The sovereignty of God is what alone gives rest to the Christian heart in view of a world full of evil. To know that in spite of the rebellion of the creature, things are as absolutely in His hand as they ever were, and that we can still adore "one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all" (Eph. 4:6 JND), brings full relief. He still rules over all, and, where evil cannot be turned to good, limits and forbids it. He makes the wrath of man to praise Him, and the remainder of wrath (what would go beyond this) He restrains (Psa. 76:10).

We rest, for we know who reigns. It is not mere sovereignty, the almighty despotism of a supreme will, to which we bow because we must, but the sovereignty of wisdom, holiness, and goodness_of One in whom love is revealed in light. How strange and saddening that in any phase of it the sovereignty of God should be an unwelcome theme to a Christian heart! Is it not so that the sovereignty of God in salvation is by the large mass of Christians perhaps a thing most vehemently denied; and even where entertained, it is entertained with coldness and suspicion? Yet if God be perfect goodness, and wisdom without fault, what could one possibly desire but that everything should be absolutely in His hand, plastic to and moulded by His blessed will, working, according to plan and forethought, His eternal purpose?

While God is sovereign and "worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Eph. 1:11), the will of man must also be recognized and not set aside. Certainly we are nowhere led from Scripture to think of man as a mere intellectual machine, moved necessarily by influences external to himself. Rather, we see him as a free and responsible being, though now, alas! fallen, and become the willing slave of sin.

It is certain that in no way are we to think of God as determining to evil the wills of His creatures. There may be things difficult to understand concerning the relationship of God’s sovereignty and man’s will; but however even insoluble may be the mystery, God has given us adequate witness that man’s evil and man’s ruin are of himself alone.

Let us consider now a key manifestation of the sovereignty of God, namely, His election of individuals to salvation. Election is so plainly taught in the Word that it is surely only the opposition of the heart to it that can account for its not being universally received among Christians. Nor is this simply an election nationally to privileges or "means of grace" such as plainly Israel enjoyed, but an election to salvation. And this election to salvation is not on account of foreseen holiness or faith, but through, or by means of, these. "We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; whereunto He called you by our gospel" (2 Thess. 2:13,14). This is so very plain. However, the difficulty with the doctrine of election is not textual; it lies elsewhere.

Election involves many truths most humbling to man’s pride of heart, and this is in a large number of cases the real hindrance. On the other hand, it is quite true that in the conflict of minds upon a subject which has been in controversy for centuries, the balance of truth has been very much lost by those who have contended on either side; extremes on either part have tended to throw men off into the opposite extreme. Thus Calvinism and Arminianism have nearly divided Christians between them, each refusing to recognize, for the most part, any truth in the other. Yet each has in fact its stronghold of texts and arguments, and its unanswerable appeals to conscience, never fairly met by the other. The mistake has been in the supposition that what was really strong on both sides was in necessary opposition. The fact is that, in general, the strength of each lies in what it affirms; its weakness, in what it denies. The truths of Calvinism cluster about the pole of divine grace; those of Arminianism about that of man’s responsibility. The world revolves upon its axis between the two.

Let us take up first the texts upon which the Arminian relies, and see how far they lead us. In the first place, God’s love to the world is manifested in the cross:"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It is not allowable to narrow this down to a love simply to the elect, as has been done too often. It is true that the elect are all originally of the world, and that thus He loves them when dead in trespasses and sins, and in His great love quickens them (Eph. 2:4,5). But we cannot limit His love here to this; it is out of keeping with the "whosoever" that follows. Moreover, the "world" cannot fairly be interpreted as less than the whole of it if we believe in the transparent honesty and accuracy of Scripture. God’s love to the world, then, is so deep and wonderful that it can only be measured by the gift of His Son. We dare not refuse to credit fully what is so solemnly assured.

