This is great! and I thought it may help.
"He spoke many things unto them." (US) "Many more it is likely than are here recorded, but all excellent and necessary things, things that belong to our peace. - They were not trifles, but things of everlasting consequence, that Christ spoke of. It concerns us to give a more earnest heed, when Christ has so many things to say to us, that we miss not any of them. - (Much of) What he spoke was in parables. - and in it condesceded to the capacities of people, and lisped to them in their own language. - We ought to be concerned for the edification of others, as well as for our own, by the word preached; and if ourselves be strong, yet bear the infirmities of the weak. - A parable is a shell that keeps good fruit for the diligent, but keeps it from the slothful. There are mysteries in the kingdom of heaven, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: Christ's incarnation, satisfaction, intercession, our justification and sanctification by union with Christ, and indeed the whole work of redemption, from first to last, are mysteries, which could never have been discovered but by divine revelation. - Knowledge is the first gift of God, and it is a distinguishing gift (Prov.2:6) it was given to the apostles, because they were Christ's constant followers and attendants. Note, The nearer we draw to Christ, and the more we converse with him, the better acquainted we shall be with gospel mysteries. - There are those to whom this knowledge is not given, and a man can receive nothing unless it be given him from above (Jn 3:27) and be it remembered that God is debtor to no man: his grace is his own; he gives or withholds it at his pleasure (Rom 11:35) the difference must be resolved into God's sovereignty. - This reason is further illustrated by the rule God observes in dispensing his gifts; he bestows them on those who improve them, but takes them away from those who bury them. It is a rule among men, that they will rather entrust their money with those who have increased their estates by their industry, than with those who have diminished them by their slothfulness. Here is a promise to him that has, that has true grace pursuant to the election of grace, that has, and uses what he has; he shall have more abundance: God's favours are earnests of further favours; where he lays the foundation, he will build upon it. Christ's disciples used the knowledge they now had, and they had more abundance at the pouring out of the Spirit. - Here is a threatening to him that has not, that has no desire of grace, that makes no right use of the gifts and graces he has: has not root, no solid principle; that has, but uses not what he has; from him shall be taken away that which he has or seems to have. His leaves shall wither, his gifts decay; the means of grace he has, and makes no use of , shall be taken from him; God will call in his talents out of their hands that are likely to become bankrupts quickly." Amen.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
"I WILL Be Their God" Jeremiah 32:38-42
"And they SHALL be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them."
How Wonderful is this God that we serve? I hope this will encourage those of us that are his children. Those of us who Fear Him. A good and holy fear that springs from the enlightenment of a New Heart. A fear that does not fade or turn into complacency over time. This Holy God is to be highly esteemed and not treated lightly. Our God is not tame! He offers no promises outside of this covenant of Grace. Yet, in this covenant, all the promises are yes and amen in Christ. This terrible and mighty God that will one day fall apon the wicked has shown himself gentle and tenderhearted toward his own "Seed". He WILL NOT turn away from them to do them good. What does this mean, oh, what does this mean! We will search this out for eternity. He has not merely convinced us of these things but reveals himself in such a way to his children that we are humbled and WILL NOT DEPART. Those who do, prove that they are not his. For if they were, and have been enlightened, how could they depart? This life spring will be so evident that generations down the road will receive graces because of it. As a New Father he will delight in us and take us unto himself and shower us with himself, with unfettered love. He does not merely give us pearly gates and streets of gold but he gives us himself. What gift could be more precious? If you do not see the value in this, I fear you are not a Christian. Oh, the evil as we perceive it, that we face in this life, is not the plan of some demon but the purpose of God our Father. Is he not preparing us for eternity? Is he not changing our affections? The things of this life are being shown in their true light. They are being pushed out and will be gone in an instant. And yet consider this. With the same intensity that God pushes out this world he will usher in the New. He will fall apon evil like a Lion does his prey and yet will fall apon his children like a Lion her cub. The dark showers of persecution and trials and tribulation ordained by the hand of God will pale in intensity to the reward awaiting us. I suggest that it will require the Grace of God in us for us to survive the blessings and love showered on us in eternity. Who is like our God? Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing!
