Providence and the Restraint of Sin
In His providence God controls and directs all things that happen. Even men’s lives in every detail are under this sovereign control of God. He doeth, as Nebuchadnezzar said, “according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth” (Dan. 4:35). By His providence, therefore, God also controls and directs the sinful actions of men, as is evident from the example of Nebuchadnezzar and others (I Sam. 2:25; II Sam. 16:10, 24:1; I Kings 22:19-22; Prov. 16:4; Acts 2:23; Rom. 9:18). Included in this sovereign and providential work of God is a restraining of sin. God, by providence, restrains in many different ways the wickedness of men.
Scripture gives us many examples of this restraint of sin. Genesis 6:3 is the first example in Scripture. There God restrained sin by shortening the length of man’s life. Again, He restrained sin at the time of the tower of Babel by changing men’s speech. Passages that speak of God’s giving someone up to sin also imply a previous restraint of some kind (Ps. 81:11-12; Acts 7:42; Rom. 1:24-28).
Many cite these passages as examples of so-called “common grace.” That God restrains the sin of man, they say, is evidence of a gracious disposition of God towards all men. Some would even say that this “common grace” is the result of a non-saving work of God in the heart and mind and will of man, that it leaves man less than totally depraved and that it prepares the way for the gospel by making it possible for a man to accept or reject the gospel as an offer of saving grace.
That there is such a restraint of sin does not, however, prove that it is a matter of grace. We must still ask the question, “How and why is sin restrained?”
Scripture clearly teaches that this restraint of sin is accomplished only by God’s power, not by any gracious operation of the Spirit which works some change in man’s depraved nature. It is much the same, therefore, as putting a muzzle on a rabid dog. It prevents him from biting but does nothing to recover him from his madness. In this way, God uses many things, especially the fear of consequences, to restrain men’s wickedness, without changing their hearts. One of the best examples of a sovereign but non-gracious restraint of sin is found in Isaiah 37:29, where God says to the king of Assyria, “Therefore will I put my hook in thy nose and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way which thou camest.” Nothing gracious about that!
This same passage from Isaiah reminds us, too, of the purpose of this restraint. It has no other purpose than the protection and preservation of God’s people in the world.
So, again we see that the common operations of God’s providence are not a “common grace.” Grace is the power by which God saves His people (Eph. 2:8-10). There is no other kind of grace besides wonderful, amazing, saving grace. Praise God for it! Rev. Hanko
All Men Saved?
“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4).
In a recent Newsletter our readers were asked to send in texts which they would like to have treated in this column. Many different texts were submitted, which we hope to treat in subsequent articles. One of these texts was the passage I Timothy 2:4, quoted above.
Undoubtedly, the reason why this text was submitted was because it seems, at first glance, to suggest that God desires to save all humans head for head. This view is especially promoted by those who teach the “free offer of the gospel.” The “free offer” expresses the idea that in the preaching of the gospel God tells men of His desire to save every one who hears the gospel.
While we have treated this general idea in our discussions of other passages, it is worth our while to consider also this passage from Paul’s epistle to Timothy.
As is always the case, it is crucially important to consider the context in which this passage is found. Paul is commanding Timothy, to whom the epistle is written, that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1-2).
Now, this is determinative for our understanding of what the apostle says in verse 4.
It is obvious that if the expression in verse 4, “all men,” be interpreted to mean that God desires the salvation of all men head for head, then the “all men” of verse 1 and the “all” of verse 6 must also refer to each man individually.
But if this were the case, then Timothy (and we) are commanded to make not only supplications, prayers and intercessions for all head for head, but we are also required to give thanks for all head for head. This is, obviously, something which Scripture nowhere commands us and which we cannot do. Further, if the “all” in verse 6 refers to each man individually, then Christ also died for each man—something flatly contrary to the teaching of God’s word: “I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15, cf. 26).
