FOREWORD TO
THE FIRST EDITION
In the following pages an
attempt has been made to examine anew in the light of God’s Word some of the
profoundest questions which can engage the human mind. Others have grappled
with these mighty problems in days gone by and from their labors
we are the gainers. While making no claim for originality the writer,
nevertheless, has endeavored to examine and deal with his subject from an
entirely independent viewpoint. We have studied diligently the writings of such
men as Augustine and Acquinas, Calvin and Melancthon, Jonathan Edwards and
Ralph Erskine, Andrew Fuller and Robert Haldane.* And sad it is to think that
these eminent and honored names are almost entirely unknown
to the present generation. Though, of course, we do not endorse all their
conclusions, yet we gladly acknowledge our deep indebtedness to their works.
We have purposely refrained from quoting freely from these deeply taught
theologians, because we desired that the faith of our readers should stand not
in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. For this
reason we have quoted freely from the Scriptures and have sought to furnish
proof-texts for every statement we have advanced.
It would be foolish for us to
expect that this work will meet with general approval. The trend of modern
theology—if theology it can be called—is ever toward the deification
of the creature rather than the glorification of the Creator, and the leaven of
present-day Rationalism is rapidly permeating the whole of Christendom. The
malevolent effects of Darwinianism are more far reaching than most are aware.
Many of those among our religious leaders who are still regarded as orthodox
would, we fear, be found to be very heterodox if they were weighed in the
balances of the Sanctuary. Even those who are clear,
intellectually, upon other truth, are rarely sound in doctrine. Few, very few,
today, really believe in the complete ruin and total depravity of man. Those
who speak of man’s "free will," and insist upon his inherent power to
either accept or reject the Saviour, do but voice their ignorance of the real
condition of Adam’s fallen children. And if there are few who believe
that, so far as he is concerned, the condition of the sinner is entirely
hopeless, there are fewer still who really believe in the absolute Sovereignty
of God.
In addition to the widespread effects
of unscriptural teaching, we also have to reckon with the deplorable
superficiality of the present generation. To announce that a
certain book is a treatise on doctrine is quite sufficient to prejudice against
it the great bulk of church-members and most of our preachers as well. The
craving today is for something light and spicy, and few have patience, still
less desire, to examine carefully that which would make a demand both upon
their hearts and their mental powers. We remember, also, ‘how that it is
becoming increasingly difficult in these strenuous days for
those who are desirous of studying the deeper things of God to find the time
which such study requires. Yet, it is still true that "Where there’s a
will, there’s a way," and in spite of the discouraging features referred
to, we believe there is even now a godly remnant who will take pleasure in
giving this little work a careful consideration, and such will, we trust, find
in it "Meat in due season."
We do not forget the words of
one long since passed away, namely, that "Denunciation is the last resort
of a defeated opponent." To dismiss this book with the contemptuous
epithet—"Hyper-Calvinism"! will not be worthy of notice. For controversy we have no taste, and we shall not accept any
challenge to enter the lists against those who might desire to debate the
truths discussed in these pages. So far as our personal reputation is
concerned, that we leave our Lord to take care of, and unto Him we would now
commit this volume and whatever fruit it may bear, praying Him to use it for
the enlightening of His own dear people (insofar as it is in accord
with His Holy Word) and to pardon the writer for and preserve the reader from
the injurious effects of any false teaching that may have crept into it. If the
joy and comfort which have come to the author while penning these pages are
shared by those who may scan them, then we shall be devoutly thankful to the
One whose grace alone enables us to discern spiritual things.
June 1918.
ARTHUR W. PINK.
*Among
those who have dealt most helpfully with the subject of God’s Sovereignty in
recent years we mention Dr. Rice, J. B. Moody, and Bishop, from whose writings
we have also received instruction.
FOREWORD TO
THE SECOND EDITION
It is now two years since the
first edition of this work was presented to the Christian public.
