SOME
IMPLICATIONS OF SOVEREIGN GRACE
Rolfe
Barnard (1904-1969)
Why
do we use the double term sovereign grace? What does it mean and what is implied
by the epithet 'sovereign' as attached to the term grace?
The
answer is immediately at hand. The whole so called Christian world professes to
believe in salvation by grace. Only a remnant within the whole, believes in
Sovereign Grace. I am happy to be found among the latter group. The popular
conception of salvation by grace is that God used to be holy, but now He has
found a way to let men off easier. Nearly all of the major groups talk of
salvation by grace and it means, usually, whatever the holder of the view thinks
it means. I am trying simply to say this; there seems to be no division among
professing Christians as to salvation by grace, as the term is loosely and
widely used but there is a wide and real division among them when we
consider the term 'Sovereign Grace'! Because I believe there is no grace save
sovereign grace, I use the term and dedicate my own ministry, unprofitable as it
is, to the expounding of sovereign grace and to the calling of the ministry back
to similar action.
What
do the terms 'grace' and 'sovereign' mean? One of the attributes of God is
goodness. The goodness of God is the divine essence seen as energized
benevolently and kindly toward the creature. "I will be gracious - I will
be merciful," saith the Lord. "The Lord is plenteous in (mercy)."
"The Lord delights to show mercy." Mercy and grace are varieties of
God's goodness. Grace has reference to sinful man as guilty, while mercy has
respect to sinful man as miserable. This attribute (goodness) expressed in grace
and mercy is free and sovereign in its exercise. "I will be gracious to
whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."
Ex. 33:19. The goodness of God is infinite and circumscribed by no limits: but
the exercise of His goodness may be limited by Himself. God is necessarily good
in His nature, but free in His communication of it. If the Bible is plain about
anything it is plain about the fact that God must be just to all men; He may be
merciful to some. God owes all men justice; He owes no man mercy or grace! A
sovereign God exercises mercy and grace as it seems good to Him. "At that
time Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth,
because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight."
Matt. 11:25-26.
Actually
God exercises mercy in a general manner toward all men. Anything this side of
hell is mercy! Mercy is found in and by the works of creation and providence and
the delay of punishment, but special grace or saving grace and mercy in Christ
are only exercised in redemption and regeneration toward those whom a sovereign
God is pleased to save. Eph.
If
you will consider the history of the preaching of sovereign grace, you will
arrive at the startling fact that every great period of spiritual awakening this
world has ever known has come in connection with such preaching. Brethren,
history and the pale imitation of revival present among us today, demand a
restudy of and a return to the truth of grace in the hands of a Sovereign, Whose
exercise of mercy is optional within and to Himself.
The
preaching of sovereign grace is not therefore the giving of undue prominence to
any single doctrine of scripture. It is rather the proclaiming of a sovereign
God graciously dealing with sinners as it pleases Him. We are often and somewhat
vociferously accused of being guilty of the first part of this statement. This
writer would certainly join in condemning the same. It is quite true that there
is danger here. Any doctrine isolated from the whole body of revealed truth
becomes perverted doctrine.
The
preaching of sovereign grace is not an enemy of true evangelism. Let me hasten
to say that the preaching of sovereign grace will kill deader than a doornail
the message and method of present-day evangelism! And some of us believe with a
deadly intensity that the false message and method must be killed before the
true message and method can become effective. We further believe that the only
way this can be done is by the preaching of truth about God, the truth about
man, and the truth about Christ Who died and lives that God might be just and
justifier! These lines will appeal to no one who is happy about the results
evangelism today, but should you be one of many who mourn here, you will join in
the task of raising up again the standard of sovereign grace!
A
sovereign Christ is almost unheard of in church circles today. A Christ into
Whose hands all things have been given; Who has all authority; Who gives life
and quickens whom He will; Who decides the destinies of all men; Who is Lord
over all flesh. Present day evangelism, for the most part poses to men the
question, "What will you do with Jesus?" Bible or true evangelism
poses the question, "What will the sovereign Christ do with me?"
Present day evangelism says to men, "believe and be born again." Bible
evangelism says to men, "Be born again so you can believe." The one
makes the new birth depend on an act of men, the other an act of God. Present
day evangelism takes for granted God's mercy and grace, rather than marveling at
them in adoration and worship. Hear Paul say, "I obtained mercy;" hear
Peter say, "to all who have obtained like precious faith." How I long
to hear this note in the churches today. Salvation [as thought of] today is a
physical rather than a spiritual matter. The preaching of sovereign grace is the
need of the hour if we shall be true to God's Word and true to the souls of men.