01 December, 2016

I Samuel 10:7—“… for God is with thee”


And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee (I Sam. 10:7).



COMMON GRACE ARGUMENT:
This passage is often thought to teach that though Saul was a reprobate, he was nevertheless an object of God’s favour and blessing.



(I)

Robert C. Harbach (1914-1996)


It may be that a godly man may bless a reprobate person (Heb. 11:20); it may be that one man may say to another who happens to be a reprobate, “God is with thee” (as in I Sam. 10:7). But God does not ever say of a reprobate, “I have blessed him,” “fear thou not,” or “God was with him” (Cp. Gen. 39:2, 3, 21; Judges 6:12; I Sam. 3:19; 18:14). When He uses this language He uses it with reference to His children. (see Isa. 41:10; Matt. 28:20.)


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(II)

Rev. Angus Stewart

God was “with” Saul only in the sense of giving him abilities to reign as king (for he was a little-known farmer with no experience of ruling before this)see also http://www.cprf.co.uk/crnews/crnaugust2002.htm#saul.

God was only “with” him from the perspective of his office. This is no proof that God is “with” non-office bearing reprobates, however. This only proves that God only blesses His Church (organically speaking) and never those who are outside her.


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(III)

More to come! (DV)







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