Its reception has been far more favorable than the author had expected. Many
have notified him of the help and blessing received from a perusal of his
attempts to expound what is admittedly a difficult subject. For every word of
appreciation we return hearty thanks to Him in Whose light we alone "see
light." A few have condemned the book in unqualified terms, and these we
commend to God and to the Word of His grace, remembering
that it is written, "a man can receive nothing, except it be given him
from heaven" (John 3:27). Others have sent us friendly criticisms and
these have been weighed carefully, and we trust that, in consequence, this
revised edition will be unto those who are members of the household of faith
more profitable than the former one.
One word of explanation seems
to be called for. A number of respected brethren in Christ feel that our
treatment of the Sovereignty of God was too extreme and one-sided. It has been
pointed out that a fundamental requirement in expounding the Word of God is the
need of preserving the balance of Truth. With this we are in hearty
accord. Two things are beyond dispute: God is sovereign, and man is a
responsible creature. But in this book we are treating of the Sovereignty of
God, and while the responsibility of man is readily owned, yet, we do not pause
on every page to insist on it; instead, we have sought to stress that side of
the Truth which in these days is almost universally neglected. Probably 95 per
cent. of the religious literature of the day is devoted to
a setting forth of the duties and obligations of men. The fact is that those
who undertake to expound the Responsibility of man are the very ones who have
lost ‘the balance of Truth’ by ignoring, very largely, the Sovereignty of God.
It is perfectly right to insist on the responsibility of man, but what of God
?—has He no claims, no rights! A hundred such works as this are needed, ten
thousand sermons would have to be preached throughout the
land on this subject, if the ‘balance of Truth’ is to be regained. The ‘balance
of Truth’ has been lost, lost through a disproportionate emphasis being thrown
on the human side, to the minimizing, if not the exclusion, of the Divine side.
We grant that this book is one-sided, for it only pretends to deal with one
side of the Truth, and that is, the neglected side, the
Divine side. Furthermore, the question might be raised: Which is the more to be
deplored—an over emphasizing of the human side and an insufficient emphasis on
the Divine side, or, an over emphasizing of the Divine side and an insufficient
emphasis on the human side? Surely, if we err at all it is on the right side.
Surely, there is far more danger of making too much of man and too little of God, than there is of making too much of God and too little of
man. Yea, the question might well be asked, Can we press God’s claims too far?
Can we be too extreme in insisting upon the absoluteness and universality of
the Sovereignty of God?
It is with
profound thankfulness to God that, after a further two years diligent study of
Holy Writ, with the earnest desire to discover what almighty God has been
pleased to reveal to His children on this subject, we are able to testify that
we see no reason for making any retractions from what we wrote before, and
while we have re-arranged the material of this work, the substance and doctrine
of it remains unchanged. May the One Who condescended to
bless the first edition of this work be pleased to own even more widely this
revision.
1921 Swengel, Pa.
FOREWORD TO
THE THIRD EDITION
That a third edition of this
work is now called for, is a cause of fervent praise to God. As the darkness deepens
and the pretentions of men are taking on an ever-increasing blatancy, the need
becomes greater for the claims of God to be emphasized. As
the twentieth century Babel of religious tongues is bewildering so many, the
duty of God’s servants to point to the one sure anchorage for the heart, is the
more apparent. Nothing is so tranquilizing and so stabilizing as the assurance
that the Lord Himself is on the Throne of the universe, "working all
things after the counsel of His own will".
The Holy Spirit has told us
that there are in the Scriptures "some things hard to be understood",
but mark it is "hard" not "impossible"! A patient waiting
on the Lord, a diligent comparison of scripture with scripture, often issues in
a fuller apprehension of that which before was obscure to us. During the last
ten years it has pleased God to grant us further light on
certain parts of His Word, and this we have sought to use in improving our
expositions of different passages. But it is with unfeigned thanksgiving that
we find it unnecessary to either change or modify any doctrine contained in the
former editions. Yea, as time goes by, we realize (by Divine grace) with
ever-increasing force, the truth, the importance, and the value of the Sovereignty of God as it pertains to every branch of our
lives.
