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Calvin and Calvinism

Ridderbos:

How explicitly Paul speaks of “to ransom,” “to redeem,” may appear finally from a quartet of other passages where in the Greek the ordinary word for “to purchase” as a business term (agorazo, exagorazo) is employed, namely, 1Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23, where it is said: “You were bought and paid for,”43 and Galatians 3:13; 4:5, where it is said that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us,” and again, that he was born under the law “that he might redeem them that were under the law.” All these passages relate the salvation thus described once again with Christ’s death on the cross. When Büchsel writes: “Intentionally it is not said . . . at what cost [the Christians were bought],” this can be accepted only if it is definitely established that this price was the death of Christ 4G (cf. 1 Pet. 1:19). No other price or payment had in any case been spoken of. That we must so understand these passages–which have a paraenetic purpose and do not expressly describe the redemptive work of Christ–is clearly evident from Galatians 3:14; 4:5. There Christ’s curse death on the cross is designated as the manner ill which he has bought us. This is also the significance of Christ’s being “under the law” in Galatians 4:5.

Finally, the question arises here again as to the sense in which one will have to understand this representation of the salvation accomplished by Christ as redemption. Time and again scholars of every sort have laid stress on the fact that it is nowhere said to whom the price is paid. The main consideration here for most of them is the idea, correct in itself, that one must not think of a kind of business transaction between Christ and God, of which believers would then be the stake. To this extent one can consider it significant that it is not said that Christ paid the price to God. Yet on the other side, one should take no less care to see that the objective character of what is here called “to redeem,” “ransom,” etc., is not compromised. One runs this risk, in our view, when it is posited that there is “no question here in fact of a case at law with God,” or that Paul gives no answer to questions as to the significance of the necessity and the possibility of such a legal case with God and that, for Paul, in the cross of Christ God is not the Recipient but the One who is acting. Altogether objectionable is the notion that Paul did not consider Christ as in reality burdened with the curse of God, but speaks in Galatians 3:13 from the legalistic standpoint that he himself had rejected; in Christ it would then (on this viewpoint) appear that the curse of the law is not the curse of God and in this way the idea that God deals with men on a legalistic basis would be carried ad absurdum. The deliverance from the curse of the law would then mean only “a release from a false conception of God’s attitude.”

However much we have to guard against a pedestrian notion of “buy,” “price,” “pay,” as though the salvation Christ has accomplished were a matter of a business transaction, this does not alter the fact that the whole thought of redemption and ransom rests on the awful reality of the curse of the law (Gal. 3: 13; 4:5), a curse that one may not understand as an independent, blind force detached from God, but as the fulfillment of the divine threat against sin (Gal. 3: 14). There is here in fact, however inadequate human words may be, a case at law between God and men, both Jews and gentiles. In this Christ makes his appearance as the Mediator, who gives the ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6). His death is the costly price in this case. Here again the great presupposition is that God himself has sent and given his own Son to that end (Gal. 4:4, 5). Just as in the passages that speak of Christ’s atoning death (see above), this is the great secret that has now been revealed, the content of the gospel. In it Christ represents God with men (1 Tim. 2:6). As the one sent of God, he takes the curse upon himself and he dies, burdened with it, in place of men on the cross. He pays the price for them, he therein unites in himself God’s saving will toward the world and his wrath against the sin of the world. In the complex of ideas concerning redemption the thought of substitution is here perhaps still clearer th an it was in the concept of Christ’s atoning death. It constitutes the fixed content of the ransom concept. For this reason the expression “became a curse for us” not only means “in our behalf,” but “in our place” as well (cf. 1 Tim. 2:6; Tit. 2:14). Although it is not thus said that Christ redeems his own from God, yet God is the one whose holy curse is executed on Christ in their place. Justice is not thrust aside, but justice is satisfied. Although we meet with no word for “satisfaction” in Paul, the idea of substitutionary satisfaction is materially present here. Salvation consists in the possibility, given by God and realized by Christ, that justice is victorious in love and love in justice. And all this one should view not in the first place as the substance of Paul’s personal experience or as the consequence of a severe, juridically conceived scheme of salvation, but as the apostolic unfolding of the meaning of the event, crossing all human expectations and calculations, of the death of Jesus Christ the Son of God. It is this eschatological fact of redemption which–in conjunction with the kerygma of the primitive church and in the light of the Old Testament, only now rightly understood – forms for Paul the propelling force for all his thoughts and causes him – not only as theologian, but as witness of revelation legitimated by Christ himself–to trace on all sides the salvation of the Lord realized in it.

Herman Ridderbos, Paul: An Outline of His Theology, (Grand Rapids, MI.: William B. Eerdmans, [1975]), 195-197.

