The Gospel - The Means of Grace XXIII

Saved Through The Gospel Preacher

"And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." (Acts 26: 15-18)

This passage of scripture is detrimental to the Hardshell "Spirit alone" or "no-means" view of regeneration (salvation). Clearly salvation is the the result of Paul's preaching the gospel. This salvation is described as being "turned" by God "from" darkness and the power of Satan, and being turned "to" light and God. It is described as "receiving forgiveness of sins," and "receiving inheritance among the sanctified." Finally, this salvation (sanctification) is "by faith."

The Hardshells will take several approaches in trying to make these words to harmonize with their aberrant views. First, some will say that the word "manifestly" should be inserted before each description of salvation. I am sending you that they may "manifestly receive pardon," may "manifestly turn from Satan to God," etc. But, this is adding to the word of God.

Second, some will say that the description is not of salvation proper, or of regeneration, but to a "time salvation" or to "conversion," neither being necessary for being regenerated or eternally saved. Such a view represents "regeneration" as not delivering one from the power of Satan and from darkness, and as not connected with receiving forgiveness and inheritance, which is absurd.

On this passage, Dr. Gill wrote:

"Now though this is all the work of the Spirit, by whom only the eyes of the understanding are enlightened; yet this is ascribed to the apostle, not as the efficient cause, but as the instrument and means through preaching of the Gospel, which the Spirit of God would, and did make use of..."

"...and this inheritance these sanctified ones receive by faith now, as they do the forgiveness of their sins; that is, they now receive by faith the promise of the inheritance, and the earnest and pledge of it, and their right unto it, and claim upon it..."

In fulfilling the commission of Christ to save sinners by the preaching of the gospel, Paul is said to have gone out and preached to the Gentiles "that they should repent." (vs. 20) On this verse Dr. Gill wrote:

"...this is not a national repentance which the ministers of the Gospel are to show to men the necessity of; though this is not unworthy of them, when there is a call in Providence to it, and the state of things require it; much less a legal one, but an evangelical repentance; which has along with it faith in Christ Jesus, dealing with his blood and righteousness for the remission of their sins, and their justification before God; and which springs from, and is encouraged and heightened by, a sense of the love of God: and now this being a part of the Gospel ministry, does not suppose it to be in the power of men to repent of themselves, since no man, whilst he remains insensible of the evil nature of sin, and the hardness of his heart continues, which none but God can remove, can repent; and when he becomes truly sensible, he then prays to God to give him repentance, and to turn him: nor does it at all contradict its being a blessing of the covenant, a gift of Christ, and a grace of the Spirit of God; nor does it suggest, that the preaching of the word is sufficient of itself to produce it; the contrary of which the ministry of John the Baptist, of Christ, and of his apostles, declares; but the design of its being insisted on in the Gospel ministry, is to show that men are sinners, and in such a state and condition, that they are in need of repentance, and that without it they must perish; and the rather this is to be quietly inculcated, since true repentance is unto life, is the beginning and evidence of spiritual life, and issues in eternal life; and since there is a close connection between that and salvation, and that without it there is no salvation." (Commentary)

Dr. Gill expresses the "Old Baptist" position, and yet Hardshells deny it, and yet they claim to be the "Old Baptists"!

Further, Hardshells are inconsistent on the experience of being saved from darkness and being given light. When gospel means and faith are involved, then it does not refer to regeneration or eternal salvation, but when there is no mention of faith or means, then regeneration and eternal salvation are referred to. For instance, notice this passage:

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." (Col. 1: 13)

When I was with the Hardshells I always heard this verse applied to the experience of "regeneration." Many Hardshells argued that the word "translation," like the words "creation," "resurrection," and "birth," is used to describe the experience of regeneration, and denotes passivity and what is unconditional. However, this translation experience into the kingdom of Jesus is described as being "delivered from" the "power of darkness," the very thing that Paul is said to effect by his preaching the gospel in Acts 26: 18. Thus, some Hardshells will affirm that the deliverance from darkness in Acts 26: 18 is not regeneration, but the deliverance from darkness in Colossians 1: 13 is regeneration. The honest interpreter, however, will see them both as speaking of regeneration.

"Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth." (Acts 13: 46, 47)

"That you (Paul and Barnabas) may be for salvation unto the ends of the earth." This is denied by Hardshells. They reject the statement and will make it to mean something other than what it says. Certainly the words were originally said to Isaiah, and applied to him, but in a greater way, to the Lord Jesus Christ. But, here the words are applied to Paul and Barnabas, in their character as gospel preachers.

Dr. Gill wrote:

"that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the earth; impetratively as the author of it, and applicatively by means of the Gospel, which publishes salvation by Christ; and is the power of God unto salvation, to Gentiles as well as Jews, even to all that believe, in what part of the world soever they live: thus what was decreed and resolved on by God the Father, and was declared by him to his Son, is applied to his ministers and ambassadors, who represented him; so that what they did, he may be said to do; and who by them was to go, and did go to the Gentiles, and enlighten them with the light of the Gospel, and became salvation to them; so that this prophecy is produced by the apostles, to vindicate their conduct..."