Consistency, thou art a jewel.
Inconsistency, thou art a peddler of lies.
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The Argument on the Well-meant Offer of Salvation
In a nutshell, as I understand it:
- God decreed and purposed salvation for His elect.
- Christ executed that purpose and secured salvation for the same.
- The Spirit applies that salvation to each elect, dead in trespasses and sins, in the effectual call out of his native state of sin and death.
God sends His preachers, either
- to well-meaningly offer the salvation to all, or
- to call all those whom He has already effectually called to believe the truth of their salvation by His free and sovereign grace in Jesus Christ.
The choice is simple; only one of the two choices is consistent with the Scriptures.
Many, even the reformed folks, believe that God's decretive will and His preceptive will are different! That's a fable at best, schizophrenic at worst. Man may be schizophrenic; God, never. To suggest otherwise is blasphemous. I believe the prescriptive will of God is in perfect harmony with His decretive will.
Apostle Paul summarized his whole ministry thus, "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes..." I conclude that the gospel ministry, consistent with the particular redemption, is intended for and relevant only to the effectually called elect.
Christ's recommissioning of the regathered Apostles spelt out the nature of the ministry of the word, "feed... feed... feed..." The simple question is, feed who?
Just my feeble thought.
Consistency, thou art a jewel.
Inconsistency, thou art a peddler of lies.
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