5
May

Simon Kistemaker on 2 Peter 3:9

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism   in 2 Peter 3:9

Kistemaker:

9. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Because the Christians of the first century expected the imminent return of the Lord and waited patiently, they needed a word of encouragement from Peter.

a. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise.” The term Lord in this verse and the next (v. 10) is a synonym for “God.” In other words, Peter refers not to Jesus but rather to God with his use of an Old Testament designation for God . Peter alludes to the Old Testament prophecy of Habakkuk:
For the revelation awaits an appointed time:

it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come and will not delay. [2:3]

The writer of Hebrews, who assures his readers that God will fulfill the promises that he made to them, quotes this same Old Testament prophecy (see Heb. 10:37). “Why does God delay the return of Christ? The cause of the delay stems not from indifference or inattentiveness on the part of God.

It lies in God’s grace and mercy toward sinners. He allows them time to repent of their sins. Jesus will return when God’s patience has ended, when the time allotted has expired, and when the last believer has accepted Christ as Savior. “Not human sin, but divine forbearance, which cannot be constrained, determines the delay. It is the sovereign God who graciously grants an interval for repentance.”30 God works out his plan and purpose even though man expresses doubts.

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Edwards:

[Prop.] I. God oftentimes uses many means with wicked men to bring ’em to forsake their sins. This is what God declares in his Word, that he hath no pleasure in death of a sinner, but that he should forsake his sins, and live. Ezekiel 18:23, “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? says the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” And again in the Ezekiel 18:32, “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” And Ezekiel 33:11, there God swears the same thing: “Say unto them, As I live, says the Lord, 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, Ye house of Israel?” Surely it would be horrid presumption in us to call this in question, after God has sworn by his life to the truth of it. The same we are told in the New Testament by the Apostle. 1 Timothy 2:3–4, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” And therefore God appears in his providence slow to wrath, and is wont to use many means with sinners to bring them to forsake their sins, before he gives them up. Thus God’s Spirit strove long with the old world, before he destroyed them. Genesis 6:3, “My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” For God sent Lot, a preacher of righteousness, to turn the inhabitants of Sodom from their sins, before he destroyed them. So he did not destroy hardhearted Pharaoh, till he had used many means to make him willing to comply with God’s commands.

Jonathan Edwards [1734], Sermons and Discourses, 1734-1738 (WJE Online Vol. 19), Ed. M. X. Lesser.  [Some spelling modernized and underlining mine.]

Thanks and credit to Tony

Ball:

But after one of the Lords whispered with Mr Montague, he confessed, as for Arminius, he had never read him; and that he had writ some things negligently in that book; which he never thought would have bin so scanned among friends; and therefore promised to write another book in butter & honey, and therein more exactly for to acquit himself.

Some of the Lords proposed that, instead of this book which Mr Montague promised to write, the Synod of Dort might be received & established as the doctrine of the church of England, seeing there was nothing there determined but what our delegates approved. But Dr. White opposed this mainly; for, said he, the church of England, in her catechism, teaches to believe in God the Son, who redeemed me and all mankind, which that Synod did deny.

Dr. Preston answered, that by redemption there was only meant the freeing of mankind from that inevitable ruin the sin of Adam had involved them in, and making them savable upon conditions of another covenant. Jon 3:16, 17. So that now salvation was not impossible, as it was before the death of Christ; but might be offered unto any man, according to the tenor of that commission, Mark 16:15, 16. This could not however be applied unto the Devils, for they were left in that forbore condition whereunto their sin & disobedience put them, Heb. 2:16, and 2 Pet. 2:4. On the other hand, the jailer, Acts 16:24, 27. was a boisterous, bloody fellow, yet Paul made no doubt to tell him, verse 31. that, if he believed in the Lord Jesus, he should be saved with his house. But Dr. White would in no sort admit this, but affirmed earnestly that Christ dyed for all alike in God’s intention and decree; for Cain as well as Abel; for Saul as well as David; for Judas as much as Peter; for the reprobate & damned in Hell as well as for the elect and saints in Heaven.

To which Dr. Preston answered, that there was a special salvation offered to believers, 1 Tim. 4:10. That Christ was indeed a ransom for all, 1 Tim. 2:6. yet the Savior only of his body, Ephes. 5:23. That he redeemed all, but called, justified, and glorified, whom he knew before, & had predestinated to be formable to the image of his son, Rom. 8:29, 30. That to whom in this sense Christ was given, to them were given also all things appertaining unto life and Godliness, 2 Pet. 1:3. As faith, 2 Pet. 1:1; Phil. 1:29; Ephes. 2:8. Repentance, Acts 2:18; 2 Tim. 2:25. A new heart, Ezek. 36:26. His Spirit, Gal. 4:5, 6. So that nothing can be charged on them, Rom. 8:31. 32, 33, 34. So that they can never perish nor be taken out of Christ’s hand, Jon. 10:28, 29, 30. But as they are begotten again unto a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1:3, so they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, verse 5. Whereas Judas was lost, Jon 17:12. and is gone to his own place. Acts 1:25.

