Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
LETTER SENT TO: BRITISH CHURCH NEWSPAPER
SUBJECT: THE FREE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL
DATE SENT: 29-1-03
Dear Sir,
Angus Stewart's denial of the free offer of the gospel runs contrary both to New Testament practice and also to Reformed Faith.
In Acts 13 we have a good account of Paul preaching the gospel in the
synagogue at Antioch. The direct and indiscriminate use of the words
"to you" and "unto you" appear a number of times in the course of his
sermon, not least in v38"Be it known unto therefore, men and brethren,
that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." As
we follow the course of events, we discover that some of those same
Jews who were offered pardon for sin later spoke against the things
which were spoken by Paul and so judged themselves unworthy of
everlasting life (v45-46) However the gospel was freely offered to them
and we dare not charge God with insincerity.
John Calvin himself believed in the free offer of the gospel. Several
relevant quotes were supplied by Dr Clifford (Issue No.3) Spurgeon's
comments on this very matter are also pertinent: "I
do feel so grieved at many of our Calvinistic brethren, they know
nothing about Calvinism I am sorry to say, for never was any man more
caricatured by his professed followers than John Calvin. Many of them
are afraid to preach from Peter’s text, "Repent and be baptised,
every one of you." When I do it, they say, "He is unsound." Well, if I
am unsound on this point, I have all the Puritans with me, — the
whole of them almost without a single exception. John Bunyan first and
foremost preaches to Jerusalem sinners, and Charnock, you know, has
written a book, "The chief of sinners, objects of the choicest mercy."
But I do not care for that; I know the Lord has blessed my appeals to
all sorts of sinners, and none shall stay me in giving free invitations
as long as I find them in this Book." (MTP 7:366 Sermon on Isaiah 1:18)
Mr Stewart's defence of a limited gospel offer hangs on a very
questionable exegesis of Psalm 69. It is true that Christ quoted v21
(confirmed by Matthew 27:34,48) but that the imprecatory verses "are
also placed upon our Saviour's lips as He hung upon the Cross" cannot
be confirmed by any part of the gospel narrative. Did v5 ("O God, thou
knowest my foolishness: and my sins are not hid from thee") also sit
comfortable upon His lips as He suffered? I think not. Even if what Mr
Stewart says is true regarding the rest, obviously this did not prevent
the Apostles in their inviting all men - elect and reprobate alike.
Yours faithfully,
Colin Maxwell
http://www.corkfpc.com/freeoffercalvinists.html
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LETTER SENT TO: BRITISH CHURCH NEWSPAPER
SUBJECT: THE FREE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL
DATE SENT: 28-2-03
Dear Sir,
In his recent defence of denying the free offer of the gospel (Issue 8)
Rev Angus Stewart fails to address why the Apostle Paul should extend
the free offer in such an indiscriminate manner to the Jews in Antioch
in Acts 13. Paul uses the words "to you" on a number of occasions, not
least in vs38 "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins"
If you follow the narrative through, you discover that some of these
men who were offered the gospel eventually judged themselves unworthy
of eternal life (v46)
We are not to make the secret things which belong unto the Lord our
guiding star, but the things that are revealed (Deuteronomy 29:29) We
are not called upon to reconcile the general and indiscriminate call of
the gospel with God's sovereign purposes in election or reprobation.
The principle of the tares and the wheat must surely apply here also.
What does it take to invite a soul to Christ? A few tears? Concern?
Anxiety? Evidently Simon the Sorcerer gave every indication that he was
among the elect (Acts 8:13) but the reality proved otherwise (v20-23)
Yours faithfully,
Colin Maxwell.