LLoyd-Jones and Baxter

Richard Baxter writes:

For all men are sinners, and therefore have come short of obtaining the Glory which God had appointed for the Innocent that never brake his Law; and cannot be saved or justified by the Law that they have broken; but must be justified by his free Grace, forgiving their sin, and giving and accepting their sincere Faith and Repentance through the Redemption of lost sinners, which Jesus Christ has wrought for them and in them.[1]

Now, let me ask this question: To whom do these words apply?  To the elect?  Yes, they do; they apply to the elect.  To all mankind?  Yes, they do; they also apply to all mankind.  Since all mankind includes the elect, all are therefore lost in sin and are under the wrath and curse of God for sin.  “There is none righteous, no not one,” says Paul.[2]  This forms the basis of true biblical universalism.  This is proper inclusivity.   There are no exceptions to this.  There is not a man or woman to whom you preach the everlasting Gospel who does not match this description.[3]  There will never be anyone in your congregation who does not match this description.  The world is full of people who are in this position and condition.  And only the Gospel of God can save their souls.  Like all men, they too have broken God’s holy Law; they have offended his Majesty, insulted his dear Son, have lived in defiance of his Word, have spat upon Christ, insulted the Spirit of grace, and trampled under foot the precious blood of Christ.[4]  That is true of everybody.  The whole world is corrupt, fallen, depraved totally, and as a consequence, the whole world is under the wrath of God.  There are no exceptions to this anywhere.  No one has loved God with all his heart, mind, soul and strength, and nobody has loved his neighbour as he loved himself.[5] 

Some people, and indeed all theological liberals, object to this teaching on “the wrath of God.”  But when we listen to these wise words again from Lloyd-Jones in his lecture on the wrath of God in his book, The Plight of Man and the Power of God, here’s what he says,…there is no real ground at all for the objection to this teaching concerning “the wrath of God.”   For the way of escape is wide open.  There is no need for anyone [emphasis mine] to remain under the wrath of God.  And surely that fact settles the matter.  Were there no escape, the position would be very different. But what can happen to anyone [emphasis mine] who deliberately refuses to accept that offer of salvation, save to suffer the consequences of that refusal?  And that is the explanation of the note of urgency in the preaching of Paul and the other Apostles, and of all the greatest preachers ever since.  That is why the gospel is good news.  The wrath of God (has) already (been) revealed.  But now the way to escape that wrath is also revealed in the gospel of Christ.’[6]

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[1]    R. Baxter’s paraphrase on the New Testament.

[2]    Rom.3:10ff.

[3]    J. Davenant (1627/2006:25).

[4]    Heb.10:29.

[5]    Mt.22:37-40.

[6]    D. M. Lloyd-Jones (1942:72).