Adoption Update
Hey guys & gals,
Thanks for praying. It looks like it will be another couple of months before we travel. The new agency overseeing these things in The Republic of Georgia needs some time to review the cases. That's all the news we have for now.
See you Monday.
Thanks for praying. It looks like it will be another couple of months before we travel. The new agency overseeing these things in The Republic of Georgia needs some time to review the cases. That's all the news we have for now.
See you Monday.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monergism
I have spent days studying about monergism vs arminian beliefs. WOW!!!! I have spent all these years going to church and believing 99% of what is preached without understanding the real background of the founding theology. My point.....Oh my gosh....I was a synergist. How does a Monergist stay in a Synergist church??? Well...at least it got my mind off my depression.
Pam
Pam
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Presence of God - David 01/28/2009
All,
Has anyone taken the time to listen to some of the attached videos? The testimonies to the side are especially touching. Let me call special attention to the third one down to the right side of the blog site. It looks like it has a truck in the snow on the picture. Please listen to it before you read the rest of this blog, never mind the silly music. After you listen to it, examine yourself.
Consider. We all have spouses and are ourselves someone's spouse. We want to know our spouse and we deeply want to be known. Correct? I cannot have a fruitful and fullfilling relationship with my spouse if I do not know about her. However, I could study until I knew every possible thing about her and still not know her. I would have to walk with her and talk with her and spend a great deal of time enjoying her company. The knowledge I have should drive me or inspire me to want to be with her. Is that how we are approaching God? I wonder. Do we desire his fellowship, do any of us truly know what Communion with God is? Can we honestly commune with the Father unless we have made his presence a "practice"? Or do we more commonly pray a prayer and then leave without having communed with the Lord of Glory? What if our hastily planned prayer time was a minute shy of the Lord stepping down to visit us? What if we got off of our Knees just one minute to early? I am so guilty of this. Should we not take Brother Paul's advice and seek God's face until he visits us? Is it not his great desire to commune with His children? I wonder what my response would be if my son came into the room while I was sitting their and said, "Hey Dad, I'd like to talk with you. Oh, yeah, I am sorry about forgetting to cut the lawn. Oh, also, can I have $5.00 to spend at the Mall." And just as I was about to respond, he said bye and walked out of the room. What would I feel like? How is it that if we have truly tasted of the fountain of God's Goodness and Grace we could treat prayer so lightly? May God forgive us. He does not treat us such. May we repent and pray for singleness of heart and may the Kingdom of God suffer violence from the throngs of prayers that our little group sends heavenward.
Has anyone taken the time to listen to some of the attached videos? The testimonies to the side are especially touching. Let me call special attention to the third one down to the right side of the blog site. It looks like it has a truck in the snow on the picture. Please listen to it before you read the rest of this blog, never mind the silly music. After you listen to it, examine yourself.
Consider. We all have spouses and are ourselves someone's spouse. We want to know our spouse and we deeply want to be known. Correct? I cannot have a fruitful and fullfilling relationship with my spouse if I do not know about her. However, I could study until I knew every possible thing about her and still not know her. I would have to walk with her and talk with her and spend a great deal of time enjoying her company. The knowledge I have should drive me or inspire me to want to be with her. Is that how we are approaching God? I wonder. Do we desire his fellowship, do any of us truly know what Communion with God is? Can we honestly commune with the Father unless we have made his presence a "practice"? Or do we more commonly pray a prayer and then leave without having communed with the Lord of Glory? What if our hastily planned prayer time was a minute shy of the Lord stepping down to visit us? What if we got off of our Knees just one minute to early? I am so guilty of this. Should we not take Brother Paul's advice and seek God's face until he visits us? Is it not his great desire to commune with His children? I wonder what my response would be if my son came into the room while I was sitting their and said, "Hey Dad, I'd like to talk with you. Oh, yeah, I am sorry about forgetting to cut the lawn. Oh, also, can I have $5.00 to spend at the Mall." And just as I was about to respond, he said bye and walked out of the room. What would I feel like? How is it that if we have truly tasted of the fountain of God's Goodness and Grace we could treat prayer so lightly? May God forgive us. He does not treat us such. May we repent and pray for singleness of heart and may the Kingdom of God suffer violence from the throngs of prayers that our little group sends heavenward.
