Calvinism (2)

Jonathan Ledbetter

Back to the Basics • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

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Back to the Basics:

Calvinism

We’re Not Going Back to the Basics of Calvinism…

But Back to the Basics of What the Scriptures Say…

On the Topics that Calvinism Addresses

I’m No Expert on Calvinism

I’ve Never Studied it Deeply

But, I’ve Listening to Several Calvinists Explain Their Positions/Beliefs…

And I Think We’ll Be Able to Discuss this Topic…

Without Doing Too Much Straw-Manning it’s Teachings

So We’re Going to Try to Approach this with Grace & Humility

Calvinism is All about the Sovereignty of God…

And How His Sovereignty Relates to Our Salvation

Essentially, is God Completely in Control of All Things?

And How Does that Effect Our Salvation?

The 5 Main Teachings of Calvinism are Often Summed Up with the Acronym:

T.U.L.I.P.

Total Depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints

This Morning We’re Going to Finish Up:

Total Depravity

We’ll Look at a Couple Quotes from Calvinists…

That Help Us Understand the Point

Then We’ll Look at Passages that have Been Used to Prove it

Then We’ll Respond to it

Quotes:

LearnReligions.com:

“The belief in total depravity takes the view that sinfulness pervades all areas of life and human existence. Through the Fall of Man, humanity is stained by sin in every aspect: heart, emotions, will, mind, and body. This means people cannot independently choose God. They cannot save themselves. God must intervene to save people. Calvinism insists that God must do all the work, from choosing those who will be saved to sanctifying them throughout their lives until they die and go to heaven.”

Allen Parr (Professed Calvinist):

“Mankind is born into and shaped by sin, thus unwilling and unable to respond to God or spiritual truth on our own.”

Passages “in Favor” of Total Depravity:

Romans 3:10–11 (NASB95)

10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB95)

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

Romans 8:6–8 (NASB95)

6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Rebuttal

Romans 3:10–11 (NASB95)

10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;

In this Context, Paul is Saying that Both Jews & Gentiles have Sinned

The Jews are Not Any Better than the Gentiles Simply Because They had the Law

Justification Doesn’t Come Through Obeying the Law

It Only Comes Through Faith in Jesus

And an Important Thing to Notice about this Passage…

Is that Paul is Quoting from a Psalm (14)

Notice the Hyperbolic Language

He’s Using this Passage to Make the Point…

That We have All Sinned

Not Because:

We’re Totally Depraved from Before We were Born

We had No Choice But to Do So…

Because We have Chosen to Follow Our Fleshly Lusts

And in Order to Be Justified, We Must Choose to have Faith/Trust in Jesus

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB95)

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

“Natural Man” Doesn’t Refer to Being Totally Depraved

It Refers to Someone Who has Their Mind Set on the Flesh/Fallen Nature…

Instead of on the Spirit/Things of God

Those Who have Their Minds Set on Their Fleshly Desires…

Think that the Things of the Spirit of God are Foolish

But Those Who have Their Minds Set on the Things of the Spirit of God…

Know that the Ways of Fleshly Indulgence are Foolish

Romans 8:6–8 (NASB95)

Paul is Saying the Exact Same Thing in this Text to the Romans…

As He was in the Last Text to the Corinthians

Those Who Set Their Minds on the Flesh:

Are Unable to Subject Themselves to God’s Law

Are Unable to Please God

Is that Because They are Totally Depraved…

Without Any Choice in the Matter?

No, it’s Because They’ve Set Their Minds on Their Sinful Desires…

Instead of Setting Their Minds on the Spirit/Will of God

As Best I can Tell, the Scriptures Do Not Teach Total Depravity

We’re Not Born in Sin

We’re Not Completely Covered in Sin By Our Very Nature

We have a Fallen Nature…

Not a Sinful Nature

I Totally Agree with the Calvinists in that God Acted First to Save Us

But I Disagree, & I Believe the Scriptures Do as Well…

That We have No Part in the Process of Salvation

In No Way, Shape, or Form Do We Play Any Part in Saving Ourselves

But Salvation is for Those Who Trust in Jesus Christ

Faith is a Requirement for Salvation to Be Received

And Faith is a Choice that We All Must Make…

Not Something that God Does for Us

Unconditional Election

LearnReligions.com:

“This Calvinist view says God chooses who will be saved. Because people are dead in their sins, they are unable to initiate a response to God. In eternity past God elected certain people to be saved. The saved people are called the Elect. God picks them based not on their personal character or merit, but out of his kindness and sovereign will. It also means that election for salvation is not based on God's foreknowledge of who would come to faith in the future. Since some are chosen for salvation, others are not. Those not chosen are the damned, destined for an eternity in hell.”

Allen Parr:

“God elected some people to be saved before the foundation of the world. God’s choosing of the elect was not based on a condition.”

