Speaking of God’s Love - Part 2
Back in January of 2022, I had a discussion with a rabid Anti-Calvinist. Let’s break it down and dissect it for your education. Here’s the first objection (keep in mind that this person does not believe in Eternal Security):
OBJECTION: The idea that God loves only some of his children does not make sense. God has given EVERY MAN the opportunity to confess with his mouth and believe with his heart, not just some of the elect but ALL that none should perish. The belief that only the chosen will go to heaven nullifies the sacrifice of Christ.
The idea that God loves only some of his children does not make sense
This is not entirely accurate because there’s an assumption that we’re all God’s children by default which is not biblical. If you’re a new Christian to this debate, this point could easily escape your notice because no one comes into this world as a child of God. By nature we’re all children of wrath. Secondly, God does love all of His children. In fact, He loves them to the uttermost and none will be lost, yet this Objector only believes that God loves His children half-way, leaving them to secure their own salvation. I believe what the Objector is trying to say is this: “The idea that God loves only some PEOPLE does not make sense.” And to that my answer would be…
God has a general love for all people and a special love for His chosen (His Children). This is not only true from a biblical standpoint but from human experiences as well. I’m most certain that a husband has a general love for all women, but a special love for his wife. And if he has more than one wife, it’s certain that he won’t love them all equally. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Elkanah had two wives yet he loved one more than the other. Jacob loved Joseph more.
The Father first and foremost loves His Son, which is why His Son is His Beloved. This love the Father has for the Son is only extended to all those united to Christ. Those outside of Christ do not receive this kind of love from the Father because God isn’t the Father of everyone. No one comes to the Father except through the Son, and by nature we’re all children of wrath. God still loves unbelievers in the sense that He created them, but He’s not their Father, and so they do not have a Father-Son relationship with God.
I would agree with the Objector that none of this makes sense. Which is why we have to start with Scripture and not what makes sense to us. Furthermore, that’s a very subjective statement. What makes sense to one person might not make sense to another and vice-versa. If we have to go with what makes perfect sense then many doctrines will have to be rejected. With that said, I believe the reason why it’s hard to accept the fact that God has a special love for His chosen is due to a failure to assess the true condition of fallen men.
Now, what would you have done after hearing such a response? For most Non-Calvinists, they don’t care what the response is. They will reject your response and repeat their follies, such is the case here:
Sorry but Calvinism is the theology that God only loves some of his children and not all of them. This is in direct conflict with Biblical teachings. You can try to spin it all you like but WE ARE ALL GODS CHILDREN. Every one of us. Colossians 1:16, John 3:16
Rabid Anti-Calvinists can’t be reasoned with. I made it clear in my first response that God does love all of His children, so much so that none will be lost and the irony here is that the Objector doesn’t actually believe in that! I also made it clear that no one comes into this world as a child of God by default. That interaction reminds me of this:
I remember one instance when a man kept asking a question based on a false premise. He was a vehement anti-Calvinist who wanted to make a point more than he wanted to ask a question. His point was, “Calvinists believe all babies who die go to hell.” Of course, this is not true. Nevertheless, no matter how many times I made that point, the man would come back with, “Well, if you guys believe all babies who die go to hell...” Again, I would respond, “No, sir, that is not what I believe.” Eventually, after the third or fourth iteration of this, I simply stopped and said, “Sir, you are being dishonest. I have quoted our confession of faith, pointed you to books and statements by Calvinists, and given you my personal opinion on the matter. Right now you are simply refusing to believe anything other than the assumption you started with and are, therefore, being completely dishonest, even slanderous.” —Voddie Baucham (Expository Apologetics)
My response to the second objection was: We can’t be casual in our words when discussing biblical doctrines and theologies. We’re called to rightly divide. BY NATURE we’re children of wrath. We’re sons and daughters of Adam. God is not the Father of everyone. He is first and foremost the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the love the Father has for the Son is only extended to those united to Christ.
“that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and HAVE LOVED THEM [AS] You have loved Me.” (John 17:23).
The Father loves believers [just as] He loves the Son. You can not say that the Father loves unbelievers—sons of Adam, children of wrath—in this way. There’s simply no way to dance around that.
As always, it fell on deaf ears.