Just a thought before quoting the opening paragraph from this chapter of the author’s work. The gospel minister who reflects little or none at all on the will of God is almost certainly not a Calvinist, but is more likely than not and unaware Arminian.
“One cannot understand various theologies without grasping their dichotomies of certain doctrines. With historic Lutherans, it is the difference between law and gospel. For classic Pentecostals, it is salvation and Spirit-baptism as two separate experiences. With Reformed theology there are two. The first is divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The second is like unto it: the twofold will of God. The usual terms are the secret will and the revealed will. We often refer to Deuteronomy 29:29: ‘The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.’”
This chapter is divided into 11 subdivisions.
The Secret Will. Five paragraphs defining and discussing the secret will of God.
The Revealed Will. Four paragraphs defining and discussing the revealed will of God.
The Will of God and Salvation. Three paragraphs. The author contrasts between Arminianism and Hyper-Calvinism and his understanding of Calvinism.
One Timothy 2:4–5 and 2 Peter 3:9. Three paragraphs discussing how Calvinists have interpreted these two passages, as well as his own view of the passages.
Further Proofs of a Universal Saving Desire. One paragraph, citing Luke 19:41–42, Romans 10:21, Isaiah 65:2, and Proverbs 1:24 as proofs that God has a will of desire for all men’s salvation.
The Denial of Universal Saving Desire. Two paragraphs addressing the arguments of Hyper Calvinists. Allow me to interject at this point the reminder of a previous blog post of mine, that five-point Calvinism is not Hyper Calvinism, despite John R. Rice’s half-century spent insisting that they are the same. C. H. Spurgeon spent upwards of a decade at the beginning of his ministry in London combating Hyper Calvinism among his fellow Particular Baptists, himself being a lifelong committed and knowledgeable five-point Calvinist. He was living proof, because of his amazing doctrinal consistency and commitment to evangelism, that Hyper-Calvinism and five-point Calvinism are not the same! To insist otherwise is to put on display in public one’s misunderstanding of both positions.
The Two Words for Will. Two paragraphs discussing the Greek words used in the New Testament.
Contrast Between the Two Wills. Three short paragraphs.
One Will or Two? Three paragraphs refuting the Arminian position and elaborating Calvin’s resolution.
The Providential Will. Three paragraphs.
Conclusion. “The
secret will is not entirely secret, for it is revealed in part through
Scripture and Christ (Ephesians 1:9). We must not pry into it, such as seeking unrevealed
prophetic details (Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7; John 21:22). But we can study it insofar
as it is explained in Scripture. Proverbs 25:2 tells us, ‘It is the glory of
God to conceal a matter, but the glory of Kings is to search out a matter.’ Let
us study it and be mindful to obey the revealed will.”
