SECOND LONDON BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH 3.3-3.7

-In 1517 Martin Luther posted 95 theses in Wittenberg, Germany for public discussion as he disputed with the Catholic Church over issues that he saw needed reforming—most specifically the sales of indulgences. While at the time he may have only sought for the Catholic Church to do some soul searching, he lit a fire that changed the course of church history, seeking to bring Christ’s church back to biblical authority.

-Many others jumped on the bandwagon of the demand for change and reform. As the Catholic Church would not budge, in protest these leaders broke off from the church to seek to believe and worship God according to what their consciences were bound to by Scripture. But since a broken humanity was involved, Protestantism broke off into several different directions. While most groups agreed to many of the major tenets, they interpreted Scripture differently on other issues—hence, why we have all the flavors of Christianity today.

-One Protestant theologian, John Calvin, was very active in forming a systematic theology according to what he believed to be the correct interpretation of Scripture, heavily influenced by the early church father Augustine. Calvin was very influential, and his theology took a strong hold on many Protestant groups throughout Europe. In 1618-1619 Dutch Calvinists called to order a Synod in the city of Dort to refute teachings by some groups that were influenced by the theologian Jacob Arminius that they saw as problematic. While the Arminians and Calvinists agreed in many respects about the important issues about the gospel and salvation, their disagreements came especially at the point of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will and their place in the gospel and salvation.

-This can be seen in the different way that they regard the doctrine of predestination. Calvinists believed that God in His sovereignty predestined who would believe prior to creation irrespective of anything the individual might be or do. Arminians argue that it is those who respond in faith that God foreknows that He predestines. As one Arminian author explains:

The Calvinist will argue that my choice to accept God’s offer of grace is an action on my part. Thus making salvation at least partly based on my own efforts. But Arminius responded that a free gift received, is still a free gift. My accepting the gift does not in any way constitute an earning of that gift on my part.

-Anyway, the Synod of Dort gave the Calvinist response to particular points of Arminian theology. It was from these points that in the early 1900s American theologians summarized the points from the Synod of Dort into the acronym that we have probably heard a million times: TULIP.

T—Total Depravity

U—Unconditional Election

L—Limited Atonement

I—Irresistible Grace

P—Perseverance of the Saints

-I want to quote from an article by Ligonier Ministries (a ministry with a Calvinist perspective) so that you will understand their perspective in contrast to what they describe as the Arminian view:

First, there’s total depravity—the T in TULIP.

Arminians argue that although human beings are depraved and corrupt, they have—in themselves—the ability to put their trust in God, given the general divine assistance God gives to everybody. That divine assistance enables, but doesn’t ensure, a person’s acceptance of salvation.

By contrast, Calvinism says although people are not as bad as they could possibly be, nevertheless our depravity affects every part of us to some extent. That’s why it’s called total depravity. This depravity means that a person has no power in themselves to put their trust in God. God must first change their hearts so that they willingly (and necessarily) believe in Christ.

Then there’s the U in TULIP: unconditional election.

Arminius argued that God predestines people to salvation based on foreseeing those who would believe in Him.

Calvin taught that God predestines people to salvation based purely and unconditionally on His own sovereign choice. Nothing that people do and nothing in them makes God choose them.

The L in TULIP stands for limited atonement.

Arminians say that Christ’s death is sufficient for all, and we apply that atonement to ourselves by our act of putting our faith in Christ. It is not effective to save people until they believe, and some of those for whom Christ died never benefit from the atonement because they never believe.

Calvinism says that while Christ’s death is of limitless value, He actually atoned only for His elect people. He died only for specific individuals and only for their specific transgressions, not for everyone without exception. This death is effective for all those whom Christ intended to save by it. Consequently, all those for whom Christ died will certainly believe and inherit eternal life.

I stands for irresistible grace.

The Arminian would say that God’s saving grace is something a person must say yes or no to, and it’s only when a person chooses to accept that grace that God responds by bringing about the renewal of their heart. This saving grace is ultimately resistible—a person whom God wants to save can ultimately reject this saving grace. In other words, God sometimes fails to save some of those He wants to save.

The Calvinist would say that God’s saving grace precedes our yes and is ultimately irresistible. It is God’s saving grace alone that enables and necessarily brings about a person’s faith, and the renewal of a person’s heart, in the first place. And although some of God’s chosen people may for a time resist the call to faith and repentance, God never fails to save those He wants to save.

