I thought it would be interesting to take a journey to...the strange world of Dave Hunt.
We will only be making a couple of stops. I know, I know, some of you are probably thinking, “that’s a couple of stops, too many.”
Nevertheless, the journey is about to begin. So all aboard that’s going aboard.
Next stop - the strange world of Dave Hunt. Ladies and gentlemen, we do hope that you are prepared, because here comes our first stop.

I believe Calvinists are saved and most of them do preach the gospel. At the same time, however, there is the distinct impression that we are talking about two different “Gods” and two different “gospels.” One is described in the Bible; the other is a product of Calvin’s peculiar interpretation.#1

This is, what’s the word I’m looking for? Ah yes, strange! So he believes that “Calvinists” are saved and for the most part they do preach the gospel. But, at the same time there is the “distinct impression” that they have a different God and a different gospel.
It kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it? How can “Calvinists”#2 be saved and have a different God and gospel than from what Mr. Hunt believes that the scriptures teach?
Well ladies and gentlemen, let’s go to our second and final stop.

If the gift is offered to all freely for the taking, those who receive the gift have no basis whatsoever for giving any credit to themselves. All has been provided in Christ, it is His work, to Him is all the glory, and it is absurd to suggest that the hopeless sinner who has been rescued without merit or effort on his part could thereby boast of anything.#3

We find it, uh, strange, that Mr. Hunt believes that man can accept or reject the “gift” of salvation#4 by his free-will effort, or lack thereof, and yet state that his rescue is without merit or “effort” on his part.
It should go without saying, that if someone receives the “gift of salvation” then of course they have a basis for giving credit to themselves for having received the gift and, as a result of this, being saved.
Furthermore, we would have to say that it is absurd to refer to the sinner as hopeless, when he, allegedly, has the free-will ability to be “rescued” if he wants to.
Well, I think that this is more than enough strangeness to deal with, ladies and gentlemen, lets make our departure from the strange world of Dave Hunt, post haste.

You may depend upon it, brethren, that where the blood of Christ has been apprehended as the atonement for the sinner's guilt, it sinks deeper than the surface; it goes into the very core and center of our being; it bedews the inner man with its healing, its comforting balm. If the soul has come under the drops of the cross of Christ, if we have known what it is to have the whole catalogue of our sins forgiven, the sins of darkness, the sins which we could not bear to have exposed to our fellow-men; if we have known what it is to have these sins to the largest amount forever blotted out, "covered," as the Scripture says; you may depend upon it, that the same Spirit who teaches that truth will teach the poor sinner that he needs Divine support, Divine supplies at every step, and he will learn that little text, "Without Me ye can do nothing."

Paul says, "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him;" then faith must be the rule of his coming. "We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; then faith is the rule of our approach to God. "The just shall live by his faith;" then faith is the just man's rule of life. "We walk by faith, not by sight;" then faith is our rule of walk. "Thou standest by faith," says Paul; then faith is the rule of the believer's standing. "Whatever ye shall ask believing, ye shall receive," says Christ; then faith is the rule of that branch of worship. By faith Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God; "but without faith it is impossible to please Him;" then faith is a rule that God approves of, and is pleased with. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin;" then faith is a perfect rule of holiness. "All that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses;" then faith is our rule of righteousness. It is by faith we overcome the world to lay hold on eternal life, is to fight the good fight of faith, according to Paul; "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith;" then faith was the rule of his warfare, and the rule of his race, and it was the grace of God that made Paul obedient to that rule. "We have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith;" that is, by Christ we have received grace to save our souls, and apostleship to be of use to the church, not as a reward of our obedience, but to furnish us with power to make us obedient to the faith, among all nations for His name, Rom. 1:5; then faith is the rule of apostolic obedience; for it cannot be called receiving grace for obedience to the faith if faith be not the gracious man's rule of obedience.

The finishing and making an entire end of sin; this was Christ's work assigned him in covenant, and asserted in prophecy; and which was done when he made reconciliation or atonement for sin (Dan. 9:24), not that the being of sin was removed thereby; for that remains in all the justified and sanctified ones, in this life, but the damning power of it; such for Christ has made satisfaction, shall never come into condemnation, nor be hurt by the second death, that shall have no power over them; sin is so done, and put away, and abolished, by the sacrifice of Christ for it, that no charge can ever be brought against his people for it; the curse of the law cannot reach them, nor light upon them; nor any sentence of condemnation and death can be executed on them; nor any punishment inflicted on them; they are secure from wrath to come. Sin is so finished and made an end of, by Christ's satisfaction for it, that it will be seen no more by the eye of avenging Justice; it is so put away, and out of sight, that when it is sought for, it shall not be found; God, for Christ's sake, has cast it behind his back, and into the depths of the sea.#5

