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VI - WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?The question, of course, often asked is, what difference does it make? While I would certainly not advocate Christians breaking off fellowship over these matters, we must recognize that it does make a difference which view one takes; it does matter. We may say immediately that it matters simply from the viewpoint that God's people should be concerned to know the true doctrine of the Word of God. Every true Christian should want to know what the Bible really teaches, and should approach the Scriptures in a submissive spirit, ready to accept all that is plainly revealed. Our problem is that often we are prepared to believe only what we want to believe. We ought not to approach the Bible with the attitude "what do I like best, what appeals to me", but "what saith the scriptures". It is our duty as Christian to study the scriptures and to receive all its teaching. However, it matters further, in that our doctrinal viewpoint will generally affect our attitude to God. A grasp of Reformed Theology will give a person a proper sense of the majesty of God. It has been said that a Calvinist is one who has "seen God". The one who said that was not inferring a physical sight or vision, but meant that with the "eyes of the understanding", he had perceived the greatness of God. His soul had been overwhelmed with the consciousness of God's glory. Reformed teaching presents God as being truly "high and lifted up", and the one who has grasped these great Biblical truths stands in awe of a sovereign God, a God of awesome holiness, of infinite power, of solemn majesty, before whom he and all of creation must bow in deep reverence and humble adoration. The truth of sovereign grace produces a spirit of reverence in the soul; it instills a right fear of God; not a fear in the sense of terror which would drive us away from God's presence, but fear in the sense of sonlike reverence and respect. This is the kind of fear what produces good behaviour in the house of God, and which causes a person to hate the idea of sinning against such a God. I suggest that this right attitude towards God is sadly lacking in many churches today, and I suggest that this is related to the fact that the old doctrines calculated to produce it have been forsaken or neglected. Furthermore, an understanding of the doctrines of grace will produce a profound thankfulness for our salvation that nothing else can. This is not to say that an Arminian is not thankful for his salvation, God forbid. But one who sees these things from an Arminian standpoint must always be conscious (if he is a thinking person) that some of the credit can rightly go to him. While God provided salvation, it was his (the sinner's) decision that really clinched the deal; it was his right exercise of his independent will which ultimately saved him. The difference between him and those who are lost is not something which God did, but something he did. The Calvinist cannot agree to such assertions; he sees his salvation as "all of grace". It was God who saved him from first to last - God the Father by choosing him, God the Son by redeeming him, God the Spirit by quickening him. While recognising the necessity to believe, and knowing that we are justified by faith, the Calvinist realises that even that faith was the very gift of God to him. He sees the blood of Christ as not just making salvation possible, but as actually securing his salvation - bearing all his sins, standing in his room and stead, and fully satisfying God's righteous claims against him. He is overwhelmed by the glory of the cross and like Toplady he cries: From whence this fear and unbelief? Hast thou O Father put to grief Thy spotless Son for me? And will the righteous judge of men condemn me for that debt of sin which Lord was laid on Thee? If Thou hast my discharge procured, and freely in my room endured the whole of wrath divine, payment God cannot twice demand, first at my bleeding Surety's hand and then again at mine. Complete atonement Thou hast made, and to the utmost farthing paid what'er Thy people owed; how then on me can wrath take place, if sheltered in Thy righteousness and sprinkled with Thy blood? Turn then my soul unto Thy rest; the merits of Thy great high priest speak peace and liberty; Trust in His efficacious blood, nor fear Thy banishment from God, since Jesus died for Thee. The Calvinist recognises that God could have justly left him in his sins; he could have passed him by and left him to suffer the just rewards of his sins; but instead, in saving mercy He "commanded the light to shine in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ". Thus a grasp of these truths prostrates the soul before God "lost in wonder love and praise", that such a God should sovereignly save such a sinner! It makes a difference also in that a grasp of the doctrines of grace causes the believer to give equal glory to each of the persons of the Trinity for their working in the plan of salvation. The dominance of Arminian theology in our generation has produced great emphasis on the work of the Son (which in itself is a good thing, of course), but it has almost totally overlooked the work of the Father and the Holy Spirit, and this is not good. Our God is the Triune God, and we must honour the Father and the Spirit, just as we honour the Son, or else we grieve the Lord God. Because the Father's prerogative in election has been denied, and the Spirit's work in regeneration has been greatly perverted, the honour and glory due these divine persons is not given. Biblical Calvinism, presenting the harmonious working of the Trinity in salvation gives due emphasis to the Father's work of election, the Son's work in redemption, and the Spirit's work in regeneration. Thus we are caused to admire the wisdom and the greatness of the Triune God, and His marvellous salvation.
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