Universal invitations incompatible with the very concept of redemption
We are aware that while the arminians will, irrespective of what the truth of God really is, or what awful consequents such a saying must involve, as that of making out God to be but like one of themselves in the final issues of the mightiest work of his arm, unreservedly say that `There are thousands in hell for whom Christ died, who might have been in heaven.' Many of the duty faith and universal invitation men will not out and out say so much, nor speak so plain on the absolute failure and coming to nothing of the redemption work of Christ; but with much more studied cunning, aim at a sort of middle way, by so construing Christ's
redemption as that all men individually might go to heaven by it, and so as to make it out the duty of all men to do so, and that all men should be exhorted and invited to do so accordingly; and so making out the redemption of Christ as a kind of might be universal, and yet so as to be complete, and in no way failing, though it be finally but particular only in its real saving effects.
And to establish this more cunning than wise, more subtle than true, more diabolical than righteous and divine scheme, no pains have been spared to denounce and discard every thing in the shape and character of a direct and honourable commercial transaction from the atonement and redemption work of Christ; because any thing in the nature, order, and character of a commercial transaction considered therein, would determine the work of Christ to be too exact, definite, particular and certain, on grounds of equity, and not leave it loose, vague, indiscriminate, unmeaning and uncertain enough, to allow place for universal invitations with any sort of countenance; and so it has been said, `The redemption work of Christ is no bargain.' But the very word redemption of itself carries every thing in it that belongs to the nature, order and character of a commercial transaction; as in that of a real outlay or price paid, one that pays it, one that receives `the price of redemption,' and an object freed and rescued by such price paid, or outlay made. Sins are compared to debts, sinners to debtors, and the offended to a creditor, Matt vi 12; Luke xi 4; vii 41,42. And the church is said to be `bought with a price,' 1 Cor vi 20; and to be the Lord's `purchased possession,' Eph i 14, `which he hath purchased with his own blood,' Acts xx 28. If to purchase with a price ever was a commercial transaction, the redemption of Christ is hereby declared to be in the very nature and order of such a transaction, by a real purchase, with a real price, to a real possession. And as to a'bargain,' there is so much of the specificate nature and order of a determinate bargain in the redemption work of Christ, that he is at once called a surety, with an `Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?' Heb vii 22; Luke xxiv 26. And from whence comes this ought on Christ, but from a contract-like engagement entered into according to all the afore-written scriptures concerning him? Luke xxiv 44,46. And what is this glory that he ought and will enter into, but the entire possession of all the mediatorial rights and claims stipulated to him on his accomplishment of his sufferings? Luke ix 30,31. And what are those rights and claims of Christ, as Mediator, less than the full and immortal possession and life, in his own life, of
all and every one for whom he made `amends for the harm done,' Lev v 16, whom he redeemed from the curse of the law, unto God by his blood, made peace for, and reconciled to God by the death of his cross, through his full discharge of his contracted ought of sufferings for them, saying, `It is finished?' The glory of Christ lies not in his sufferings, but in the issues perfectly secured, according to the purposed ends and designs thereof; and so he suffers first, and then enters into his glory of a perfect possession of the fruits thereof, without defect or failure; even as the Holy Spirit in the prophets `testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.'
Now to say, for the purpose of making out some sort of a plea for universal invitations, that Christ's redemption is really in any way or form universal, while salvation evidently is not so to a large extent, is, - (1) To say there was none of that order and regularity in it, nor final issue determined, as recorded of it in the truth of the above scriptures. (2) That there is that in the redemption of Christ that might be for good, but will in reality be altogether fruitless and in vain to as large an extent as salvation is not universal. (3) That the sins of all those who are not saved, will, contrary to all laws, human and divine, be twice punished, and that in the full penalty of the guilt thereof by law each time; first, in Christ being made a curse to the full amount the righteous law of God could curse their sins on him as their surety, and next in their being fully damned for the same sins, as though Christ had not suffered for those sins at all; while the sins of those who go to heaven, are but once punished in the sufferings of Christ; and which sufferings were for them a complete atonement and eternal redemption obtained, without once consulting their goodwill or their ill will, whereby to make it to them effectually, eternal redemption. (4) That the will of men, and not the sufferings of Christ, is to determine his entry into his final salvation glory, and the final number of the redeemed inhabitants of heaven. (5) That in regard to the lost, God the Father knowingly punished Christ in vain, and that Christ suffered knowingly in vain, or God the Father must be denied the perfection of his foreknowledge of the ‘end from the beginning;' and Christ's Godhead and foreknowledge must be denied, and he be considered to suffer in ignorance, and as a short-sighted man only, as to the final effects thereof.
