Around the World or Across the Street

I was once having a conversation with a friend who said: "It doesn't seem right that, those in pagan lands and throughout history who have never heard the gospel, should then be damned to eternal separation from God in Hell; after all, they never had a chance to learn about God in the first place so they never had a chance to accept Christ as their Saviour."

May be you've been troubled by that question, too?

My friend asked me this question expecting a written response; here's what I answered (for brevity here, I've taken some points out), in point form:

• We first have to either accept or reject the Bible as divine authority. If we don't accept the Bible for what it claims to be (i.e. θεόπνευστος, theopneustos, "God-Breathed") and reject what Christ said concerning it (i.e. "Thy Word is truth", John 17:17), and reject the Biblical reality that "God said" over 3,000 times, then nothing that follows will grip your conscience.
  
• Thus, we must first be convinced by God the Holy Spirit that He has spoken... and that He has done so generally through Creation [General Revelation] and, specifically (to the saving of the soul) through Scripture/the Bible [Special Revelation]. On that, I'd encourage you (as I do myself) to pray the Lord to graciously speak to you through His Word and give you understanding and a receptive heart to it. See Luke 24: 44-48; Psalm 119:18,133; 2 Timothy 3:15.
• I submit the Word of God is true and it is what Christ claimed it to be. Therefore, I believe this: "Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments." (Psalm 119:137) and "The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works" (Psalm 145:17), italics mine. This means everything God does and is, is righteous; EVERYTHING. God is without any sin. He is perfectly Holy and He always does what is perfectly just and holy, in all cases and in all instances.
• As God is perfectly just and lawful and righteous and holy it follows that all His actions will be as well. In other words, nothing He does is bad, sinful or unholy in any way or manner, regardless of what we may perceive, wonder or what might even appear as contradictory to our senses. This includes our understanding of God's dealing with those in pagan lands (past and present) where they have not had the immense privileges and blessings of a land impacted by the blessings of the gospel.
  
  
• Consider Calvary; the cross. This was the most unjust, evil and wicked event to ever scribe the pages of eternal history. The death of the sinless Christ, when God's wrath and punishment was unleashed on Him for the sin of His people, for my sin and all those that trust in the Risen Redeemer. Where was the good in this; indeed, where was God in this we might have said with Cleopas on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) in those dark hours following the Lord's crucifixion? Yet, looking back we clearly see that God was eternally just, perfect, wise, holy and altogether righteous (and merciful and gracious) in all He did at Calvary while His people's sin, for whom He was punished, was the diametric opposite in every sense.
  
• In short, God never has, never does, or ever will, do anything unjust or sinful.
• In that Biblical context noted, think on this: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55: 8-9). What sometimes seems to be, is not always what we imagine it to be and, what sometimes seems to be our assessment on action or thought with God, is often not what actually is.
• So, when the Bible states over and over that God is just and right and holy and pure and lovely and wonderful and yet justly damns some men to Hell, even though they may never have heard the gospel as others, we must come back and say... I may not fully grasp that, but I still affirm that God is what He says He is: holy and righteous and just and, that being so, somehow in the economy of God's decrees that the thoughts, decrees, and sovereign actions of God in any matter past, present or future are wholly just and good and right and holy and pure in every sense. In short, we must not hold court on God our judge (Romans 9).
  
• The amazing thing, actually, is that anyone is saved, not that some are lost. We are all guilty before a Holy God. Yet, in His righteous and just eternal plan he has elected and decreed some to eternal life. This is a great mystery; namely that some (dead and undeserving as they are) should hear and then be moved of God to receive His unmerited salvation and not others. In contrast, the Scripture also states that if we, who have heard God's Word, reject it, our accountability will be so much the greater.
• Where do you stand with the God?
  
• The Scripture states: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" John 6:37. I believe this is one of the most incredible passages of Scripture! It's where our focus should land. It speaks of God's electing a people unto Himself for whom the Son will come and die for and then states that anyone that comes to Him (i.e for repentance and salvation and trusting alone in His righteousness; i.e. saved by grace through faith in Christ on the authority of His Word in the Bible) -- that He will not cast them away; in short, He will save them, sinners who are deserving of hell.
  
