If You are Not a Calvinist then What are You (I)?
Charles H. Spurgeon once preached, “It is no novelty, then, that I am preaching no new doctrine. I love to proclaim these strong old doctrines that are called by nickname, ‘Calvinism;’ but which are truly and verily the revealed truth of God as it is in Christ Jesus.” At another point, he said, “I have my own opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called, ‘Calvinism;’ Calvinism is the Gospel, and nothing else.”
Jacobus (James) Arminius and his followers, the Remonstrants, were helpful when they brought their heretical points, to contend with the faith handed down from the Reformers, in A.D. 1610. The Synod of Dordtrecht was eventually convened in November 1618 to put Arminianism on trial. By the Spring of 1619, the Canons of Dordt were carefully written to refute the errors of Arminianism, which was then a modern day variation of the Pelagian heresy. Even as the Dordtrecht divines did noble battle against Arminius’ teaching, so Augustine did battle with the British monk, Pelagius, back in the fifth century A.D.
Calvinism, or the Reformed faith, has simple points to help define it. These points were not constructed by John Calvin, the pastor of Geneva, during the Protestant Reformation (16th century). They were actually five points that answered the Remonstrants’ points of heretical contention at Dordtrecht (1618–1619). I have often written that Christianity owes many a debt of gratitude to the heretics because they compel the church to convene (ie. Nicea, Chalcedon, Dordt) to clarify sound doctrine.
The first point is set in eternity past, when God the Father chose a specific group from the humanity He would create in time (Acts 2:23; Eph 1:4–5; 1 Pet 2:9). God set His love upon them, and He gave them all to God the Son before Creation (Jn 6:37; 17:2, 6, 24; Rev 13:8; 17:8). The Son of God is Messiah, the Christ, who was chosen in the eternal counsel of God to be the Savior of the world. This was God’s eternal purpose for the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 3:11).
God’s selection of those He appointed to eternal life is called, “election (Acts 13:48; 2 Tim 2:10).” God’s sovereign choice (Rom 11:5), to predestine His elect people to salvation, before the foundation of the world, is called, ‘Supralapsarianism.’ This is in contrast with those who believe God chose His elect nation of people after creation, which is called, “Infralapsarianism.” Whenever theologians restrict God’s work to time, or to the causation of man, they are prone to err. We must never forget the eternality of God and His works (Heb 4:3).
The one qualifier to election is that it was, “unconditional.” This means there was absolutely nothing in the objects of election (the chosen ones) that warranted they be chosen (Jn 1:12–13; 1 Pet 3:18). God chose His own, in the freedom of His eternal counsel and will. His choice is all sovereign grace (Eph 2:8–9).
The second point for our consideration pertains to the death of Christ, which is a particular redemption. The death of Christ is applicable to a limited group. This is exactly the same group of individuals elected by God the Father and given to Christ in eternity (Jn 6:37–39). When the eternal Son took on flesh (Jn 1:14), he entered time and space — the world, to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). He did this by bearing their sins in His body on a tree (1 Pet 2:24). He justified the many (Is 53:11), but not all humanity, by His precious blood (1 Pet 1:19).
The redeemed elect are the church of God, purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28; Eph 1:7). This limitation is over and against the Arminian heresy, which purports that God only knows His elect, who chose Him to be their God, somewhere in time. The lie continues when the Arminian claims that Christ died for everyone, everywhere, throughout history (universal redemption). This, of course, is in direct conflict with the clear teaching that Christ Jesus exclusively laid down His life for His sheep (Jn 10:11, 14–15, 26–28).
The third point that helps us to identify the Calvinist, the Gospel believer, is the problem requiring God’s sovereign salvation. The plight of man is an utter tragedy; and people are blinded by Satan, the god of this world, from seeing the truth of man’s total depravity (Gen 6:5; Jer 17:9; Ps 51:5; Rom 3:10–12; 5:12–21; 1 Cor 2:14; Eph 2:1–3, 12). Filled with pride, total depravity is a joke to them.
Adam’s rebellious disobedience against God in the garden brought death to all humanity (Rom 5:12). Every man is conceived in sin (Ps 51:5), and death reigns in his mortal body. All people are born without God into the world (Eph 2:12). Each is born into slavery to sin (Rom 6:6), and each lives without hope in the world (Eph 2:12). Man’s enmity with God is irreparable, by man’s notion of good works or religion (Is 64:6). He is spiritually dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). There is nothing in carnal man that is inclined toward spiritual things (1 Cor 2:14), that is, man does not seek God (Rom 3:10–12), nor is his sin nature interested in salvation.
Sinful man does not have right standing before his Judge, who is God Almighty (Gen 18:25; Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5). Lacking righteousness, man strives with God by creating religion — a man-made attempt to set the terms of reconciliation with God. In reality, religion is simply the continued work of Satan, to convince man that God is holding out on him, and that man is oh-so-close to becoming like God (Gen 3:5). According to the tempter, the only thing man must do to reach god-like status, is to disobey God’s Word in unbelief. The same sin in the garden is the same root sin, today. It is evident, as it is daily manifested everywhere in the pride of man.
Man is a thief. He is stealing glory from God in dark ignorance. His plight ends with death (Rom 6:23), and then comes the judgment (Heb 9:27), in which his sentence is an eternity in hell fire (Mt 25:41, 45; Jude 7; Rev 20:14–15). In our next article, we will finish our thoughts on the third point and address the final two points in, “If You Are Not a Calvinist, Then What Are You? (Part 2)
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
November 15, 2021
