Why Calvin Is Cool; An Infomercial for Calvinism

The Internet Monk ^ | Michael Spencer

[Gamecock]

  Why Calvin Is Cool 

An Infomercial for Calvinism

by Michael Spencer

I know that's Calvin Coolidge, but if I put a picture of John Calvin up there, most people won't read the column. The hostility towards Calvinism is growing here in Bibleland. Note the intrepid Dave Hunt's attempt to vanquish the Calvinistic dragon with his new book, What Love Is This?, perhaps more aptly titled, What Research Is This? Norman Geisler unsuccessfully sought to forge a via media in Chosen, But Free and Gregory Boyd and the Openness Boys (great name for a band) have been blasting away for several years now against the monstrosity of the Calvinistic God and and Augustinian theodicy. I recently attended a debate between Calvinist and Arminian seminary profs, and I have to say that Jerry Walls was vewy, vewy upset that God could save everyone and apparently isn't going to do so. He was also mad that John Piper said he would still love God even if one of his sons wasn't elect. And, of course, C.S. LEWIS WASN'T A CALVINIST! So I think silent Cal is a better choice than Geneva John. These are dangerous times. You could possibly get burned at the stake. (That's a joke.)

I've never been naive about what people thought about Calvinism. It's always been controversial, hence that little party called the Reformation and the counter-party called the Remonstrance and the rave known as Revivalism. In my kid's history textbooks, Calvinists and Puritans are witchburners. Period. When I began hanging out with Calvinistic Southern Baptists in the "Founders" movement, it had some of the trappings of a secret society. There were lots of people keeping their heads low and their mouths shut in order to survive in Southern Baptist land. And at my current assignment, rumors of my Calvinism have been my only real trouble in ten years, and that even though the founder of our school was an out and out card-carrying five-pointer with no shame about saying so.

A few years ago our state denominational newspaper discovered Southern Baptist Calvinism and went on a ten-year windmill tilt against it. It was enormous fun to read what Arminian revivalistic evangelists had to say about Calvinism, based upon their extensive experience and research. (I concluded the in-depth tape series of Jimmy Swaggart on Calvinism was behind it all.) I was surprised to discover that Southern Baptists had no Calvinistic roots or influences (which seemed odd given the overwhelming historical record of just exactly that fact.) I learned that Spurgeon was not really a Calvinist. (It seems particularly galling  for Arminians to come to grips with this one.) I learned that despite all those years of preaching, I was against missions and evangelism, and that I could not preach the free offer of the Gospel or tell people that Jesus loved them. (The inability of these experts to differentiate between Calvinism and hyper-Calvinism is basic to everything they say. What a heretic I'd been!)  And I learned that despite my cheery outlook, I am really obsessed with predestination, and have no real good reason to get up in the morning. (Again, if one wants to discuss fatalism, go to the Muslims.) All this free education came to me week after week, courtesy of those who hated Calvinism and feared Calvinists. And all totally false.

Such misunderstandings continue today, though the articulate writings of people like Michael Horton, John Piper and James White are making a difference. I am now meeting people who say they are Calvinists, and really probably aren't, but they identify with or admire someone who is. Hey, you gotta start somewhere. Even so, I still know that I could lose my job over being a Calvinist, and I know that I will always have to answer ridiculous questions from Arminians who have no idea that they are Arminians or even have a theology. As long as they read Jabez and Left Behind and like Joyce Meyers and T.D. Jakes, they feel normal.

So how can I say it's cool to be a Calvinist?

1) Calvinism is that rare and wonderful thing: classical, orthodox Christianity. Evangelicals are selling the theological store right and left. I am really grateful for orthodox non-Calvinists like Ravi Zacharias, because the trend on that side of the fence is to sell out the essentials. Omnipotence and omniscience are in trouble. The authority of scripture is in trouble. Biblical worship is in trouble. Postmodern Arminianism seems ready to jettison anything that stands in the way of intellectual acceptance by the cultural elites or the potential drawing of a crowd. Calvinists have their problems, but going the openness route or denying the authority of scripture are not dangers in the near future. That's cool.

