Yesterday I tried to summarize Calvinism with my own words. This is always a dangerous task. In the book I am currently writing on Calvinism, I will always seek to let Calvinists present their views in their own words.
So, as a way of appeasing any critics of my personal summary of five-point Calvinism yesterday, I thought I would post a Calvinistic summary today.
Here is what David N. Steele, Curtis C. Thomas, and S. Lance Quinn have written in their book The Five Points of Calvinism:
Because of the Fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free; it is in bondage to his evil nature. Therefore, he will not—indeed, he cannot—choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ. It takes regeneration, by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation, but is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation. It is God’s gift to the sinner, not the sinner’s gift to God.
God’s choice of certain individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely on His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any forseen response or obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause, of God’s choice. Election, therefore, was not determined by, or conditioned upon, any virtuous quality or act forseen in man. Those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Thus, God’s choice of the sinner, not the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation.
Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substiutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to putting away the sins of His people, Christ’s redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith, which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, thereby guaranteeing their salvation.
In addition to the outward general call to salvation, which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected. However, the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call, the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited to His work of applying salvation by man’s will, nor is He dependent upon man’s cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God’s grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.
All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit, are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of almighty God, and thus persevere to the end (The Five Points of Calvinism, pp 5-8).
Other Calvinists might summarize the Five Points of Calvinism somewhat differently, but this summary from three leading Calvinists is fairly typical.
However, here is one super succinct summary, from leading Calvinistic pastor and author, John MacArthur:
(1) Sinners are utterly helpless to redeem themselves or to contribute anything meritorious toward their own salvation (Rom. 8:7-8). (2) God is sovereign in the exercise of His saving will (Eph 1:4-5). (3) Christ died as a substitute who bore the full weight of God’s wrath on behalf of His people, and His atoning work alone is efficacious for their salvation (Isa 53:5). (4) God’s saving purpose cannot be thwarted (John 6:37), meaning none of Christ’s true sheep will ever be lost (John 10:27-29). That is because (5) God assures the perseverance of His elect (Jude 24; Phil 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5).
As you read over these summaries, you may not see anything that stands out as overly objectionable. You might think that based on the statements above, Calvinism sounds pretty reasonable, and quite biblical.
Yes, that is one of the strengths of Calvinism.
Yet as we look at each of the Five Points in more detail in subsequent posts, we will make room for other Calvinistic voices to be heard as well, and as we look at the biblical passages they use to defend their theology, we will see that Calvinism may not be as reasonable or biblical as it first appears.
If you are a Calvinist, do you think the summaries above are fair? What would you clarify? If you are not a Calvinist, or are just learning about Calvinism, what are your thoughts so far?
Wordings reveal things that are foundationally valued, cherished. I see, for instance, that the Goodness of the Divine can be:
Summarized,
Clear,
Precise,
Reasonable, and
Succinct.
Perhaps these reveal an aesthetic. Perhaps these are things that make us feel safe and secure. Perhaps these are the things that bring comfort to some of us more than others of us.
There are other kinds of words of characteristics and criteria that can reveal other values. In many ways though this list reveals a quite Western, even modern, aesthetic. Why good theology should be clear rather than cloudy needn’t be asked; it is assumed.
While Jeremy it seems that you’re want to proceed through points and counterpoints of an argument as you build up and work to an end, I personally find curious the implicit values of the dialogue.
You also believe in the value of dialogue, or else you wouldn’t be seeking to dialogue with me. I have learned much though dialogue with others.
Having been a Calvinist of sorts since seminary, I have to say that I never thought of John MacArthur as a Calvinist—perhaps he is. I think that any time we try to “logicalize” God, we will fail, because God is infinite, and His ways are not our ways. The Book of Job is an excellent treatise on this, as are Paul’s (the most logical) letters. Your rendition of the “Five Points” are okay, but to codify them into “TULIP” will always fail at some point—either in our own misunderstanding of God, or in our efforts to put it in writing. You mentioned at one point that you lost your “job” because of changes in your viewpoint—I would be interested in hearing more of that, as both myself and a number of my close acquaintances suffered something similar in our ministries over changes in our eschatological perspectives.
Here is a bit more about it: http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/omeoflittlefaith/2011/02/conversions-from-senior-pastor.html#
It seems I wrote more about it somewhere else too, but I cannot recall where right now.
Thank you for that, I will peruse it. People are threatened by even potential changes to their belief systems.
In the UK we watch re-runs of an old popular series called Dads Army which pokes a cynical view at the second world war Home Guard. These were the old and in some way disabled men not found to be suitable to go off to fight the Germans.
One of the characters was the local mortician who’s look on life was that of a cynical, fatalistic pessimist, his famous saying after any plan was “we are all doomed, doomed I say in his strong Scottish accent.
