Romans 5:10
Romans 5:10-11 (see also 2nd Corinthians 5:18-19)
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
“Be reconciled” (2nd Corinthians 5:20) as in, become reconciled, implies that we are not yet reconciled, while being unbelieving enemies of God. Indeed, we have “now received the reconciliation.” (Romans 5:11) There is therefore “now no condemnation” to those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
John Calvin explains: “…we are reconciled to Him when we are accepted by His righteousness.” (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries: Romans and Thessalonians, p.76, emphasis mine)
John Calvin explains: “With regard to ourselves, therefore, we are always enemies, until the death of Christ is interposed to propititate God.” (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries: Romans and Thessalonians, p.110, emphasis mine)
Since reconciliation is a relational term, how you can be relationally reconcilied with God while being relationally an enemy of God? Calvinists have an unusual view of reconciliation:
Calvin writes: “First he points out the eternity of election, and then how we should think of it. Christ says that the elect always belonged to God. God therefore distinguishes them from the reprobate, not by faith, nor by any merit, but by pure grace; for while they are far away from him, he regards them in secret as his own.” (John: Calvin, The Crossway Classic Commentaries, p.393, emphasis mine)
Calvin writes: “The apostle, however, seems here to be contradicting himself. If the death of Christ was a pledge of the divine love towards us, it follows that we were even then acceptable to Him. But now he says that we were enemies. My answer to this is that because God hates sin, we are also hated by Him in so far as we are sinners. But in so far as He receives us into the body of Christ by His secret counsel, He ceases to hate us. Our return to grace, however, is unknown to us, until we attain in by faith.” (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries: Romans and Thessalonians, p.110, emphasis mine)
One Calvinist responds: “Do Calvinists secretly believe that God chose them for some reason other than their need for salvation? Would I, as a Christian, believe that God chose me for some other reason than my need for salvation? Yes, I do. God chose me for His glory, for His pleasure, for His purposes. Sure I had a need for salvation. But that is not why He saved me primarily. In the Bible, God does not say He chose us because of our desperate need. He chose us before our need ever arose.”
Calvinist, Erwin Lutzer, writes: “If it is true that Christ died to redeem a specific number of people, namely those whom the Father had given him, it follows that all believers were redeemed at the cross two thousand years ago. They were cleared of all charges then, for God accepted the ransom payment. The certificate of our canceled debt was then given to us when we trusted in Christ. Paul said that the reason no one can bring a charge against the elect is that Christ has died for them (Rom. 8:24).” (The Doctrines That Divide, p.185, emphasis mine)
Calvinist, James White, writes: “When the time comes in God’s sovereign providence to bring to spiritual life each of those for whom Christ died, the Spirit of God will not only effectively accomplish that work of regeneration but that new creature in Christ will, unfailingly, believe in Jesus Christ (‘all that the Father gives Me will come to Me’). Hence, we are not saved ‘without’ faith, but at the same time, Christ’s atonement is not rendered useless and vain without the addition of libertarian free will.” (Debating Calvinism, p.191, emphasis mine)
Question: When does “reconciliation” begin?
Answer: At the moment we receive Christ: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2nd Corinthians 5:20) Jesus states: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24)
In other words, evangelism is not a rescue-mission of the truly lost, but a round up of the elect. They are preemptively regenerated and then drawn and rounded up.
Question: So “the elect” are preemptively Born Again, in Christ as a new creature,which includes reconciliation, since those in Christ are “now” no longer condemned; those in Christ have “now” received the reconciliation. On this basis, they are given and drawn to Christ and will unfailingly believe in Him. So when do they receive reconciliation? Is it before, when they are in Christ, or after, when they have come to Christ?
Answer: It seems that Calvinism has set itself up to fail, because when it teaches that regeneration precedes faith, it must also make reconciliation precede faith too, since both reconciliation and regeneration are properties “in Christ.” But, if reconciliation is only for the believer, then so is regeneration, and then brings the Calvinist back to square one.
Question: When does Calvinism teach that we are reconciled to God?