Passages “in Favor” of Unconditional Election:

John 1:13 (NASB95)

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Ephesians 1:3–6 (NASB95)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Revelation 13:8 (NASB95)

8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

Acts 13:48 (NASB95)

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Romans 8:28–30 (NASB95)

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Rebuttal

John 1:13 (NASB95)

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

GotQuestions.Org, have Articles in Which They Advocate for All 5 Points of the TULIP

In Their Article on Unconditional Election…

This was the 1st Verse They Used as Proof of Unconditional Election

Those Who are Born Again…

Are Born Again By God’s Will, Not Their Own

All You have to Do to Refute Such an Interpretation…

Is to Read the Previous Verse:

John 1:12 (NASB95)

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

The Right to Become Children of God…

Is Reserved for Those Who Receive/Accept/Believe/Trust in Jesus

Salvation is a Free Gift that Comes from the Grace of God

But the Nowhere Do the Scriptures State that it is Unconditional

Being Born Again as a Child of God…

Is Conditional Upon Placing One’s Faith/Trust/Allegiance…

In Jesus as Lord & Christ

This Verse Says Nothing about…

God Unconditionally Electing Someone for Salvation

It Specifically States the Condition

Ephesians 1:3–6 (NASB95)

This is a Favorite Passage Used to Prove Unconditional Election

It States that God Chose & Predestined Us in His Love & Kindness…

And Freely Bestowed His Grace Upon Us

Before the Foundation of the World

It Doesn’t Get Any More Clear than that, Does it?

God Chose/Predetermined Before Creation…

Which Individuals would Be Saved…

And Which Individuals would Be Condemned

It’s Very Easy to Come Away with that Interpretation if You aren’t Careful

Notice First of All:

When Paul Refers to God’s Elect…

He Refers to Them in the Plural

Never in the Scriptures Does Election/Predestination…

Refer to Individuals

But Always to a Group

Also Notice that Paul Continues to Repeat this Concept:

“In Christ”

All the Way Through Verse 14…

Paul Continues to Repeat this Concept…

By Indicating that All the Blessings of the Elect are “in Christ”

God Didn’t Predetermine Which Individuals will Be the Elect in Christ

God Predetermined the Group of People that will Be the Elect:

Those Who are in Christ

God Predetermined that Those Who Place Their Faith “In Christ”…

And Become Members of His Church & Citizens of His Kingdom…

Will Be Those Who Inherit All the Blessings of the Elect

Example:

In 20 Years…

I Will Give Every Member of the Livingston Church of Christ $1,000

20 Years from Now When Every Member Receives Their Money…

They could Rightly Say:

“Jon Predestined for Us to Receive this Money”

But No One could Rightly Say:

“Jon Predestined for Me to Receive this Money”

I Didn’t Predestine Any Individual Person to Receive the Money

I Predestined the Group to Receive the Money

It’s Just Like How God Chose Israel…

To Be His Elect/Chosen/Blessed People in the OT

He’s Chosen Those “in Christ”…

To Be His Elect/Chosen/Blessed People Under the New Covenant

Revelation 13:8 (NASB95)

8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

Acts 13:48 (NASB95)

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Romans 8:28–30 (NASB95)

(Romans 9:10-24)

Read & Explain this Passage Last, Because it’s One of the Biggest Ones that People Believe is Referring to Unconditional Election

But it’s Actually Talking about God Choosing Israel to Be the Nation that Salvation will Come to the World Through

Listen to Conversations with Dan Podcast about this Section

Paul wrote that God, “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). And Peter wrote, “he Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Salvation is available to anyone who will enter the Kingdom (the church) by being born again by water and the Spirit (John 3:1-7; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21)

Ephesians 2:8 NASB95

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

We’re Saved Through Faith

Calvinist’s Response = God Gave You the Faith to Believe in Him, it Didn’t Come from Yourself (Remember Total Depravity - We’re Unable to Respond to the Truth of God)

2 Peter 3:9 (NASB95)

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Remember Their Focus on the Sovereignty of God

Limited Atonement

LearnReligions.com:

“Limited atonement is the view that Jesus Christ died only for the sins of the Elect, according to John Calvin.”

Allen Parr:

“The saving work of Jesus to atone for our sins was limited to, or sufficient for, only the elect.”

Passages “in Favor” of Limited Atonement:

Matthew 1:21 NASB95

21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

John 10:15 NASB95

15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Matthew 20:28 NASB95

28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Hebrews 9:28 NASB95

28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

https://www.gotquestions.org/limited-atonement.html

Irresistible Grace

LearnReligions.com:

“Irresistible grace is the belief that God brings his Elect to salvation through an internal call, which they are powerless to resist. The Holy Spirit supplies grace to them until they repent and are born again.”

