Charge: Calvinism mocks Evangelism
Arminian Complaint: Calvinism mocks Evangelism
In other words, if it’s already been decided who will be saved, and that these will be saved no matter what, then what do our efforts really accomplish? Now most Calvinists will insist that God has predestined the means, insomuch that you could be the predestined means to some elect person’s salvation, but the problem remains, in that if the final number of the saved is already predetermined, then there is nothing that you can do to add to that number, no matter how hard you pray, or how much effort you make. In fact, this is something that effects Calvinists as well:
Calvinist, Charles Spurgeon, once prayed: “Lord, hasten to bring in all Thine elect—and then elect some more.” (An Intimate Interlude, emphasis mine)
But that’s the problem. According to Calvinism, there can be no “more.” In other words, Spurgeon’s prayer is not in sync with his theology. For this reason, Spurgeon was known to say: “I fear I am not a very good Calvinist because I pray that the Lord will save all of the elect and then elect some more.” (The soteriology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon and how it impacted his evangelism)
Before we proceed, let me first say that Calvinism no more teaches apathy toward evangelism than Arminianism teaches “easy believism” or promotes a “numbers game.” People abuse all sorts of belief-systems. While this chapter is entitled “Calvinism Mocks Evangelism,” it is only because that is a common charge, and as such, requires examination. The reality is that while Calvinism may not mock Evangelism, some Calvinists very much indeed mock evangelism, most notably being the “Hyper Calvinists” who do deny man’s responsibilities. Hyper Calvinists defend their ideals on the basis of what they deem as true Calvinism. Therefore, let’s see what Calvinism teaches, in order to see why it has led many to make this charge.
What is the message of Evangelism?
Billy Graham writes: “In all of life there is nothing more wonderful than discovering peace with God. Step one to this discovery is realizing God’s plan--peace and life. God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life--abundant and eternal.” (The Enduring Classics of Billy Graham: The Secret of Happiness, Happiness Through Peacemaking, p.125, emphasis mine)
What is the message of Calvinism?
John Calvin writes: “...God has chosen to salvation those whom He pleased, and has rejected the others, without our knowing why, except that its reason is hidden in His eternal counsel.” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.53, emphasis mine)
Calvin adds: “...why God delivers one man and not another are matters constituting His inscrutable judgments and His univestigatible ways. Again, if it be examined and enquired how anyone is worthy, there are some who will say: By their human will. But we say: By grace or divine predestination.” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.64, emphasis mine)
What has been the impact, and natural conclusion, of such a philosophy?
Calvinist, James White, writes: “Surely it is part of modern evangelical tradition to say, ‘God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,’ but providing a meaningful biblical basis for this assertion is significantly more difficult.” (Debating Calvinism, p.265, emphasis mine)
White adds: “Everyone knows John 3:16, and that’s the problem. So many are familiar with the verse that very few stop to consider the traditions that have been packed very carefully into its constant and often acontextual citation.” (Debating Calvinism, p.376, emphasis mine)
Rather, John 3:16 is a real problem for Calvinists if you don’t carefully pack in Calvinism. The anti-John 3:16 views of certain Calvinists stands in stark contrast to Arminianism:
Adrian Rogers asks: “Does God love everyone? Did Jesus die for a certain few?, for the chosen ones? Friend, can I walk up to any man on the face of this earth and tell him without studder-stammer, apology or equivocation that God loves you? I can do that, without qualification.” (Let The Earth Hear His Voice, 2004, emphasis mine)
Adrian Rogers states: “Did you know that there are some people who believe, honestly believe this, have a form of theology that teaches this, they’re very serious about this, that God does not love everybody. ... that God only has a select few that He loves, but that He does not love the entire world, that some are loved and therefore predestined for heaven, and there are others who are not loved of God, not chosen, not elect, and therefore, have no chance, none, nada, none, of ever going to heaven. There’s some who believe that. There’s some who teach that. I reject that with all of the unction, function and emotion of my soul! I believe that God wants everybody saved!” (Let the Earth Hear His Voice, 2004)
Adrian Rogers continues: “Now I want to make it very clear. I believe in the Sovereignty of God. I believe in Election. I believe in Foreknowledge. I believe in Predestination. But I do not believe in Fatalism, that says that some can never, ever, be saved, no matter what.” (Let the Earth Hear His Voice, 2004)
