Letters    

 ON CALVINISM, OR THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE

Dear H. L.                                                                                                      August 22, 1983

      ...One reason I love you in the Lord is your very strong, but Biblical preaching on the separation from worldliness. It is a stand that is very rare today. I have been blessed by your messages in the past. While I believe essentially what I did when you were last with us, I trust the Lord has continued to teach me, and that I have grown in grace.

      In the last meeting you held with us, you preached a message entitled "The Three Resurrections" in which you pronounced sinners to be "dead"—"dead, double dead"—but for God. That is as Scriptural a position on the state of the sinner as could be given, for Paul said, "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). But for God, the condition of the sinner is hopeless, and he is left utterly helpless (vs. 12).

      A sinner cannot of himself "come to Christ" (John 6:44). When he sinned in Genesis 3, man became polluted in body, soul and spirit; as well as, in his reason and emotions. His will is totally depraved and he loves to have it so. Now, he loves what he should hate, and he hates what he should love, and by nature, he chooses that which is evil, so that if any man wants to be saved, it is because it is "God who worketh in (him) both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

      I believe in Total Depravity, by which I mean the natural man is impotent to taste and see that the Lord is gracious, that he cannot come to God until he is quickened by the Spirit of God, and given faith and repentance (Ephesians 2:1,12; Romans 12:3; Jeremiah 17:14). Therefore, I believe that the Election of God is Unconditional, or as the hymnwriter said it, "Chosen not for good in me" (Ephesians 1:4, 5-13).

Tis not that I did choose Thee,                                                                              For Lord that could not be;                                                                                   This heart would still refuse Thee—                                                                       But Thou hast chosen me.

     I believe the Atonement of God is Limited in its scope; that Christ died for particular individuals (Matthew 1:21; Ephesians 5:25). Otherwise, God is the greatest failure that ever was.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood                                                                 Shall never lose its power;                                                                                    Till all the ransomed church of God                                                                       Be saved to sin no more.

      I believe the Grace of God is Irresistible—that God knocks people down and saves them as He did Saul on the road to Damascus; and that it is utterly absurd to think a man can frustrate the design of God, or that the finite creature can resist the Infinite. The creature cannot thwart the Creator (Romans 9:21; Philippians 2:13).

     I believe in the Perseverance of the Saints, and Their Preservation by God (Matthew 10:22; Psalm 97:10).

      I believe that they on whom the Father set His affections, i.e. "whom he foreknew", he knew beforehand; but the word means more: the word to "know" means to know as a husband is said to "know" his wife, and speaks of intimacy (See: Genesis 4:1). I believe that God has predestinated these people to be "conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29). I believe that these same people, he has also "called" (vs. 30) by the "foolishness of preaching" (I Corinthians 1:21). Moreover, I believe God justifies these same people, and that they shall in the end be glorified (Romans 8:30).

     It is interesting that you use the word "Biblicist" because that is the term I prefer, and the one with which I have been branded. I can hardly call them Biblicists, however, who will not allow Romans 8 and 9 to read as it is found on the page, or who deliberately and habitually turn from preaching the doctrines of election and of predestination as it appears in Ephesians because this is included in the "whole counsel of God."

     The reason we are called "Calvinists" is because Calvin was reputed to be the greatest expositor of Scripture of all time. Despite his peculiarities, he attempted to return the church of the 16th century to the preaching of the Bible. He attempted this through regular systematic expository preaching. Years after his death, Biblicists called themselves "Calvinists" as a memorial of him. The doctrines known as "calvinism" originated in heaven, and were delivered to the church at its inception by the Apostles.

      God has given me a love for all who love our Lord in sincerity and in truth. My second son is named John Wesley, but I certainly do not relish all the views Wesley held. I would not want this to be made an issue. If a man felt he was on a divine commission to sow discord ...I would certainly mark that man as we are instructed to do in Romans 16:17, and have no fellowship with him. However, I remember only that you sought to preach the Bible. How could I not love you?

       In the last meeting, I recall you turned the service over to me to close as I believed best. I do not give what is termed an "altar call" first, because we have no altars now, but also because there is not one instance of an altar call in the Bible. Instead, I plead with people from the pulpit to repent and believe the Gospel. Following our service last Easter Sunday, 5 people came to me after the service seeking the Lord. If you feel you would injure yourself by associating with me, I will understand. ...

Contents

Previous Next