Urgent Prayer Request
HI ALL,
We hope everyone is doing well. We would like to ask for a great deal of prayer covering for a meeting that is to occur Thursday afternoon in the Republic of Georgia with the US Embassy official, the US Ambassador, and the agency responsible for adoptions in Georgia. This is a very important meeting. The short version is that the meeting will determine if we will travel very shortly to get our son OR if we will face additional red tape and months more of waiting before we can bring Evan home.
Thank you so much for your prayers, we will let you know the outcome as soon as we get word.
Bless you,
Tim & Alicia
We hope everyone is doing well. We would like to ask for a great deal of prayer covering for a meeting that is to occur Thursday afternoon in the Republic of Georgia with the US Embassy official, the US Ambassador, and the agency responsible for adoptions in Georgia. This is a very important meeting. The short version is that the meeting will determine if we will travel very shortly to get our son OR if we will face additional red tape and months more of waiting before we can bring Evan home.
Thank you so much for your prayers, we will let you know the outcome as soon as we get word.
Bless you,
Tim & Alicia
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
One Year Anniversary!
As David and I were traveling together, we realized that it has been one year since the Lord has brought us together that very chilly day in January 2008 as we sat outside of Starbucks learning of each others spiritual journeys. Realizing that we were all at different places in our search for truth(I being in last place) and that we all wanted company along the way, we began planning when we would have our first meeting in David's upper room. Little did we know(I think Doug knew...he knows everything) what God had in store for us! It has been the most life changing and deeply challenging spiritual direction I could have ever imagined! I believe the Holy Spirit has not only drawn us together but has permanently knit our hearts in fellowship with Him. I am humbled by the words I have heard along with the rich teaching I have sat under and the wonderful friends that God has given to Pam and myself. We are excited in what God is doing in this group and appreciate the richness of God's blessing in it all! Looking forward to next week(Ooops, I think I am teaching...this should be interesting!)and every week after.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sinners / Angry God 1/26/09 - David
Praise God for a wonderful meeting. What a wonderful God we serve! Thanks to Tim for his earnestness and faithfulness in preparing the lesson and leading us through "Adam's Posterity and Original Sin." Check out other teachings about TOTAL DEPRAVITY at the Monergism website linked to this site.
We also spoke about SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD by Jonathan Edwards. The transcript can be found at http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/sinners.htm and if any one can find it in audio, please attach it in a comment line and I will link it to the site. It really paints man in his truly vile character and teaches the Justice and Holiness of our God.
UPDATE 01/27/2009 - TIM SAID THAT THE MP3 IS AVAILABLE ON MONERGISM, JUST TYPE IN "ANGRY GOD" AND HIT SEARCH. If someone could make a few CD's I will pay for them and we can give them to everyone in the group.
We finished with the Grace of God in Regeneration which was jumping ahead a little but fit in nicely. I will finish with the following quote:
"To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have power of ourselves to do, is to make the Cross and Grace of Jesus Christ of none effect." John Owen
We also spoke about SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD by Jonathan Edwards. The transcript can be found at http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/sinners.htm and if any one can find it in audio, please attach it in a comment line and I will link it to the site. It really paints man in his truly vile character and teaches the Justice and Holiness of our God.
UPDATE 01/27/2009 - TIM SAID THAT THE MP3 IS AVAILABLE ON MONERGISM, JUST TYPE IN "ANGRY GOD" AND HIT SEARCH. If someone could make a few CD's I will pay for them and we can give them to everyone in the group.
We finished with the Grace of God in Regeneration which was jumping ahead a little but fit in nicely. I will finish with the following quote:
"To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have power of ourselves to do, is to make the Cross and Grace of Jesus Christ of none effect." John Owen
Opening Blog
Everyone,
Welcome to our little groups site! It is my hope that we can use this site to keep up with each other, discuss issues, plan events and all sorts of other things. If you would like to be an author so that you can upload blog topics then please send me your Google Email address and I will add it to the list. If not, you can make comments to existing Blogs. When you make an entry, be sure to put your name in the Title so we can keep up with who is writing what. Thanks again and may God richly bless each one of you.
