Author: Gary Witcher

Calvinism (3)

    In the last two studies we have examined three elements of John Calvin's doctrine of predestination in light of the Bible.  We have looked at the theories of total depravity, unconditional predestination and limited atonement and have rejected all three as contrary to the word of God.
    According to the Bible, we are not born in sin and we are not guilty of the sins of anyone else.  Each of us is responsible for his own sins.  God has not chosen from the beginning who would be saved and who would be lost.  He has predestined that anyone who obeys His commandments will be saved.  He has predestined that his children should conduct themselves in a certain way.  But He has not predestined certain individuals for salvation and others for damnation.  And Jesus died for all mankind.  Only those who take advantage of this offer will be saved, but that does not diminish the scope of this great sacrifice.  If you missed either of the broadcasts when we dealt with these topics, please write for a free printed copy of the program.
    The fourth element of Calvin's doctrine is "irresistable grace."  According to this idea, the Holy Spirit works directly on the hearts of those who have been predestined for salvation.  One implication of this is that the word of God is a dead letter until the Holy Spirit touches that person.  Otherwise, some who were not predestined might be mistakenly affected by the gospel.
    Luke eight records the parable of the sower, beginning in verse four.
    "Now the parable is this:" Jesus explains beginning in verse 11, "the seed is the word of God.
    "And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved.
    "And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.
    "And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
    "And the seed in the good ground, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance."
    How does the teaching of this parable compare with that of "irresistable grace?"  Wouldn't this entire story be foolish if, in reality, the situation was that the word worked on those who were predestined and did not work on those who were not?  Why would Jesus make such a glaring error?  Was He ignorant of God's plan?
    "For it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you," Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9, "and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
    "And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power."
    Wait a minute!  Irresistable grace says that the individual does not have the choice of obeying or rejecting the gospel.  That's why it's called "irresistable."  It's no wonder so many people have turned their backs on religion when they have been presented with a God who supposedly decides that someone will not be saved, and then punishes them for their disobedience.
    "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;" John 20:30-31 states, "but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
    Just how "dead" is the word of God, according to this passage?
    "For I am not ashamed of the gospel," Paul boasts in Romans 1:16, "for it is the power of God for salvation to every one who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
    Just how "dead" is the word of God, according to this passage?  If Calvin was right then Paul was wrong, because this verse says that the gospel is the power for salvation for everyone who believes.  Calvin said it was the power for those who have been predestined.
    "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God," Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:21, "God was well pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe."
    Calvin chose irresistable grace over the power of the gospel.  Which did God choose?
    "Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven," we read in Colossians 2:5-6, "of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel, which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth."
    Just how "dead" is the gospel?
    "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword," Hebrews 4:12 suggests, "and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
    Just how "dead" is the word of God?
                                       
    The last element of Calvin's doctrine is the "perseverance of the saints."  As we stated before, this is commonly known as "once-saved, always-saved."  It means quite simply that those who have been predestined for salvation cannot fall.  They cannot do anything to fall from grace.
    "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness," Ezekiel 18:24 explains, "commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live?  All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die."
    "The righteousness of a righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgressions," we learn in Ezekiel 33:12.  Read both of these passages in context and see what you learn about falling from grace.  And take another look at the parable of the sower in Luke eight and see whether or not it is possible to be lost after being saved.
    How do supporters of Calvin's doctrine deal with scriptures such as this parable?  They explain that these people were not really saved.  They just looked like they were.  That's not what it says, but let's see what other passages have to say.
    "I buffet my body and make it my slave," Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 9:27, "lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified."  Paul didn't really think he could be lost, did he?  Or, maybe Paul wasn't really saved, after all.
    "Keeping faith and a good conscience," Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:19, "which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith."
    Is Paul talking about people who just appeared to be saved?  If so, how could they suffer shipwreck if they aren't even on the boat?
    "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching," Paul advises in 1 Timothy 4:16, "persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you."
    Paul must have been really foggy on the idea of the perseverance of the saints if he believed that salvation had to be insured by following sound teaching.  Or, perhaps Timothy wasn't really saved.  If so, we can't help but wonder why Paul would tell him how in insure something he did not and could not have.
    "But if any one does not provide for his own," Paul instructs in 1 Timothy 5:8, "and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever."
    Can we deny the faith after we have it, or can we not?
    "For some have already turned aside to follow Satan," Paul says of certain christian widows in 1 Timothy 5:15.  Can we turn aside or can we not?
    In 2 Timothy 2:18, Paul speaks of "men who have gone astray from the truth."  Can we go astray from the truth or can we not?  Can someone who is not saved turn astray from something that he does not have?
    "For this reason," the writer stresses in Hebrews 2:1, "we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it."
    Do you get the feeling that the New Testament doesn't buy the idea of the perseverance of the saints?
    Hebrews 6:4-6 discusses those who have "once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away."  That's bad news for Calvin's doctrine.
    But we haven't seen anything, yet.  2 Peter 1:10 talks about being careful about what we practice so we won't stumble.  Verse 17 of chapter three contains a warning about falling from our own steadfastness.  And all of chapter two destroys Calvin's idea.  Have the people being discussed in chapter two ever been saved?  They have "escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," according to verse 20.  Can they fall?
    "It has happened to them according to the true proverb, 'A dog returns to its own vomit,'" verse 22 says, "and, 'A sow, after washing, returns to wallow in the mire.'"
    Is this not clear enough?
    "You have fallen from grace," Paul states in Galatians 5:4.  Can it get any clearer?
    You can accept Calvin's doctrine or you can accept the Bible, but you cannot accept both.  Calvin offers a free ticket to heaven for those who are predestined to receive it, and a one-way ticket to hell for those who are not.  The Bible offers salvation for any one who obeys the gospel and continues to live according to its instruction.
    And only this truth can set us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."