Our hearts have been made to
rejoice again and again by unsolicited letters which have come to hand from
every quarter of the earth, telling of help and blessing received from the
former editions of this work. One Christian friend was so stirred by reading it and so impressed by its testimony, that a check
was sent to be used in sending free copies to missionaries in fifty foreign
countries, "that its glorious message may encircle the globe";
numbers of whom have written us to say how much they have been strengthened in
their fight with the powers of darkness. To God alone belongs all the glory.
May He deign to use this third edition to the honour of His
own great Name, and to the feeding of His scattered and starved sheep.
1929 Morton’s Gap, Kentucky.
ARTHUR W. PINK
FOREWORD TO
THE FOURTH EDITION
It is with profound praise to
God "most high" that another edition of this valuable and helpful
book is now called for. Though its teaching runs directly counter to much that
is being promulgated on every hand today, yet we are happy to be able to say
that its circulation is increasing to the strengthening of the faith, comfort
and hope of an increasing number of God’s elect. We commit
this new edition to Him whom we "delight to honour," praying that He
may be pleased to bless its circulation to the enlightening of many more of His
own, to the "praise of the glory of His grace," and a clearer
apprehension of the majesty of God and His Sovereign mercy.
1949 I. C. Herendeen
Who is regulating affairs on
this earth today—God, or the Devil? That God reigns supreme in Heaven, is
generally conceded; that He does so over this world, is almost universally
denied—if not directly, then indirectly. More and more are men in their
philosophizing and theorizing, relegating God to the background. Take the
material realm. Not only is it denied that God created everything, by personal
and direct action, but few believe that He has any immediate concern in
regulating the works of His own hands. Everything is supposed to be ordered
according to the (impersonal and abstract) "laws of
Nature". Thus is the Creator banished from His own creation. Therefore we
need not be surprised that men, in their degrading conceptions, exclude Him
from the realm of human affairs. Throughout Christendom, with an almost
negligible exception, the theory is held that man is "a free agent",
and therefore, lord of his fortunes and the determiner of his destiny. That Satan is to be blamed for much of the evil which is in
the world, is freely affirmed by those who, though having so much to say about
"the responsibility of man", often deny their own responsibility, by
attributing to the Devil what, in fact, proceeds from their own evil hearts
(Mark 7 :21-23).
But who is
regulating affairs on this earth today—God, or the Devil? Attempt to take a
serious and comprehensive view of the world. What a scene of confusion and
chaos confronts us on every side! Sin is rampant; lawlessness abounds; evil men
and seducers are waxing "worse and worse" (2 Tim. 3:13). Today,
everything appears to be out of joint. Thrones are creaking and tottering,
ancient dynasties are being overturned, democracies are
revolting, civilization is a demonstrated failure; half of Christendom was but
recently locked-together in a death grapple; and now that the titanic conflict
is over, instead of the world having been made "safe for democracy",
we have discovered that democracy is very unsafe for the world. Unrest,
discontent, and lawlessness are rife every where, and none can say how soon
another great war will be set in motion. Statesmen are
perplexed and staggered. Men’s hearts are "failing them for fear, and for
looking after those things which are coming on the earth" (Luke 21:26). Do
these things look as though God had full control?
But let us confine our
attention to the religious realm. After nineteen centuries of Gospel
preaching, Christ is still "despised and rejected of men". Worse
still, He (the Christ of Scripture) is proclaimed and magnified by very few. In
the majority of modern pulpits He is dishonored and disowned. Despite frantic
efforts to attract the crowds, the majority of the churches are being emptied
rather than filled. And what of the great masses of non-church goers? In the
light of Scripture we are compelled to believe that the
"many" are on the Broad Road that leadeth to destruction, and that
only "few" are on the Narrow Way that leadeth unto life. Many are
declaring that Christianity is a failure, and despair is settling on many
faces. Not a few of the Lord’s own people are bewildered, and their faith is
being severely tried. And what of God? Does He see and hear? Is He impotent or
indifferent? A number of those who are regarded as leaders
of Christian-thought told us that, God could not help the coming of the late
awful War, and that He was unable to bring about its termination. It was said,
and said openly, that conditions were beyond God’s control. Do these things
look as though God were ruling the world?
