"...the power of God unto salvation..." (Romans 1:16)
Romans 1:16
occupies no small place in the teaching of Primitive Baptists. It is
one of two main places in the book where the novel doctrine of gospel
time salvation is set forth, the other being Romans 10:1. And
yet just a slight glance at the text reveals a glaring contradiction with such
an idea. Seeing that the Apostle Paul
tells us that the salvation under consideration is effected by the power of
God, it must be of the Lord, and therefore, eternal salvation. This fact alone is enough to
establish that my friends are greatly mistaken on this passage, for, by their
own admission, a salvation transacted through means cannot be of the Lord, but
is rather accomplished by the power of man!
This most glaring feature flies in the face of the modern heresy at the
outset, and the fact that it remains unnoticed or ignored reveals the lack of
depth behind such an analysis.
Power with or without means
Here’s our point. Whatever kind of
salvation is announced by Romans 1:16 it is explicitly said to be effected
by the power of God. And that which is accomplished by the power
of God, is of God. The Apostle therefore in this passage
treats of a salvation “of the Lord”; and this, despite whatever
instrumentality may or may not occur in the procuring of it. But since the
gospel is explicitly proclaimed as being involved in this salvation, it becomes
true then that both the gospel and the power of God are means
in accomplishing this salvation. I am not at liberty therefore to
form an idea which says that any salvation accomplished by the gospel must be
separate and distinct than the one accomplished by the power of God, for here
the Apostle mentions them both as being effectual towards one in the same
salvation. If the salvation is eternal or temporal, certain
or uncertain, accomplished with or without means, for
all the elect or some only, one thing
is absolutely clear from Romans 1:16. The salvation is accomplished by the
power of God. And if effected by the power of God, then the
salvation of Romans 1:16 must not and cannot be that “second” one which
Primitive Baptists claim is achieved by the effort of the regenerate child of
God who works to save himself, per Acts 2:40!!!
It is obvious to all, especially to
my Primitive Baptist friends, that a salvation effected WITHOUT means is of
the Lord. The important point conveyed by Romans 1:16 however,
is that one effected WITH means is of the Lord still. To
devise a premise therefore which claims that that which is wrought without
means only is of the Lord is an error, and any system of doctrine
which relies upon this faulty premise must likewise be in error. If the
foundation be faulty, then so must be the house.
Divine authorship does not stand or
fall with instrumentality. Our Lord is free to operate however He
chooses. With or without means. In either case, it is of Him. Thus,
the very text from which my PB friends proclaim their novel doctrine of gospel time salvation destroys the very
premise which upholds it.
If it is plain that a scheme of salvation
wrought without means is of the Lord, and Romans 1:16 teaches that one wrought
with means is nevertheless of the Lord, what room exists for a salvation
effected by the power of man?
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