Adrian Rogers adds: “Now some of these people who believe that God only loves some are missionaries. I want to say in all honesty, and fairness, some of them are soul-winners, and I thank God for that. But I’m going to tell you, if you take this kind of belief and let it go to the extreme, it is deadening to evangelism; it is stultifying to soul-winning.” (Let the Earth Hear His Voice, 2004)
Dave Hunt writes concerning Calvinism: “‘He that winneth souls is wise’ (Proverbs 11:30) becomes meaningless; there is no persuading the damned, and the saved are regenerated without believing anything. ‘Come now, and let us reason together’ (Isaiah 1:18) is meaningless for the same reasons. The ‘great white throne’ judgment is also meaningless if God has willed every thought, word, and deed. The Bible’s call of hope for all--‘Choose you this day whom ye will serve’ (Joshua 24:15); ‘Seek ye the LORD while he may be found’ (Isaiah 55:6); ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor’ (Matthew 11:28); ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink’ (John 7:37)--all this and more is made meaningless by Calvinism!” (Debating Calvinism, p.334)
Does Calvinism teach that God loves the whole world? The answer is yes and no, that is, yes in terms of superficial things, such as “rain,” but no, for anything with eternal significance:
Calvinist, George Whitefield writes: “And so it is, but not his saving mercy. God is loving to every man: he sends his rain upon the evil and upon the good.” (A Letter from George Whitefield to the Rev. Mr. John Wesley, emphasis mine)
Therefore, does Calvinism, as an ideology, mock the Gospel and Evangelism? No one disputes that there are sincere, soul-winning Calvinists, who are committed to seeing the lost saved. However, the question being raised here is whether Calvinism, as a philosophy, which teaches that God loves all men by giving them rain, but not loving all men to the extent of giving them the necessary preceding enabling grace in order to believe in Jesus and become saved, leads to mockery of the Gospel and Evangelism.
John Calvin writes: “The minister’s teaching and speaking does no good unless God adds his inward calling to it. ... Preaching alone is just a dead letter, and we must beware lest a false imagination, or the semblance of secret illumination, leads us away from the Word on which faith depends.” (Acts: Calvin, The Crossway Classic Commentaries, p.278, emphasis mine)
Calvin writes: “Preaching only finds faith in people when God inwardly calls those he has chosen and draws to Christ those who were already his own (John 6:37).” (Acts: Calvin, Crossway Classic Commentaries, p.229, emphasis mine)
The apostle Paul was a dedicated evangelist who was deeply concerned about potential hindrances to the Gospel. For instance, he was very concerned with the manner of his preaching, in terms of human cleverness, so as not to make the Gospel message “void.” (1st Corinthians 1:17) He had Timothy get circumcised just in case it might present a stumbling block to the Jews. (Acts 16:3) Paul states: “We endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.” (1st Corinthians 9:12) Paul states: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.” (1st Corinthians 9:19) Paul loved his lost Jewish brothers so much that he was willing to go to Hell, if that would satisfy God’s justice and save them. (Romans 9:1-3; 10:1) However, if Paul was a Calvinist, as many Calvinist’s claim, then Paul certainly didn’t understand the elementary principles of Calvinism, insomuch that God saves men monergistically, completely independent of man’s evangelistic efforts, through Regenerative Grace, whereby God allegedly makes certain people preemptively Born Again by removing their old heart of stone, and implanting a new, regenerated heart of flesh, such that these will therefore irresistibly believe, no matter what Paul does, and no matter whether Timothy gets circumcised or not. For some Calvinists to try to offer an explanation that God has “predestined the means” of the salvation of certain elect people, through Paul and Timothy’s special efforts, completely misunderstands what Preemptive Regeneration is all about. The inevitable result is that neither Paul nor Timothy behaved consistently with Calvinism, and hence is another reason why to conclude that neither were Calvinists.
John Calvin comments on Romans 9:1-3: “It is no objection that he knew that his salvation was founded on the election of God, which cannot by any means fail. The more passionate emotions plunge impetuously on, without heed or regard for anything but the object on which they are fixed. Paul, therefore, did not add the election of God to his prayer, but put it out of mind, and gave all his attention on the salvation of the Jews.” (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries: Romans and Thessalonians, p.192, emphasis mine)
This shows that even Calvin himself, recognized that Paul’s actions were inconsistent with Calvinism, and what does that tell you?
