Sunday, April 14, 2013

Curious Thoughts on Calvin: A Brief Introduction to TULIP


A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO CALVINISM
            Calvinism is a rich and wealthy history of theological tradition.  It is surrounded by numerous scriptures which are outlined in five basic beliefs which are tightly woven together and dependent upon one another.  Among these foundational scriptures are concepts which most studied theologians find difficult to understand, to reason, or to explain.  Certainly there are even those who completely disagree with the ideas called Calvinism.  Whether a person agrees or disagrees, Calvinism is certainly set on a strong foundation of Scripture although possibly draped in mystery.
Biblical Foundation for Calvinistic Theology
            The Biblical foundation for Calvinism is shortly summarized to say that God saves.[1]  Further explanation for this brief explanation can be measured into five different categories.  These categories include total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.[2]
            The first part of Calvinism is the idea of total depravity.  This idea explains the state of complete sin in which humans have been since the initial fall from grace with Adam and Eve.  According to 1 Corinthians 2:14, the things of the Spirit are foolish and cannot be understood.[3]  Matthew Slick explains that it is not possible to understand spiritual things.[4]  Romans 3:10 – 12 enforces the idea of man’s depravity.  Paul says, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is non who seeks for God”.[5]  Mark agrees that man’s heart is evil.[6]  Mark 7:21 says, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts.”[7]  James White asserts that a sinful man is not capable of pleasing God in such a state of depravity.[8]  In fact, he says that the final choice of salvation must be with God because man is incapable of making such a decision because of the effects of sin. 
            Leading out of the state of total depravity is the necessary help from God concerning salvation.  The second part of Calvinism is the unconditional election of those who are to be saved.  In fact, “it is God’s free will, not man’s, that determines the outcome of the work of salvation.”[9]. Romans 9:15 supports this concept by saying, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”[10]  Also, Romans 9:21 illustrates God’s sovereignty by saying that the potter has control over what happens to each of his pieces.[11]  Something important to note within this concept of election or predestination is that there is nothing particular about a person that makes God either choose or not choose a person for salvation.  Selection is based solely on His “kind intention.”[12]  Romans 9:11 illustrates this concept by using the Old Testament example of Jacob and Esau.  God made a decision about them before they were born or had done anything good or bad.[13] 
            Following this election is the third point of Calvinism which is the idea of limited atonement.  In other words, atonement is only available for those who are predestined.  Christ only died for and paid the sins of those predestined by the Father.  Slick says that prophecy first indicates that Jesus would pay for the sins of many.  However, the many may not include all people.[14]  Isaiah 53:12 says, “He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.”[15]  Both Acts 20:28 and Ephesians 5:25 – 27 indicate that Christ’s death purchased the Church.[16]  Calvinism interprets this to mean that Christ did not die for everyone but just for the elect.  As God predestined those who would receive salvation, Christ needed only to pay for or redeem those elected by God. 
            The fourth belief of Calvinism explains how God assures that the elect will come to saving faith in Him by His irresistible grace.  Slick says that those who are predestined cannot help to resist God’s grace for them because the Holy Spirit is at work in them to bring them to God.[17]  Even through the irresistible grace, each believer still comes freely.[18]  Both White and Slick use John 6:37 to support the concept of irresistible grace: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.”[19]   White further explains that not all come to Christ and to salvation, but all whom God gives to Christ do indeed come by this irresistible grace.[20]  John 1:13 supports the idea that salvation is by the will of God and not by the will of man.[21]  The will of God is the irresistible grace which leads to salvation.  Beyond the book of John, Acts 13:48 says, “and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”[22]  In other words, those whom God predestined are certain to believe and accept salvation.  Furthermore, Romans 9:16 says, “It does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”[23]   Additionally, Philippians 2:13 says that, “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”[24]  What Paul means by this it that God controls salvation, and it is His work in the elected that brings about salvation.
            The fifth and final point of Calvinism is the perseverance of saints.[25]  Numerous verses support this idea.  John 10:28 says, “I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of my hands.”[26]  This is perhaps one of the most solid verses to proclaim the perseverance of the saints or the concept of once saved, always saved.  Additionally, Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”[27]  Also, Philippians 1:6 explains and supports Romans by saying that, “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”[28] God’s promise to complete His work secures the believer in salvation. 
History of Calvinism
            The ideas, concepts, and theology of Calvinism are not completely original to John Calvin.  Some roots of thinking can be traced back to Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo who lived in the fifth century.[29]  Saint Augustine is one of the most influential theologians of all time.[30]  During the lifetime of John Calvin, theological standards were called into question on a grand scale again as in the time of Saint Augustine.
