Part Two
By Nick Bibile
In much of modern evangelism, unbelievers are told indiscriminately, “God loves you.” Yet Scripture teaches that, apart from Christ, man stands under God’s righteous wrath.
Psalm 7:11 — “God is angry with the wicked every day.”
One of the most frequently misused texts to argue for God’s saving love toward every individual without distinction is John 3:16:
John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
However, Scripture itself shows that the word world does not always mean every individual without exception.
Matthew 18:7 — “Woe unto the world because of offences!”
Luke 2:1 — “That all the world should be taxed.”
John 12:19 — “Behold, the world is gone after him.”
Most decisively, Christ Himself makes a clear distinction:
John 17:9 — “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me.”
Context, therefore, governs interpretation. In John 3:16, world refers to God’s elect gathered from every nation—His universal church scattered throughout the earth. Grace was given to these people in Christ before the world began.
2 Timothy 1:9 — “Who hath saved us… according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
John Calvin explains:
“Christ
does not bring life to all indiscriminately, but only to those whom
the Father has given Him.”
—
John
Calvin, Commentary on John 17:9
Nevertheless, the gospel is to be preached to all nations. The external call goes out freely, but only the elect respond savingly.
John 6:44 — “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.”
Man’s inability to come to God is not physical but moral and spiritual. The natural man has legs to walk, lips to pray, and hands to act—but his heart is dead.
John 3:6 — “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.”
Charles Spurgeon powerfully illustrated this truth by distinguishing between physical ability and spiritual inability. Man can walk an aisle or repeat a prayer, yet never truly come to Christ. The defect lies not in the body, but in the will and affections.
Spurgeon compared this to a lion and a sheep. Both have legs, mouths, and strength—yet the lion will not eat grass, nor the sheep devour meat. The difference is not ability, but nature. So it is with fallen man.
“The
inability of the sinner is moral, not physical. He cannot because he
will not.”
—
Charles
Spurgeon
Jonathan Edwards writes:
“Man
has a natural ability to do many things, but a moral inability to
love God.”
—
Jonathan
Edwards, Freedom of the Will
When man sinned, he became spiritually dead and separated from God. Love desires communion, yet separation destroys love. As broken relationships illustrate the absence of love, so spiritual separation from God results in the absence of true love toward Him.
Though unbelievers may display kindness, affection, and morality toward others, they possess no true love for God. Their hearts are cold, dead, and unresponsive to Him.
“The
heart of man is by nature averse from God, and inclined to everything
that is evil.”
—
Thomas
Boston, Human Nature in Its Fourfold State
Religious activity does not prove love for God. The Jews were deeply religious, yet Christ exposed their hearts:
John 5:42 — “But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.”
Stephen Charnock explains:
“Hypocrites
may perform duties, but they never delight in God Himself.”
—
Stephen
Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God
The natural man is not neutral toward God. His entire being—mind, will, and affections—is hostile.
Romans 7:14 — “I am carnal, sold under sin.”
Though often cloaked in religion, this hatred becomes visible when God’s authority confronts human pride.
2 Timothy 3:5 — “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
The religious leaders of Christ’s day outwardly appeared holy, yet inwardly desired His death.
Matthew 26:4 — “And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.”
Luke 22:2 — “And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him.”
John Owen writes:
“Every
sin has in it a virtual hatred of God.”
—
John
Owen, On Indwelling Sin
No human power can change this enmity. Education, morality, religion, miracles, or eloquent preaching cannot renew the heart. Only the sovereign grace of God can.
Paul himself stands as proof—once a persecutor of Christ, later transformed by divine power alone.
“Conversion
is the work of God alone, changing the heart, not merely the life.”
—
John
Owen
At the root of man’s rebellion is a desire to remove God from His throne.
Psalm 14:1 — “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”
This is not merely intellectual atheism, but moral hatred. The sinner wishes God did not exist.
John the Baptist called them:
Matthew 3:7 — “O generation of vipers.”
Psalm 58:3 — “The wicked are estranged from the womb.”
Thomas Watson writes:
“The
sinner would gladly be rid of God’s authority, though not of His
benefits.”
—
Thomas
Watson, A Body of Divinity
Nowhere is man’s hatred toward God more clearly displayed than at the cross. The infinitely holy Son of God took on human flesh and dwelt among men filled with venomous hatred. They mocked Him, spat upon Him, scourged Him, and cried out with one voice:
“Crucify him, crucify him.”
They preferred Barabbas—a murderer—over the Holy One of God. Though no fault was found in Christ, nothing satisfied them until He was executed.
Jonathan Edwards observed:
“There
is no greater evidence of man’s enmity to God than the death of
Christ.”
—
Jonathan
Edwards, Sermons
Though man claims independence, he is a willing servant of Satan.
John 8:44 — “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.”
The natural man hates God more than Satan and willingly joins the devil in opposing God’s truth.
We must remember that we, too, were once enemies of God—religious, yet dead. Salvation is entirely by grace. This truth should produce humility, not pride.
1 Corinthians 8:1 — “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.”
We are commanded to preach the gospel to all nations with truth, love, and humility.
Charles Spurgeon warned sinners with this illustration:
“Like
the man who hid a fox in his bosom, though it was eating out his
heart, so the sinner hides his sin—until it destroys him. Cry
mightily to God, ‘Save me from my sin!’”
—
Charles
Spurgeon
Soli Deo Gloria