Posted on by Junrey J. Moncada

THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF GOD’S EFFECTUAL LOVE : Modern Distortion of God’s Love.

(Translated from Cebuano tract since 2013)

Junrey J Moncada

Pastor of Berea Baptist Church, Sabang, Caburan Big, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, Philippines



INTRODUCTION:
One of the greatest theological distortions of our time is the redefinition of the love of God.
Today, “God loves you” is preached as if it means:
God is trying
God is hoping
God is offering
God is waiting
God may ultimately fail
A love that desires salvation but cannot secure it. A love that gives the Son yet leaves multitudes under wrath. A love that bleeds at the cross but watches helplessly as sinners perish.
That is not the love revealed in Scripture.
That is a weakened, sentimentalized version—shaped more by modern emotion than by biblical revelation.
As the Cebuano treatise “Ang Epekto sa Gugma sa Dios” rightly asks:
“Can it be that God’s love is only in word and not in deed? Far from it! And can it also be that God’s love has no purpose and result/effect because it depends on whether man will also love God?”
The answer is clear: God’s love accomplishes what it intends.


I. GOD’S LOVE DRAWS—IT DOES NOT BEG

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
— Jeremiah 31:3


Because He loved—therefore He drew.
The drawing is the result of the loving. God’s love is causative, not reactive. It accomplishes what it intends.
An everlasting love that fails eternally is not everlasting love—it is frustrated desire.

“This text shows that God draws those He loves, not because of man’s own effort, for man absolutely cannot come to Christ unless he is drawn by God. ‘NO ONE CAN COME to Me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent Me…’ (John 6:44)”
God’s love is effective, not ineffective. It does not merely make salvation possible—it secures it.


II. GOD’S LOVE IS POURED—NOT MERELY PROPOSED

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
— Romans 5:5


Poured out.
Not suggested. Not presented. Not made available pending human permission.
Poured into the heart by the Spirit of God.
And this poured-out love results in justification and reconciliation (Rom. 5:9–10). The chapter does not end in uncertainty—it ends in salvation from wrath.
Now if all people in this world were loved and died for by Christ, then all people would surely be saved!”
The logic is inescapable:
If Christ died for someone, that death accomplishes salvation.
If God loves someone with saving love, that person will be saved.
The cross is not a failed offer—it is a finished work.


III. GOD DIRECTS THE HEART

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
— 2 Thessalonians 3:5

This language does not suggest mere assistance, but divine direction. The heart is not portrayed as autonomously steering itself toward God, nor as standing in neutral independence, waiting for human choice to decide. Rather, the Lord Himself actively directs the heart into His love.
This destroys the notion of autonomous free will in matters of salvation. If the Lord must direct the heart, it follows that the heart, left to itself, would not move toward God.

The direction is not hypothetical but effectual, God does not merely point the way; He brings the heart into it. His sovereignty governs not only the external call of the gospel, but the internal movement of the soul.
Thus, the love of God is not dependent upon the sinner’s initiative, but the sinner’s response is the result of God’s sovereign direction. The heart does not generate love for God from its own natural power; it is brought into that love by divine operation. This confirms that salvation rests not upon human neutrality or self-determination, but upon the sovereign and effective grace of God, who directs, inclines, and secures the hearts of His people.


IV. GOD’S LOVE PRODUCES THE RESPONSE

We love him, because he first loved us.
— 1 John 4:19


His love is the cause. Ours is the effect.
The modern view reverses this—making human acceptance the decisive factor. Scripture does not.
God’s love creates the response it demands.

“If all people were loved by God, all people would have also love God, but the Bible reveals that not all people love God (John 5:42). This is because they were not loved by God either, because if they were loved by God, then they would also love God according to this passage!”
The implications are clear:
If God loves you with saving love, you will love Him in return.
The fact that many do not love God proves they are not the objects of His saving love.
God’s love is not universal—it is particular and effective.


V. GOD’S LOVE IS THE CAUSE OF SALVATION

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
— Ephesians 2:4-5

“These texts show that the great LOVE of God is the cause of our salvation. Even when we were dead in sin, He made us alive together with Christ, and this is called grace to the undeserving or love for the unlovely.”
The sequence is critical:
God loved us
While we were dead in sin
He made us alive
We are saved by grace
This is not conditional love. This is not God waiting for dead sinners to respond. This is resurrection love—love that brings life to the dead.