NOTE: I uploaded the handout, "Does God Love the Sinner but Hate the Sin" yesterday and it can be accessed in the History Box.
NOTE: Please watch the Paul Washer Videos attached at the side and bottom of this page, they are great.
Welcome to our little groups site! It is my hope that we can use this site to keep up with each other, discuss issues, plan events and all sorts of other things. If you would like to be an author so that you can upload blog topics then please send me your Google Email address and I will add it to the list. If not, you can make comments to existing Blogs. When you make an entry, be sure to put your name in the Title so we can keep up with who is writing what. Thanks again and may God richly bless each one of you.
NOTE: I uploaded the handout, "Does God Love the Sinner but Hate the Sin" yesterday and it can be accessed in the History Box.
NOTE: Please watch the Paul Washer Videos attached at the side and bottom of this page, they are great.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Does God Love the Sinner But Hate the Sin?
DOES GOD LOVE THE SINNER BUT HATE THE SIN
Dr. John H. Gerstner
“Repent or Perish” forces people to ponder seriously the popular slogan, “God hates the sin and loves the sinner.” Is a necessary repentance consistent with “God loves the sinner?” If God loves the sinner while he is alive, it is strange that God sends him to hell as soon as he dies. God loves the sinner to death? Loves him to everlasting torment?
There is something wrong here. Either God loves the sinner and will not send him into the furnace of His eternal wrath; or He sends him into His eternal wrath and does not love him. Either “you are going to hell unless” because God hates you, as you are. Or, God loves you and “you are going to hell unless” is false.
What leads almost everyone to believe that God loves the sinner is that God does the sinner so much good. He bestows so many favors including letting him continue to live. How can God let the sinner live and give him so many blessings, unless He loves him? There is a kind of love between God and sinners. We call it the “love of benevolence.” That means the love of good will. Benevolens — willing well. Doing well. God can do well to the sinner without loving him with the other kind of love. “Complacent love,” a pleasure in, affection for, admiration of. It exists in perfection between the Father and the Son, “in whom I am well pleased” (Matt.3:17; Mk.1:11).
God is perfectly displeased with the sinner. The sinner hates God, disobeys God, is ungrateful to God for all His favors, would kill God if he could. He is dead in trespasses and sins. (Eph.2:1) “The thoughts and intents of his heart are only evil continually.” (Gen.6:5) He is the slave of sin (John 8:34), the servant of the devil, (Eph.2:2).
God has no complacent love for the sinner at all. He has a perfect hatred of him, “I hate them with a perfect hatred.” (Ps. 139:22)
Why does God do so much good for those He perfectly hates and as soon as they die impenitent send them immediately to hell and never in all eternity does them one solitary favor more? It is to show His willingness to forgive the sinner if only he will repent. It shows the sincerity of God’s willingness to pardon the greatest sinner that, even while He hates him with a perfect hatred, He showers him with constant daily blessings.
As I mentioned in Chapter 1, there is no “problem of pain.” The only problem is the “problem of pleasure.” Dreadful as it is, it is not surprising that God sends sinners to hell. The problem is why He does not do it sooner. Why does God let a hell-deserving sinner live a minute and then let him prosper like the green bay tree (Ps.37:35), as well? It is obvious that God can destroy the ungrateful. Why doesn’t He? That is the problem.
Yes, the sinner suffers, too. But so little. It is a gentle reminder: though the sinner receives many divine favors, that does not mean that God is pleased with him. It is in spite of the fact that God hates him with a perfect hatred.
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Rom.2:4)
Our text also shows that the one reason a sinner is permitted to be born into and enjoy this world rather than wake up as an infant in hell is that God, with His love of benevolence, is determined to give the sinner a “chance,” an opportunity to repent. Alas, most sinners use it as a chance to sin! They make God’s blessed love of benevolence into a curse.
In this world the sinner enjoys nothing but the benevolent love of God. Every experience of pain as well as pleasure is from God’s love — of benevolence. Even pain is from love because it tends to wake the sinner to his danger. God indeed loves the sinner, whom He hates with a perfect hatred, with a perfect love of benevolence.
