Confusing The Covenant Love of God With The Free Offer of The Gospel

 Confusing The Covenant Love of God With The Free Offer of The Gospel


If you are like me, you have heard a lot of well-meaning evangelists (especially on the radio or television), say things like this: "God loves you; and the proof is in the fact that Christ died for sinners."

 

The problem is not with the last clause, "Christ died for sinners"; but with the first one, "God loves you"--especially when this "love" is based on the proclamation of the gospel.

 

The remarkable reality is, that the Almighty and Holy God does offer perfect clemency to sinners--who are actually His mortal enemies.  This is the astounding part of the glory of the gospel: not that God "loves" anybody--but that Christ has died for undeserving sinners.

 

One can understand the mistake of unequivocally equating the gospel message with the love of God directed at the recipients of that good news.  The reason for this misstep, is because it is an incredibly loving thing that God has Christ's gospel preached to sinners; and this love is then assumed to be translated into automatic love for the hearers of the good news.

 

But, when we stop to think about it, we realize that no gospel sermon--in either the Old Testament or the New--ever started out with the premise (or the words): "God loves you. . . . And therefore you are to hear this sermon of good news."  Instead, God's indictment of sinners as sinners is first laid-out; and then the gracious truth of Jesus' atonement is delineated and offered.

 

There is a difference between God's creational love, and His covenantal love.  We may accurately state, that God loves all of His creation, with a "creational" love; but we are not telling the truth, when we try to convince people that God loves everyone (the same) with regard to His covenantal (saving) love.

 

It is actually confusing, for sinners--especially honest ones (who already know that God hates their sins)--to hear words like, "God loves you"; and, immediately after this: . . . "And He has good news for you."  A better approach is, "You have a big problem--sin; and God, in Christ alone, has the answer for you."

 

We are always to "Speak the truth in love," (Eph. 4:15a)--and this is especially the case when we are telling poor sinners about our Lord Jesus Christ.  As we do this, they may sense our sincerity, and our true care for them.

 

Let us tell all people everywhere about the gospel--but let us do so with integrity and honor--all to the glory of our blessed Christ.

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #33

3 November 2025

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com/

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