John Calvin writes: “In a word, Paul indicates that all clamorous sounding of the human voice will lack effect, unless the virtue of God works internally in the heart.” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.104, emphasis mine)
In other words, according to Calvin, the preaching of the Gospel is clanging symbols if the hearer is not preemptively made Born Again in order to believe, which is despite the fact that Hebrews 4:12 teaches that God’s Word is “living and active,” and dispenses “faith” in its hearers. (Romans 10:17)
Calvin writes: “Now let Pighius asseverate that God wills all to be saved, when not even the external preaching of the doctrine, which is much inferior to the illumination of the Spirit, is made common to all.” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.109, emphasis mine)
Calvin indicates that the power of the Gospel is “much inferior” to the power of preemptive Regeneration. He goes on to say that if God truly did want all to be saved, then why have some perished without ever having heard the Gospel:
John Calvin writes: “If he should reply that God, so far as He is concerned, wills all to be saved, in that salvation is offered to the freewill of each individual, then I ask why God did not will the Gospel to be preached to all indiscriminately from the beginning of the world. Why did He allow so many peoples for so many centuries to wander in the darkness of death?” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.149, emphasis mine)
That’s your fault, God says. Their blood is on your hands if they perish and you fail to warn them. God says at Ezekiel 33:8-9: “When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life.” That’s why when it comes to missionary work, you can either 1) be a missionary, 2) support a missionary, or 3) repent.
Calvin adds: “For if He willed that His truth be known to all, why did He not proclaim His law also to the Gentiles? Why did He confine the light of life within the narrow limits of Judaea? ... When He had lit the light of life for the Jews alone, God allowed the Gentiles to wander for many ages in darkness (Acts 14:16).” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.108, emphasis mine)
Yet, in the next verse, Acts 14:17 goes on to say that God “did not leave Himself without witness.” Furthermore, part of the purpose of the election of the Jews was to be a light to the world as a Witness Nation (Genesis 12:3), which is especially evident in the fact that God had a Jew named Jonah, sent to preach to the Gentile nation of Assyria, whose capitol city was Ninevah. Therefore, Calvin’s review of history is flawed. Furthermore, like Jonah, this appointed Witness Nation was a reluctant servant, which in many cases, instead of witnessing to the Gentiles, adopted the very idolatrous practices of the world in which it was appointed to reach. Ezra laments: “Our whole history has been one of great sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today.” (Ezra 9:7, NLT)
Calvinism also teaches that God receives glory when people go to Hell:
Calvinist, Erwin Lutzer, writes: “Though we can see that believers will display the manifold wisdom of God, it is not clear to us how unbelievers will do so. We are told only that the wrath of man will praise God, and in Proverbs we read, ‘The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil’ (16:4).” (The Doctrines That Divide, p.222, emphasis mine)
Does God get more glory by people going to Heaven or Hell? As more people become saved, God receives more glory. Yet, there are some Calvinists who teach that, for some people, in contrast to old number one, God gets more glory by seeing them sent to Hell. Yet, Paul taught: “For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.” (2nd Corinthians 4:15) Thus it is diffinitive: God gets more glory by people getting saved, rather than going to Hell, and if you wish to magnify the glory of God, then fulfill the duty of Ezekiel 33:8-9.
In many instances, Hyper Calvinists have filled the void of Evangelism with Legalism. How many times has a soul-winner converted to Calvinism, only to exchange his passion for seeing the lost saved, to a passion for Election and The Wrath of God? All too many Calvinists seem more preoccupied by the latest on ‘Who is a Heretic,’ than ‘Who was recently saved.’ Of course, most Calvinists scoff at such a statement, and rightfully point to the fact that there are indeed, evangelistic Calvinists. However, it also cannot be denied that many Calvinists simply do mock evangelism. For instance, how many times have you heard a Calvinist mock an Arminian by saying: “Hey, if you think just ‘anyone’ can be saved, then why aren’t you out knocking on doors right now?” And without missing a beat, the next question is: “If God truly ‘loves everyone,’ why isn’t the Gospel preached to everyone? Why is it that for centuries, many were not even brought the Gospel?” Even John Calvin asked that very question, because he did not familiarize himself sufficiently with principles of Ezekiel 33:8-9.