Who is
regulating affairs on this earth today—God, or the Devil? What impression is
made upon the minds of those men of the world who, occasionally, attend a
Gospel service? What are the conceptions formed by those who hear even those
preachers who are counted as "orthodox"? Is it not that a
disappointed God is the One whom Christians believe in? From what is heard from
the average evangelist today, is not any serious hearer
obliged to conclude that he professes to represent a God who is filled with
benevolent intentions, yet unable to carry them out; that He is earnestly
desirous of blessing men, but that they will not let Him? Then, must not the
average hearer draw the inference that the Devil has gained the upper hand, and
that God is to be pitied rather than blamed?
But does not everything seem
to show that the Devil has far more to do with the affairs of earth than God
has? Ah, it all depends upon whether we are walking by faith, or walking by
sight. Are your thoughts, my reader, concerning this world and God’s relation
to it, based upon what you see? Face this question seriously and honestly. And if you are a Christian, you will, most probably,
have cause to bow your head with shame and sorrow, and to acknowledge that it
is so. Alas, in reality, we walk very little "by faith". But what
does "walking by faith" signify? It means that our thoughts are
formed, our actions regulated, our lives molded by the Holy Scriptures, for,
"faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17). It is from the Word of Truth, and that alone, that we
can learn what is God’s relation to this world.
Who is regulating affairs on
this earth today—God or the Devil? What saith the Scriptures? Ere we consider
the direct reply to this query, let it be said that, the Scriptures
predicted just what we now see and hear. The prophecy of Jude is in course of
fulfillment. It would lead us too far astray from our present inquiry to fully
amplify this assertion, but what we have particularly in mind is a sentence in
verse 8—"Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion
and speak evil of dignities." Yes, they "speak evil" of the
Supreme Dignity, the "Only Potentate, the King of
kings, and Lord of lords." Ours is peculiarly an age of irreverence, and
as the consequence, the spirit of lawlessness, which brooks no restraint and
which is desirous of casting off everything which interferes with the free
course of self-will, is rapidly engulfing the earth like some giant tidal wave.
The members of the rising generation are the most flagrant offenders, and in
the decay and disappearing of parental authority we have
the certain precursor of the abolition of civic authority. Therefore, in view
of the growing disrespect for human law and the refusal to "render honor
to whom honor is due," we need not be surprised that the recognition of
the majesty, the authority, the sovereignty of the Almighty Law-giver should
recede more and more into the background, and that the
masses have less and less patience with those who insist upon them. And
conditions will not improve; instead, the more sure Word of Prophecy makes
known to us that they will grow worse and worse. Nor do we expect to be able to
stem the tide—it has already risen much too high for that. All we can now hope
to do is warn our fellow-saints against the spirit of the age, and thus seek to
counteract its baneful influence upon them.
Who is regulating affairs on
this earth today—God, or the Devil? What saith the Scriptures? If we believe
their plain and positive declarations, no room is left for uncertainty. They
affirm, again and again, that God is on the throne of the universe; that the sceptre is in His hands; that He is directing all
things "after the counsel of His own will". They affirm, not only
that God created all things, but also that God is ruling and reigning over all
the works of His hands. They affirm that God is the "Almighty", that
His will is irreversible, that He is absolute sovereign in every realm of all
His vast dominions. And surely it must be so. Only two alternatives are possible: God must either rule, or be ruled; sway, or be
swayed; accomplish His own will, or be thwarted by His creatures. Accepting the
fact that He is the "Most High", the only Potentate and King of
kings, vested with perfect wisdom and illimitable power, and the conclusion is
irresistible that He must be God in fact, as well as in name.