            During the first half of fifth century, Saint Augustine engaged in conversations with Pelagius and thus defined their differing opinions on topics such as sin and grace.[31]   Saint Augustine spent much of his time defending Scripture against such heresies as those of Pelagius who said that man was essentially good and was exposed to sin after birth[32]   Actually, Saint Augustine preached, “that people could not change their sinful ways unless helped by the grace of God.”[33]  He also believed in predestination defined as God choosing “only certain individuals to receive His grace.”[34]   His views were the foundation of most churches in Europe and certainly of John Calvin.  Saint Augustine’s views on total depravity, divine grace, predestination, and unconditional election are positively found the theology of Calvinism.[35]  
            During the sixteenth century, reformations were led by different people in various countries around Europe.  Martin Luther led the German.  John Knox led the Scottish.  John Calvin led France and Switzerland.[36]  John Calvin lived from 1509 to 1564 and spent his adulthood as a pastor and leader in the church in Geneva.  There, he helped to transform the church into “an exemplary Protestant city.”[37]  He had an extraordinary ability to draw together and communicate the ideas of the Reformation in such a way that his name now labels the ideas of the Reformation theology.[38]  Allison says that, “John Calvin championed a literal method of biblical interpretation.”[39]  Calvin said, “that the true meaning of Scripture is the natural and obvious meaning.”[40]  Calvin set out to interpret Scripture by being familiar with Romans, having a right theological framework, looking for Christ in the reading, using the context of the passage, and respecting the analogy of faith.[41]   In fact, he believed in the practice of sola scriptura and tota scriptura or only scripture and totally scripture.  The use of this practice “leads inevitably to the doctrine of grace” and that God is sovereign, man is fallen, and that “God saves perfectly in Jesus Christ.”[42]  
            In the seventeenth century, the church of Holland was still following much of what Saint Augustine had preached and John Calvin also.  However, in 1610 followers of James Arinius protested and presented the Remonstrance to outline the five points of Arminianism.[43]   In 1618, the Synod of Dort convened to settle the matter of the Remonstrance.  111 members of churches from Holland, Germany, Switzerland, England, and Scotland met for over seven months in 154 sessions to work through the details of their theology.[44]  At the end, the members of the Synod of Dort unanimously agreed to uphold the ideas of John Calvin and to reject the Remonstrance protest of Arminianism.[45]   The five points of Calvinism were outlined in a response to the Remonstrance.[46]  
            Although Arminianism was completely rejected in Europe in the seventeenth century, it is still important to understand how the five points contradict Calvinism because there is a strong mix of the two ideas still very much alive in churches today.  Arminianism believes in free will or human ability, election based on God’s foreknowledge, universal redemption, ability to resist the Holy Spirit, and ability to fall from grace.[47]  
Consider the Competition
Understanding of alternate interpretations or conundrums can be helpful in determining a solid stance in the theological discussion of Calvinism.  Calvinism is saturated in Scripture, but some theologians still have questions.  Considering that the five points of Calvinism were organized in response to the five points of Arminianism, a fair understanding is only right.  The two sides of the five points are pairs of opposites. 
First is human ability verses total depravity.  Dave Hunt argues that, “If the unregenerate man is unable to seek God, scores of Scripture that urge man to do so and declare that many have sought and found Him are a gross deception.”[48] Deuteronomy 4:29 describes a person seeking God and finding Him.[49]  However, according to total depravity, a sinful human could not seek God.
Second is conditional election verses unconditional election.  This conditional election is the belief that God’s foreknowledge and election is based on what He knew would happen.[50]  This can be found in 1 Peter 1:19 – 20.[51] 
Third is universal atonement verses limited atonement.  The book of Acts gives the command for everyone to repent and be baptized in Acts 2:38.[52]  This raises the question of the necessity if God has already chosen people to belong to Him.  Also, 1 Timothy says, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.”[53] 
The fourth consideration is resisting the Holy Spirit or Irresistible Grace. Hunt gives the example of Christ feeding the five thousand.  He explains that the crowds were drawn to Christ to be fed physically and spiritually, but they ate willingly what Christ made available.  In other words, the crowd had a responsibility and an action to take in the situation in the same way that believers must actively believe and accept salvation.[54]  The fifth and final point of debate is whether or not a person can fall from grace.  Pastor Sean Reeves uses the Parable of the Prodigal Son to demonstrate the possibility of falling from grace.  He claims that the son who left the father’s house gave up the rights of being the son.[55] 
What Now?
            Calvinism certainly has a rich history dating from before John Calvin was even born.  The history and tradition of Saint Augustine, the work of John Calvin, and the decision of the Synod of Dort are not to be taken lightly.  These men studied God’s Word over hundreds of years and continued to agree on the very same things.  However, if modern theologians come to these same scriptures with an open and fresh mind, would the same conclusions still be made?  Apparently Arminous did not agree and still backed his thoughts with Scripture.  Even John Piper, a modern theologian, doesn’t understand how God’s sovereignty and human responsibility work together.  Rather, he just accepts both because Scripture demands it.[56]  Indeed Calvinism is full of conundrums or mental puzzles that students of the Bible continue to work toward an explanation.[57]
            When working with or worshiping with other believers, the conundrums should serve as a point of discussion to deepen the faith of the believer instead of separating those who ought to be allies in the faith.  Scripture still commands us to share the gospel, repent from sinning, love our neighbors, etc.  Unconditional election or not, believers are not excused from the commands of the Bible.  Therefore, in the midst of carrying out the  Proverbs 4 command to get wisdom as in the understanding of the Scriptures, the believers must also carry out the command to love one another from 1 John.[58] 



