Preaching the Gospel in conjunction with Election and Reprobation

This article is a sequel to the previous one: The doctrine of Reprobation. For those who militate against Divine Election and Reprobation because in the human mind they appear to make God a mean ogre, I want to attempt to prove how wonderful both of these doctrines are, and how neither is a hindrance to the gospel, but rather how the gospel is enhanced by them. 

I want to start with the negative view of what many say how preaching the gospel in light of divine election is pointless.

Those who do not like divine election and predestination say that preaching the gospel is pointless because the elect are going to believe no matter what and the non-elect are not going to believe no matter what So why preach the gospel at all?! That type of reasoning is called Hyper-Calvinism.

This is the fatalistic approach to the matter: Since God has already determined all things that will ever happen, why do anything at all? God has already made up his mind and nothing can change that! We are just a bunch of wind up toys with no will of our own doing the commands of our master.

The reason we are to preach the gospel is we are commanded to by the Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15). Just because God has predetermined what he will ever do, does not mean that God or we are fatalists. We just don't throw caution to the wind and let the chips fall where they may. We have to be determinists just like God is. God has decided to use the foolishness of preaching to bring the elect to saving faith in Christ (1 Cor 1:21). Yes, God does guarantee the elect will be saved, but he will not save anyone until they respond positively to the gospel message in repentance and faith. The gospel is the means to meet the desired end of the chosen sinner - salvation. God lovingly choosing the elect before the foundation of the world by no means hinders evangelism, but rather guarantees the success of it! Praise God for his wisdom!

Now we have to talk about how God is glorified in those who do not believe the gospel. This will be admittedly very tough. Just as the elect are presented with the gospel, the non-elect are as well. The reality is with the non-elect is many believe the gospel, but the difference is they do not believe unto salvation. There are many people who believe in Jesus, his death, burial and perhaps his resurrection, but they also believe in the worship of Mary in Catholicism, Allah in Islam, the "jesus" of the Jehovah's Witnesses, and reincarnation, karma, horoscopes, etc. The nonbeliever wants a religious buffet so they become polytheistic or they adopt the other extreme, they become an atheist. Both worldviews are damnable. 

The result for the non-elect is they ultimately do not believe the only way to salvation through Jesus Christ (John 14:6;Acts 4:12).  Did the Word of God have its desired effect on those who are reprobate not resulting in their repentance their belief and salvation? Is that what God wanted to happen to them? One has to believe in some sense God wants the unbeliever to repent (Eze 33:11). That was clearly God's desire, but I do not believe it was his eternal decree. For if it were, everyone that will ever live would be saved, and hell would not exist. We have to remember just as God desires and is glorified in his mercy and grace, he also must and will be glorified in his justice and wrath. Man hates the latter, but that does not matter to God. God does whatever he pleases (Psalm 115:3).

Isaiah 55:11 tell us this, "So shall my Word go from my mouth. It shall not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

God is telling us that his Word always meets its desired end - it never fails.

The Word of God is a two-edged sword. For the elect, it will convict them of sin that will lead to their repentance, faith, and salvation. For the non-elect, the Word is successful also, albeit negatively. The Word will also convict, but because they refuse to believe and they love darkness, it will result in non-repentance, expose their unregenerate heart which will tragically bring about their eternal damnation and separation from God.

In the end, everyone gets what they want. God gets to save the chosen. The chosen are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. The non-elect get to live the life of rebellion against God and man that their sinful nature desires.

Although the aforementioned is true, God is commanding all men to repent of their sins today and be reconciled to God in Jesus Christ. No one is preventing you from coming to God but you! Beg for God to have mercy on your soul, repent today of your sins, and trust Jesus Christ for the salvation of your soul! He is ready and willing to save right now. Escape the wrath of God so you can experience the grace of God in salvation.