In a forward written for the second edition of a book entitled “Definite Atonement” by Dr. Gary Long, Dr. S. Lewis Johnson makes this startling observation:

“To my mind the concept of the universal and egalitarian love of God lies at the base of a great deal of the spiritual failure of our day. In fact, it is a doctrine that is eminently calculated to give comfort to the apathetic and indifferent among us, who seem to be dwelling in a spiritual coma.”

Whoah! Dr. Johnson, sure knew how to tell it like it was! I love this statement, it is so true!

Basically, what he is saying, is that it’s a lot easier to just figure God loves everyone the same, than to do the hard work of digging out of Scripture what God’s love is really like.

Does God love all mankind? Sure. (Matthew 5:43-45) But is that love the same as what He has for His children particularly? No. (Romans 8:31-39)

Now taking this last section, we have to see that this love is a particular love. We see that it is speaking of God’s Elect, and the kind of love that we cannot be separated from. Is this true of the whole world? It cannot be, because those who are not born again are separate from Christ!

So rather than assigning a love that God has only for those who are His own equally to the whole world, let us do the hard work of digging out what God has meant by what He says!