There was a time, child of God, when the world held in your heart the chief place. It was not so in God's heart. You and he were therefore at variance. But now, through grace, you are brought to make eternity your chief concern. You and God are agreed there; for in the mind of God eternity as much outweighs time as the stars in the midnight sky outweigh a grain of dust. There was a time when you loved the world and the things of time and sense; and earth and earthly things were your element and home. You and God disagreed upon that matter; because the Lord saw that the world was full of evil, whilst you saw it full of good. The Lord saw the world under his curse, and you loved its favor and its blessing-seeking madly and wickedly to enjoy that which God had denounced; therefore you could not agree. Thus you see that in order to be agreed with God, we must have God's thoughts in our heart, God's ways in our soul, and God's love in our affections. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." But they must become such; and when once God's thoughts become our thoughts and God's ways our ways; when once we have the mind of Christ and see with the eyes of God, then God and we become agreed, and being agreed, we can walk together. What is it to walk together? Why, it is to enjoy union, communion, fellowship, and friendship. Now as we are brought to agree with God, we walk with God. He has set up a mercy-seat on high, and when they thus agree, God and man may meet at the mercy-seat of the Redeemer. As the eyes are enlightened to see the truth of God; as the heart is touched to feel the power of God; and as the affections are drawn forth to love the things of God, we meet at the mercy-seat. It is sprinkled with blood; it contains and hides from view the broken tables of the law. There God meets man in gracious amity, and enables him to pour out his soul before him and to tell him his troubles, trials, and temptations. And every now and then he sweetly relieves by dropping in a gracious promise, applying some portion of his sacred truth, encouraging him to believe in his dear Son, and still to hope in his mercy.

Note: The following Christ centered publication has not been endorsed by Tim LaHaye, Chuck Smith, Dave Hunt, Norman Geisler, George Bryson, nor any other free-will/general "atonement" believer.

IN: How thankful I am, as a child of God, that my sins have been cast behind the back of the One who has no more remembrance of my slightest transgression, for the sake of the LORD Jesus' blood. Where He has been my reconciliation, and caused me to be justified, may I forever be filled with praise that will echo in the corridors of eternity. To be purchased by the blood of the crucified One, is God's greatest gift. We as the sons and daughters of the Covenant of Grace are blessed to be inheritors in this most precious expression of love. I would surely appreciate it if you would send me this next copy of the "Pulpit". My soul has already been blessed in reading the excerpt. Yours in Christ,...

VA: Thank the Lord that this magazine is not endorsed by the men mentioned. If it were, I would not want it sent. Please send me the free Magazine, "The GTM Evangelical Pulpit number 25.

MA: How about an endorsement from Benny Hinn? Just kidding! Please send this first rate publication [Evangelical Pulpit #25] to:...

CA: I will take one order of the new Precious Truth Journal #4 Thanks in advance...

UNITED KINGDOM: If you have a mailing list, I would sure appreciate it if you could add me.

The headline reads, Hussein Captured - Army Finds Him Hiding in Pit. Some excerpts from this newspaper are; 1. “Although he had a pistol, Hussein put up no resistance and was ‘talkative and being cooperative,’ Sanchez said, declining to give details of what the former dictator had told them. He described Hussein as ‘a tired man, a man resigned to his fate.’ “ 2. “The general said it was ironic that Hussein was found in a crude dirt cell so close to the lavish palaces he built just across the Tigris River.” 3. “ ’He never shot a single bullet, “ Farhad said in disbelief. ’He always cast himself as the big enemy of Americans. But the truth is, he is a coward.’ “#6

We are reminded of what is recorded in Daniel 4:37, “...and those that walk in pride he [God] is able to abase.” Verse 35 says, “...he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth...” Amen.

End Notes:

1 What Love Is This? Calvinism’s Misrepresentation of God, p. 153.
2 We would point out that the teaching that God saves only His elect people was taught in His Word long before it was referred to as Calvinism.
3 What Love Is This?, p. 291.
4 Salvation from the free-will perspective should more accurately be called an offer. A gift is given - not offered. Unless that is how it is done in the Hunt household. “Dave, I have a gift for your birthday. Do you want it?” Hmmm...
5 This is from pages 15 and 16 of The GTM Evangelical Pulpit. See ad in this issue.
6 Los Angeles Times, Monday, December 15, 2003, A1, A5, A6.