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of Scripture from which it appears abundantly that God showers many of His good gifts on all
men indiscriminately, that is, upon the good and the bad, the elect and the reprobate, such as:
Gen. 17:20 (comp. vs. 18); 39:5; Ps. 145:9,15,16; Matt. 5:44,45; Luke 6:35,36; Acts 14:16,17; I
Tim. 4:10. And these gifts are intended as blessings, not only for the good but also for the evil.
In the light of Scripture the position is untenable that God never blesses the reprobate, though
He does give them many gifts which are good in themselves. In Gen. 39:5 we read that
“Jehovah blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of Jehovah was upon
all that he had in the house and in the field.” And in Matt. 5:44,45 Jesus exhorts His disciples in
these words, “Bless those that curse you . . . that ye may be children of your Father who is in
heaven.” This can only mean one thing, namely, that God also blesses those who curse Him. Cf.
also Luke 6:35,36; Rom. 2:4.
G. OBJECTIONS TO THE REFORMED DOCTRINE OF COMMON GRACE.
Several objections have been and are even now raised by some against the doctrine of common
grace as it is presented in the preceding. The following are some of the most important of
these:
1. Arminians are not satisfied with it, because it does not go far enough. They regard common
grace as an integral part of the saving process. It is that sufficient grace that enables man to
repent and believe in Jesus Christ unto salvation, and which in the purpose of God is intended
to lead men to faith and repentance, though it may be frustrated by men. A grace that is not so
intended and does not actually minister to the salvation of men is a contradiction in terms.
Hence Pope, a Wesleyan Arminian, speaks of common grace in the Calvinistic system as “being
universal and not particular; being necessarily, or at least actually, inoperative for salvation in
the purpose of God,” and calls this a “wasted influence.” He further says: “Grace is no more
grace, if it does not include the saving intention of the Giver.”[Christian Theology II, pp. 387
f.] But, surely, the Bible does not so limit the use of the term “grace.” Such passages as Gen.
6:8; 19:19; Ex. 33:12,16; Num. 32:5; Luke 2:40, and many others do not refer to what we call
“saving grace,” nor to what the Arminian calls “sufficient grace.”
2. It is sometimes argued that the Reformed doctrine of common grace involves the doctrine of
universal atonement, and therefore leads into the Arminian camp. But there is no good ground
for this assertion. It neither says nor implies that it is the purpose of God to save all men
through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. The objection is based particularly on the universal
proclamation of the gospel, which is considered possible only on the basis of a universal
atonement. It was already suggested by the Arminians themselves at the time of the Synod of
Dort, when they asserted that the Reformed with their doctrine of particular atonement could
not preach the gospel to all men indiscriminately. But the Synod of Dort did not recognize the