Exploring Theology

One of the most common objections to Reformed Theology (Calvinism) used by non-Calvinists is that Calvinism teaches that God forces people to become believers.  This objection is completely false.  I feel the need to address this objection again in light of a comment made by my Pastor during his Sunday morning sermon on 9/28/08.  He made the comment that God does not force anyone to become a believer.  He was not talking about Calvinism or Election and the comment seemed a bit out of place.

People who use this objection are confusing regeneration and salvation.  I think this is the error my Pastor made during his sermon.  People hear the term Irresistible Grace and they immediately jump to the conclusion that it refers to salvation.  It does not, it refers to regeneration.  I made this error myself until I was better informed.

Calvinists teach that regeneration is the first step in the process of salvation.  It has to be the first step because of our spiritual condition as unbelievers.  Ephesians 2:1-7 says

“(1) And you were dead in the trespasses and sins (2)  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–  (3)  among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  (4)  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  (5)  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–  (6)  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  (7)  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Before we can be saved we must be made alive again.  Until we are made alive (regenerated) we cannot respond to the Gospel.  God regenerates those He has chosen.  Ephesians 1:3-6

“(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (5) he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.“

In regeneration, God removes the persons heart of stone and replaces it with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26-27).  He also gives them a new will (nature) (2 Corinthians 5:17) which is no longer a slave to sin.  This new will (nature) can, and does, now choose God and when it hears the Gospel proclaimed.  God does not force a person to become a believer against their will.  As you can see, Calvinists teach that believers have a choice.  The difference is that God knows that they will choose Him because He has already elected them before He created anything.

I hope this clarifies this issue some for those who might be struggling with this objection to Calvinism.  I know until I understood this, I had a hard time with Calvinism.  It was one of the main things that I had to overcome before I could accept the Calvinistic theology.  Please feel free to point out anything that I need to clarify or do a better job explaining.

I am reading some posts from a new Arminian Website called The Society of Evangelical Arminians.  Keith Schooley has posted a 2 part series entitled “Why I Am An Arminian”.  Click here to read Part 1 and Part 2.  The site looks interesting so I have added it to my RSS reader.  The articles have also been interesting.  I am going to comment on some parts of the article as time permits.

In Part 1,  Schooley gives gives a positive presentation for he is an Arminian.  He does a good job of bringing in the Scripture as the basis for his belief.  I don’t agree with his interpretation but it is good to see that he is willing to base everything on what he understands the Bible teaches.  In Part 2 he discusses some objections Calvinists have to Arminianism.  He covers all the main bases.  It is from Part 2 that the inspiration for this post comes.

In discussing human inability, Schooley says

It is stipulated that unregenerate persons are unable to do anything to please God, merit salvation, or even come to the Lord without God first drawing them (Jn. 6.44, 65). Yet Jesus announces his intention to “draw all men” to himself (Jn. 12.32). Although unredeemed humanity is pictured in scripture as being spiritually dead and blind, completely unable to come to the Lord, there is no indication in scripture that those who are actually confronted with the Gospel are unable to receive it. The Gospel itself is viewed in the New Testament as bringing with it the power of salvation (e.g., Rom. 1.16, 10.14-15; Eph. 1.13; 2 Tim. 1.10). The best means of understanding God’s work in enabling people to believe (what Arminians have termed, “prevenient grace”) would be to view the Gospel itself as being invested with the power to respond with saving faith.

I have added the bold and italics to the quote so it would be easier to see what statement I am discussing.  I would agree with the first part of his comment.  The unregenerate are pictured in scripture as “being spiritually dead and blind” and “completely unable to come to the Lord“.  I don’t think you can read the scripture and not get understand this to be the case.  Arminians and Calvinists both understand this is the condition of fallen man.  So far so good….

The next part of the statement is where the I have to disagree with Schooley.  He says that “there is no indication in scripture that those who are actually confronted with the Gospel are unable to receive it.”  This seems to be a contradiction in the same sentence.  Am I reading it wrong?  First he says the Bible portrays the unregenerate as spiritually dead and blind and then turns around and says that if these same unregenerate people are confronted with the Gospel that should be able to receive it.  This is a contradiction.  People cannot be unable to respond and able to respond at the same time.

He does bring into the discussion the concept of prevenient grace which means that God has to do something to allow the unregenerate person accept the Gospel.  I agree with the concept.  I just call it Irresistible Grace instead of prevenient grace.  I know there are some differences between the two but they are essentially the same concept and action that God does.  We see it differently depending on our theological persuasion.

What do you think?  Am I on target or way off base on this one?