Rather, the apostle is saying here that God wills that all kinds of men be saved. Specifically, he singles out “kings and all that are in authority” (2). He does this because the rulers of Paul’s day were antagonistic to the church and persecuted the saints. The people of God were of the opinion that, because the authorities hated the church, they were, without exception, enemies of the church; and, therefore, the church need not pray for them.
With this, Calvin agrees: “All the magistrates who existed at that time were so many sworn enemies of Christ; and therefore this thought might occur to them, that they ought not to pray for those who devoted all their power and all their wealth to fight against the kingdom of Christ, the extension of which is above all things desirable. The apostle meets this difficulty, and expressly enjoins Christians to pray for them also.”
The text gives several reasons why we are to pray for all kinds of men, especially rulers. The first is found in verse 2: “That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” It is through the magistrates that law and order are preserved, which makes it possible for the church to live quietly and peaceably and do the work of the kingdom.
The second reason is that God wills that even magistrates be saved. While it is true that generally speaking, magistrates are opposed to the church, this does not mean that God does not have His people even among magistrates. That was true already in Paul’s day. Not only do the records of the early church indicate this, but Paul refers to such in Philippians 4:22: “All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.” Because it is God’s will that all kinds of men be saved, Paul adds that Christ “gave himself a ransom for all” (6).
Calvin writes: “… The Apostle simply means, that there is no people and no rank in the world that is excluded from salvation; because God wishes that the gospel should be proclaimed to all without exception … The present discourse relates to classes of men, and not to individual persons; for his sole object is, to include in this number princes and foreign nations.”
The Scriptures give us important instruction here. We too must pray for our magistrates: 1) that God may so rule through them that the church lives a quiet and peaceable life; 2) God wills to save magistrates too—even today. Prof. Hanko
An Age of Responsibility?
A very interesting question submitted by one of our readers concerns children who die in infancy. He asks, “Where do children stand before God, i.e., those who die in infancy? Is there an age of responsibility?” Obviously, this is not only a very important question, but also a very emotional one. Nevertheless, we must be very careful that we do not answer as our emotions lead us but must allow ourselves to be led by the word of God.
Let us begin with the last question: “Is there an age of responsibility?” In other words, is there an age at which children become responsible for sin, and before which they are not responsible and therefore cannot be condemned by God? The implication would be, therefore, that if they died in infancy or before this so-called “age of responsibility” they would in every case be saved. If that is the intent of the question, the answer of Scripture is a firm NO!
That all, including children, are accountable before God is clear from Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” This refers to our sin in Adam—what is often called original sin. Death passed upon all men, and it came upon them all (in the beginning) because all had already sinned. In other words, children are not only born guilty sinners before God but are born suffering the consequence and punishment of sin, which is death. Without the blood of Christ having been shed for them, therefore, they must perish everlastingly.
The Reformed creeds clearly teach this doctrine of original sin, especially in Chapter VI of the Westminster Confession of Faith, in Article XV of the Belgic Confession and in the Canons of Dordt, III/IV:3.
If it is true that all children who die before an age of responsibility are saved, then there must also be another kind of salvation than salvation from sin and another way of salvation than the shedding of the blood of Christ! Thinking along similar lines, abortion becomes not just something good, but perhaps the best thing we can do for our children—for then they are prevented from ever reaching the age at which condemnation and damnation become possible!
Are all children who die in infancy saved? No, they are not, but only those whom God has chosen from eternity and redeemed by the precious blood of Christ are saved. Where do they stand before God? They stand before Him guilty and depraved, “by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Eph. 2:3).
But is there no difference between children of unbelievers and children of believers? There is indeed. Believers and their children have the sure promise of God, “I will be thy God and the God of thy children after thee” (Gen. 17:7). He graciously promises salvation to believers and their children, and sends His Son to die for those children, so that they are saved from sin and death. Does this ensure that every one of their children will be saved, even if they die in infancy? It certainly does not, since sovereign election and reprobation apply to their families also—as with Jacob and Esau—but it does give them great reason to trust in the Lord’s mercy and to hope in His promise when they stand at the grave of a little one whom the Lord has taken from them. Praised be His covenant mercies! Rev. Hanko
