Matthew 19:23
Matthew 19:23-26 (see also Mark 12:34)
And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
According to Calvinism, it’s not only “possible,” but it’s also easy: Irresistible Grace.
One member of The Society of Evangelical Arminians explains: “How ‘hard’ is it to be irresistibly regenerated unto faith, repentance and salvation, thus entering the kingdom of heaven?” (SEA)
In a parallel passage, Mark 10:21 states: “Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’” Jesus was pointing out that a man’s heart can controlled by his riches. Jesus also said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
John Calvin comments: “But these men although they were afraid and wanting to know who can be saved, do not swerve from Him but desire to conquer their despair. … Thus He helped men’s weakness wisely, not attributing anything to them, but rousing their minds to the hope of God’s grace.” (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries, A Harmony of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke, Vol. II, p.260, emphasis mine)
Did Calvin deem it “wise” that the Lord did not answer their question of “who can be saved” with an explanation on Irresistible Grace and Election? Again, if the Lord’s disciples had been taught Calvinism, then why did they ask that question? Clearly, the disciples envisioned one common class of the “lost” (Luke 19:10), rather than two classes of the eternally elect sheep vs. eternally non-elect goats.
Question: If Calvinism was true, then what would be the point of highlighting the difficulty of the rich vs. poor in entering the kingdom of heaven?
Answer: If Calvinism was true, then it would be completely irrelevant.
Question: If the disciples had been taught Calvinism, then why did they ask: “Then who can be saved?” Doesn’t the fact that they asked this, prove that they had never been taught Calvinistic Election?
Answer: If the disciples had been taught Calvinism, wouldn’t they have instead answered: “Easy! Those who are secretly God’s elect will ultimately be saved, regardless of wealth or poverty!”
