Author : Keith Sharp
Last year I was talking with a Calvinistic Baptist friend who lives in Watertown. Her father was in critical condition in the hospital. Both her parents are Catholic, and she thinks they are lost. She had tried to discuss religion with them, but they refused. She intimated, “I was hurt when I learned God didn’t love my parents.” I would be too!
Her disturbing conclusion was based on her belief in Calvinistic predestination. This doctrine asserts:
“…God, before the foundations of the world, chose certain individuals from among the fallen members of Adam’s race to be the objects of his undeserved favor. These, and these only, He purposed to save…. His eternal choice of particular sinners unto salvation was not based upon any foreseen act or response on the part of those selected, but was based solely on His own good pleasure and sovereign will. This election was not determined by, or conditioned upon, anything that man would do, but resulted entirely from God’s self-determined purpose.” (Steele & Thomas. 30)
Nor was her conclusion that God does not love her parents incorrect if the doctrine of Calvinistic predestination is true.
“Since the objects of the Father’s love are particular, definite, and limited, so are the objects of Christ’s death.” (Palmer. 44)
Is Calvinistic predestination true?
To “predestinate” means “to mark out beforehand, to determine before, foreordain.” (Vine. 1:305] The apostle to the Gentiles thus views the mighty sweep of God’s eternal plan for our salvation:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:11-12)
The key to this marvelous passage is the repeated use of the phrases that indicate salvation is in Christ: “in Christ” (verse 3), “in Him” (verse 4), “by Jesus Christ” (verse 5), “in the Beloved” (verse 6), “In Him” (verse 11), “in Christ” (verse 12). God determined in eternity before time that salvation would be in Christ and that all those who trusted Him would be saved in Him.
Calvinists emphasize that the saved are God’s “elect” (“picked out, chosen” [Vine, 2:21]). Indeed, God’s people are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father….” (1 Peter 1:2) But again, Paul explains, “He chose us in Him.” (Ephesians 1:4)
The predestination of Calvinism involves the unconditional election of particular individuals to be saved and others to be lost. The predestination of the Bible involves an elect group (the church) of saved to which all may be added conditioned upon their faith in and obedience to the Gospel.
God loves all people, even the vilest of sinners.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:14-17)
God Is Completely Impartial in Salvation, Affording the Opportunity for Eternal Life to All.
“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.’ “(Acts 10:34-35)
“But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness–indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” (Romans 2:5-11)
“And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.” (Ephesians 6:9)
“But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” (Colossians 3:25)
“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear…” (1 Peter 1:17)
God Wants All People Everywhere to Be Saved.
“For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.” (Romans 11:32)
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
“For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10)
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
God’s Saving Grace Is for All.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men…” (Titus 2:11)
“For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33)
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” (Colossians 1:19-20)
The Invitation of Christ to Come to Him for Salvation Is Sincerely Universal.
“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.” (Isaiah 45:22-24)
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.'” (John 7:37)
“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!”‘And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”(Revelation 22:17)
The Gospel, the Power of God to Save, Is to All.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19)
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15)
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (Romans 1:16-17)
The Command to Repent Is as Universal as Humanity.
“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent…” (Acts 17:30)
Not on the Basis of a Secret Eternal Decree.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)
Yes, Calvinists have dodges to get around the obvious meaning of every one of these passages. But they are just that – dodges. Calvinists cannot accept the scriptural evidence at face value. They must attempt to explain it away. Their position is based on human philosophy rather than divine revelation.
Beloved, the most important truth you can gain from this lesson is that salvation in Christ is for you. If you are responsible before God, you have sinned (Romans 3:23). If you are not a Christian, you are lost (Romans 6:23). Salvation in Christ is for you. (Matthew 11:28) If you will believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, repent of your sins, confess your faith in Christ and be baptized in water for the remission of sins, you will be saved (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 3:19; 2:38).
“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)
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List of Works Cited
David N. Steele & Curtis C. Thomas, The Five Points of Calvinism. 30.
Edwin H. Palmer, The Five Points of Calvinism. 44.
(Steele, Thomas, and Palmer are all eminent Calvinistic scholars, and their books are defenses of Calvinism.)
W.E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
