John Piper subscribes to the view that the atonement of Christ is sufficient in its worth to save the non-elect, but efficient in its application to save only those who believe. This gobbledygook is derived from the teachings of Andrew Fuller, who sought to retain the free offer of the gospel, while subscribing to the doctrine of Particular Redemption. To that end, Fuller argued that the atonement of Christ is universal in its value, capable of covering the sins of the entire human race (elect and non-elect). He also maintained that the atonement is particular in its application, covering only the sins of those who savingly believe on Christ. In this way, Fuller could sincerely offer the gospel to the non-elect, for he believed the atonement of Christ was hypothetically sufficient for them. Piper underscores this teaching:

“On the extent of the atonement, Fuller found himself again defending the Scripture against High Calvinists and Arminians who both thought that “particular redemption” made the free offer of the gospel to all illogical. His position is that the death of Christ is not to be conceived of “commercially” in the sense that it purchased effectually a limited number such that if more believed they could not be atoned for. On the other hand, if the atonement of Christ proceed not on the principle of commercial, but of moral justice, or justice as it relates to crime — if its grand object were to express the divine displeasure against sin (Romans 8:3) and so to render the exercise of mercy, in all the ways wherein sovereign wisdom should determine to apply it, consistent with righteousness (Romans 3:25) — if it be in itself equal to the salvation of the whole world, were the whole world to embrace it—and if the peculiarity which attends it consists not in its insufficiency to save more than are saved, but in the sovereignty of its application—no such inconsistency can justly be ascribed to it (Works, Vol., II, pp. 373–374 Emphasis added).”

“In other words, the limitation of the atonement lies not in the sufficiency of its worth to save all the sinners in the world, but in the design of God to apply that infinite sufficiency to those whom he chooses.”

First, The Free Offer Of The Gospel.

It should be pointed out, that while Fullerites believe the gospel should be freely offered, yet they do not offer it freely. They offer it on condition that the sinner savingly believe and repent. This is to impose a tax on the gospel, making faith and repentance the duty of unregenerate sinners. A duty-faith and duty-repentance gospel cannot be offered freely, because it is not a free gospel that is offered.

It should also be pointed out, there is a difference between freely offering the gospel and freely preaching the gospel. The scriptures speak about…

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AN ORDER OF SERVICE FOR DIVINE WORSHIP; DESIGNED FOR PRIVATE DEVOTIONS, FAMILY GATHERINGS AND CHURCH MEETINGS.

Sermon—“My Rule Of Conduct”

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Some of the points covered in this sermon:
• Providing a rudimentary sketch of the historic controversy over the rule of conduct for a believer’s life
• Siding with the basic conclusions of Agricola, Huntington and Gadsby—the gospel law is the rule of conduct for the believer’s life
• An explanation of Jared’s view on why the gospel law is the rule of conduct for the believer’s life
• Every “law” is confined to the jurisdiction of a covenant—henceforth, the “law” which governs a person’s life is determined by the covenant under which he/she is subject
• The heart law is under the jurisdiction of the covenant of works, which is binding upon all unregenerate sinners
• The moral law (ten commandments) is under the jurisdiction of the Mosaic Covenant, which was binding upon the Jewish people as a nation (Moses, 1491 BC – Destruction Of Jerusalem, AD 70)
• The gospel law is under the jurisdiction of the covenant of grace, which is binding upon all regenerate sinners
• Conclusions: (1) The moral law (ten commandments) is binding upon no one today; (2) The heart law is binding upon the unregenerate; (3) The gospel law is binding upon the regenerate

For the full order of service, including hymns and reading, please follow this link…

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AN ORDER OF SERVICE FOR DIVINE WORSHIP; DESIGNED FOR PRIVATE DEVOTIONS, FAMILY GATHERINGS AND CHURCH MEETINGS.

Sermon—“What Is The Gospel?”

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Some of the points covered in this sermon:
• Examining the definitions for the gospel given by Steven Lawson, R. C. Sproul, John Piper and Mark Dever
• Explaining why the foregoing definitions are either incomplete, or inaccurate
• Examining the meaning of the term ‘gospel’ and its occurrence in the New Testament
• Showing how the gospel is inseparably connected with the gracious covenant
• Framing a definition for the gospel based on the teachings of 1 Peter 1:2, 2 Corinthians 14:13 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14
• Comparing the definition of the gospel with the characteristics of the gospel as recorded in Acts 20:24; Ephesians 1:13; 3:6; 6:15; 1 Timothy 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:8; Revelation 14:6

For the full order of service, including hymns and reading, please follow this link…

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AN ORDER OF SERVICE FOR DIVINE WORSHIP; DESIGNED FOR PRIVATE DEVOTIONS, FAMILY GATHERINGS AND CHURCH MEETINGS.

Sermon—“God, Rich In Mercy”

For the full order of service, including hymns and reading, please follow this link…

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In an effort to ‘prove’ the killing effects of High-calvinism, John Piper directs attention to the decline of the Particular Baptist churches between 1718 and 1760:

“Fuller, who only knew High Calvinism in his early ministry, said in 1774, “I . . . durst not, for some years, address an invitation to the unconverted to come to Jesus” (Quoted from John Ryland’s biography in Ibid., p. 103.). He went on to say, “I conceive there is scarcely a minister amongst us whose preaching has not been more or less influenced by the lethargic systems of the age” (Works, Vol., II, p. 387.). The price had been huge: in the forty years after 1718; the Particular Baptists declined from 220 congregations to 150 (Morden Offering Christ, p. 8.).”

If this decline was the result of the killing effects of High-calvinism, then why were there more than 500 High-calvinist Baptist churches in England at the turn of the 20th century? Kenneth Dix, in his book, “Strict and…

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