These appear to me to be awful conclusions, and yet they are only what universal notions of redemption, as an only plea for universal invitations, must bring us to. The first sin on earth was a sort of religious sin, in man's aspiring to be as God; and now the awful religious sin on the earth is, a making God out to be as one of us, and to wait for the will of man; but without this there is no footing, countenance, or plausible plea whatever, that can be made out for universal invitations; as they must ever stand a direct contradiction to every doctrine of discriminating and sovereign grace; and especially so to the scripture truth of the atonement and redemption of Christ as particular, and as the infallibly determinate boundary of God's salvation covenant, purpose, and promise in, and by Christ Jesus our Lord; and for these reasons I have drawn out my remarks to the length I have on redemption, and shall now pursue another course of ideas on duty faith.
(Duty Faith by John Foreman)
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Duty-faith Expositions
- 06 Joshua 24:15 - Choose you this day whom ye will serve (1)
- 19 Psalm 02:12 - Kiss the Son (3)
- 19 Psalm 04:05 - Put your trust in the LORD (2)
- 19 Psalm 10:4 - Seek after God (1)
- 19 Psalm 40:8 - Delight to do thy will (1)
- 2. Prayers by Robert Hawker (4)
- 20 Proverbs 01:22-30 - Turn ye at my reproof (4)
- 20 Proverbs 08:17 - Seek me early (1)
- 20 Proverbs 08:17 - Understand wisdom (1)
- 20 Proverbs 23:26 - Give me thine heart (1)
- 40 Matthew 03:2 - Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (2)
- 40 Matthew 05-07 (1)
- 40 Matthew 11:21 - They would have repented (2)
- 40 Matthew 13:19 - Lest he should believe and be saved (1)
- 40 Matthew 13:58 - Because of their unbelief (1)
- 40 Matthew 19:16 - What good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life (1)
- 40 Matthew 21:28-32 - The two sons (1)
- 40 Matthew 22:01-14 - As many as ye shall find bid to the marriage (3)
- 40 Matthew 23:37 - Ye would not (1)
- 41 Mark 01:15 - Repent ye and believe the Gospel (1)
- 41 Mark 05:36 - Be not afraid only believe (1)
- 41 Mark 06:12 - They preached that men should repent (1)
- 41 Mark 12:01-9 - The wicked husbandmen (1)
- 41 Mark 16:16 - He that believeth not shall be damned (5)
- 42 Luke 03:3 - Preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (1)
- 42 Luke 07:50 - Thy faith hath saved thee (1)
- 42 Luke 13:03 - Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish (1)
- 42 Luke 13:24 - Strive to enter in at the strait gate (2)
- 42 Luke 14:16-24 - Compel them to come in that my house may be filled (2)
- 42 Luke 19:27 - Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them (2)
- 42 Luke 24:47 - Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name (1)
- 43 John 03:18-19 - He that believeth not is condemned already (1)
- 43 John 03:36 - He that believeth not the Son shall not see life (1)
- 43 John 06:27 - [Labour] for that meat which endureth unto eternal life (2)
- 43 John 06:29 - This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent (3)
- 43 John 06:37 - Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out (1)
- 43 John 06:53 - Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood (1)
- 43 John 08:46 - If I say the truth why do ye not believe Me (1)
- 43 John 10:24-29 - Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep (1)
- 43 John 12:36 - believe in the light that ye might be the children of light (3)
- 43 John 14:1 - Ye believe in God believe also in me (2)