I’ve heard of Calvinism but did not see it as essential reading, so when you brought it to our notice persistently I thought I should read what it was about and your thoughts on it,
When I read about Calvin and others ideas on what Gods Word says, the Arminian, Lytheran, Wesleyan, Unitarian and various Church denominations and their interpretations, particularly when they hang their whole idea on one part of the Bible to prove how right they are, it affirms what I have always thought since before I was saved by God as well as after that amazing act of grace on His part, that man values and honors the mind far above the heart.
Some where in The Holy Bible God asks a question of mankind . Isaiah 40 v 11 Romans 11 v 34 Read Job especially ch 38 and 39 and the first verse in ch 40 in ch 42 God says in verse 7 “I Am angry with you for you have not been right in what you have said about me”.
Do you and all these so called intelligent men really think you can put God into a nice tidy box that fits into your ideas as to why he did and does things. Jesus answer was clear in Matthew 23 v 15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you Hypocrites’ you travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them Twice as much a child of hell as you are”.
Put God in a box and he will most certainly break out of it and the collateral damage will be immense. The consequence of misinterpretation of Gods only truth is spoken about by Jesus in Matthew 18 v 6 to 7 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trust in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown in the sea with a large mill stone tied around his neck . How terrible it will be for anyone who causes others to sin, Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting.
When we try to use our own fleshly ideas to teach about God we will inevitably fall. Who is wise? the man who builds his house on The Rock. The foolish man builds on sand and the fall will be heard world wide as a Mighty crash.
Yes we have been given a brain to use for the benefit of building The Kingdom of Heaven on earth. We have been given many gifts to make sure His command will be done. Isaiah 58 v 6 to 7. God will never reject a humble and penitent heart Psalm 51 v 17.
For me it’s never been about confining God it’s about us allowing God to be liberated so He can liberate His creation. God loves us unconditionally can we love Him the same. Clive
So question … It says that because of the Fall man is not able to believe in the saving grace (loosely)
Did God cause and ordain the fall?
I do not think He did. Though many of my Calvinist friends would disagree with me on that…
Jeremy, and others writing here, this is so dead on as to how the Church should dialog in its debate against opposing views. The goal here is to understand God’s word and for whatever the reasons, weather they are driven by God or by our intelligence or stupidity, the answers are out there and they will always lead back to Christ. So we need to be bold and open to the many views. God will step in when the true follower is going off the reservation. This seems hard for us to recognize from the beginning, but as time goes on, the truth seems to make its way to the top. Jeremy has made a great conclusion that the reformation did not go far enough. Nothing is stopping us now, (LOL).
Ha! Except maybe our own pride and ignorance. I really appreciate the comments of all the people here, because as I hopefully instruct and encourage you, you all instruct and encourage me. Thank you!
Now let’s get on with the reforming!
My pastor has bought in a bit heavy to MacArthurs Lordship/salvation views, I would appreciate thoughts from others on this?
I am firmly opposed to Lordship salvation. I will explain a lot more when I get into dealing with the fifth point of Calvinism: The Perseverance of the Saints.
I am sorry that this is broken down into three comments instead of one, but it is sort of three different comments on the same summary. I have been in a prolonged argument/discussion on Facebook on the truth of Christ and scripture verses science/earth religions for several days and am pretty burned out. A much easier argument for a christian with background in these areas, which I have, but there is staunch refusal to admit to basic premises from non-christians on the most simple issues. At least here we are looking for something together, not split. As I prepare to go to Church this morning, I was led to this psalm, asking the Lord for some insight and I opened my Bible to this: Psalm 133- How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling down on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. NIV. Kind of makes me feel we are all on the right track, Amen.
It’s all good. I actually prefer three different comments on three different topics than one long comment which deals with multiple ideas.
That is a great Psalm. I imagine that there will be some angry voices that start to pop up here before long, and I will probably say things I shouldn’t as well… but hopefully we can all learn from (and with) each other in love, so that we move toward unity.
I get confused when I read more about directional Christianity. This is my very first research about anything doctrinal, whether Calvinism or Arminian. But so far, my heads are spinning, especially learning a belief that God is the sovereign chooser and deliverer of his followers. My fear grows when I think about the alternative, because it scares me as taking any credit for salvation- because the push back would innately make me feel that I am taking credit: and label me as a Pharisee of works and not Grace….. this is my confusion
‘The Verdict'(Jn 3:19-21)
I would appreciate your understanding of these verses, in the context of the Spirits role for seeing, entering the kingdom of God, and ‘flesh gives birth to flesh'(3:6).
I have been challenged to rethink my Calvinist understanding.
God continue to bless you