The sinner, as I said, makes every divine blessing into a curse including God’s love of benevolence. This he does by construing a love of benevolence as a love of complacency.
Construing God’s love of benevolence as a love of complacency is fatal. Instead of the divine forbearance leading to repentance, it is used as an excuse for non-repentance. Thus the sinner is not saved but damned by God’s love of benevolence.
God “loves” the sinner benevolently and hates the sinner displacently. If the sinner dies impenitent, God removes His love of benevolence and pours out the full wrath of his displacent love.
As far as “hatred of sins” is concerned, sins do not exist apart from the sinner. God does hate sinning, killing, stealing, lying, lusting, etc., but this alludes to the perpetrator of these crimes.
God never hates the redeemed even when they sin. Is He an unfair respecter of persons? No! (Act. 10:34) God hates the unredeemed sinner but loves the redeemed even when they sin for a good and just reason. God loves the redeemed even when they sin because His Son, in whom God is always well-pleased, ever lives to make intercession for them. (Rom.8:27, 34) Christ died to atone for the guilt of His people’s sins. When they sin, these are atoned-for sins. They are sins with their guilt removed. In one sense, they are not sins at all. God does not hate His people when they sin because they are in His Son, Christ Jesus. And they are made acceptable in His Son. He “has made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph. 1:6)
Divine nepotism? No, His Son died for these people and paid the price for their sins past, present, and future. They are cancelled before they are committed. That is truth, not fiction. Righteousness, not nepotistic favoritism. In fact, it is not their original relationship to Christ which makes their sins guiltless, but Christ’s making satisfaction for their sins that created the relationship as children adopted into the family of God.
God, in hot displeasure, chastens His people when they sin (Ps.6: 1; 38:1). It is not hatred but complacent love in Christ Jesus. “Whom the Lord loves He chastens.” (Heb. 12:6,7) God loves His people even when He afflicts them and hates the impenitent even when He befriends them.
Why the chastening when there is love? God blessed the wicked when there was holy hatred. Now He chastens His people when there is holy love. This is because true moral behavior must be perfected. No sin can be tolerated in those for whom Christ died. He died to purchase a “peculiar people zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14) Being redeemed, so far from tolerating their sinning, precludes it. Anyone who persists in sinning proves thereby that he is not a child of God. God punishes His own especially because they are His children. “You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth: Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (Amos 3:2)
“Upright” man was promised and warned. A holy, just, and perfect God would promise and warn. Eternal life — if obedient. Instant death — the moment of disobedience. (Gen.3:5; Ecc.7:29)
When man sinned, he died spiritually and was rejected from communion with God his maker and friend. (Gen.3; Rom. 5:12ff) The wrath of God was upon him; labor was his lot; suffering in childbirth; alienation and death, as threatened. God is holy; of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. (Hab. 1:13)
Yet mortal man “lived” on (though to live in pleasure is death, 1 Tim. 5:6), and so did promise. When the angels sinned they perished without delay, without promise, without hope.
Man’s fate was better and worse than the fallen angels’ lot. It was a day of possible salvation but also of possible greater damnation, greater damnation for sinning away the day of possible salvation. God in His wrath; God in His mercy; at the same time.
This was a terrible but holy wrath. God was using His omnipotent power but according to His perfect justice. Man was affected but he deserved it. It was no more, no less, than he deserved. God is no more powerful than holy; no more holy than powerful.
As man continued to sin, God continued to increase His fury. His wrath is in no hurry. The record is kept, all accounts receivable. Every idle word will be brought into judgment (Matt. 12:36). The cup of iniquity must be filled. Then wrath to the uttermost. (1 Thess. 2:16) God’s glory shines in the perfection of His work.
But — God decreed the sin, (Prov. 16:4). Yes, for good and for glory. Man did it for evil and for shame.
A little sin and infinite wrath? A little sin against an infinite God is infinite. Wrath is in perfect proportion to the guilt. But even if the punishment were finite it would go in “infinitely,” unendingly, because the sinner continues to sin in resenting it.