“Now if we apply these texts to all people, then it would also become that all people would be saved and made alive in Christ, and that would mean no one would perish in the lake of fire in hell—Cain, Pharaoh, Herod, the Man of sin and all who rejects Christ even satanists, would be saved if that were so? But far from it! Because God has mercy on whom He wills to have mercy and hardens whom He wills to harden (Romans 9:16-18).”
The conclusion is unavoidable:
God’s saving love is particular, not universal.
If God loved all in the same saving way, all would be saved.
Since all are not saved, God’s love must be discriminating and effectual.

* Dr. Flowers has objection  by citing Matt. 5:44″Love your Enimies”-

This objection needed right attention to adress, so we answer-
“If God’s command to love enemies means He must love them in exactly the same way He loves His own people, then would God also be obligated to save His own arch-enemy—Satan? Such a conclusion is absurd and exposes the false assumption behind the argument.
Loving one’s enemies does not mean granting them the same love, favor, or saving grace reserved for one’s own family. If a man’s family were murdered, his refusal to take revenge against the murderer could be called a form of love—yet no rational person would conclude that he loves the murderer in the same way he loves his murdered family. Justice, mercy, and love operate in different ways according to relationship and purpose.
Therefore, God is not a hypocrite for commanding love toward enemies while reserving His saving love for His people. There is a clear distinction between showing benevolence toward enemies and bestowing covenantal, redeeming love upon His elect. Confusing these categories creates contradiction where none exists.”


VI. GOD’S LOVE IS THE CAUSE OF ELECTION

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
— Ephesians 1:4-5

“This verse declares that God through His Love chose us to become His adopted children. And this choosing by God brings man TO LIVE holy and blameless lives, and not because they were already serving and holy beforehand to be chosen.”
The order is crucial:
God loved
God chose
Therefore we become holy
Not:
We became holy
Therefore God chose us
God’s love precedes and produces holiness—it does not respond to it.


VII. GOD’S LOVE REMOVES SIN

“To Him who loved us and has freed us from our sins by His blood.”- -Revelation 1:5

“If we reflect on this passage and apply it to all people, then all people would truly be freed from sin and would surely be saved, but still many will be judged to punishment, dying in their own sins (John 8:21,24, Rev. 20:15, Matthew 25:41).”
The argument is airtight:
If God’s love frees from sin, then those He loves are freed.
If all were freed from sin, none would perish.
Since many perish, not all are loved with saving love.


VIII. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE GOD’S LOVED ONES FROM HIM

Romans 8:35-39
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? …I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

“This passage testifies to the effect of God’s love upon those He has loved; that absolutely nothing can separate those loved by God. Now if we allow that all people are loved by God, this would result in no one being separated from God’s hand, meaning no one would go to hell.”
The logic is inescapable:
If God loves you with the love described in Romans 8, nothing can separate you.
If all were loved this way, none would be lost.
Since many are lost, this love is not universal.
“Because those loved by God will absolutely not be destroyed by Him, but if His loved ones err, what they will experience is only discipline, like a father who loves his children, and not destruction (1 Cor. 11:32, Heb. 12:6-11, Prov. 3:12).”
God’s love disciplines—it does not damn.


IX. JOHN 3:16 IS NOT A FAILED OFFER

John 3:16 is often quoted as if it proves universal, resistible love:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”
Yes—He gave.
But why did He give?
Paul answers (Romans 5:9):
“Having now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him.”
The giving of the Son secures justification.
Justification secures salvation from wrath.
The cross is not a sentimental gesture. It is a substitutionary accomplishment.
If Christ’s blood justifies, those justified will be saved.
The love that gave the Son is the love that saves from wrath.

“Many truly believe that all people are loved by God because of their misunderstanding of John 3:16, also because of the word WORLD written there. But they need to understand that in the Bible there are different uses of the word WORLD that don’t mean all people without exception. “
The lists biblical uses of  term “world”:
The people of Jerusalem who met Christ (John 12:19)
The world of the ungodly in Noah’s time (2 Peter 2:5)
The world of sin (James 3:6; 1 John 2:15-17)
The world that is not God’s (John 15:19; John 17:9,14) and The world that will be damn (1Corinthian 11:32)


“Because of these proofs, we can understand that the World mentioned in John 3:16 is the world of believers who are loved by God.”
John 3:16 does not teach universal love that fails.
It teaches particular love that saves.


X. THE REAL ISSUE

The real issue is this:
Do we believe God’s love merely makes salvation possible?
Or do we believe God’s love actually saves?
The Bible presents a love that:
Draws (Jeremiah 31:3)
Pours (Romans 5:5)
Directs (2 Thessalonians 3:5)
Produces (1 John 4:19)
Justifies (Romans 5:9)
Saves from wrath (Romans 5:9-10)
Elects (Ephesians 1:4-5)
Frees from sin (Revelation 1:5)
Makes alive (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Never loses its object (Romans 8:35-39)
A love that leaves its object eternally condemned is not the love described in Jeremiah 31, Romans 5, Ephesians 2, or 1 John 4.
To preach a love that tries but does not secure is to diminish the power of the cross.