Allen Parr:

“God’s gift of grace and salvation is irresistible for those who are elect. At some point, if you are of the chosen elect, you will eventually submit to that grace and salvation, no matter what.”

Passages “in Favor” of Irresistible Grace:

Calvinists back this doctrine with such verses as Romans 9:16, Philippians 2:12-13, and John 6:28-29.

https://www.gotquestions.org/irresistible-grace.html

Perseverance of the Saints

LearnReligions.com:

“Calvinism teaches that the Elect cannot lose their salvation. Because salvation is the work of God the Father; Jesus Christ, the Savior; and the Holy Spirit, it cannot be thwarted. None whom God has called will be lost, they are eternally secure. Technically, however, it is God who perseveres, not the saints themselves.”

Allen Parr:

“Those who are truly elect, and thus saved, will persevere in following God for the rest of their lives. The proof of election and salvation is if you persevere until the end. Some refer to this ‘P’ as the ‘Preservation of the Saints’ instead of ‘Perseverance’ because it is God who keeps us from falling”

Passages “in Favor” of Perseverance of the Saints:

Jude 24 NASB95

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,

John 10:27-28, Romans 8:1, 1 Corinthians 10:13, and Philippians 1:6.

https://www.gotquestions.org/perseverance-saints.html

The TULIP acronym arranges the five points of Calvinism logically and progressively, with each point contingent on the other. If humans are totally depraved, then they are unable to make an initial response to God. God must call people to salvation through unconditional election. God must also provide the way of salvation by the death of Jesus Christ. He makes salvation secure by the effectual call of the Holy Spirit. He keeps his saved ones secure so they will inherit the eternal life he has promised them.

7 Reasons Why I’m Not a Calvinist

4. Jesus Died for Everyone – For me, the hardest part of Calvinism to understand is the doctrine of “Limited Atonement.” Calvin and his followers teach that Christ only died for the “elect.” In other words, Christ did not die for those who are predestined for condemnation, but only for those who are predestined for salvation.

I cannot possibly believe that this idea could be reached by simply reading Scripture. It could only have been reached by the necessity of needing to support other man-made doctrines. Here is what Scripture says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should notperish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18). And, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

This Point is the Most Controversial Belief of Calvinism

There are Many Who Refer to Themselves as:

4-Point Calvinists Because They Don’t Hold to “Limited Atonement”

But, in My Opinion, You’re Being Inconsistent…

If You Believe in Total Depravity & Unconditional Election…

But Disagree with Limited Atonement

They All Go Together

If You Believe We’re All Totally Depraved & Unable to Choose to have Faith in God…

And God Chooses You to Be Saved Despite Any Faith or Obedience on Your Part…

Then of Course Jesus’ Atoning Sacrifice is Limited

Why would Jesus Die for Those Whom God has Chosen Not to Save?

That Makes No Sense

“Those who teach "Four Point Calvinism" believe Christ died not for just the Elect but for the entire world. They cite these verses, among others: John 3:16, Acts 2:21,1 Timothy 2:3-4, and 1 John 2:2.

5. Grace is Resistible – The Calvinist teaches that grace is irresistible. They insist that if God predestines an individual, then God will save him; there is nothing that individual can do to resist God’s grace. However, numerous passages refute this doctrine. First, is it easy enough to see that people like King Agrippa resisted the grace of God. Even though he believed the Scriptures, he would not allow himself to be convinced to receive God’s grace and put on Christ (Acts 26:27-29).

Second, if grace were “irresistible” it would making evangelism unnecessary. Why would missionaries need to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16), if it was God who irresistibly and miraculously converted men? Why would Paul say, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). If Paul’s preaching and example had nothing to do with the conversion of souls, someone ought to have told Paul that!

6. Christians Can Fall From Grace – The Calvinists teach the doctrine of “Once Saved Always Saved.” The idea that if someone truly becomes a Christian, it is impossible for him to fall from grace. If you were to ask as Calvinist, “Can a person fall from grace?” Surely, the Calvinist would answer with a resounding, “No! There is no way a person can fall from grace.” Which baffles me, in light of Galatians 5:4, “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.” Surely that answers this question for all time, doesn’t it?!

Jesus Himself taught that one could fall from grace, “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned” (John 15:6). If you need more convincing on this point, you can read my previous post on “Once Saved Always Saved.”

7. The Bible is My Standard – I believe in a simple gospel (2 Corinthians 11:3 NASB). I believe that God has revealed everything to us, through Scripture, that we need to know to be saved (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Salvation is not a great mystery, that only great theologians can decipher. Salvation is simple, easy to understand, and available to all through Jesus Christ.

This is what Jesus told the apostles, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:-15-16). The words of Jesus, and the words of the rest of the New Testament, could not be any further from Calvinism. Therefore, I want nothing to do with it!