• "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me" (John Newton).
• Don't get distracted with trying to figure out why you can only see 3,000 stars empirically in the Northern Hemisphere on a clear night. Believe what God says (i.e. that there are more stars that can be numbered... something scientists can only recently empirically state). Believe what God says concerning Himself (that He is just and holy and good and only does what is right), acknowledge that His thoughts and ways are so much higher and greater than yours, believe what He says about your sinful and utterly lost condition outside of Christ and your absolute need to have His righteousness applied to your soul by grace (all his works and atoning death, none of ours) through faith (believing what He has said) through Christ (the sole object of true faith) on the authority of the Word (the Bible) He has so graciously provided and, even now, is printed in volumes upon volumes (millions and millions of copies everywhere) in just about every language and dialect all over the globe (where many can, but often reject, His Word).
• There is no greater question that this: What will I do with Christ the Saviour?

"And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4: 21-25).

Please prayerfully consider these things with open Bible; look to Christ... and then tell others all over the world (or "across the street") about His saving grace!

Don't be Fearful: World Events

Are you fearful about world events unfolding?

As of February 2011 the big uncertainties unfolding before our wide eyes are in Egypt and other Middle East countries. It seems one form of suppression is crushed, only to be replaced by what may be another more repressive tyranny.

Yet, the Lord has said: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 4:27). Note the words, "not as the world giveth" and not to let "your heart be troubled... (or) afraid".

If you hold a dispensational premillennial view of end-times (i.e. that the world is going to usher in the Anti-Christ at any moment and then the rapture will occur followed by the tribulation)*, naturally your presuppositions will automatically trigger fearful conclusions that are often driven by the latest news event... that the world giveth. This reminds me of the predictions following 911. The permutations will be many once again. In turn, many will become fretful with eyes focused on the newspaper and world events if truth be known, rather than on the Sovereign ruler of the universe who is building His church!

I believe this is reflective (as are other world events that coalesce daily) of the reality that the very much hitherto blessed West is under judgment now. Nothing new here. Unlike in the day of Hezekiah when Sennacherib (circa 704 BC, massive Assyrian empire) was poised to utterly annihilate Judah, our modern day "kings" and leaders do not fall prostrate before the Living God and seek his aid in context to their first walking with Him and in His laws (note: although a more personal and challenging question may be, do we?). Islam, like Assyria and Babylon of old, are on the march to be sure -- but only in judgment to those singularly blessed who have forsaken the God who lovingly orchestrated it all.

Take heart, God is on the throne and the Muslim Brotherhood, et al are in the hands of the Living God; and the Lord is most assuredly our Shepherd and will take care of His people for whom He shed His blood.

There is much the Lord has revealed in His Word but further still resides in His secret counsel. We must be about the bigger things and thus encourage one another continually to truly keep our eyes on the object of our faith -- Christ Jesus our reigning Lord!

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who has been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:33-36).

The Master weaver is constantly at work -- and the quilt is beautiful.

* Note: There is some controversy surrounding the origin of the doctrine of the pretribulation rapture. Although we cannot discuss its origins at length, suffice it to say that the doctrine was never taught before 1830. Nor is it found in the writings of any Christian author prior to the nineteenth century. Does that alone make the doctrine untrue? Not necessarily. But we should demand abundant and clear scriptural proof before accepting any doctrine that has eluded the church throughout its entire history... do dispensationalists provide scriptural support for this admittedly new doctrine? As we shall see, the answer is no". Dispensationalism, Rightly Dividing the People of God? p. 115-116, Keith A. Mathison (1995). I heartily recommend this book which can be ordered here (I collect no fees for recommendations).

© Photo above used with permission from Camille at Flowers in His Garden.

Did Christ Die for the Whole World?

Book Review | The Death Christ Died, Dr. Robert P. Lightner

Not too long ago I was given a book to read by a kind brother in the Lord who holds an Unlimited View of Christ's atonement.