One Calvinist recalls: “While at Cal Baptist, a synergists Pastor from Bakersfield was invited to come speak to our class of future Pastors and teachers about evangelism. He told us how ‘winning souls’ was the most important thing anyone in ministery could do since without us, they would be lost forever! He talking about how people were going to hell because we were lazy about sharing the gospel. He got so animated he started kicking chairs. After he was done he said, ‘okay, lets go to lunch.’ I remember thinking ‘man, if he truly believes its up to us to save people, he would skip lunch and go doorknocking.’ Point is, I don’t know that Arminians believe have of what they say.” (www.calvinistgadfly.com, emphasis mine)
That’s actually a common view of Calvinists. Some Calvinists oppose what is referred to as the Invitation or Alter Call where, typically, at the conclusion of the service, people are invited to come to the front of the church in order to meet with a prayer counselor, and to make a public profession of faith in Christ. However, notice how the Alter Call is mocked by James White:
Calvinist, James White, writes: “Jesus does not seek to ‘woo’ them to a ‘freewill decision,’ nor does He strike up a lengthy invitation hymn and try to overcome their stubborn rejection of truth through an emotional appeal.” (Debating Calvinism, pp.121-122, emphasis mine)
If you didn’t know that James White was a Christian, you might think this was Satan talking. Whether or not an invitation hymn is too lengthy for White’s taste, the fact is that an emotional appeal is very much appropriate, which even Calvinist, Charles Spurgeon, agreed: “I further believe, although certain persons deny it, that the “influence of fear” is to be exercised over the minds of men, and that it ought to operate upon the mind of the preacher himself.” (How to Win Souls for Christ, emphasis mine)
Spurgeon adds: “Some of my Brethren are greatly scandalized by the general invitations which I am in the habit of giving to sinners, as sinners. Some of them go the length of asserting that there are no universal invitations in the Word of God.” (The Silver Trumpet, 3/24/1861, emphasis mine)
Spurgeon concludes: “I know the Lord has blessed my appeals to all sorts of sinners and none shall stop me in giving free invitations as long as I find them in this Book. And I do cry with Peter this morning to this vast assembly, ‘Repent and he baptized, every one of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus. For the promise is unto you and to your children, even to as many as the Lord our God shall call.’” (The Silver Trumpet, 3/24/1861, emphasis mine)
Thus, regarding the scandal, as Jerry Vines points out, Charles Spurgeon was not a soul-winner on account of Calvinism, but in spite of Calvinism:
Jerry Vines states: “If a Calvinist is a soul winner, it is in spite of Calvinism, not because of it.” (Calvinism – A Baptist and his election, emphasis mine)
If, as Calvinism teaches, that God has already decided who will be saved, and these will be saved no matter what, then how can that not have an impact of a person’s view of evangelism, regardless of how forcefully Charles Spurgeon argued in support of it? Furthermore, and this is a huge concern, since Satan hates evangelism more than anything else, wouldn’t you expect him to develop a religion that inculcates apathy, or even animosity, towards evangelism? Is Calvinism that religion?
One member of The Society of Evangelical Arminians explains: “Calvinism has had a history of blunting evangelism, and that is because its theology naturally works against the idea. That does not mean there has not been a lot of Calvinist evangelists and evangelism.” (SEA)
Right, but as Jerry Vines pointed out, they are evangelists simply “in spite of” Calvinism, just as Calvinist, Charles Spurgeon, had given Gospel Invitations “in spite of” Calvinism.
Calvinist, Phil Johnson, states: “History teaches us that hyper-Calvinism is as much a threat to true Calvinism as Arminianism is. Virtually every revival of true Calvinism since the Puritan era has been hijacked, crippled, or ultimately killed by hyper-Calvinist influences.” (A Primer on Hyper-Calvinism)
Might this be because hyper-Calvinism is the logical conclusion to the distinctive doctrines of Calvinism? Perhaps regular Calvinism simply refuses to go where its own doctrine logically leads, because where it leads, so blatantly contradicts Scripture.
Question: Does this cheapen the power of the Gospel? Remember that the Gospel is “living.” (Hebrews 4:12)
Question: Does this mock Romans 10:17, a verse which does not appear to limit the scope of faith that is produced by the hearing of the Gospel?
The general complaint among Arminians against Calvinism is this: Why try to win men and women to Christ if it is already irresistibly predetermined who will be saved?
Update:
Calvinists often indicate that salvation is not about a decision, but about a changed life. Certainly Christianity is about a changed life, but you cannot use one truth to overthrown another truth. The fact is that a decision is involved in salvation, and as much as Calvinists disparage such as thing as being “Decisional Regeneration,” the reality is that salvation is connected to calling upon the name of the Lord:
Romans 10:8-13: “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
Therefore, salvation is more than just loathing your sin and sitting around pretending to be one of the “Calvistically elect.” A connection must be made between the sinner and the Savior. When that connection is made, salvation is transmitted from the hand of God, to the soul of the sinner, and he is washed clean of all of his sins in the blood of Christ. But Calvinists say that’s just hocus pocus:
Calvinist, Jeff Noblit, states: “The work of praying a ‘sinner’s prayer’ is not salvation. It can become a silly superstition and nothing more than a sacrament in Baptist clothes.” (A Southern Baptist Dialogue: Calvinism, p.98, emphasis mine)
That is why I have a problem with Calvinism.