CONCLUSION:

THE CHALLENGE

“Now, friend, have you experienced God’s love operating in your life? If you are still doubting your salvation, this is proof that you have not truly experienced God’s love yet. Repent of your sins and believe in the Good News, that Christ became man, suffered, died, and rose again so that you might be saved (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). There is no other salvation except in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:10-12). Christ says, ‘he who comes to Me I will by no means cast out’ (John 6:37). In Christ there is assurance‼”
Final Word:
God’s love is not frustrated.
God’s love is not uncertain.
God’s love does not fail.
It accomplishes redemption.
To those who have experienced the effectual call of God, who have been drawn by the Father, who have had God’s love poured into their hearts, who have been made alive when they were dead—there is assurance in Christ.
Not because of the strength of your faith, but because of the power of God’s love.
A love that secures what it seeks.
A love that saves whom it loves.
A love that cannot fail.

Posted on by Junrey J. Moncada

The Source of Faith: A Theological Examination

By Junrey J. Moncada – Pastor, Berea Baptist Church,
Sabang, Caburan Big, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental.

Heb 11:6 KJV –
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

       

When I was young in Christ, I heard the teachings of my pastor, as well as lectures in the seminars I attended, concerning the subject of faith and its common classification into four types: intellectual faith, saving faith, believers’ faith, and faith derived from a system of doctrines. At the time, I accepted these classifications as legitimate and scriptural truths.


However, upon deeper reflection, a foundational theological question arose: from whom do all these forms of faith ultimately originate? If saving faith is a gift granted by God, what then is the status of faith that is grounded in a system of doctrines? Does such faith likewise proceed from God, even though the devil himself possesses doctrinal accuracy and intellectual clarity, yet remains opposed to the truth?


This question became more pressing with the emergence of an extremist and heretical group from within our own ranks. This group has sought to persuade our sister churches that there is no salvation apart from doctrinal correctness—particularly adherence to the rigid understanding of the TULIP doctrines—and that salvation is exclusive to their group alone, where doctrinal purity is allegedly found. This position has not been accepted by the majority, for it is well known that even within our own fellowship there exist secondary and minor doctrinal differences that cannot rightly be elevated as criteria for salvation.


Nevertheless, this must not be misunderstood as a denial of the importance of doctrinal truth in the Christian life and ministry. On the contrary, sound doctrine is essential for guarding the truth and guiding the church, constrain us the value of meditations and study. Yet, from a theological standpoint, it must be clearly stated that doctrinal knowledge, in and of itself, possesses no saving power. Doctrine cannot serve as the ground of salvation; rather, it is the fruit as it follows in growing in the genuine faith in Christ.


The examples of the thief on the cross, Zacchaeus, and countless believers throughout the centuries—who were not well-versed in systematic theological formulations but who repented and trusted solely in the salvation proclaimed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ—testify that salvation is not the product of intellectual attainment or doctrinal perfection. Rather, salvation is a work of the grace of God—from Him, through Him, and to Him alone.


Therefore, we are compelled to affirm that true faith is not measured by the sophistication of one’s doctrinal system, but by genuine trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. Any form of faith that does not arise from the grace of God, regardless of its intellectual rigor or organizational precision, remains deficient and incapable of pleasing Him. For in the final analysis, as the Scriptures declare, salvation belongs to the Lord and to the Lord alone.

        Due to the present situation, this pushes us the need to study the types of faith revealed in the scriptures as such that we have no other authority to believe but the scriptures alone. We have categorized this type of faith not into 4 kinds but only into 2 kinds because only 2 types of faith are revealed in the scriptures, where the other kinds of faith fall into these categories.


        This study is concise and in outline for the reason that everyone may open their Bible in every passages we quote, that we may affirm this study as a scripturally base study in a systematic way.

☐ 1- The rational faith.

