We are told that God the Father did not "spare" (φείδομαι) His own Son on the cross: "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all . . . ." Romans 8:32
What does it mean for the judging, angry God not to spare someone? The same word for "spare" in the LXX (Greek translation of the Old Testament) is used the following ways against God's enemies - hint, hint - it includes the personal anger of God toward them:
"He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague." Psalm 78:50
"And I will dash them one against another, fathers and sons together, declares the LORD. I will not pity or spare or have compassion, that I should not destroy them." Jeremiah 13:14
"He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion." Jeremiah 21:7
"Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity. A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them. Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. And they shall know that I am the LORD - that I have spoken in my jealousy - when I spend my fury upon them." Ezekiel 5:11-13
"Now the end is upon you, and I will send my anger upon you; I will judge you according to your ways, and I will punish you for all your abominations. And my eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity, but I will punish you for your ways . . . ." Ezekiel 7:3-4
"Now I will soon pour out my wrath upon you, and spend my anger against you, and judge you according to your ways, and I will punish you for all your abominations. And my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity." Ezekiel 7:8-9
"Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity." Ezekiel 8:18
Praise God that Jesus took THIS judgment that we deserve for our sins upon Himself on that cross, so that we will never endure the personal anger of God in hell! WE WILL BE SPARED BECAUSE HE WAS NOT SPARED!
Isaiah 53:4 teaches that God struck (מֻכֵּ֥ה) His Son on the cross: "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted."
Ezekiel 7 helps us understand what it means to be struck by God: His wrath poured out; His ANGER spent; His judgment; His punishment; no sparing; no pity:
"Now I will soon pour out my wrath upon you, and spend my anger against you, and judge you according to your ways, and I will punish you for all your abominations. And my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. I will punish you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst. Then you will know that I am the LORD, who strikes [מֻכֵּ֥ה]." Ezekiel 7:8-9
On that cross, Jesus was made our sin and was struck down by God: The Father poured out His wrath on the Son; The Father's anger was spent on His own Son; He endured God's judgment and punishment; There was no sparing or pity . . . So that all those who repent and believe in Christ will be spared and pitied and never face the wrath, anger, judgement, and punishment of God!
If you remove the personal anger of God from the striking of God, then the striking of God is a joy and delight.
If you remove the personal anger of God from the crushing of God, then the crushing of God is a joy and delight.
If you remove the personal anger of God from the cup Jesus drank on the cross, then the cup Jesus drank on the cross was a joy and delight.
If you remove the personal anger of God from the curse of God, then the curse of God is a joy and delight.
If you remove personal anger from the judgment of God, then the judgment of God is a joy and delight.
If you remove the personal anger of God from being forsaken by God, then being forsaken by God is a joy and delight.
If God spared His own son from His own personal anger on the cross, then the cross was a joy and delight.
If you remove the personal anger of God from hell, then hell is a joy and delight.
If you remove the personal anger of God from penal substitution, then penal substitution is no longer necessary, God is not angry, and the cross is unnecessary.
The personal anger of God is the very essence of what makes God's striking, crushing, cursing, judging, forsaking cup of wrath the cup of His wrath. There is no bearing of the wrath of God without it.
Praise God that Jesus Christ did bear the personal anger of God His Father on that cross and rise again on the third day so that we might be saved!
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . Galatians 6:14
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2
Jesus Was Never Caught In Transgression
The Sinless God-Man Named God's Will His Obsession
He Gently Restored With Perfect Expression
He Bore Our Great Burden And Took Our Oppression
He Died And Then Rose To Save Without Question
So Trust In The Son And Love With Aggression
Bear Others' Burdens And Ease Their Depression
You'll Follow Christ's Law And Live Your Confession!
That's my King!
Jesus Watched With Perfect Sight
And All Temptations Crushed With Might
He Bore Our Burdens – Loved All Right
Was Counted Nothing – God Would Smite
He Died To Save From Wrath And Fright
Then Rose To Be Our Chief Delight
Now He Is Something None Can Slight
All Knees Will Bow – Boast In His Light!
That's my King! Do you know Him?!
Christ Is Worthy To Be Paid
Down Our Lives For Him Are Laid
The Greatest Teacher God Portrayed
He Sowed And Reaped And Worked And Prayed
Only Good His Life Displayed
He Died And Rose For Those Who Strayed
To Bring Them Everlasting Aid
In Him New Creatures We Are Made
Sow To The Spirit Don't Be Swayed
Do Good And Serve Him Unafraid!