All glory to God for His holy anger. (John 17:3; Rom.9:17f)
Author
Dr. John H. Gerstner was born in Tampa, Florida, and raised in Pennsylvania. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Dr. Gerstner pastored several churches before accepting a professorship at Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, where he taught church history for over 30 years. He served as a visiting professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and adjunct professor at Knox Theological Seminary in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Dr. Gerstner was also professor-at-large for Ligonier Ministries for many years, and recorded numerous lectures on audio and video for that organization.
Dr. Gerstner was a stalwart champion of the cause of reformed theology and, in particular, the teachings of Jonathan Edwards. He was called home to be with the Lord in March 1996.
Dr. John H. Gerstner
“Repent or Perish” forces people to ponder seriously the popular slogan, “God hates the sin and loves the sinner.” Is a necessary repentance consistent with “God loves the sinner?” If God loves the sinner while he is alive, it is strange that God sends him to hell as soon as he dies. God loves the sinner to death? Loves him to everlasting torment?
There is something wrong here. Either God loves the sinner and will not send him into the furnace of His eternal wrath; or He sends him into His eternal wrath and does not love him. Either “you are going to hell unless” because God hates you, as you are. Or, God loves you and “you are going to hell unless” is false.
What leads almost everyone to believe that God loves the sinner is that God does the sinner so much good. He bestows so many favors including letting him continue to live. How can God let the sinner live and give him so many blessings, unless He loves him? There is a kind of love between God and sinners. We call it the “love of benevolence.” That means the love of good will. Benevolens — willing well. Doing well. God can do well to the sinner without loving him with the other kind of love. “Complacent love,” a pleasure in, affection for, admiration of. It exists in perfection between the Father and the Son, “in whom I am well pleased” (Matt.3:17; Mk.1:11).
God is perfectly displeased with the sinner. The sinner hates God, disobeys God, is ungrateful to God for all His favors, would kill God if he could. He is dead in trespasses and sins. (Eph.2:1) “The thoughts and intents of his heart are only evil continually.” (Gen.6:5) He is the slave of sin (John 8:34), the servant of the devil, (Eph.2:2).
God has no complacent love for the sinner at all. He has a perfect hatred of him, “I hate them with a perfect hatred.” (Ps. 139:22)
Why does God do so much good for those He perfectly hates and as soon as they die impenitent send them immediately to hell and never in all eternity does them one solitary favor more? It is to show His willingness to forgive the sinner if only he will repent. It shows the sincerity of God’s willingness to pardon the greatest sinner that, even while He hates him with a perfect hatred, He showers him with constant daily blessings.
As I mentioned in Chapter 1, there is no “problem of pain.” The only problem is the “problem of pleasure.” Dreadful as it is, it is not surprising that God sends sinners to hell. The problem is why He does not do it sooner. Why does God let a hell-deserving sinner live a minute and then let him prosper like the green bay tree (Ps.37:35), as well? It is obvious that God can destroy the ungrateful. Why doesn’t He? That is the problem.
Yes, the sinner suffers, too. But so little. It is a gentle reminder: though the sinner receives many divine favors, that does not mean that God is pleased with him. It is in spite of the fact that God hates him with a perfect hatred.
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Rom.2:4)
Our text also shows that the one reason a sinner is permitted to be born into and enjoy this world rather than wake up as an infant in hell is that God, with His love of benevolence, is determined to give the sinner a “chance,” an opportunity to repent. Alas, most sinners use it as a chance to sin! They make God’s blessed love of benevolence into a curse.
In this world the sinner enjoys nothing but the benevolent love of God. Every experience of pain as well as pleasure is from God’s love — of benevolence. Even pain is from love because it tends to wake the sinner to his danger. God indeed loves the sinner, whom He hates with a perfect hatred, with a perfect love of benevolence.
The sinner, as I said, makes every divine blessing into a curse including God’s love of benevolence. This he does by construing a love of benevolence as a love of complacency.
Construing God’s love of benevolence as a love of complacency is fatal. Instead of the divine forbearance leading to repentance, it is used as an excuse for non-repentance. Thus the sinner is not saved but damned by God’s love of benevolence.
God “loves” the sinner benevolently and hates the sinner displacently. If the sinner dies impenitent, God removes His love of benevolence and pours out the full wrath of his displacent love.
