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Clip: People MUST come to the Saviour!

Jim Butler · 2023-02-05 · 372 words · 2 min

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Summary

Expository

Because divine sovereignty and human responsibility are both biblical truths, every person who has heard the gospel is duty-bound to come to Christ, and to despise that call is to court a more severe judgment.

The absolute sovereignty of God does not annul the responsibility of every hearer to come to Christ. Drawing on Acts 4:12, John 6:37, and John 8:51, this clip argues that hyper-Calvinism distorts the gospel by severing divine sovereignty from the genuine duty of sinners to repent and believe. The consistent biblical witness — confirmed by Calvin's reading of Habakkuk — is that those who despise the gospel bring a more severe judgment upon themselves, while those who come to Christ in faith will not be cast out.

Key quotes

The biblical truth of God's absolute sovereignty does not negate the responsibility of man. And man must come to the Savior.
If you come to him, he will in no wise cast you out, according to John 6.37.
If you've been told that it's a bad thing, that's bad preaching.

Applications

  1. Receive the word of God: to hear the gospel and come to Christ is not a burden but a gracious invitation that must be embraced.
  2. Do not hide behind the doctrine of divine sovereignty as an excuse to delay or avoid coming to Christ in repentance and faith.
  3. Fear God and reverently embrace his word, lest the benefits of God turn to your undoing through contempt of the gospel.

Questions this sermon answers

Does God's sovereignty mean sinners have no responsibility to come to Christ?

No — the speaker insists that God's absolute sovereignty and man's genuine responsibility stand together; the biblical command is for every hearer of the gospel to come to the Saviour.

What is hyper-Calvinism and why is it wrong?

The speaker describes hyper-Calvinism as the error of using divine sovereignty to deny the free offer of the gospel, which distorts the nature of God and undermines gospel preaching.

What happens if someone hears the gospel and refuses to come to Christ?

The speaker warns that to despise or resist the gospel brings a more severe judgment, as Calvin noted in his reading of Habakkuk regarding the Chaldean destruction.

Will Christ reject a sinner who comes to him in faith?

No — the speaker cites John 6:37 to affirm that Christ will in no wise cast out anyone who comes to him.

Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

Christ puts one in this category. In other words, if you've heard this gospel, if you've heard this message, and you don't come to the Savior, then this warning is appropriate for you. Brethren, I know we live in a town that acknowledges the absolute and complete sovereignty of God Most High. Our church acknowledges the complete and absolute sovereignty of God Most High.

We have a confession of faith back there that will explain all of that to you. But the biblical truth of God's absolute sovereignty does not negate the responsibility of man. And man must come to the Savior. There is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved.

Acts 4. And so to despise this, to reject this, to resist this, is again a fool's errand. The Geneva Bible says the benefits of God turn to the undoing of them that contempt them. Calvin says Habakkuk prophesies of the destruction brought upon them by the Chaldeans.

But the punishment whereby God revenges the contempt of his gospel was more severe. Therefore, let us accustom ourselves to fear God and reverently embrace His word, lest some such thing befall us." Remember Jesus' words in John 8, 51, those who keep my word. You're not going to be upbraided for keeping God's word. You're not going to be upbraided for coming to the Lord Jesus and believing in Him.

Against Hyper-Calvinism

That's a brand of hyper-Calvinism that distorts the very nature and being of God. It turns on its head the whole idea of gospel preaching. Yes, God is sovereign, but man is responsible. And if you come to him, he will in no wise cast you out, according to John 6.37.

He says it in Matthew chapter 11, all you who are weary and heavy laden, do what? Stay away from me. don't ever come near me, stay far from me, no, come to me and I will give you rest.

The Duty to Receive God's Word

To obey or to listen or to keep or to receive the word of God Most High is not a bad thing. If you've been told that it's a bad thing, that's bad preaching. The bottom line is, is that the Apostle tells these people to

Scripture References

Study notes

Theological terms

  • Definite Atonement
  • Free Offer of the Gospel
  • Human Responsibility×3
  • Hyper-Calvinism
  • Sovereignty of God×4

People cited

  • John Calvin