Do you recognize that term, "Unlimited Atonement"? I didn't always know what this term meant, or its deep ramifications, and confess it took a lot of solid theology to untangle what I had been taught for many years in the school of "Unlimited Atonement". When the light of truth broke through, the cardinal pieces of God’s gracious redemptive history fit like an amazingly beautiful puzzle as the term "Unlimited Atonement" flickered its last rays of influence on my theological convictions, wholly replaced by the truth of God's sovereign grace in Particular Redemption.

What then is Unlimited Atonement? Basically, the term Unlimited Atonement argues that Christ died for the whole world and not only for His elect from all eternity (i.e. so, it's strangely argued, Christ also died to save those in eternal Hell). John 3:16 is a favorite passage sited for this position even though the Greek term "world", as in other Scriptural passages, simply refers to Jews AND Gentiles and was a common phrase used in NT times to denote this (i.e. that is, the word "world" does not always mean everyone in the world... more on this below).

In contrast to Unlimited Atonement is Limited Atonement or Particular Redemption which essentially states that Christ did not die for the entire world but rather died to save his people (the church) from their sins (i.e. that is, the elect from all eternity by way of sovereign free grace). Particular Redemption states that Christ's blood was effectual -- and not just a possibility (praise God it was sovereign, for I never would have chosen Him if His choice had not preceded mine). Furthermore, Particular Redemption brings to light the incredible truth that no people are lost in Hell for whom Christ's blood was shed for, if that were the case as Unlimited Atonement ultimately must accept, then Christ's blood was not effectual -- something that would go wholly contrary to the very nature of God and His attributes... more on this below.

With a basic understanding of Unlimited Atonement and Particular Redemption, let’s turn briefly to the book under review: The Death Christ Died by Dr. Robert P. Lightner.

First, I'd like to point out that, while I disagree with Dr. Lightner's position on Unlimited Atonement, it's clear he loves the Lord and has a deep desire to know Him and instruct others in His ways; this came out in the book and it was a blessing to get that sense out of what was otherwise a real grind.

Second, I concede there are a few verses in Scripture, but only a very few taken in isolation, that could be used in favour of Unlimited Atonement. In contrast, when the mass of Scripture is compared to Scripture in a systematic manner, the overall weight for Particular Redemption emerges overwhelmingly -- and dramatically so -- by a significant margin.

Third, while Dr. Lightner seeks to develop a case for Unlimited Atonement and seeks to use Scripture to support his argument, it did not alter my view on Particular Redemption but rather served to reinforce and make me rejoice more fully in God’s amazing sovereign free grace.

Below are some specific book review observations and comments:

• I felt one of Dr. Lightner's leading missteps, if I can humbly say, was his view that Christ must have died for all men because a "provision exists as a basis of condemnation" (pg.46). In many ways, he builds his entire case around this. Yet Scripture is plain that a basis of condemnation is not needed. Man is already condemned. Man is justly condemned because he is sinful from the womb (c.p. Psalm 51:5, Romans 3: 10-19, etc); in short, a just basis of condemnation already exists. Furthermore, God is not subservient or contingent to man's condition, actions or nature (Isaiah 46:10, Acts 2:23, etc). Oddly, the author believes in total inability (totally depravity), yet postures the need for God to provide a provision as a basis of condemnation when, elsewhere, he has well argued man's guilt and God's justice in condemning men to hell.

