"Jacob Have I Loved"
Romans 9:13
All the talk of men about God's universal
love is nonsense! To declare that God loves all men is to speak in direct
contradiction to God himself, who declares "Jacob have I loved, but Esau
have I hated." Any honest exposition of Romans 9 must recognize that in
that declaration Jacob represents God's elect and Esau represents the
non-elect. The chapter was written so that we might understand that the purpose
of God according to election stands "not of works, but of him that
calleth."
Not only does the assertion that God loves
everyone contradict God's Word, it also has very serious implications. For one
thing, it makes God subject to change. If God loves men in time, but ceases to
love them when he casts them into hell, then God has changed.And that cannot be
(Mal.3:6). To imply that God is changeable is to imply that there is no God at
all!
I know that God is good to all men.But
God's goodness to men in providence is the result of his special love for his
own elect. He sends the sunshine and rain upon both the righteous and the
wicked. But he sends those things for the good of his elect. Others receive the
benefits of them only because they live in the same world with God's elect. To
argue that God's providential goodness to the wicked is an evidence of his love
to all men would be to argue that righteous men who suffer drought,famine,pestilence, and war give evidence of God's wrath
upon his own elect! As I said before, the assertion of God's universal love is
nonsense! To say "God loves everyone" is to reduce the love of God to
nothing! Universal love would be meaningless! God's love for his elect is a
special, distinguishing, sovereign love. God's love is in Christ. Outside of
Christ, there is no love. Thoughtfully consider these five questions and you
will see that the notion of God loving all men is as contrary to reason as it
is to Holy Scripture. If God loves all men...
1. Why are
some not elected to salvation (Matt.
2. Why do
many never hear the gospel of Christ?
3. Why did
Christ refuse to pray for some (John 17:9)?
4. Why do
some perish under the wrath of God, without
mercy?
5. What does
the love of God have to do with the
salvation of anyone?
Don Fortner