- 43 John 16:8-9 - He will reprove the world of sin because they believe not on me (2)
- 43 John 20:31 - These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God (1)
- 44 Acts 17:30-31 - [God] now commandeth all men every where to repent (3)
- 45 Romans 01:05 - Obedience to the faith (1)
- 45 Romans 04:23-24 - If we believe (1)
- 45 Romans 05:01 - Being justified by faith (1)
- 45 Romans 10:16 - They have not all obeyed the Gospel (1)
- 45 Romans 9:31-32 - They sought it not by faith (1)
- 47 2Corinthians 04:3-4 - Them that believe not (1)
- 62 1John 1:09 - If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (1)
- 62 1John 2:01 - We have an advocate with the Father (1)
- 66 Revelation 22:17 - Whosoever will (1)
Free Grace Expositions
- DG19 - Psalm 003:08 - Salvation belongeth unto the LORD (1)
- DG23 - Isa 01:4-9 - A people laden with iniquity (1)
- DG23 - Isa 02:02 - All nations shall flow unto it (1)
- DG23 - Isa 03:10 - It shall be well with him (1)
- DG23 - Isa 04:03-4 - Every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem (1)
- DG23 - Isa 43:24-25 - He that blotteth out thy transgressions (1)
- DG43 - John 01:05 - The darkness comprehended it not (1)
- DG43 - John 03:03-8 - Ye must be born again (1)
- DG43 - John 04:04 - He must needs go through Samaria (1)
- DG43 - John 08:34-36 - ye shall be free indeed (1)
- DG43 - John 11:47-53 - He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad (1)
- DG45 - Rom 01:05-7 - By whom we have received grace (1)
- DG45 - Rom 07:01-4 - She is free from that law (1)
- DG46 - 1Co 01:02-3 - Unto the church of God (1)
- DG46 - 1Co 01:08-9 - Confirm you unto the end (1)
- DG46 - 1Co 01:18 and 21 - Preaching to save them that believe (1)
- DG46 - 1Co 01:26-29 - God hath chosen (1)
- DG46 - 1Co 01:30-31 - Of him are ye in Christ Jesus (1)
- DG46 - 1Co 02:14 and 16 - We have the mind of Christ (1)
- DG46 - 1Co 03:21-23 - All are yours and ye are Christ's (1)
- DG49 - Eph 1:04-5 - He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world (1)
- DG49 - Eph 2:08-9 - By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves (1)
- DG50 - Php 1:01-2 - Grace be unto you (1)
- DG50 - Php 1:06 - A good work in you (1)
- DG50 - Php 1:29 - Unto you it is given (1)
- DG50 - Php 3:21 - Fashioned like unto his glorious body (1)
- DG50 - Php 4:02-3 - Whose names are in the book of life (1)
- DG50 - Php 4:08-9 - The God of peace shall be with you (1)
- DG50 - Php 4:13 and 19 - Christ which strengtheneth me (1)
- DG60 - 1Pe 2:24 - His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree (1)
Topics
- Q-Against Duty Faith (38)
- Q-Against Indiscriminate Offers (2)
- Q-Antinomianism (7)
- Q-Arminianism (4)
- Q-Assurance (3)
- Q-Baxterianism (4)
- Q-Believer's Rule of Life (4)
- Q-Biographies (1)
- Q-Church Ordinances (4)
- Q-Comfort (12)
- Q-Compassion for the Lost (2)
- Q-Divorce and Remarriage (3)
- Q-Electing Love (6)
- Q-Encouragement to Pray (4)
- Q-Eternal Sonship Defended (3)
- Q-False Teachers (20)
- Q-Gospel Error and False Brethren (3)
- Q-Guilt Transferred to Christ (13)
- Q-Hymns (2)
- Q-Infant salvation (2)
- Q-Justification from Eternity (7)
- Q-Law and Gospel Distinction (2)
- Q-Neonomianism (8)
- Q-Particular Redemption (12)
- Q-Providence (10)
- Q-Regeneration precedes Conversion (6)
- Q-Sanctification (6)
- Q-Sensible Sinners (2)
- Q-Testimonies (6)
- Q-The Gospel Call (8)
- Q-The Nature of Faith (10)
- Q-The Old and New Man (2)
- Q-The Proper use of the Law (9)
- Q-Time Salvation [Gospel Salvation] (3)
- Rewards According to Labor (1)
- Time Salvation [Gospel Salvation] (6)