But this being so, it settles decisively the meaning of Christ’s death being for all. "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all" (1 Tim. 2:5,6). "He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). These and many similar passages assure without any doubt of full and sufficient provision for all made in the atonement.

Upon this ground, and to give express utterance to what is in the heart of God, the gospel is bidden to be proclaimed to "every creature" (Mark 16:15). We are assured that God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9), and that He "will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4). These testimonies are simple, and they deny that there can be any contrary decree of God hindering the salvation of any. The Redeemer’s words as He wept over Jerusalem assure us that it is man’s contrary will that resists God’s will:"How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matt. 23:37).

But this will of man itself, what shall we make of it? Man’s will is something which is in Scripture and in conscience held as his own personal, righteous accountability. God ever addresses Himself to men, as fallen creatures, born in sin and shapen in iniquity, "by nature the children of wrath," yet always proper subjects of appeal. If individuals are destroyed finally, then they are self-destroyed.

The Spirit of God is represented as striving with man (Gen. 6:3), with those who nevertheless to the last resist the Holy Spirit. It is of no special consequence whether we can show the manner of this striving; it is enough that the Word of God speaks of it. All this shows something very different from a simple condemnation merely, and a giving up by God of all but the elect. While Calvary’s cross has proved that the mind of the flesh is enmity against God, still in this very cross it is manifested that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." And the gospel goes out addressed to every creature.

Thus far we go with the Arminians, and the truth of election does not conflict with this in any way. We can affirm that Omniscient Goodness did not desire or work the evil found in man, though He did allow it. The mystery of God’s allowance of evil we accept, though we do not explain it or suppose it possible to be explained. We know that God is against the evil. The cross has glorified God in every attribute with respect to sin; it demonstrates that not mere power could deal with evil, but that the victory must be that of goodness and in suffering.

Christ dying for the world, the testimony of God’s love to men at large, is no vain thing because in fact all are not saved by it. It demonstrates to us that infinite goodness from which men have to break away. He has sworn, "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezek. 33:11).

Men die because of their own will, not of God’s will. And men crudely ask of God’s omnipotence why He cannot convert them all. But we must remember that God’s omnipotence is in perfect balance and harmony with all of His other attributes, including His infinite wisdom. Let it suffice us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son," and that full provision has thus been made for that return of all to God to which they are besought.

But now what? Are we to conclude that because, if a man die, he wills himself to die, therefore if he live, it is by his own will also? We may not argue so; for here too God has spoken, and the conscience of His saints responds ever to what He says. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." Was this rejection universal? No; some received Him. What, then, of these? "But as many as received Hun, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:10-13).

This is most decisive. It is not, of course, that the will of man is not implied in the reception of Christ, for reception of Christ is surely not forced upon unwilling souls. Rather, as the apostle tells the Philippians, "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).

Every description of this new birth ascribes it in the fullest to divine and sovereign power. The very idea of "birth" implies it, for who is anything but passive in his own birth? It is also quickening from the dead, and "as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will" (John 5:21). It is a new creation, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Eph. 2:10).

This sovereign, gratuitous work in man, done in accordance with that eternal counsel which all things work out, defines clearly for us what is election. It means the gracious interference of divine love in behalf of those who, no different from others, dead in the same sins, instead of being given up to perish, are given to Christ to be the fruit of His blessed work, "that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." It is love, righteously and in perfect goodness manifested in salvation of those worthy of damnation. To charge upon God’s election the damnation of the lost is blasphemy. If others remain obdurate in pride and careless unbelief and are going on to destruction, while we, justified by faith, and having peace with God, rejoice in hope of the glory of God, is it because we are better than they? What Christian heart can believe this? No; it is because "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ" (Eph. 2:4,5). No man has found his true level who has not come down there, and only there do we find the full and impregnable assurance of perfect and enduring peace. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect!" (Rom. 8:33). A love that found us with nothing, to endue us with all, is a love that has in it no element of change.

"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38,39).

(From Leaves from the Book.)