It is in view of what we have
briefly referred to above. that we say, Present-day conditions call loudly for
a new examination and new presentation of God’s omnipotency, God’s sufficiency,
God’s sovereignty. From every pulpit in the land it needs to be thundered forth
that God still lives, that God still observes, that God still reigns.
Faith is now in the crucible, it is being tested by fire, and there is no fixed
and sufficient resting-place for the heart and mind but in the Throne of God.
What is needed now, as never before, is a full, positive, constructive setting
forth of the Godhood of God. Drastic diseases call for drastic remedies. People
are weary of platitudes and mere generalizations—the call is for something
definite and specific. Soothing-syrup may serve for peevish
children, but an iron tonic is better suited for adults, and we know of nothing
which is more calculated to infuse spiritual vigor into our frames than a
scriptural apprehension of the full character of God. It is written, "The
people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits" (Dan.
11:32).
Without a doubt a world-crisis
is at hand, and everywhere men are alarmed. But God is not! He is never taken
by surprise. It is no unexpected emergency which now confronts Him, for He is
the One who "worketh all things after the counsel of His own will"
(Eph. 1:11). Hence, though the world is panic-stricken, the word to the believer is, "Fear not"! "All things" are
subject to His immediate control: "all things" are moving in accord
with His eternal purpose, and therefore, "all things" are
"working together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to His purpose." It must be so, for "of Him, and
through Him, and to Him are all things" (Rom. 2:36). Yet how little is
this realized today even by the people of God! Many suppose
that He is little more than a far-distant Spectator, taking no immediate hand
in the affairs of earth. It is true that man has a will, but so also has God.
It is true that man is endowed with power, but God is all-powerful. It is true
that, speaking generally, the material world is regulated by law, but behind
that law is the law-Giver and law-Administrator. Man is but the creature. God
is the Creator, and endless ages before man first saw the
light "the mighty God" (Isa. 9:6) existed, and ere the world was
founded, made His plans; and being infinite in power and man only finite, His
purpose and plan cannot be withstood or thwarted by the creatures of His own
hands.
We readily
acknowledge that life is a profound problem, and that we are surrounded by
mystery on every side; but we are not like the beasts of the field—ignorant of
their origin, and unconscious of what is before them. No: "We have also a
more sure Word of Prophecy", of which it is said ye do well that ye
"take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day
dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Pet.
1:19). And it is to this Word of Prophecy we indeed do well to "take
heed," to that Word which had not its origin in the mind of man but in the
Mind of God, for, "the prophecy came not at any time by the will of man:
but holy men of God spake moved by the Holy Spirit." We say again, it is
to this "Word" we do well to take heed. As we turn to this Word and
are instructed there, we discover a fundamental principle
which must be applied to every problem: Instead of beginning with man and his
world and working back to God, we must begin with God and work down to
man—"In the beginning God"! Apply this principle to the present
situation. Begin with the world as it is today and try and work back to God,
and everything will seem to show that God has no connection with the world at
all. But begin with God and work down to the world and
light, much light, is cast on the problem. Because God is holy His anger burns
against sin; because God is righteous His judgments fall upon those who rebel
against Him; because God is faithful the solemn threatenings of His Word are
fulfilled; because God is omnipotent none can successfully resist Him, still
less overthrow His counsel; and because God is omniscient
no problem can master Him and no difficulty baffle His wisdom. It is just because
God is who He is and what He is that we are now beholding on earth what we
do—the beginning of His out-poured judgments: in view of His inflexible justice
and immaculate holiness we could not expect anything other than what is now
spread before our eyes.
But let it be said very
emphatically that the heart can only rest upon and enjoy the blessed truth of
the absolute sovereignty of God as faith is in exercise. Faith is ever occupied
with God. That is the character of it: that is what differentiates it from
intellectual theology. Faith endures "as seeing Him who is invisible"
(Heb. 11:27) : endures the disappointments, the hardships,
and the heart-aches of life, by recognizing that all comes from the hand of Him
who is too wise to err and too loving to be unkind. But so long as we are
occupied with any other object than God Himself, there will be neither rest for
the heart nor peace for the mind. But when we receive all that enters our lives
as from His hand, then, no matter what may be our circumstances
or surroundings—whether in a hovel, a prison-dungeon, or a martyr’s stake—we
shall be enabled to say, "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant
places" (Ps. 16:6). But that is the language of faith, not of sight or of
sense.