• In the same sort of reasoning, and as a logical follow-on, Dr. Lightner believes that God loves everyone. He states, "The fact that God despises sin and will eternally punish sinners does not mean He does not love them" (pg.112) and earlier, "God's love for the entire world not only is the clear teaching of the New Testament (John 3:16) but is also the emphatic revelation of the Old Testament" (pg. 111). Yet, the Apostle Paul under the Holy Spirit deals with the very issue the author attempts to advance and states the opposite; namely, that God does not love everyone including all those in the OT; by way of example: “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated “ (Romans 9:13). Clearly, God did not love everyone in the OT (note: the word “world” [meaning Jew AND Gentile in most cases] and it’s usage throughout Scripture is clear yet the author seems to lack a consistent and thorough hermeneutic on what becomes an all-important word to him). Rather, God loves His elect, the Church, which is why he came to die in their place (Matthew 1: 21, John 10:25-30, Galatians 3:29, etc). This seems to follow common sense as well; after all, we know that love is immutable (i.e. love does not fail, does not change, does not [cannot] become what it is not, 1 Cor 13: 8) and we are certain that God does not love those who will be forever separated from Him in Hell for to assert such would be to deny God’s omnipotence and to redefine the attributes of love and of God. Instead, in God’s sovereign use of means, we can justly, obediently and honestly call all men everywhere with all fervency to repentance and know assuredly that all who come to Christ He will in no wise cast out (John 6:37) for, simply put, our choice of God is preceded by His eternal and fixed choice of us (the basis of the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints). We can stand here on the authority of Scripture and, under the influencing power of the Holy Spirit, can go forward optimistically and with full confidence -- "across the street or around the world" -- preaching the Gospel in obedience to His Great Commission, leaving the actual results in the hands of the Author of salvation (Hebrews 12:2).

• I see, therefore, no disconnect when holding to what I assuredly believe is theologically sound and wholly Biblical (i.e. Particular Redemption) with respect to calling men everywhere to repentance. Church history bears the same hallmarks. Indeed, countless missionaries, pastors and evangelists in ages past have gone throughout the earth believing with all optimism that God was/is graciously building his Church from age to age; that is, that it will happen, not possibly so. The powerful moving of the Spirit of God always works in direct concert with the foolishness of preaching His Word (1 Cor 1:21) as God sovereignly moves to gather in all, not possibly some, but ALL those from whom the Father has given the Son (John 6:37) and for whom the Son lived, died and rose again for.

In conclusion, I reiterate what a Reformed Evangelical Pastor once stated so succinctly to me: that the death Christ died accomplished exactly (not possibly so) what God had eternally decreed it to do -- to save His people from their sins. In contrast, this book regrettably misses that emphatic Biblical truth because it holds to Unlimited Atonement rather than to a Particular Redemptive view of Christ's death as showcased in the pages of holy Scripture.

Another Pastor I heard once said: "Who are the called? All they who come. Who come? All who are called." Have you come to Christ for forgiveness of sin and new life? If not, come today. Fix your whole trust on Christ for the Lord Jesus says that "All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me and all who come to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." ~ Ephesians 1:3-7

Are you truly Saved?

A Present Danger and a Present Hope

The question "Are you truly saved?" implies you must be saved or delivered from some kind of danger, perhaps even a very terrible danger. This question also demands there must be something, or someone, who can save you from such a danger.

The danger we are speaking about is the greatest danger a person will ever face because it concerns the peril of your soul, the real you. The Bible states that "It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). You may be thinking this is very negative and bad news; it is. But this is the danger we would first like to address. It is the danger about what happens to you when you close your eyes at the moment of death. And, with an open Bible under the blessing of God, it is the most loving and caring thing a person can ever tell you about.

But there is something even more important than this. It is God. He alone is the giver of life and the One who overcame death. He is Holy and worthy of our praise and adoration, not our sin which goes against His perfect and wonderful moral character.

The Bible says, "There is none righteous, no, not one" and that "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:10; 6:23). This means we are all sinners deserving of eternal seperation from God and all what is good and lovely. However, the good news is that Christ saves from sin. He has promised in His Word that He will make all those that come to Him by faith righteous through what He has done on their behalf.

Who Really has the Truth?


The Bible claims to be "God-Breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16). That statement of claim is either true or false.

Over 3,000 times the Bible claims to be the "Word of God" in the combined Old and New Testament's 66 books. The Bible is either God-breathed, or it's not, it can't be both. If it's true, then we have a definitive basis of divine authority which means we have an absolute basis of truth upon which to believe what God says about Himself, about us, about our world, and about our future.