2) Calvinism is fired up about missions. Contrary to the press releases, it is a bunch of Calvinists who are fueling the missions movement among the college age Christian community. The influence of John Piper is massive, and honest Arminians admit it (as they did in the debate I observed.). His book, The Supremacy of God in Missions, has become highly influential in frontier missions circles. Louie Giglio's Passion movement is God-centered and missions-centered and he has said Piper will always speak at those gatherings. The supreme optimism of Calvinism that God has a people to be called and saved in every nation, and that a sovereign God can move in the Muslim world, is winning the hearts and minds of many young missionaries. Check out www.frontiers.org and see what I mean. That is very cool.

3) Calvinism is the strongest resistance to the excesses and errors of the church growth movement. You could deny the Trinity in most pulpits today and not get the kind of reaction you will get if you question the tenets of seeker-sensitive church growth methods. These days Calvinists are less unified on questions of worship and church life than on other areas of theology, but the reformed camp is still the loudest source of resistance to the church growth pragmatism that has overwhelmed evangelicalism. Reformed writers are engaging in a solid examination of Biblical worship and the current crisis and offering a God-centered alternative to the man-centered carnival that is engulfing our churches. Especially see the cool work of Marva Dawn, John Macarthur, James Boice and Michael Horton.

4) Calvinism is contending for the Gospel. Now that will get a few tomatoes headed my way, but I am not saying that Calvinists are the only Christians, nor that Calvinists are the only ones contending for the Gospel. I know that is not the case. I am saying that Calvinists have a passion for the Gospel, particularly for soteriology. There is remarkable unity among Calvinists on the doctrine of total depravity, the primacy of the work of the Trinity in salvation, the effectiveness of the substitutionary work of Christ, the priority of regeneration over faith and the grace of God over all. On the Solas, Calvinists stand strong, even stronger than on the five-points, where there is considerable diversity on the extent of the atonement and the nature of perseverance. The sad fact is that many of our evangelical Arminian friends cannot say the Solas with certainty of an "amen" from their team. The Gospel is under attack on virtually every side within evangelicalism. Some of these are the same controversies that preceded and followed the Reformation, but many are the attacks of post-modernism, pragmatism, multi-culturalism, and liberalism, smuggled in through evangelicalism's fetish with popularity, publishing, and media. It is refreshing to hear a seminary president like Calvinist Al Mohler consistently contend for the Gospel on Larry King Live in this age of pluralism and tolerance. It's not an accident. In Calvinistic circles, it's cool to fight for what others are surrendering.

5) Calvinism is warmly God-centered. Again, hold the bottle throwing. I know, I know. I know there are many non-Calvinists who are God-centered, but I think you have to notice that Calvinism is God-centered by definition, and it simply makes a marvelous difference. Look at the music of Steve Green, the sermons of Al Martin or the books of Douglas Wilson, John Piper, Jerry Bridges or R.C. Sproul. Whether in evangelism, worship, or the Christian life, Calvinists have a suspicion of humanism that is healthy and helpful in retaining the God-centered nature of the Christian faith. It is a marvelous simplicity in Calvinism that says anything we do or contemplate or consider must first put the sovereign God of the Bible as the reference, goal, and center of everything. The vision of God that animated Luther and Calvin, Spurgeon and Edwards is the same vision that is animating Calvinism today. The impulse that is causing havoc in evangelical circles today is a dethroning of God, and the resulting mess seems to be headed down the path that leads to the generic, new age, feelings-centered spirituality that grows like kudzu in America. It's cool to be God-centered, and there is no area of contemporary Christianity where the air breathed in Piper's The Pleasures of God or Carson's The Gagging of God or Packer's Knowing God isn't badly needed.

