- A ‘Standard Reformed’ View of John 3:16

Let's examine the case and move beyond shibboleth and sound-byte

Appendix 1: A ‘Standard Reformed’ View of John 3:16

Peter Kek Wen Jen (presently the pastor of Puchong Grace Church) quoted a well-known theologian in support of his ‘standard reformed position.’ After quoting many others, he said: “Let me quote one more man – W. Hendriksen. In commenting on John 3:16 he says: “In order to receive this everlasting life one must believe in God’s only begotten Son. It is important, however, to take note of the fact that Jesus mentions the necessity of regeneration before he speaks about faith. The work of God within the soul ever precedes the work of God in which the soul cooperates. And because faith is, accordingly, the gift of God, its fruit, everlasting life, is also God’s gift. God gave his Son; he gives us the faith to embrace the Son; he gives us everlasting life as a reward for the exercise of this faith. To him be the glory forever and ever!”

“What do you say? Do you disagree with him also? I think bro. Lam has said some excellent things in his posts. Now you may like to reply to him. Sing, it is time-consuming to interact like this. But love constrains me! “[End quote]

I replied: “I am thankful that your love constrained you to interact… You asked me for my opinion of Hendriksen’s commentary on John 3:16. Do I agree with him? You decide! Here it goes. See some brief comments. I hope you will read carefully my reply to brother Lam’s Theological Paper. 
[note: Mr Lam was the theological spokesman for the group of RB pastors; he has since returned to his Methodist church.] 

Let's deal with the great theologian you have quoted:

H: In order to receive this everlasting life one must believe in God’s only begotten Son…

SL: The first statement is already wrong and inconsistent! Belief in God’s only begotten Son is evidence that the believing person is already regenerated and possesses eternal life. The author admits as much when he acknowledges the necessity of regeneration before faith! How does one without life (spiritual and eternal) ever believe? If it is one who has been regenerated with eternal life that can believe, then it is plainly wrong and inconsistent to say that one must believe in order to receive eternal life. It is one who is already in the kingdom of God by virtue of the sovereign regeneration that is able to believe. [It is discovered later that the ‘standard reformed’ position holds that regeneration is birth of spiritual abilities, not the birth of spiritual life!]

H: It is important, however, to take note of the fact that Jesus mentions the necessity of regeneration before he speaks about faith.

SL: Hendriksen made a correct qualification here… but failed to see the implication of his own qualification. He went on to speak as though he has NOT made any qualification at all! What happens at regeneration? It is the begetting of life that is spiritual and eternal, and not some spiritual abilities. Life – spiritual and eternal - is given to make believing possible. How could life be a reward for the exercise of this faith when it is the eternal life that makes the exercise of faith possible! Spiritual abilities without spiritual life is just plain nonsensical. “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Who does the Holy Spirit regenerate? How does the Holy Spirit regenerate? "Regeneration is a creative, a hyper-physical operation of the Holy Spirit, by which man is brought from a condition of spiritual death into a condition of spiritual life,” says Berkhof. And what is the outward evidence of regeneration? Faith in Jesus Christ!

H: The work of God within the soul ever precedes the work of God in which the soul cooperates.

SL: There is much truth in this statement. The work of God in giving life to the dead soul precedes the work of God in which the soul responds. The soul can only cooperate after it has been made alive! But the statement is a deficient and potentially MISLEADING statement. I would say it is very unfortunate that the author uses the word co-operates. I believe the correct and biblical word is "respond". In what way does a man ‘CO-OPERATE’ in the work of God of saving him? In what way does a man co-operate to receive eternal life? Did he co-operate by believing??? The word co-operates means ‘to work or act together, to be of assistance or to be willing to assist.’ It speaks of contribution on the part of man in his salvation. Man does not co-operate in his salvation. A man responds to the salvation imparted to him by pure grace alone. You can dismiss this as semantics if you like. But you have asked me for my opinion. But Hendriksen’s deliberate and judicious choice of word ‘co-operates’ only reflects the inherent inconsistency and deficiency of the standard reformed theology. It is the soul in which God has given life from being dead in trespasses and sins that can respond to God’s work of regeneration to produce fruit in the life of a believer. The responses are the saving graces that accompanied the salvation bestowed by free grace.

H: And because faith is, accordingly, the gift of God…, its fruit, everlasting life, is also God’s gift.

SL: He correctly says that both faith in Christ and eternal life are the gifts of God. But please note carefully what standard reformed theology is saying now: your everlasting life is the fruit of your personal faith!!! If this is indeed standard reformed theology, then, to me, it is a lie, a big lie, and a very serious lie – plain and simple. Brothers, if you want to hold on to the standard reformed position, please go ahead. That’s your liberty. We have to part ways on this one. I have nothing more to say but this: an elect believes because he has been given life eternal. An elect does not believe in order to obtain the everlasting life. He believes because he has been given eternal life. Concerning faith as the gift of God, many are deceived to imagine that God gives this spiritual gift to those who are still under condemnation, i.e. not justified. They are also misled that the gift of faith is given to those who are still spiritually dead, i.e. not regenerated and adopted as sons. What is the use of giving a spiritual gift to one under condemnation and spiritually dead? They are ignorant of the simple truth that the gift of faith is given to justified living sons. The Scriptures says, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” Gal 4:6.

H: God gave his Son; he gives us the faith to embrace the Son; he gives us everlasting life as a reward for the exercise of this faith.

SL: So, this is the standard reformed position – God gives everlasting life as a reward for the exercise of this faith. IF (a very big ‘if’) this is the standard reformed position, then I have rejected and left it for good. I have left this standard reformed view on this. In case any man misunderstand, let me say that I still believe the teaching of Scriptures as summarized in the 1689 – and believe that the eternal life bestowed by free grace enabled an elect to believe in Christ. A reward is no more of grace. A reward is of work. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” Romans 4:4. I believe salvation is wholly by grace, evidenced through faith. God gave His Son for all His elect. Christ died to redeem them. His righteousness is legally imputed to all the elect – retrospectively, currently and prospectively at the cross. At God’s appointed and approved time, He is pleased to effectually call them individually out of that state of sin and death which they are in by nature, to grace and salvation in Christ. Those whom the Father called, the Holy Spirit regenerated unto spiritual and eternal life. And that eternal life manifests itself in personal faith in Christ Jesus through the ministry of the gospel.

H: To him be the glory forever and ever!

SL: This is just a pious ‘standard reformed’ shibboleth, and an inconsistent one! The truth is, half of the glory rightly belongs to him who cooperated with God to obtain his reward of eternal life.

Love you all, and with all due respect to Hendriksen. Sorry, he is not around to defend himself. Perhaps Peter Kek or Lam Chin Kaw would like to put up a defense on Hendriksen’s behalf. 

Sing.