The Well-Meant Offer of the Gospel from a Missionary’s Perspective

The Puritan evangelist Richard Alleine once wrote the following of the sincere love of God and His desire for the salvation of all who hear the invitation of the gospel:

“I tell you again, I wish you well; and not only I, but the Lord God that hath sent me to you: The Lord Jesus wishes you well; he wishes and wooes, wooes and weeps, weeps and dies, that your Souls might live, and be blessed for ever: He hath once more sent me to you, even to the worst amongst you, to tell you from him, that he’s unwilling you should perish; that he hath a kindness for you in his heart, if you will accept it…”

In this short volume, missionary Trevor Johnson defends this same view, that God desires the salvation, in some fashion, of all men, and that this gospel is a true and sincere appeal and invitation.

Johnson writes as one who fully affirms the absolute sovereignty of God, the Five Points of Calvinism, and even the judicial hatred of God for unrepentant sinners, and yet is troubled by a growing trend among some Calvinists to deny the sincere and well-meant offer of the gospel.

Johnson affirms that if someone asks you this query from a tortured soul, “Do you believe that God really wants to save even me?” that you can answer most assuredly, “Yes! God would have you to be saved and would rejoice over your salvation even now!”

We mirror the very heart of God when we love souls and desire their salvation.