this doctrine or not depends entirely
upon whether it is taught in the Scriptures. We have no other possible way of
knowing anything upon the subject. We must therefore look to the Scriptures
alone for the truth.
Before proceeding, however, with the direct proof that the
doctrine of election, as stated above, is taught in the Scriptures, it should
be remarked that the words election and elect are used in the word of God in
various senses. They sometimes signify a choice to office, whether made by man
or God. Compare: Luke 16:13 (Christ's choice of the twelve apostles), Acts
1:21-26 (the selection of an apostle in the place of Judas), Acts 9:15
(Saul as a chosen vessel), I Peter 2:6-3 (Christ spoken of as the
cornerstone, elect, precious, etc.). They sometimes signify the choice of
Israel to their peculiar national privilege of being the chosen, or separated
people of God: "The God of this people Israel chose our fathers"
(Acts 13:17). Again they are used of a choice of salvation made by an
individual: "Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken from
her" (Luke 10:42).
But in a large majority of cases these words have reference to the
choice of salvation either in the purpose of God or the act of choice by God.
We will now take up the proof that the words are used in this last
sense. Our aim will be to sustain, point by point, the doctrine of election as
stated above.
(1) Election an act of God, and not in any sense the result of the
choice of the elect. The inquiry here is not an inquiry into the reason for the
election, but simply as to the agent. The simple question now is, does God
choose
the elect? We are not concerned at this point whether it is of His
own purpose, or because He foresees that they will believe, or for any other
reason. The sole question now is: Is the election an act of God? The fact on
this point would appear more clearly if we were to exchange the common word
choice or chosen with the equivalent word elect. The following passages are
sufficient, though the examples are far more numerous.
John 13:18: "I know whom I have chosen."
John 15:16: "Ye did not choose me but I chose you" (not
to their offices as apostles but) "that ye should go and bear fruit."
Rom. 8:33: "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's
chosen ones?"
Rom. 9:15: "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy."
Eph. 1:4: "Even as he chose us in him."
Eph. 1:11: "Having been foreordained according to the purpose
of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will."
2 Thess. 2:13: "God chose you from the beginning unto
salvation."
(2) Election and eternal purpose or choice, on God's part. Another
important fact to be shown is the eternity of election in opposition to the
idea that it was in time. The proof on this point is two fold. There are
passages which show that the election took place before existence in this world
or before the world began, and there are those which actually declare that it
was eternal. Between the two classes of passages there is really, however, very
little difference, as from the nature of the case, what took place before time
must have been in eternity, and besides, the object of proof of an eternal
election is simply to show that it was not dependent on human action, but
simply on the will of God alone.
a. Those which show that the election took place before man's
existence, or before the world began:
Jer. 1:5: "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee, and before thou earnest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee."
Matt. 25:34: "Then shall the King say unto them on his right
hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world."
Eph: 1:4: "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation
of the world."
2 Thess. 2:13: "But we are bound to give thanks to God alway
for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the
beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth."
Compare also the language used as to the names written in the
Lamb's book of life.
Rev. 13:8: "And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him
(that is the beast), every one whose name has not been written in the book of
life of the Lamb that hath been slain from the foundation of the world."
Rev. 17:8: "And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast how that he was, and is not, and shall come."
Referring to the adherents of the Lamb as persons "with
him," it is said in verse 14, "They . . .that are with him are
called and chosen and faithful."
Rev. 21:27: "And there shall in no wise enter
into it anything unclean or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only
they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."
b. The passages which distinctly declare that this, which may be
thus inferred to have been an eternal election, is really such:
Eph. 3:11: "According to the eternal purpose which he
purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
2 Tim. 1:9: "Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which
was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal."
(3) Election to salvation, and not to mere external privileges. The next point to be proved is that this is an election to salvation, and not to mere external privileges. This is proved by such passages as the following:
John 10:26-27: "Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
Rom. 8:28-30: "We know that to them that love God all things
work together for good, even to them that are called according to his
purpose." Paul
now proceeds to tell who these are. "For whom he foreknew he also
foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
first-born among many brethren: and whom he foreordained, them he also called:
and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified."
This passage shows that foreknowledge, foreordination to holiness,
calling, justification, and a state of glory, are inseparably connected, and
hence that the election from which they proceed is to salvation.
Eph. 1:4-9: This passage speaks of our being chosen before the foundation of the world, "That we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him."
2 Thess. 2:13: After referring to others who were to have the same outward privileges, but upon whom God would send Strong delusion, the apostle says in this verse, "For we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation" etc.
I Peter 5:10: "The God of all grace who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ," etc.
Here the apostle is speaking of that effectual calling, which is
the result of election, and tells us that it is a call unto eternal glory.
(4) An election of individuals and not of classes. This position
needs to be explained. It is not denied that the elect that are to be true
believers, and that true believers are the elect. The character of the elect
does not, therefore, enter into this question. The issue is simply, does God
choose all who shall believe? And are they as such His elect? Or, does He
choose His elect, and will they, as such, believe? Is belief the result of
God's election, or is God's election the result of man's faith? Upon this point
the proof is very clear:
Acts 13:48: "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed."
This is a historical statement made subsequent to the event, not by
man's knowledge, but by inspiration.
Eph: 1:4, 5: "Even as he chose us in him . . . having foreordained us unto adoption as sons."
2 Thess. 2:13: "But we are bound to give thanks to God alway for
you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning
unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth."
Here the choice is made to salvation, and the means to salvation, sanctification and faith are indicated, no prerequisite or means being stated as to election. It is not as believers that they are elected, but as elected, that they are saved.
Rom. 8:29: "Whom he foreknew he also foreordained to be
conformed to the image of his Son."
