Systematic Theology, by Louis Berkhof - New Leaven

4. DIVINE PUNISHMENTS AND REWARDS. The providential arrangements of God,
whereby He visits the iniquity of men upon them in this life, and rewards deeds that are
in outward conformity with the divine law, serve an important purpose in curbing the
evil that is in the world. punishments have a deterring effect, and the rewards serve as
incentives. By these means, whatever there is of moral goodness in the world is greatly
encouraged. Many shun evil and seek that which is good, not because they fear the
Lord, but because they feel that good brings its own reward and best serves their
interests.
F. THE FRUITS OF COMMON GRACE.
In the preceding it was already intimated that what is left to us of the light of nature,
is still operative only in virtue of the common grace of God. It is one of the most
important fruits of common grace, without which some of the others would not be
conceivable. The following fruits may be mentioned here:
1. THE EXECUTION OF THE SENTENCE IS STAYED. God pronounced the sentence of death
on the sinner. Speaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, He said. “In the
day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Man did eat of it, and the sentence
went into execution to a certain extent, but clearly was not fully executed at once. It is
due to common grace that God did not at once fully execute the sentence of death on
the sinner, and does not do so now, but maintains and prolongs the natural life of man
and gives him time for repentance. He does not at once cut short the life of the sinner,
but affords him an opportunity to repent, thereby removing all excuse and justifying the
coming manifestation of His wrath upon those who persist in sin unto the end. That
God acts on this principle is abundantly evident from such passages as Isa. 48:9; Jer.
7:23-25; Luke 13:6-9; Rom. 2:4; 9:22; II Peter 3:9.
2. THE RESTRAINT OF SIN. Through the operation of common grace sin is restrained in
the lives of individuals and in society. The element of corruption that entered the life of
the human race is not permitted, for the present, to accomplish its disintegrating work.
Calvin says: “But we ought to consider that, notwithstanding the corruption of our
nature, there is some room for divine grace, such grace as, without purifying it, may lay
it under internal restraint. For, did the Lord let every mind loose to wanton in its lusts,
doubtless there is not a man who would not show that his nature is capable of all the
crimes with which Paul charges it, (Rom. 3 compared with Ps. 14:3 ff).” 31 This restraint
may be external or internal or both, but does not change the heart. There are passages of
31 Inst. II. 3,3.
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