There's lots more I could say. Calvinism is evangelistic, when practiced and not just debated. (Ask those Korean Presbyterians.) Calvinism has a wonderful reverence for history. Calvinism has the best approach to cultural issues. Calvinism isn't detoured into fads like Jabez, Experiencing God, or Left Behind. Calvinists have Spurgeon. Calvinists are great apologists. Calvinists aren't on television. Well, D. James Kennedy on TBN, but thank God for that. Calvinists have the best preachers. If Benny Hinn were a Calvinist, he'd have better hair. I think I should stop.

Are there negatives? Certainly, but this is an infomercial, so I am supposed to say all those really fast at the end so you won't hear them. They would include: Calvinists debate too much and do too little. Calvinists don't start enough churches. Calvinists fight about the stupidest things. Calvinists go overboard on anything they are right about. Calvinists have more than their share of loons. Calvinists spend too much on books. I'd better stop. Even with all this, trust me, it's cool to be a Calvinist.

Sometimes Calvinists spend too much time trying to argue their friends into Calvinism. That is a waste of time. I don't want to convert you. I just wanted to brag, and perhaps suggest that in this postmodern swamp we are living in, we might want to remember that all the criticism of Calvinism within evangelicalism is coming from a house that needs to get itself in order before it throws rocks at its own team.

[Gamecock]

Did God harden Pharoah's heart?

[Frumanchu]

When you stumbled and fell into sin last time, was that God's will?Did He will for you to commit that sin?

Was He compelled by some external force to allow you to sin? What He helpless to prevent you from committing that sin?

[xzins]

Another one of those "methodical" guys. :>)

[Buggman]

Don't you just hate it when Gosh has predestined you for darnation?

[Buggman]

Okay, that has to be the singular most hilarious thing you've ever posted on this forum. My hat's off to you, sir!

[xzins]

I agree with Corin.

For one, he shares his popcorn.

For another, he shares pocketknives with troops.

Finally, he the LOTR big kahuna of record.

[Frumanchu]

Okay, that has to be the singular most hilarious thing you've ever posted on this forum. My hat's off to you, sir!

Oh, come on! That's nowhere near my best work.

I should send you the parody I'm working on...a parody of the song "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" from the musical Oklahoma!.

It's called "Suri with the Fringe Cult Pop"

[Buggman]

Heck, post it on FR when you're done with it, so we can all LOL.

[PetroniusMaximus]

"Did God harden Pharoah's heart?"

Exodus 8:15 - But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart,

Exodus 8:32 - And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also,

Exodus 8:32 - And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh,



The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart after Pharaoh hardened his own heart several times.

There comes a time when an individual has rejected God for the last time and He withdraws any further opportunity for repentance.



So did foreordain you to commit the last sin you committed?

[Gamecock]

***Heck, post it on FR when you're done with it, so we can all LOL.***

Please do so so I can ROTFLMHPO.

(Roll On The Floor, Laugh My Hind Parts Off)

[Gamecock]

He still hardened it, didn't He? Doesn't matter who started it.

[PetroniusMaximus]

"Was He compelled by some external force to allow you to sin?"

Nothing is "external" to God. "For in Him we live, and move, and have out being,"

"What He helpless to prevent you from committing that sin?"

I do not understand your reference to "helplessness".  Are you aware there are certain things God will not do?

James 1:13
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

[Frumanchu]

The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart after Pharaoh hardened his own heart several times. There comes a time when an individual has rejected God for the last time and He withdraws any further opportunity for repentance.

That's rather selective citation on your part. Let's look at the story of Pharaoh in its entirety:

Exodus	Text	Agency	Source
4:21	And the LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.	God	J
7:3	But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,	God	P
7:13	Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them; as the LORD had said.	Passive	P
7:14	Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuses to let the people go.	Passive	J
7:22	But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them; as the LORD had said.	Passive	P
8:15	But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and would not listen to them; as the LORD had said.	Pharaoh	J
8:19	And the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them; as the LORD had said.	Passive	P
8:32	But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.	Pharaoh	J
9:7	And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the cattle of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.	Passive	J
9:12	But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them; as the LORD had spoken to Moses.	God	P
9:34	But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.	Pharaoh	J
9:35	So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken through Moses.	Passive	J
10:1	Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them,	God	J
10:20	But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.	God	J
10:27	But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.	God	J
11:10	Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.	God	P
14:4	And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." And they did so.	God	P
14:8	And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the people of Israel as they went forth defiantly.	God	P
14:17	And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.	God	P

Not only is it obviously God that as mentioned as the agent of hardening much more often than Pharaoh, but the first two mentions of Pharaoh's heart hardening are by God in which HE explicitly states His intent in doing so.