That's my King!
Christ The God-Man Did All Good
He’d Not Grow Weary Like We Would
But Came To Do All Good We Should
Yet For Our Sins Died On That Wood
Then Rose From Death Like No One Could
Now We Do Good Because He Stood
So Don’t Grow Weary Love The Hood
Especially Brother And Sisterhood!
That's my King!
Christ Was Persecuted Like None You've Seen
On Flesh He Would Not Boast Or Lean
But By The Spirit Intervene
To Die A Death That Was Obscene
Then Rise To Save And Make Us Clean
Boast In The Cross Galatians Six Fourteen
You're A New Creation Christ's Pure Queen
The Israel Of God Pristine!
That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!
The Cross Of Christ Our Preoccupation
Our Boast, Our Glory, Our Fascination
The God-Man Was Our Propitiation
Stricken, Crushed, And Cursed Forsaken
There God's Cup Of Anger Taken
He's Made Our Sin By Imputation
Then Drank God's Wrath Our Full Damnation
But Rose For Every Tribe And Nation
By Faith Alone There's Justification
In Christ Alone We Have Salvation!
That's my King!
The Cross Of Christ Our One Great Obsession
Where The Son Was Made Our Every Transgression
Crushed, Cursed, And Struck With Violent Aggression
A Full Propitiation Without Any Question
He Drank The Whole Cup Of God's Anger Expression
Forsaken Not Spared From All Fury Procession
Darkness And Earthquake God's Wrathful Impression
A Condemnation Like No Other Oppression
Yet Rose From The Dead Making Life Our Possession
"This Is My Beloved Son!" God's Repeated Profession!
When Jesus died upon the tree
He took God's wrath to set us free
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Anger that burned so hot toward you!
Fell on God's Son and pierced Him through!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
On the tree Christ was counted sin
All evil you have and done and been
O praise Him! Alleluia!
God punished Him for what we did!
None of His wrath or judgment hid!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
God in His anger struck the Son
His sword awoke justice was done
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Crushed by His Father God was pleased!
To finally have His wrath appeased!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Cursed by His Father on the cross
Forsaken God His greatest loss
Alleluia! Alleluia!
He's made a curse so we are blessed!
Cast out so we are heaven's guest!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
His only Son He did not spare
All of God's anger He would bear
O sing ye! Alleluia!
No pity or compassion showed!
So that to us God's mercies flowed!
O Praise Him! O Praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The cup of fury Christ would drink
Horrors unknown below He'd sink
O sing ye! Alleluia!
Pled for another way to save!
Your will be done I am Your slave!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Because He suffered all God's wrath
Opened for us salvation's path
O praise Him! Alleluia!
No condemnation now we face!
But feel the Father's warm embrace!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Oh how the Father loves the Son
Raised from the dead His work is done
O praise Him! Alleluia!
In purpose they are one in love!
No broken union up above!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Jesus Kept The Law In Whole
He's Both Its End And Final Goal
He Died And Rose To Save Your Soul
For He Alone Could Take The Scroll
His Works Shall Justify You Whole
His Spirit In You Does Control
Your Faith Will Work Through Love Extol!
That's my King!
In Christ What Matters All The Most
Is Faith That Works Through Love Up Close
Not Cutting Of The Flesh We Boast
But In The Cross Of Christ Engrossed
We Live For Him Like Heavenly Host
Faith Works Through Love In Him We Boast
Who Died And Rose And Loved Utmost!
That's my King! Do you know Him?!
Jesus Christ Ran Perfectly Well
So You And I Won't Go To Hell
He Is The Truth In Whom We Dwell
Was Persecuted, Died, and Fell
But Rose Alive And Now We Tell
Of Him Whose Glories None Can Quell
Oh May His Love Our Hearts Compel
To Live For Him All Sin Expel!
That's my King!