I have read 500 pages on the general topic of Calvinism. 















[1] David N. Steele S. Lance Quinn, Curtis C. Thomas, The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, and Documented (New Jersey: P&R, 2001). p. 14.
[2] Ibid. p. 2.
[3] "Bible Gateway",  http://www.biblegateway.com/ (accessed March 17, 2013).
[4] Matthew J. Slick, "Calvinist Corner" http://www.calvinistcorner.com/tulip.htm (accessed March 17, 2013).
[5] "Bible Gateway".
[6] Slick.
[7] "Bible Gateway".
[8] James White Dave Hunt, Debating Calvinism (Oregon: Multnomah, 2004). p. 68.
[9] Ibid. p. 92.
[10] "Bible Gateway".
[11] Ibid.
[12] Slick.
[13] "Bible Gateway".
[14] Slick.
[15] "Bible Gateway".
[16] Ibid.
[17] Slick.
[18] Ibid.
[19] "Bible Gateway".
[20] Dave Hunt. p. 118.
[21] "Bible Gateway".
[22] Ibid.
[23] Ibid.
[24] Ibid.
[25] S. Lance Quinn. p. 2.
[26] "Bible Gateway".
[27] Ibid.
[28] Ibid.
[29] S. Lance Quinn.
[30] "Christian Classics Ethereal Library",  www.ccel.org/ccel/augustine?show=biography (accessed March 27, 2013).
[31] "Biographical Sketches of Memorable Christians of the Past: Augustine of Hippo, Bishop and Theologian 28 August 430",  justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/50.html (accessed March 27, 2013).
[32] Craig R. Brown, "The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism,"  (Orlando: Ligonier Ministries, 2007). p. 15.
[33] (Chicago: World Book, Inc., 1983), s.v. "The World Book Encyclopedia." p. 860.
[34] Ibid. p. 860.
[35] S. Lance Quinn. p. 9.
[36] Brown. p. 17.
[37] Gregg R. Allison, Historical Theology (United States of America: Zondervan, 2011). p. 174.
[38] Ibid. p. 174. 
[39] Ibid. p. 175.
[40] Ibid. p. 175.
[41] Ibid. p. 176.
[42] Dave Hunt. p. 14. 
[43] S. Lance Quinn. p. 1.
[44] Brown. p. 20.
[45] S. Lance Quinn. p. 4.
[46] Ibid. p. 14.
[47] Ibid. p. 5-8.
[48] Dave Hunt. p. 77.
[49] "Bible Gateway".
[50] S. Lance Quinn. p. 5-8.
[51] "Bible Gateway".
[52] Ibid.
[53] Ibid.
[54] Dave Hunt. p. 128.
[55] Allison Dredla, by Sean Reeves, June 2011.
[56] Roger E. Olson, Against Calvinism (United States of America: Zondervan, 2011). p. 176.
[57] Ibid. p. 175.
[58] "Bible Gateway".

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