What has this to do with the question, "are you truly saved?" It has everything to do with that question. Because the Bible is God-breathed this means we can wholly trust what the Bible says concerning God, salvation, our souls, and our eternal destiny. The Lord Jesus said: "Sanctify (i.e. make holy, purify) them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). Therefore, to truthfully answer the question "are you truly saved" we must go to God's Word (the Bible). It is here God graciously reveals and convicts us, by the Holy Spirit's influence, as to why we need to be saved, what we must be saved from, and how we can be saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

God is Holy and We are Not

The Bible is precious for many reasons; but perhaps one of the greatest reasons is because it changes peoples lives by the power of the Holy Spirit and makes them perfectly righteous and fit for heaven -- all because of what Christ has done as their substitute. This is amazing when we begin to realize that none of us ever deserve, or could ever work, to attain God's perfect righteousness on our own. God has done it all in the believers stead which is why every saved believer can say they are: "Saved by grace alone, through faith alone, by Christ alone, on the authority of the Scriptures alone, for God's glory alone". How infinitely good and wonderful God is! And how precious is His Holy Word, the Bible, that leads us by His Holy Spirit into truth and unto the Saviour.

Having established the Bible is God's Holy and infallible Word, we can now go to the Bible and read it knowing that God is speaking through it. In short, when you read the Bible you are reading what is true, because God has said it. When you read the Bible, always pray that God would graciously open your spiritual eyes to see your great need and to enable you to respond to the Saviour.

What exactly then, does this God-Breathed Word of God say about being saved and being a Christian? The Bible tells us clearly that no one (except the Lord Jesus Christ) was born perfect (Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:10-19). You were not born a Christian. You cannot pass an exam to become a Christian. You do not earn the right to become a Christian. God makes you a Christian. He must do that work in you because He is holy and we are not. We need His holiness to be accepted by Him; something we cannot do on our own. To be saved we need God and for that God provided His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in the place of sinners (John 3:16). The Bible says: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).


New Life! What it means to be saved.

In the Bible, God has revealed that in order to be saved from eternal seperation in Hell from Him means that sin, our greatest problem, has to be justly punished and dealt with. In other words, we must be reconciled (made perfect; born-again) before God -- and the only way that can be done is through His Son Jesus Christ who took upon him flesh (a body) so that he could die, be punished in our place for our sin, and impute (account to) His perfect righteousness to every believer who trusts in Him. In fact, the whole Bible, from start to finish, is all about this which is why someone once said, "The thread of Christ's blood can be seen from Genesis (first book of the Bible) to Revelation (last book of the Bible), and in every book in between". God's love is so great that He took upon him flesh so that all who come to Him on the grounds of grace (His work, none of our "good deeds") by faith (saving belief and trust) will assuredly be saved to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25).

Some people ask: How can I really know I am saved, that I am a Christian, and going to heaven? The Holy Spirit of God, in concert with the God-Breathed Word of God (i.e. the Bible), are the primary means by which God begins to stir your dead heart and give you wisdom to see that you are a sinner in desperate need of the Saviour. That Saviour is God the Son, Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect life, was punished in the place of sinners on the cross for their sin, and rose again to life defeating death. When we believe and trust Christ as our substitute and trust alone in Him, the Lord's righteousness is graciously imputed (accounted) to us. The Bible tells us, "For he hath made him (the Lord Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). What marvelous condescension and mercy that God should save sinners like you and me and make us fit for heaven.

Here are some more verses from the Bible to prayerfully consider: Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (and) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast him out" (Scripture references: 1Timothy 1:15, Isaiah 43:25, John 14:6, John 6:37).


Are you truly Saved and going to Heaven?

There is no greater question than asking yourself, under the light of God's Word, if you are truly saved. Some people think they have sinned too much and that God will never accept them. It's true that God will not accept anyone on their own merit, but God will accept anyone who comes to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin on the sole merit of what Christ has done in their stead (John 6:37). Other people think they are good enough just as they are and that God will accept them because of their good deeds and generally acceptable conduct through life. This is a horrible mistake, too. The Bible says that "there is none righteousness, no not one" (Romans 3:10). Even the very nicest person you can possibly think of needs a Saviour because "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Do you know and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour? If not, don't hide your sin or make any excuse for it - instead, plead with the Lord Jesus Christ, on the authority of His Word, to take your sin away through what Christ has done in His life, death and resurrection. The Bible promises He will save us when we ask Him to, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

If the Lord has graciously stirred your heart and given you an interest in the things we have briefly spoken about here, then this is a gracious mercy from God, and you ought to take this very, very seriously and not harden your heart in unbelief (Psalm 95:8). May the Lord be glorifed and may you be drawn to Him to the saving of your soul this very day if you don't already know Him as your personal Saviour.