As far as “hatred of sins” is concerned, sins do not exist apart from the sinner. God does hate sinning, killing, stealing, lying, lusting, etc., but this alludes to the perpetrator of these crimes.
God never hates the redeemed even when they sin. Is He an unfair respecter of persons? No! (Act. 10:34) God hates the unredeemed sinner but loves the redeemed even when they sin for a good and just reason. God loves the redeemed even when they sin because His Son, in whom God is always well-pleased, ever lives to make intercession for them. (Rom.8:27, 34) Christ died to atone for the guilt of His people’s sins. When they sin, these are atoned-for sins. They are sins with their guilt removed. In one sense, they are not sins at all. God does not hate His people when they sin because they are in His Son, Christ Jesus. And they are made acceptable in His Son. He “has made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph. 1:6)
Divine nepotism? No, His Son died for these people and paid the price for their sins past, present, and future. They are cancelled before they are committed. That is truth, not fiction. Righteousness, not nepotistic favoritism. In fact, it is not their original relationship to Christ which makes their sins guiltless, but Christ’s making satisfaction for their sins that created the relationship as children adopted into the family of God.
God, in hot displeasure, chastens His people when they sin (Ps.6: 1; 38:1). It is not hatred but complacent love in Christ Jesus. “Whom the Lord loves He chastens.” (Heb. 12:6,7) God loves His people even when He afflicts them and hates the impenitent even when He befriends them.
Why the chastening when there is love? God blessed the wicked when there was holy hatred. Now He chastens His people when there is holy love. This is because true moral behavior must be perfected. No sin can be tolerated in those for whom Christ died. He died to purchase a “peculiar people zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14) Being redeemed, so far from tolerating their sinning, precludes it. Anyone who persists in sinning proves thereby that he is not a child of God. God punishes His own especially because they are His children. “You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth: Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (Amos 3:2)
“Upright” man was promised and warned. A holy, just, and perfect God would promise and warn. Eternal life — if obedient. Instant death — the moment of disobedience. (Gen.3:5; Ecc.7:29)
When man sinned, he died spiritually and was rejected from communion with God his maker and friend. (Gen.3; Rom. 5:12ff) The wrath of God was upon him; labor was his lot; suffering in childbirth; alienation and death, as threatened. God is holy; of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. (Hab. 1:13)
Yet mortal man “lived” on (though to live in pleasure is death, 1 Tim. 5:6), and so did promise. When the angels sinned they perished without delay, without promise, without hope.
Man’s fate was better and worse than the fallen angels’ lot. It was a day of possible salvation but also of possible greater damnation, greater damnation for sinning away the day of possible salvation. God in His wrath; God in His mercy; at the same time.
This was a terrible but holy wrath. God was using His omnipotent power but according to His perfect justice. Man was affected but he deserved it. It was no more, no less, than he deserved. God is no more powerful than holy; no more holy than powerful.
As man continued to sin, God continued to increase His fury. His wrath is in no hurry. The record is kept, all accounts receivable. Every idle word will be brought into judgment (Matt. 12:36). The cup of iniquity must be filled. Then wrath to the uttermost. (1 Thess. 2:16) God’s glory shines in the perfection of His work.
But — God decreed the sin, (Prov. 16:4). Yes, for good and for glory. Man did it for evil and for shame.
A little sin and infinite wrath? A little sin against an infinite God is infinite. Wrath is in perfect proportion to the guilt. But even if the punishment were finite it would go in “infinitely,” unendingly, because the sinner continues to sin in resenting it.
All glory to God for His holy anger. (John 17:3; Rom.9:17f)
Author
Dr. John H. Gerstner was born in Tampa, Florida, and raised in Pennsylvania. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Dr. Gerstner pastored several churches before accepting a professorship at Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, where he taught church history for over 30 years. He served as a visiting professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and adjunct professor at Knox Theological Seminary in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Dr. Gerstner was also professor-at-large for Ligonier Ministries for many years, and recorded numerous lectures on audio and video for that organization.
Dr. Gerstner was a stalwart champion of the cause of reformed theology and, in particular, the teachings of Jonathan Edwards. He was called home to be with the Lord in March 1996.
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