The Cross Of Jesus Christ Is The Greatest Imprecation
Where The Sinless Son Of God Was Our Full Propitiation
And Every Curse Of God Fell On Him In Cruel Damnation
There He Was Made Sin Which God Hates With Indignation
And Took All God's Full Anger So That We Might Have Salvation
Yet He's God's Beloved Son Who's Named LORD In Exaltation
The Holy Perfect God-Man Was Raised For Our Justification
He Took Our Imprecation
Withstood Every Temptation
Condemned Our Condemnation
Conquered Death For Every Nation
And Now There's Only Celebration
In Him Who Is Our Preoccupation, Infatuation, and Holy Fascination!
That's my King!
Jesus Christ Shall Come Again
To Judge And Punish All Who Sin
Thy Kingdom Come Among All Men
Is Prayer For Judgment To Begin
So Flee To Christ Who Died For Sin
Then Rose Again Victory To Win
Pray God Would Save And Bring All In
And Plead With Christ To Come Again!
That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!
Jesus' Crucifixion Was The Greatest Sin Unspeakable
He Bore The Wrath God That's A Burden So Unbearable
Crying War Psalms To His Father In A Pain That's Inconceivable
He Gave His Life For Ours To Redeem The Unredeemable
Then Rose Up From The Grave To Give A Joy Indescribable
And Now We'll Be With Him With A Life That's Indestructible
Because The Prince Of Peace Took Our Curse So We're Acceptable
In Christ Our Joy Forever We Find All Things Most Desirable!
That's my King!
Christ Came And Loved To Set Us Free
Was Crushed And Cursed Upon That Tree
Then Rose And All Shall Bow The Knee
To Call Him LORD Who Calmed The Sea
He Set Us Free To Love And Be
Those Who Serve To His Degree
So Turn From Sin And To Him Flee
Love Neighbor Just Like His Decree!
That's my King!
Christ Walked In The Spirit Without Any Sin
He Had No Evil Flesh Within
The Perfect God-Man Came And When
He Died For Sinners Christ Would Win
And Rise The Greatest Who's Ever Been
In Him Our Flesh Is Dead Within
By Faith We Fight – New Life Begin!
That's my King! Do you know my King?!
Jesus' Good Works Had No Fleshly Percent
There Was No Flesh In Him To Any Extent
From Works Of The Flesh He'd Never Repent
For He Never Did Any Wherever He Went
But On That Cross To God's Wrath He Was Sent
God's Curse He'd Inherit And Take Our Torment
Then Rise From The Dead And Make His Ascent
So Turn From The Flesh In Him Be Content
He Saves And Forgives All Those Who Repent!
That's my King!
Jesus Bore Fruit Like No One On Earth
He's Filled With The Spirit Prior To His Birth
Loved, Served, And Cared With Joy And Mirth
He Above All Is Of Infinite Worth
So Trust In The God-Man Of Heaven And Earth
He Fills With His Spirit And Gives You New Birth
You'll Walk By The Spirit In Joy And Mirth
And Christ Will Be All Your Infinite Worth!
That's my King!
Christ Is Gentle, Good, And Kind
Like None You'll Ever See Or Find
He Loved And Served And Healed The Blind
The Faithful God-Man Pure Refined
He's Spirit-Filled Yet Sore Maligned
With Self-Control And Peace Of Mind
He Died And Left All Life Behind
Then Rose To Crush All Death Combined
Now With The Spirit We're Aligned
He Dwells In Us As God Designed!
That's my King! Do you know Him?!
Christ The Only Faithful Man
In Gentleness None Better Than
Self-Controlled His Whole Life Span
Yet Died According To God's Plan
And Bore His Wrath For Every Stan
Japan, Iran, and Pakistan
Then Rose And All Death Overran
Trust In Him The Spirit Can
Make Disciples Not A Fan
You'll Bear Fruit No Law Can Ban!
That's my King!
Jesus Christ Was Crucified
For Sinners He Was Cursed And Died
Then Rose To Conquer And Provide
Salvation For His Wayward Bride
So Trust The Son And Take His Side
To Him You Will Belong Abide
You'll Crucify Your Flesh Inside
And Humbly Walk The Spirit's Stride!
I am a five point JESUS-ist, and I firmly believe in each of the five points of JESUS-ism. Charles Spurgeon said:
That doctrine which is called "Calvinism" did not spring from Calvin; we believe that it sprang from the great founder of all truth. Perhaps Calvin himself derived it mainly from the writings of Augustine. Augustine obtained his views, without doubt, through the Spirit of God, from the diligent study of the writings of Paul, and Paul received them of the Holy Ghost, from Jesus Christ the great founder of the Christian dispensation.