"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." ~ Acts 4:12

Is all of Calvin all of Calvinism?

Someone recently remarked something along these lines to me: "I don't gravitate toward Calvinism because I don't like some things believed or held to by John Calvin."

That got me thinking.

First, a little on Calvin.

While Calvin is respected as a mighty theologian even by those holding to differing theological persuasions, he was not an angel sent from heaven. Just a man. A man who God mightily used. Indeed, Calvin was a man bursting at the seams seeking to reclaim, and proclaim, the great and cardinal truths of Scripture long held in obscurity and violently opposed by those who for a pretense paraded themselves as the servants of the most High God. He saw through this or, more accurately, God enabled him to see the truth - and when he did, the errors leaped out, as did the truth, again and again as he poured over the Scriptures, being guided by the Spirit of God. And he fought this fight, by the Lord's grace, with what the Lord had given him: a mind capable of great things and molded by grace and purpose to the task of whole Biblical exposition. While one may not agree with every satellite position John Calvin held to, it's my belief that the cardinal things he held to are the cardinal things to hold to.

Second, a little on the term "Calvinism".

While many erroneously (and understandably so) think that John Calvin invented "Calvinism", Calvin the man had actually been dead 50 years before the 5 points of Calvinism were framed! The label "Calvinism" was at first a tag conjured up years after Calvin's death by opponents to the free sovereign grace of God in salvation. These opponents were called "Arminians" and followed the teachings of James Arminius, a Dutch professor who had died in 1610 (source: The Five Points of Calvinism, WJ Seaton). “The Five Points of Arminianism were presented to the State and a National Synod of the church was called to meet in Dort in 1618 to examine the teaching of Arminius in the light of the Scriptures. The Synod of Dort sat for 154 sessions over a period of seven months, but at the end could find no ground on which to reconcile the Arminian viewpoint with that expounded in the Word of God. Reaffirming the position so unmistakably put forth at the Reformation, and formulated by the French theologian John Calvin, the Synod of Dort formulated its Five Points of Calvinism to counter the Arminian system” (source: ibid).

The Cardinal things

It's true that John Calvin believed in the free sovereign grace of God in salvation (the essence of Calvinism). However, it's equally true that Calvinism does not speak of everything John Calvin taught. In other words, some things John Calvin taught were, as it were, satellites to the cardinal things and therefore things to which Christian charity and liberty must be exercised amongst brethren, even in our day (I am thinking, for example, of forms of government and baptism, etc). Thus, saying that one doesn't hold to Calvinism because they don't like some things held by John Calvin is a bit like saying, "I don't hold to driving a Ford because I don't like some things held by Henry Ford." To reiterate and emphasize, while one may not agree with every satellite position that John Calvin held to, the cardinal things he held to are the cardinal things to hold to -- and such things are encapsulated wonderfully in Calvinism. In short, Calvin was a mere man; gifted, and a gift as he was. The Doctrines of Grace (another and perhaps better name for Calvinism) reflect a vital part of Calvin's theological heartbeat, but not all of him. That is why C.H. Spurgeon, who was a credo-baptist (i.e. believer's baptism by emersion; Calvin was paedo-Baptist and believed in infant baptism, though not regenerative baptism), could say unhesitantly of The 5 Points of Calvinism that they are "surely and verily the revealed truth of God as it is in Christ Jesus."

I submit that we ought not to dismiss "Calvinism" because of its label, a tag originally coined by its opponents 400 years ago. While I prefer the term “Doctrines of Grace”, the term Calvinism is a nickname that, when those using it are properly informed, holds no disconnect to the Biblically sound doctrine it contends for nor the cardinal and chief things most surely believed by Calvin the man.

For an overview of the Doctrines of Grace ("Calvinism"), please read WJ Seaton’s excellent little booklet prayerfully, now online.

Sola Scriptura