Page 36 - The Gospel of John - Student textbook

Spurgeon read Calvin and also the works of Wesley and would confess, “I love the name Calvin, but always
regard him as sitting on one side of the room; and I love the name of Wesley, but I regard him as occupying
another side place in the assembly…I am myself persuaded that the points of the Calvinist alone is right upon
some points, and the Arminian alone is right upon others. There is a great deal of truth in the positive side of
both systems, and a great deal of error in the negative side of both systems. If I were asked, ‘Why is a man
damned?’ I should answer as an Arminian answer, ‘He destroys himself’. I should not dare to lay man’s ruin at
the door of divine sovereignty. On the other hand, if I were asked, ‘Why is a man saved?’ I could only give the
Calvinist answer, ‘He is saved through the sovereign grace of God, and not at all of himself.” (See also the
comments on John 7:37 “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink!” Page 53)

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For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might be
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saved through Him. Anyone who believes in Him is not judged, but anyone who does not believe is already
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judged, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God. “This, then, is the
judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their
deeds were evil. For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds
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may not be exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown
to be accomplished by God.”

The Results of Unbelief

John 3:18 Anyone who believes in Him is not judged, but anyone who does not believe is already judged,
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because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God. “This, then, is the judgment: the
light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be
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exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be
accomplished by God.”

The object of saving faith is the only begotten (unique) son of God. He is the way, and the truth, and the life; no
one comes to the father but through him (John 14:6), because there is salvation in no one else; for there is no
other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (acts 4:12), and there is
only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (first Timothy 2:5).

Jesus described judgment using the contrast between light and darkness already introduced in the prologue.
Therefore, everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be
exposed. The one who practices the truth, however, willingly comes to the light, so that his deeds may be
manifested. They have nothing to hide, and thus no reason to fear what the light will reveal. Therefore, it is vital
that we maintain a consistent devotional life. This gives the Holy Spirit of God an opportunity to point out our
sins. Again, everything flows out of a love relationship with God. (John 14:15)

Everything flows out of a love relationship with God.

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