So was the last sin you committed something which God was helpless to prevent?

[Frumanchu]

Nothing is "external" to God. "For in Him we live, and move, and have out being,"

So whatever it was that caused God to allow you to sin, it must reside within God Himself, right?

I do not understand your reference to "helplessness".

Was He not able to prevent you from sinning?

Are you aware there are certain things God will not do?

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

God will not Himself tempt man, but He most certainly will allow man to be tempted.

[Bainbridge]

The Bible recounts that episode specifically, by name. It is coordinated with his divine intervention in the form of miraculous events. One cannot claim logically that because the Bible expressly names the act of God hardening Pharaoh's heart the doctrine of Calvinism is true.

[PetroniusMaximus]

He still hardened it, didn't He?

Indeed, He did. God does not take a passive role in the damnation of the unrighteous. CS Lewis was wrong, hell is not locked from the inside. Once people have shown what they want - o­nce they have come to the end of their striving against the Holy Spirit - God will confirm them in their damnation.


Doesn't matter who started it.

It matters very much!!! Every word in the Bible matters. The Holy Spirit inspired the words "Pharaoh hardened" as much as He inspired the words "The Lord hardened".

The Biblical pattern is that God cuts off those who, having been given a chance, rejected it. That is the patern with Pharaoh and that is the pattern in the NT. The order in Romans 1 is Revelation > Rejection > Retribution.

God "gives over" people to that which they have show that they truly want.

[Frumanchu]

I'll give you what I have so far...

Suri With The Fringe Cult Pop

(sung by Martin Holmes to the tune of "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" from the musical Oklahom!a)

Our dear Katie just had a daughter
She stayed silent just like he taught 'er
We can’t wait to meet little Suri with the Fringe Cult Pop!

We taped him going bonkers on Oprah,
Shaking her wildly and jumping the sofa,
So that one day Suri would know about her Fringe Cult Pop.

Our girl's hormonal but can't make a sound
The Paxil's gone from the cupboard.
And Tom's off having the placenta browned.
Thank you, L. Ron Hubbard!

Now Tom's chef is preparing the gravy
To wash down the afterbirth of Rosemary's Baby
Meanwhile Kathy and I hope that maybe MI3 will flop
And that Katie saves dear Suri from her Fringe Cult Pop!

[PetroniusMaximus]

"So whatever it was that caused God to allow you to sin, it must reside within God Himself, right?"

I can't help but believe that when you and I talk about things being "internal" or "external" to God we are a bit like two flies discussion the nature of the TV set we have landed o­n. In other words, we are discussing things way over out heads.

God does not plan or orchestrate sin. He does not cause people to sin. He does not tempt people to sin. He does not want people to sin. He has given humans a measure of free agency and their misuse of it is the main source of sin. Nevertheless, He foreknows knows what people will do and is able to use their evil for His good purpose.


"Was He not able to prevent you from sinning?"

Could He not have called 12 legions of angels? 

God is "able" to do many things that He does not do.

[Frumanchu]

Could He not have called 12 legions of angels?

God is "able" to do many things that He does not do

So then you recognize that if God is able to prevent you from sinning but freely chooses not to do so, then it necessarily follows that your sin IS in fact according to His will in some sense (as you put it, to use it according to His good purpose).

[alpha-8-25-02]

"I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor."-c.h.spurgeon


http://www.spurgeon.org/calvinis.htm

"I learned that Spurgeon was not really a Calvinist. (It seems particularly galling for Arminians to come to grips with this one.)"