Everything is controversial to somebody. In almost 40 years of preaching, I have been called a hyper-Calvinist, an Arminian, a Primitive Baptist, an Anabaptist, a Charismatic, a Presbyterian, a Babylonian, a fanatic, and I don’t know what else. If I had my choice, I’d rather you just call me a Christian. Oh, to be worthy of that name! However, if you study history, as I try to do, you’ll find that if you stand for anything, someone will call you something, often derogatory.
Since I do declare the gospel of grace of the Sovereign God, many well meaning persons say “hyper-Calvinist”. Since I also maintain that man is accountable, and that God most often uses means, including men, to reach his elect, well meaning people on the other extreme call me “Arminian”. I am working on a study on what both of these theological words mean. Meanwhile, I present to you what I believe to be a scriptural, balanced, look at evangelism.
Possibly you may not agree. But if you disagree only from your traditions of men, don’t waste your time. If you desire to be like the noble Bereans, and find scripture, in context, that refutes what I say, I’ll be glad to look at it.
As the gifted Christian writer, Arthur W. Pink said in the 1920’s (as well as in his later life), in print for all to see:
“Now then my friends, I preach the gospel to sinners, not because I believe the sinner has any power at all in himself to respond to it: I do not believe that any sinner has any capacity in himself whatever. But Christ said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life,” and by God’s grace I go forth preaching this Word because it is a word of power, a word of spirit, a word of life. The power is not in the sinner, it is in the Word when God the Holy Spirit is pleased to use it. And, my friends, I say it in all reverence; if God told me in this Book to go out and preach to the trees, I would go! Yes sir. God once told one of His servants to go and preach to bones and he went. I wonder if you would have gone! Yes, that has a local application as well as a future interpretation prophetically.
Now the question arises again, why are we to preach the gospel to every creature, if God has only elected a certain number to be saved? The reason is, because God commands us to do so. Well, but, you say, it does not seem reasonable to me. That has nothing to do with it; your business is to obey God and not to argue with Him. God commands us to preach the gospel to every creature, and it means what it says—every creature—and it is a solemn thing. Every Christian in this room tonight has yet to answer to Christ why he has not done everything in his power to send that gospel to every creature!” (From Free Grace Broadcaster, winter 1995).
I pray Christ’s blessing, and the Holy Spirit’s direction for you all,
Charles
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