And there are many nations and people of the world, that have no outward offer made unto them in the Gospel, Psal. 147:19, 20; Acts 16:6, 7. And those that enjoy the means of grace, have not all hearts given them to understand and believe it, Deut. 29:2, 3, 4; Isaiah 6:9, 10; Mat. 13:13, 14, 15. and therefore they are lost, 2 Cor. 4:3, 4. and are damned. 2 Thess. 2:10, 11, 12. He showed them, in Adam all men were lost, Rom. 5:12. and none recovered but by Christ; therefore, such as had not Christ’s intercession could not recover; That Christ prayed but for some, Jon. 17:9. and therefore none but such only could be saved, Heb. 9:15.

Dr. White acknowledged there was a difference; for, though all had so much as by good improvement might serve their turn, yet the elect had more, for God abounded towards them, Ephes.1:8, 9; Rom. 5:15, 17, 20. Thus, by example, all the troop have horses, but the officers have better; two travelers have staves to leap over a ditch, yet the one a stronger and better than the other; the worst men had grace enough to keep corruption & the evil of their nature down, but the elect such as would doe it easily. Christ had tasted death for every man; Heb. 2. 9. he died for those who might notwithstanding perish, 1 Cor. 8:11. and bought those that yet might bring upon themselves swift damnation, 2 Pet. 2:1. because they did not husband and improve the favor offered to them.

Dr Preston answered that Christ was in himself sufficient to save all; and might be said to be provided for that end and use; as a medicine is to cure infected persons, though it cures none actually but those that drink it. “Habet in se quod omnibus prosit, sed, si non bibitur, non,” as in 1 Jon. 5:11, 12. But many did not thus apply Christ, because they had him not so offered and exhibited as others had, Mat. 1:21; Luke 10:13. for God gave some faith and repentance, as I have showed. The serpent (Moses was commanded to make), was in itself sufficient to cure those that were bitten, Numb. 21:8, 9. yet cured none but only those who looked on it. “So, as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness, shall the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believed in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” John 3:14, 15.

Thomas Ball, The Life of the Renowned Doctor Preston, (Oxford: Parker and Co., 1885), 130-136. [Some spelling modernized; some reformatting; and underlining mine.]

Calamy:

Mr. Calamy: I am far from universal redemption in the Arminian sense; but that that I hold is in the sense of our divines in the Synod of Dort,  that Christ did pay a price for all, absolute intention for the elect, conditional intention for the reprobate in case they do believe, that all men should be salvabiles, non obstante lapsu Adami . . . that Jesus Christ did not only die sufficiently for all, but God did intend, in giving of Christ, and Christ in giving Himself, did intend to put all men in a state of salvation in case they do believe. Alex Mitchell and John Struthers, Minutes of the Sessions of the Westminster Assembly of Divines (London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1874), 152. C.f., Chad B. Van Dixhoorn’s Reforming the Reformation: Theological Debate at the Westminster Assembly, 1643-1652, 6:202-209.1 [Some reformatting; original footnote not included; this footnote mine; and underlining mine.]

Warfield:

If we were to take these statements just as they stand, we should probably be obliged to say that Calamy’s position was characterized by the following points:

1. It denied the Arminian doctrine of a universal redemption for all men alike, without exception, on condition of faith, which faith is to be man’s own act by virtue of powers renewed through a universal gift of sufficient grace.

2. It denied equally the Amyraldian doctrine of a universal redemption for all men alike, without exception, on condition of faith, which faith, however, is the product of special grace given to the elect alone, so that only the elect can fulfil the condition.

3. It affirmed a double intention on Christ’s part in His work of redemptiondeclaring that He died absolutely for the elect and conditionally for the reprobate. Theologically his position, which has its closest affinities with the declarations of the English Divines at Dort, was an improvement upon the Amyraldian; but logically it was open, perhaps, to all the objections which were fatal to it as well as to others arising from its own lack of consistency. B. B. Warfield, “The Westminster Assembly and its Work,” in The Works of Benjamine B. Warfield, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1981), 6:139.2 [Some reformatting, footnote mine; and underlining mine.]

[Note: Calamy was the principle leader of the English Presbyterians until his death.]

________________________

1Dixhoorn’s minutes are the same as Mitchell’s, though with extra textual notations.

2Much (most?) of what Warfield has to say on this topic ranges from inaccurate to strange. However, he confirms that Calamy did hold to a twofold intentionality of God.