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发帖数: 3781 | 1 Facing A Real Dilemma
The gospel Peter and Paul and the other apostles preached was for everyone i
n the audiences they faced, wherever they went: it was not a message which o
nly the elect could believe. Peter told Cornelius and his family and friends
, "And he [Christ] commanded us to preach unto the people [not to a select g
roup].... that ... whosoever [among the people to whom He preached] believet
h in him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:42-43).
In contrast, Calvin's gospel says that Christ died, and His blood atones, on
ly for the elect. Could this be the same gospel Paul preached? Paul proclaim
ed to audiences, "We declare unto you [all of you] glad tidings... " (Acts 1
3:32). The "glad tidings" of the gospel which Paul preached echoed what the
angel of the Lord had said to the shepherds at the time of Christ's birth: "
I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. . . " (Luke
2:10). These tidings of great joy concerned the fact that "the Savior of the
world" (Luke 2:11; John 4:42) had been born. Calvin's gospel, however, says
that Christ is not the Savior of the world but only of the elect.
Paul could and did honestly say to everyone he met, "Christ died for you." I
n complete contrast, a book we have long recommended to readers declares, "A
s a reformed Christian, the writer [author] believes that counselors must no
t tell any unsaved counselee that Christ died for him, for they cannot say t
hat. No man knows except Christ himself who are his elect for whom he died"
(emphasis added). 13Obviously, Calvin's message of salvation for a select fe
w does not bring "great joy" to "all people."
Palmer writes, "But thank God that Christ's death was an absolute guarantee
that every single one of the elect would be saved." 14 So great joy comes to
the elect alone! As for the rest, Calvin's gospel that God had predestined
their damnation could hardly be "tidings of great joy"! This is the way Calv
in put it:
To many this seems a perplexing subject, because they deem it most incongruo
us that of the great body of mankind some should be predestinated to salvati
on, and others to destruction .... From this we infer, that all who know not
that they are the peculiar people of God, must be wretched [not filled with
joy!] from perpetual trepidation . . . .
What gospel is this? Because of the eternal importance of that question for
the whole world to whom Christ commanded us to take the gospel, we are compe
lled to examine Calvinism closely in light of Scripture. Could it really be
true, as Arthur C. Custance insists, that "Calvinism is the Gospel and to te
ach Calvinism is in fact to preach the Gospel"?
Is Calvinism founded upon the plain text of Scripture? Or does it require in
terpreting common words and phrases such as all, all men, world, everyone th
at thirsteth, any man, and whosoever will to mean "the elect"? Is a peculiar
interpretation of Scripture required to sustain this doctrine?
Our concern is for the defense of the character of the true God, the God of
mercy and love whose "tender mercies are over all his works" (Psalms 145:9).
The Bible declares that He is "not willing that any should perish, but that
all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9); "who will have all men to be
saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). Such is
the God of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Open examination and discussion of important issues-especially the gospel an
d the very nature and character of God-can only be healthy for the body of C
hrist. It is my prayer that our investigation of Calvinism and its compariso
n with God's Holy Word, as expressed in the following pages, will bring help
ful and needed clarification. |
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