The offer of the gospel

[alt731]

Hi all,

Perhaps someone could help me out with this. Please could someone provide a list of quotes of where is the gospel offered to ANYBODY in scripture? Could someone provide a list of quotes of where it is claimed that the Gospel is offered to all in scripture? And could someone provide a list of quotes where the gospel is clearly offered only to the elect in scripture?

[Robert R. Higby]

Wrong forum!

Christ is not 'offered' in the scriptures at all. He is not offered to the non-elect, neither is He offered to the elect.

Christ is PROCLAIMED (preached) to all nations with the declaration that ALL WHO BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED. Not that they are justified for the first time WHEN they believe, but the fact that they come to faith is evidence that they are justified in God's eternal purpose ratified at the cross.

--Bob

[alt731]

Wrong forum!

Christ is not 'offered' in the scriptures at all. He is not offered to the non-elect, neither is He offered to the elect.

Christ is PROCLAIMED (preached) to all nations with the declaration that ALL WHO BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED. Not that they are justified for the first time WHEN they believe, but the fact that they come to faith is evidence that they are justified in God's eternal purpose ratified at the cross.

--Bob

I was told by someone the other day that he rejected the free offer of the gospel, believing the gospel is only offered to the elect. I got wondering where in scripture the gospel is offered to the elect. I couldn't seem to remember ever reading an offer of Christ. But I was interested to know where some believe he is offered to the elect, and where others believe he is offered to the reprobate. So I had a search on the internet for some Arminian websites that might tackle the issue. But to my surprise, the Arminians don't seem to talk about this issue much, and I couldn't seem to find a good number of quotes. They usually have at least a few scriptures that they've twisted. But then I remembered that this is the sort of issue that the people at PreDesNet would probably have talked about, so I came here.

So, if an offer takes the form of, "if you do this, then in response I will do that" and Jesus said, "come unto me...and I will give you rest" which takes the form of, "do this, and I will do that" then the differences are as follows (in CAPS):

1) "IF YOU . . . do this, . . . . THEN IN RESPONSE . . . . . . I will do that"
2) " . . . . . . . Do this, . . . . . . . . . AND . . . . . . . . . . . . I will do that"

But isn't 2 still an offer?

[Robert R. Higby]

The preceding context of Mt. 11:28, which you quoted, is this:

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

So Mt. 11:28 is not an offer of the gospel, it is a commandment to some (the weary and heavy-laden) to whom the Son has already revealed Himself.

[alt731]

The preceding context of Mt. 11:28, which you quoted, is this:

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

So Mt. 11:28 is not an offer of the gospel, it is a commandment to some (the weary and heavy-laden) to whom the Son has already revealed Himself.

So what you're saying is that Jesus’ words consist of a commandment and a promise?

"Do this" or rather, "Come to me" being the commandment. And "I will do that" or rather, "I will give you rest" being the promise? But crucially, you are not saying that the promise is conditioned on those whom he spoke of (those who, "labour and are heavy laden") keeping the commandment? So according to you the form of the meaning of Jesus' words takes more of a, "I command you to do this, and I know you will do it, and I mention in addition (because it relates to what I just said), that I will do that" structure, than a, "if you do this then I will do that" structure? Is my interpretation of what you're saying correct?

[Robert R. Higby]

So what you're saying is that Jesus’ words consist of a commandment and a promise?

"Do this" or rather, "Come to me" being the commandment. And "I will do that" or rather, "I will give you rest" being the promise? But crucially, you are not saying that the promise is conditioned on those whom he spoke of (those who, "labour and are heavy laden") keeping the commandment? So according to you the form of the meaning of Jesus' words takes more of a, "I command you to do this, and I know you will do it, and I mention in addition (because it relates to what I just said), that I will do that" structure, than a, "if you do this then I will do that" structure? Is my interpretation of what you're saying correct?

Pretty much, yes. It is definitely not a conditionalist "do this and I'll do that" command but a "good news" statement of the rest provided in Christ for those who are tired of the works-centered life. Again, yes, it is addressing believers who already are eager to come to Christ for all needs and not the world in general.

[GraceAmbassador]

I don't want to advertise anyone's Web Site here, but I think this article to be relevant to point to where the FREE OFFER watered down of the Gospel doctrine came from.

Now, note that the author, a good man, does not say that the FREE OFFER came from the problems and issues with which he deals in the article, neither does he uses the terms "the FREE OFFER waters down the Gospel". This is purely my conclusion. Perhaps if you read this article you will also find where such dilution comes from:

http://churchmousec.wordpress.com/20...the-marrowmen/

I believe that the "Reformed" Baptists, the low grace Presbyterians, and other forms of weakeners of the Gospel message took their doctrines, which include, but is not limited to, the FREE OFFER, the SUFFICIENCY/EFFICIENCY dichotomy from the people mentioned in this article, such as Arminius, Amyraut, and a few others.

Anyway, I hope no one thinks that my quoting of the article here implies BLIND endorsement of the Anglican Reformed Church, although I nurture an admiration for a few Reformed Anglicans that crossed my path in this life.

Milt

[Robert R. Higby]

And let us not forget the notorious Andrew Fuller, the ultimate free-offer pervert and father of hypo-calvinist evanjellyfishanity! Spurgeonism on the Baptist side and Dabneyism on the Presbyterian side are mere populist re-statements of Fuller. The mega-masses into this stuff now are still following the same old deceivers of the past, just like they follow the Roman Catholic theology of God's sovereignty being subject to 'eternal law and justice'.

[Dahlseide]

I got into small discussion when I said almost word for word what you said. But then I added that I am warranted to anxiously (?) pray that all who hear my voice, will hear & believe.

[GraceAmbassador]

The preceding context of Mt. 11:28, which you quoted, is this:

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

So Mt. 11:28 is not an offer of the gospel, it is a commandment to some (the weary and heavy-laden) to whom the Son has already revealed Himself.

Funny (and TRAGIC) that very few people notice that Jesus Himself said on this text: I thank you that you have HIDDEN.... and that you have REVEALED...

Neither verb implies an NO-OFFER, OR AN OFFER!

God DOES NOT OFFER THE GOSPEL TO ANYONE: He HIDES from one group and REVEALS to another at His choosing (according to the power of His will as Paul say many times)

Thank Bob!

Milt

[Robert R. Higby]

Thanks Milt for that additional observation, it was very timely and helpful!

Dahlseide: I got into small discussion when I said almost word for word what you said. But then I added that I am warranted to anxiously (?) pray that all who hear my voice, will hear & believe

This is always a hard issue for many gospel believers; those who would stake their lives on the truth of God's sovereign election by pure Grace--extended only on the basis of Christ's work.

There are two extremes here:

1. We pray for no one in particular to be saved because the individual who is the object of prayer may be non-elect in God's plan.

2. We pray for every person to be saved with no special petition regarding anyone, since it is impossible to know who is God's elect.

It is true that in praying for the salvation of someone, we might be praying contrary to the sovereign purpose of God. We might hope, pray, and act (gospel proclamation) for the salvation of our children, family members, friends, neighbors, and others we have a special burden for (for whatever reason). It is important to understand that in doing this we are being discriminatory, since we do not equally and specially pray for a whole lot of others whom we either do not know or have a certain sense of their likely non-elect status. So in all this, we are only acting in the likeness of a God who sets His special electing grace upon SOME--though we certainly cannot pray completely in harmony with God's saving or damning purposes, since there is no perfect knowledge on our part of who is elect and non-elect.

Bro. Bob