Finally, the P in TULIP stands for perseverance of the saints.

Arminius taught that although God works to preserve His people, He does not keep some from losing their salvation.

Calvin, by contrast, taught that no one who is truly born of God can ever be lost. As Paul says in Philippians, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

-After having given all of this history, what does this have to do with the topic that we have been studying on Wednesday nights. I have been using various creeds and confessions as the starting points for biblical teachings on important doctrines. As of late we have been looking at the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith from 1689. This confession was written by those of Puritan influence who were Reformed / Calvinistic. That means that this particular perspective will find its way into the confession, and does at the point where we have found ourselves. I want to quickly read what these paragraphs say.

Confessing the Faith: The 1689 Baptist Confession for the 21st Century (III. God’s Decree)

3:3 By God’s decree, and for the demonstration of His glory, some human beings and angels are predestined (or foreordained) to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of His glorious grace. Others are left to live in their sin, leading to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice.

3:4 These predestined and foreordained angels and people are individually and unchangeably designated, and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or decreased.

3:5 Those people who are predestined to life were chosen by God before the foundation of the world, according to His eternal and unchangeable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will. He chose them in Christ for eternal glory, purely as a result of His free grace and love, without anything else about them serving as a condition or cause moving Him to do so.

3:6 Just as God has appointed the elect to glory, so He has by the eternal and completely free purpose of His will foreordained all the means. Therefore, those who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ and effectually called to faith in Christ by His Spirit working at the appropriate time. They are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power through faith to salvation. None but the elect are redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved.

3:7 The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care so that those heeding the will of God revealed in His Word and obeying Him may be assured of their eternal election by the certainty of their effectual calling. In this way this doctrine will give reasons for praise, reverence, and admiration of God, as well as humility, diligence and rich comfort to all who sincerely obey the gospel.

-These paragraphs very much reflect the U of TULIP—unconditional election—God chose in eternity who would be saved. I personally do not consider myself a Calvinist—I am more what is commonly referred to as a traditionalist (meaning, I don’t adhere to or fall into the category of Calvinist or Arminian). We as a church do not espouse to the Calvinist or Arminian beliefs, but are open to the discussion that Christians ought to be able to have with one another about these issues. I believe that Scripture is a little bit more nuanced than what Calvinism espouses. I’ve jokingly said that I’m just going to come up with my own acronym using a flower—maybe I’ll use chrysanthemum. The Bible does give us a paradox between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will, and it is OK to live in the tension because it is difficult for mortal man to describe the workings of an eternal God.

-We have to live with the tension of a Bible that tells us:

John 6:44 NET 2nd ed.

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

Ephesians 1:4 NET 2nd ed.

4 For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love.

-As well as the Bible that tells us:

Romans 10:13 NET 2nd ed.

13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

1 Timothy 2:4 NET 2nd ed.

4 since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

-So, I agree with the writers of this confession in paragraph 7 that this mystery had to be handled with prudence and care. We want to follow the Word of God. So, there are points in these paragraphs that all Christians do agree with no matter what flavor of Christianity you espouse.

-First, is the fact that salvation is only by grace and it is completely the work of God. Mankind cannot in any way, shape, or form take any credit for salvation. God Himself ordained the means of salvation and God alone applies the benefits of salvation.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NET 2nd ed.

8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast.

-In no way, shape, or form does humanity contribute anything to their salvation other than the sin that made it necessary. God the Father made the plan of redemption. Jesus Christ fulfilled the means of redemption. The Holy Spirit applies the benefits of salvation to those who believe. It is completely of God, so we have nothing to boast about. All we can do is praise and thank God that we are saved. That means we approach God with the utmost humility, knowing that He did not need to save anybody, but praise God He saved somebody like me.

-But then I also want to mention that all Christians agree with the fact that God’s salvation of man is for His glory, honor, and praise. Paul tells us that this salvation is:

Ephesians 1:6 NET 2nd ed.

6 to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son.

-There are many points that Christians may disagree about (in a healthy manner), but there are some that we cannot when it comes to the gospel. We can summarize these important points with five Latin phrases that were born out of the Reformation:

Sola Scriptura—The Bible alone is our authority

Sola Gratia—Salvation is by grace alone

Sola Fide—through faith alone

Solus Christus—in Christ alone

Soli Deo Gloria—to the glory of God alone

-All true Christians agree on that. Let us pray that the world would come to know these truths.