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Book Reviewsatonement did not merely makesalvation possible for men, iteffectually redeemed and savedthose chosen by God. He answersthe various charges raisedagainst this, and explains thetexts that areusually brought up(e.g., John 3:16, I John 2:1-2,etc.). He maintains that it iswrong to preach '''Christ diedfor you" (p. 84). The atonementis particular, and even personal,so that the believer (and onlythe believer) can say with Paul,'''The Son of God ... loved me,and gave Himself for me" (Gal.2:20) (p. 85).Consistent with this, theauthor maintains that those whoare saved are unchangeablysaved - they cannot be lost.The books criticismsofthe"modern gospel" are accurateand devastating (Chapter 6 Another Gospel). He summarizes(p. 98):Jesus is presented as a lovingbut impotent figure, standingand knocking outside thedoor of our lives. There isonly one door-handle, on theinside, where the sinneralonecan control it. The feelingexcited is pity: "He has doneso much for you; will you notnow open the door to Himand allow Him to bless youNovember, 2001with His salvation?" Thisleads the hearer to feel thathe has done God a favor byagreeing to believe!The true gospel is mosthumbling to man. and the unityofbelievers is that they see theirown unworthiness and rejoicein the saving work ofGod. Thissalvation also motivates the believerto declare the good newsof salvation. Evangelism. trueevangelism, is the result. Theauthor affirms the needto preachthe gospel promiscuously. Notonly so. but the gospel is to bepreached with confidence, forGod is sovereign, and His worddoes not return void (pp. 117II8)!This is refreshing! Fewbooks today affirm the truths ofsovereign grace so forcefullyand unapologetically.While all that is true, thebook has several flaws in itsdoctrine. These flaws are so seriousthat they may well corruptthe main teaching of the book.One serious error is the author'scontention that God has twokinds of love. On the one hand,God is Hloving and kind" to all(p. 11). This is the love that Godhas as Creator, and ~~cordingtowhich He provides torthe needsofall men (p. 58). In t ) sense85
the love of God is "universal"(p. 58). On the other hand, thereis a "deeper," saving love (p.11). This love of God as Redeemeris particular, for the elect(p. 58).In harmony with this 4'universal"love, the book (briefly)alludes to a "common grace,"which is defined as "theworkofthe Holy Spirit in restrainingmen from sin and in leadingthem to do good, which extendsto all men" (p. 28). It is "not thesame as saving grace" (p. 29).Not only that, but it is maintainedthat "the good which resultsis in spite of the sinner'scorrupt nature" and is '"not acceptableto God" because thegood deeds "arewithout the onlymotives with which God ispleased - love to God andhumble faith in Christ (Heb.11 :6)" (p. 29).It is most unfortunate thatthe author does not consistentlymaintain sovereign, particularlove and grace, but allows for acommon love and grace to allmen. It is appreciated that hedoes not promote two wills inGod, that God supposedly lovesand wills to save all, and yetloves some men more than othersand does save the "some."Yet his allowance for a com-man grace and love is not consistentwith the rest ofhis, to saynothing ofthe Bible's, teachingon sovereign grace and particularlove. The question must befaced: IfGod loves all, why doesHe not save all? And, Can theretruly be two kinds of love andtwo kinds of grace in God? Inaddition, what is the basis forthe "common grace"? God hasfavor on His elect exactly becauseof the cross of Christ. IfGod has favor on all men, uponwhat is that based? The conclusionof nearly every supporterof common grace is that thisgrace is one of the benefits ofthe cross that flow to all men. Insome sense of the word, therefore,Christ died for all men.However, that leads inevitablyto the swamp ofArminianism. Iwould contend that is it is impossibleto maintain sovereign,particular love and grace on theone hand, and a common anduniversal love, on the otherhand.History has demonstrated thatfact repeatedly. The church willnot be able to keep it straight the universal love ofthe Creatorfor all His creatures is still love.The author does not escapethe contamination ofArminianism. He maintains thatthere is a "free offer to all of86PRTJ
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ProtestantReformedTheologicalJourna
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EDITOR'S NOTESProf. Russell J. Dyks
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For there are many, even l unruly,
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happen to hold unwittingly to some
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tion oftheir false teachings. II Pe
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est, they are very weak, at worst,
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truth~' (see I Tim. 4: 1 - 4). Ever
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Thomas Bradwardine:Forgotten Mediev
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ated grace and uncreated grace. Unc
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Bradwardine faces the question ofth
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the age, namely, that having set fo
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did not identify Thomas Bradwardine
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The first is that Bradwardine was a
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to Bradwardine as oneof"two pre-emi
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Gospels, Acts, and Revelation. Sir
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power of the papacy in Bradwardine'
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The Serious Callof the Gospel -Is t
Page 35 and 36: elieve th~s proclamation with uprig
Page 37 and 38: to bring good news with their "fig
Page 39 and 40: nation, we read of Melchisedek, the
Page 41 and 42: official activity ofa monarch's her
Page 43 and 44: 8): "Calling is ofthose elect and r
Page 45 and 46: ut all his posterity unable to obey
Page 47 and 48: alone, and He saves whom He will. E
Page 49 and 50: have moved away from the notion oft
Page 51 and 52: every member ofthe visible, institu
Page 53 and 54: fulfilling this calling is their pa
Page 55 and 56: contingent. Further, Calvin did not
Page 57 and 58: ofacceptance in terms of merit, ins
Page 59 and 60: covenant ofgrace and works, or it i
Page 61 and 62: Spiritual, Suffers Them to DefileTh
Page 63 and 64: the gospel is preached" (p. 212).In
Page 65 and 66: "They do not hold that JesusChrist
Page 67 and 68: II Corinthians 3:6 that "the letter
Page 69 and 70: is to oppose and to repulsethat sec
Page 71 and 72: Rightly Divided: Readings inBiblica
Page 73 and 74: is necessary speaks volumesabout th
Page 75 and 76: Guilt, Grace and Gratitude,Lectures
Page 77 and 78: 76ted under the new? If it wererigh
Page 79 and 80: er to keep himself holy; forthe Sab
Page 81 and 82: there is room for both positionsin
Page 83 and 84: Dr. Gannett's eschatologyalso effec
Page 85: that, but man has a corrupt nature(
Page 89 and 90: ever, throughout the book thereis n
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