● This type of faith is the COMMON faith on the basis of physical and material evidences, in other words, “Seeing Is believing”.
● This is the intellectual faith produced out of earthly awareness through rational observations or intellectual reasons:
        a). Obtain by generational tradition of men (Mark 7:7-8; Col. 2:8;   1Pet. 1;18)
        b). Obtain by learning through human strive in academic studies about doctrinal systems –
            1. POSITIVE: the right knowledge (Jude 3,16; 1Tim. 4:6,13,16; 2Tim.4:2-3; Tit.1:9).
            2. NEGATIVE: the wrong knowledge ( Rom.16:17; Eph.4;14; Col. 2:8; 1Tim.1:3; 4:1; Jer. 10:7-8; Heb. 13:9; Rev.2:14-15)
* Athiesm is also a system of belief produce out of a NARROW LIMITED thinking (Rom.1:19-20; 2Pet.2:10-12).
● This faith is the same faith possess by the demons; they are doctrinally right in the knowledge about God and the Existence of Christ as the eternal Son, the Holy One of God. (Matt. 8:29; Mark 1:24; James 2:19)
● Having this kind of faith isn’t a blessed faith (John 20:26-29), in other words, cannot please God.
● Having merely this kind of faith saves nobody more likely as damnable demons that having a dead faith ( James 2:19, 26; 3:15-16).

☐ 2- The endowed faith.

■ This type of faith obtain only by a peculiar people ( John 8:46-47; Acts 13:48 cf. 2Thess.3:2)
■ This faith is the true faith that surpasses beyond rational earthly understanding and the need of physical and material evidences however this faith is a matter of full trust and assured hope (Heb.11:1,7, 27; Rom. 8:24; 2Cor. 4:18; 5:7).
■ The principal object of this authentic faith is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ alone ( Acts 4:8-12; 20:21; Rom. 3;26; 1Cor.1:17-19,23-24).
■ This faith is proceeded out from the Grace of God ( Acts 18:27 ; Eph.2:8; Phil. 1:29), by the renewing of the heart (Jer. 24:7; Ezek.36:26-27; Acts 16:14), causing to hear and believe the Gospel (Rom.10:9-10,17).
■ This faith is no longer an earthly rationality but a spiritual one, having spiritual discernment after hearing the words of truth revealed in the name of Jesus Christ ( 1Cor.2:14; Eph. 1:13; 4:21; Col.1:5).
■ This is called the SAVING FAITH (Matt.9:22; Eph.2:8)
■ This faith is not devoid with the right understanding or right reasons of the system of doctrines from the written Scriptures that centered on the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ ( 2Cor.4:5-6; Phil.3;8; Col.2:2-3; 1Tim.1:10-11; 2Tim. 3:15).
■ This faith produces wisdom and discernment that rests on the renewed heart (Prov.2:10;14:33; Jer.24:7; Ezek.36:26-27; 1Cor.2:14).
■ This kind of faith is inseparable from genuine repentance because only the true believer that is renewed by God recognized its sinful condition, the inability to save oneself and the soul’s great need and reliance of the Saviour Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47; Acst 20:21).
■ This faith is active, it works and grows out of love as a believer’s faith (Luke 17:5-6; Gal.5:6; Phil. 1:9; 1Thess.1:3; Jude20).

Conclusion:


In light of Hebrews 11:6, it is clear that the faith which pleases God is not a product of human reason, intellectual knowledge, or doctrinal precision alone. Scripture teaches that “without faith it is impossible to please Him”—a faith that originates from and rests upon God Himself, not upon human ability. Therefore, the source of true faith is neither the human mind, nor a religious system, nor organizational affiliation, but the grace of God at work in the heart through His Word and Spirit.
Rational Faith, though it may possess value in discerning truth and guarding against doctrinal error, is altogether incapable of saving. This form of faith may carry doctrinal correctness yet lack spiritual life, much like the faith of demons who possess accurate knowledge but remain in rebellion against God. Thus, doctrinal knowledge, apart from the gracious transformation of the heart, remains nothing more than dead faith.
By contrast, Endowed Faith is the gift of God—a living, active, and saving faith that is centered exclusively on Jesus Christ. This faith leads not only to salvation, but also to a proper understanding of doctrine, genuine repentance, and growth in holiness. Doctrine, in this context, cannot function as the foundation of salvation; rather, it is the fruit and servant of saving faith. The truth of the Gospel stands at the center, and all teaching must ultimately lead to the exaltation of Christ, not to human pride or sectarian superiority.
Therefore, we affirm that Scripture alone is our final authority in matters of faith and practice. The classification of faith into two categories—rational and endowed—is not intended to diminish the value of theological study, but to place it in its proper order: doctrinal study must follow and serve true faith that proceeds from God. Salvation, from beginning to end, belongs to the Lord alone.
May this study remind us that it is not the elegance or sophistication of our doctrinal systems that pleases God, but a heart that trusts, repents, and continually draws near to Him through Jesus Christ. And may we remain humble, charitable, and faithful to the truth of God’s Word, as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.
“To Him be the glory now and forever.” Amen.

May God bless you.