This one-sided emphasis on what man may do and must do in order to be saved without mention of the truth that the sinner can do nothing unless God first performs the wonder of His grace upon him, is characteristic of most collections of hymns in distinction from the beautiful and mighty Psalms. And this one-sided presentation of the matter of salvation also predominates in modern, so-called evangelical preaching.
And so the way is prepared for that caricature of gospel preaching, that consists chiefly in begging the sinner to come to Jesus before it is too late, leaves the false impression with him that it is quite in his power to come today or tomorrow, or whatever time may be convenient to him, and that presents a very willing but powerless Jesus, that would be ever so pleased to save the sinner, but is incapable to do so unless the sinner gives his consent. The "whosoever will may come" is presented as meaning: "All men can will to come whenever they please." And instead of the truth of the gospel that no man can come to Christ unless the Father draw him, we now hear: "No Christ can come to the sinner, except the sinner permit him."
Here is a fair example of it: "God is ready, God is willing, God is eager, God is anxious, God is pleading for the privilege of washing away the sins of every soul in the precious blood of His Son and heir. But his hands are tied, His power is limited, His grace is constrained by you.
If you want to be saved, God is willing to save you. If you don't want to be saved, there isn't anything that even God can do to rescue you from that pit of eternal burning."
That is what becomes of the preaching of the gospel when the truth of God's sovereign grace is either forgotten or denied. Call it the gospel, if you like; to me it is nothing short of blasphemy of the name of the living God! An anxious and pleading God, whose power is limited, and whose hands may be tied by the proud and stubborn sinner, who is less than dust of the balance, is no God, but a miserable idol!
And, therefore, I repeat: "Send the proclamation over vale and hill: whosoever will may come," provided you proclaim it, not as the whole gospel, but as only part of it, and that you do not fail to emphasize the other part: "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."
God is God. And He is the Lord, also in the matter of the salvation of the sinner. How these two, the sovereign will and grace of God, and the sinner's will to come, are related we hope to expound in future talks on this subject. Several questions are involved in this subject that must be answered. Whosoever will may come to whom, or to what? And for what purpose, to seek what, or to receive what, do they come? What does it mean to come? And how is it possible for the sinner to come?
But even now we must indicate in a general way what is the relation between the sovereign will of God to save, and the will of man to come. That this relation is not such, that the will of God depends on the will of man, so that the will of God is impotent to save unless man's will consents to be saved, is evident from all Scripture, and clearly follows from the simple but very fundamental truth that God is the Lord.
Nor is the relation one of mere cooperation, as if man were a party in relation to God, and the will of man and of God meet and work together in the matter of the sinner's salvation. God is GOD! Over against Him man is never a party. To speak of cooperation between God and man, is like speaking of cooperation between the potter and his clay in the formation of a vessel. But that revelation is such that God's merciful and gracious will of salvation is ever first, mighty, irresistible, efficacious, operating upon the will the sinner in such a way that he desires and longs and determines to come. The will to come on the part of the sinner is the fruit of the saving grace of God working in him mightily unto salvation. No one can come to Christ unless the Father draw him!
And thus, he that will come may be quite sure that he may come, and that he will surely be received. Christ will not cast him out. His will to come is a sure manifestation of God's eternal purpose of salvation concerning him, and of the drawing power of His grace.
Do you will to come to Christ? Is it your desire to come to Him as the Fount of living water, that you may drink? Do you long to come to Him as the Bread of life that you may eat? Do not hesitate, then! Do not stand afar off, discovering a thousand reasons in yourselves, why you could not possibly be received.
For "whosoever will" may surely come and take of the water of life freely, because "whosoever will" is already drawn by the Father! You may hear the word of Christ: "All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out !"
And so the way is prepared for that caricature of gospel preaching, that consists chiefly in begging the sinner to come to Jesus before it is too late, leaves the false impression with him that it is quite in his power to come today or tomorrow, or whatever time may be convenient to him, and that presents a very willing but powerless Jesus, that would be ever so pleased to save the sinner, but is incapable to do so unless the sinner gives his consent. The "whosoever will may come" is presented as meaning: "All men can will to come whenever they please." And instead of the truth of the gospel that no man can come to Christ unless the Father draw him, we now hear: "No Christ can come to the sinner, except the sinner permit him."
Here is a fair example of it: "God is ready, God is willing, God is eager, God is anxious, God is pleading for the privilege of washing away the sins of every soul in the precious blood of His Son and heir. But his hands are tied, His power is limited, His grace is constrained by you.
If you want to be saved, God is willing to save you. If you don't want to be saved, there isn't anything that even God can do to rescue you from that pit of eternal burning."
That is what becomes of the preaching of the gospel when the truth of God's sovereign grace is either forgotten or denied. Call it the gospel, if you like; to me it is nothing short of blasphemy of the name of the living God! An anxious and pleading God, whose power is limited, and whose hands may be tied by the proud and stubborn sinner, who is less than dust of the balance, is no God, but a miserable idol!
And, therefore, I repeat: "Send the proclamation over vale and hill: whosoever will may come," provided you proclaim it, not as the whole gospel, but as only part of it, and that you do not fail to emphasize the other part: "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."
God is God. And He is the Lord, also in the matter of the salvation of the sinner. How these two, the sovereign will and grace of God, and the sinner's will to come, are related we hope to expound in future talks on this subject. Several questions are involved in this subject that must be answered. Whosoever will may come to whom, or to what? And for what purpose, to seek what, or to receive what, do they come? What does it mean to come? And how is it possible for the sinner to come?
But even now we must indicate in a general way what is the relation between the sovereign will of God to save, and the will of man to come. That this relation is not such, that the will of God depends on the will of man, so that the will of God is impotent to save unless man's will consents to be saved, is evident from all Scripture, and clearly follows from the simple but very fundamental truth that God is the Lord.
Nor is the relation one of mere cooperation, as if man were a party in relation to God, and the will of man and of God meet and work together in the matter of the sinner's salvation. God is GOD! Over against Him man is never a party. To speak of cooperation between God and man, is like speaking of cooperation between the potter and his clay in the formation of a vessel. But that revelation is such that God's merciful and gracious will of salvation is ever first, mighty, irresistible, efficacious, operating upon the will the sinner in such a way that he desires and longs and determines to come. The will to come on the part of the sinner is the fruit of the saving grace of God working in him mightily unto salvation. No one can come to Christ unless the Father draw him!
And thus, he that will come may be quite sure that he may come, and that he will surely be received. Christ will not cast him out. His will to come is a sure manifestation of God's eternal purpose of salvation concerning him, and of the drawing power of His grace.
Do you will to come to Christ? Is it your desire to come to Him as the Fount of living water, that you may drink? Do you long to come to Him as the Bread of life that you may eat? Do not hesitate, then! Do not stand afar off, discovering a thousand reasons in yourselves, why you could not possibly be received.
For "whosoever will" may surely come and take of the water of life freely, because "whosoever will" is already drawn by the Father! You may hear the word of Christ: "All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out !"