But if instead of bowing to the
testimony of Holy Writ, if instead of walking by faith, we
follow the evidence of our eyes, and reason therefrom, we shall fall into a
quagmire of virtual atheism. Or, if we are regulated by the opinions and views
of others, peace will be at an end. Granted that there is much in this world of
sin and, suffering which appalls and saddens us; granted that there is much in
the providential dealings of God which startle and stagger us; that is no
reason why we should unite with the unbelieving worldling
who says, "If I were God, I would not allow this or tolerate that"
etc. Better far, in the presence of bewildering mystery, to say with one of
old, "I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it" (Ps.
39:9). Scripture tells us that God’s judgments are "unsearchable",
and His ways "past finding out" (Rom. 11:33). It must be so if faith
is to be tested, confidence in His wisdom and righteousness
strengthened, and submission to His holy will fostered.
Here is the fundamental
difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is
"of the world," judges everything by worldly standards, views life from the standpoint of time and sense, and weighs
everything in the balances of his own carnal making. But the man of faith
brings in God, looks at everything from His standpoint, estimates values by
spiritual standards, and views life in the light of eternity. Doing this, he
receives whatever comes as from the hand of God. Doing this, his heart is calm
in the midst of the storm. Doing this, he rejoices in hope
of the glory of God.
In these opening paragraphs we
have indicated the lines of thought followed out in this book. Our first
postulate is that because God is God, He does as He pleases, only as He
pleases, always as He pleases; that His great concern is the accomplishment of His own pleasure and the promotion of His own glory; that He
is the Supreme Being, and therefore Sovereign of the universe. Starting with
this postulate we have contemplated the exercise of God’s Sovereignty, first in
Creation, second in Governmental Administration over the works of His hands,
third in the Salvation of His own elect, fourth in the Reprobation of the
wicked, and fifth in Operation upon and within men. Next we
have viewed the Sovereignty of God as it relates to the human will in
particular and human Responsibility in general, and have sought to show what is
the only becoming attitude for the creature to take in view of the majesty of
the Creator. A separate chapter has been set apart for a consideration of some
of the difficulties which are involved, and to answering the questions which
are likely to be raised in the minds of our readers; while
one chapter has been devoted to a more careful yet brief examination of God’s
Sovereignty in relation to prayer. Finally, we have sought to show that the
Sovereignty of God is a truth revealed to us in Scripture for the comfort of
our hearts, the strengthening of our souls, and the blessing of our lives. A
due apprehension of God’s Sovereignty promotes the spirit of
worship, provides an incentive to practical godliness, and inspires zeal in
service. It is deeply humbling to the human heart, but in proportion to the
degree that it brings man into the dust before his Maker, to that extent is God
glorified.
We are well aware that what we
have written is in open opposition to much of the teaching
that is current both in religious literature and in the representative pulpits
of the land. We freely grant that the postulate of God’s Sovereignty with all
its corollaries is at direct variance with the opinions and thoughts of the
natural man, but the truth is, we are quite unable to think upon these matters:
we are incompetent for forming a proper estimate of God’s character and ways,
and it is because of this that God has given us a
revelation of His mind, and in that revelation He plainly declares, "My
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your
ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Is. 55:8,9). In view of this
scripture, it is only to be expected that much of the contents of the Bible conflicts with the sentiments of the carnal mind, which is
enmity against God. Our appeal then is not to the popular beliefs of the day,
nor to the creeds of the churches, but to the Law and Testimony of Jehovah. All
that we ask for is an impartial and attentive examination of what we have
written, and that, made prayerfully in the light of the Lamp of Truth. May the
reader heed the Divine admonition to "prove all
things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21).