The foreknowledge here is of persons, not of personal acts, not of those whose faith He foreknew, nor, as would be essential to their theory, is it of the class of believers as such. The Arminian theory would require the substitution of the words "as believers," or "you as believers," instead of those which are used.
It is not, therefore, to the class of believers, but to
individuals, that election refers. But, it may be asked, does it not refer to
them in that character? Did not God choose those whose faith He foresaw? This
will be fully answered before this discussion is closed.
(5) Without respect to the action or merits of the persons
elected. This is merely a negative form of the same fact stated by the next
point affirmatively. It is better therefore, to unite this with the succeeding
one, which is,
(6) Simply according to God's own good pleasure. The last point to
be noticed in this theory is that the election was made through the mere good
pleasure of God. Of course it is not meant that God acted arbitrarily or capriciously
in electing certain persons out of the universal ruin to make them objects of
His special constraining grace. God never acts without good and sufficient
reasons. And if God had seen fit to tell us why He chose some, with the purpose
that whatever the rest might do, these at least should certainly be brought to
salvation, we should, doubtless magnify and extol His wisdom in so electing.
But He has not seen fit thus to explain. He has acted of His own sovereign
will, according to His own good pleasure. One thing we do know, He has not made
the election because of any action or merits of the persons elected. He has
made it because, as sovereign, He had the right so to make it, and because, for
reasons satisfactory to Himself, it was His good pleasure to do so.
Several classes of passages may be cited in proof of this point.
Some of these simply affirm a choice by God's sovereign will; others, while
asserting this, also deny merit in those elected; and still others represent
the fact of sovereignty by asserting a choice of such persons as would not
ordinarily be chosen. The following are some of the passages which prove these
points:
a. Such as simply assert sovereign will. Such are Matt.
24:40-41 and Luke 17:33-36. These declare the sovereign choice of
God by showing such choice exercised as to persons in the same situation, so
that the one shall be taken and the other left; "two men on one bed";
"two women grinding at the mill"; "two men shall be in the
field"; one of each shall be taken and the other left.
John 3:3-8:
Regeneration is here spoken of as essential to entrance into the kingdom of
God. This precedes any act on which election is said by any to depend. Yet the
sovereignty of God in this is declared in verse 8:
"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
John 6:37, 39, 44, 64, 65: "All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me . . . This is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing ... No man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him . . . Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him. And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father."
John 15:16: "Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit."
The object to be attained cannot be the cause.
John 17:2: "As thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that
whatsoever thou hast given him to them he should give eternal life." (See also verse 6-12).
Acts 22:14:
Ananias says to Paul, "The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to
know his will."
Eph. 1:5: In the fourth verse having referred to God's choice of us before the foundation of the world, he says in this fifth verse: "Having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace."
Eph.1:11:
We are said to be predestinated to our inheritance "according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will."
James 1:18: "Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth."
b. Such as deny merit in the persons elected as well as assert the sovereign choice of God. Ezek. 36:32; In this passage after describing the blessings connected with the new dispensation and the gift of the Spirit and the new heart which He would give them, — gifts which the Calvinistic theory regards as the result of election, but which the Arminian maintains to be its cause,— God adds: "Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your ways, 0 house of Israel."
John 1:11-13: "He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Rom. 9:11-16:
Election is illustrated by the case of the twins "The children being
not yet born, neither having done anything, good or bad, that the purpose of
God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth
... So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God
that showeth mercy."
Rom. 11:5, 6: "Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. But if it is by grace, it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace."
c. Such as so describe the persons chosen as to imply this.
Matt. 11:25, 26: "At that season Jesus answered and said, I
thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these
things from the wise and understanding and didst reveal them unto babes; yea,
Father, for so it was well pleasing in thy sight."
Luke 4:25-27: Christ illustrates this sovereignty of God by mentioning that many
widows had been in Israel, yet had only a heathen widow been blessed; and again
many lepers cured. "Of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows
in Israel in the days of Elijah . . . and unto none of them was Elijah sent,
but only to Zarepath in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And
there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of
them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."
Acts 26:12-23: Paul's
description of his personal condition at his conversion shows that God chose
him not for his merits but from His own good pleasure.
I Cor. 1:26-30: "For behold your calling, brethren, how that
not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but
God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame them that
are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame
the things that are strong; and the base things of the world, and the things
that are despised, did God choose, yea, and the things that are not, that he
might bring to naught the things that are, that no flesh should glory before
God. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus," etc.
Gal. 1:15, 16: Paul says, "When it was the good pleasure of God, who
separated me even from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace, to
reveal his Son in me, that I might preach," etc.
Eph. 2:1-13: The
description of the condition of those who were dead in trespasses and sins, and
in that state were quickened, proves that the quickening and salvation was due
to no merit of their own.
The tests thus exhibited under these three classes prove conclusively that not on account of their own merits, but because of the good pleasure of God, does He choose men. They have been presented at some length, because this is after all the point upon which all that is important in this controversy turns. For, although other matters are equally essential to the doctrine, the whole opposition arises from an unwillingness on the part of man to recognize the sovereignty of God, and to ascribe salvation entirely to grace.
This proof, however, has been by no means exhausted, the attempt
having been to select some only of the numerous passages, and mainly such as
from their conciseness allow of presentation in full. Let the Scriptures be
read with reference to this doctrine, and every passage marked which indicates
God's dealing with men as an absolute sovereign, and also every declaration
which ascribes election or the fruits of it to His choice and not to the will
or acts of men, and every illustration afforded that this is God's usual
method, and it will appear that scarcely any book of Scripture will fail to
furnish testimony to the fact that in the acts of grace, no less than those of
providence, God "doeth according to His will in the army of heaven and
among the inhabitants of the earth." (Dan. 4:3-5).
(Taken from ABSTRACT OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY by J, P. Boyce, now out of print.)