When I was in my second year in college, a dear friend and brother in Christ, Ben Selph, gave me a cassette tape series from a Founders Ministries conference called "A Southern Baptist Explanation Of Calvinism" by Pastor Fred Malone. It was a 6 tape series on the 5 points of Calvinism. I was amazed at what I heard, and the Scriptural truth I was hearing was undeniable. What an amazing, all-glorious, all-powerful, all-sovereign God is God! After listening to this series, my friend gave me book after book on these truths, my hunger and thirst for God and theology increased, and eventually God led me into the ministry.
May beholding God in this way lead you to praise, thanksgiving, and worship as well:
1. TOTAL DEPRAVITY:
Men are so bad, depraved, sinful, and dead spiritually that they do not have the desire or ability even to seek God, trust God, or come to God without God first causing them to be born again and giving them spiritual life and a new heart.
John 3:3: Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:19-20: And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
John 8:34: Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin."
Matthew 7:11: If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children . . . .
Matthew 7:18: A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
Mark 7:21-23: For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.
John 6:44: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.
2. UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION:
God, from before the foundation of the world, chose those whom He would save, not based on anything they have done or would do in the future, and not based on anything He would foresee them doing in the future, and not based on their free will to choose Him, but based only on His love and sovereign will to choose them first.
John 15:16: You did not choose me, but I chose you . . . .
Luke 10:21: In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”
John 17:9: I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
Mark 4:10-12: And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that 'they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.'"
Matthew 11:27: All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
John 5:21: For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
Matthew 24:22: And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
John 1:12-13: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Matthew 22:14: For many are called, but few are chosen.
Shai Linne: Election (feat. Willie Will)
3. LIMITED ATONEMENT:
Jesus died for those whom the Father chose to save, and in His death, He purchased everything necessary to justify, sanctify, and glorify all of God's elect, including their faith, repentance, sanctification, and perseverance in the faith unto glory. Jesus did not die to purchase a potential salvation but an actual and effective salvation. No one for whom Christ died will end up in hell because that would be a grave injustice in which the penalty of hell is inflicted by God twice - once on Christ on the cross and a second time on those who reject Christ. Jesus actually suffered all God's wrath toward the elect so that there is no more wrath burning toward them forever.
John 10:11, 26: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep . . . but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
John 11:51-52: He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 1:21: She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Acts 20:28: Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
Philippians 1:29: For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Acts 11:18: And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life."
2 Timothy 2:25: God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth
The Holy Spirit of God will finally overcome all resistance in the human heart of those God chose and those for whom Christ died, and He will cause them to be born again, grant them new hearts, and apply the work of Christ to them such that they will most certainly repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
John 5:21: For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
John 6:37: All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
John 6:44: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.
John 6:65: And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
John 10:27: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
John 17:1-2: When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him."
Matthew 13:11: And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given."
Matthew 16:17: And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven."
Luke 14:23: And the master said to the servant, “Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.”
5. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS:
Every single one God chose, the Son died for, and the Spirit regenerates (causes to be born again) will continue to grow in faith and repentance and grow in holiness and Christlikeness until they are fully and finally sanctified and glorified in the presence of King Jesus. None will fall away, and Christ will lose none of those whom the Father has given Him.
John 10:28-29: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
John 5:24: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 6:39-40: And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
John 3:36: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John 17:12: While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
This article, Calvinism Fact Sheet, is a very helpful summary of what Jesus taught.
I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
If you have any doubts about the five points, please read Romans 9:1-24. Jesus, Who inspired this chapter and all of the Bible, makes it undeniably clear there that God is absolutely sovereign over salvation. The god of Arminianism is a false god.
1. How both Calvin and Bavinck contradicted themselves on penal substitution
2. How God's Word and Reformed Confessions disagree with their false statements on penal substitution
3. How Calvin himself denied his false statement on penal substitution throughout his sermons and commentaries
4. And finally, how I totally agree with what both Calvin and Bavinck were trying to guard and preserve: the fact that the Father never stopped loving the Son while He was on the cross and that the ontological Trinity remained intact – the intratrinitarian relationship between the Father and the Son was never broken apart.
"This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, He shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, He set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise, than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times." Philip Schaff
