PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF CALVINISM

We have been looking at the Five Points of Calvinism, or the biblical doctrineof salvation as taught by John Calvin. This was crystallised in the Canonsof Dortin 1618, and then beautifully arranged by English theologiansaccording to the acronym TULIP, the Dutch national flower. Today, these fivepoints are so identified with Calvin, that the term Calvinism is often taken tobe synonymous with the five points and a person will generally identify himselfas a Calvinist if he holds to the Five Points. This is despite the fact thatCalvin taught much more than can be summarised in five points (see, forexample, Leonard J. Coppes, Are Five Points Enough? Ten Points ofCalvinism [n.p., 1980]), and that many who hold to the Five Points ofCalvinism would differ from Calvin in numerous areas, such as in worship,church government, sacraments, eschatology, etc.

Naturally, as we are studying the Five Points, we shall have to restrictourselves to the implications pertaining to them. These implications are farreaching, and it is important for all who embrace the Five Points to considerthem carefully. This is especially so since theology is never intended tosimply enlarge our minds or make us great debaters. The Apostle Paul, afterwriting 11 chapters of theology in the epistle to the Romans, most succinctlysummarises the purpose of knowing theology:

I beseech you therefore, brethren,by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed tothis world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God(Rom 12:1–2; emphasis mine).

In other words, the knowledge of theology ought to renew our minds for thepurpose of transforming our lives. If our lives are not transformed, then ourknowledge would essentially be what may be known as “devil’s faith,” after theadmonition of James: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well:the devils also believe, and tremble” (Jas 2:19).

Many of us, I believe, have on occasions come across individuals who are ableto defend Calvinism so logically and eloquently that we cannot help but detecta tinge of pride in their tone as they cut down their opponents. If indeedpride is involved, such individuals would be living a contradiction, for aproud Calvinist is a contradiction of terms. But more than that, often thesesame individuals are observed to manifest gross inconsistencies and compromisesin their lives. I am not sure if anyone who reads this article thinks that I amreferring to him or her, but there is really no need to speculate. If youconsider yourself a Calvinist, and you feel indignation rising in your heartbecause you suspect that I may be pointing at you, then you may know that I amspeaking to you. But in any case, all of us need to be warned against theincrease of knowledge without any concurrent increase in piety.

With this in mind, let us consider how the knowledge of the Five Points ofCalvinism ought to transform our lives.

Humility, Humility, Humility

The doctrine of Calvinism,—which exalts the holiness, glory and sovereignty ofGod, while debasing the ability, freedom and righteousness of man,—ought, firstof all, to humble us to the dust. It is not surprising that the Christianvirtue that Calvin himself and his theological progenitor Augustine found to bemost valuable and to be most fervently cultivated is that of humility:

I have always been exceedinglydelighted with the words of Chrysostom, “The foundation of our philosophy ishumility;” and still more with those of Augustine, “As the orator, when asked,What is the first precept in eloquence? answered, Delivery: What is the second?Delivery: What the third? Delivery: so, if you ask me in regard to the preceptsof the Christian Religion, I will answer, first, second, and third, Humility.”By humility he means not when a man, with a consciousness of some virtue,refrains from pride, but when he truly feels that he has no refuge but inhumility (ICR2.2.11).

The true Calvinist ought to be the humblest of men; and as anyone who has beenconverted from Arminianism to Calvinism would testify, a proper understandingof Calvinism is one of the most effective antidotes to pride. Calvinism killspride because it shows us how deserving we are of eternal damnation and howpowerless we are to save ourselves. The man who truly understands Calvinismdoes not charge God for unfairness that He has chosen to save only a few (cf.Rom 9:14ff). He is amazed that God would even show mercy to any of us sinfulcreatures, at the expense of the infinite suffering of Christ; and He is humblyoverwhelmed by why God should spare him and love him. In his astonishment, hedoes not ask: “Why dost Thou not save all?” Instead he asks: “What is man, thatthou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Ps 8:4).

The Calvinist, furthermore, knows that although he is regenerate and unitedwith Christ, the only reason he does not break out into gross immorality andrebellion against God is because the hand of Christ is upholding him. He is, assuch, distrustful of himself. He constantly looks to Christ, the author andfinisher of his faith, for guidance and help (Heb 12:2); he has no difficultyesteeming others better than himself (Phil 2:3); he is constantly aware of hisown depravity, and therefore poignantly and honestly acknowledges the beam inhis own eyes (Mt 7:3); and he is forgiving because he knows how undeserving heis of God’s forgiveness (Eph 4:32).

Honest Scriptural Self-examination
and Assurance of Faith

Secondly, a proper understanding of Calvinism, far from making us fatalists,ought to drive out the complacency and presumption in our hearts with regardsto our own spiritual state. It ought to encourage us to take heed to theApostle Paul’s admonition: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith;prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is inyou, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor 13:5).

For example, when we consider the doctrines of Total Depravity and IrresistibleGrace (Efficacious Grace) together, we see that one who is not sovereignlyregenerated by Christ cannot possibly be a Christian, for he is dead in sin andcannot see the kingdom of God (Eph 2:1; Jn 3:3). The Calvinist, contemplatingthis fact, knows the possibility that he may be blinded to the fact that he isdead in sin and so deluded about his faith. And so he seeks earnestly andhonestly to examine himself according to Paul’s instruction.

Similarly, when we consider the doctrines of Unconditional Election andPerseverance of the Saints together, we see that those who persevere in thefaith may have the assurance that they are elect. Now, it may be asked: “How doI know that I am not fooling myself that I am elect by striving to enter thestrait gate (Lk 13:24) and to walk in the narrow way (Mt 7:14), and so, as itwere, persevering by my own effort?” Well, perseverance is not only about doingthings. It is about loving Christ, obeying Him out of love and reverence, notout of fear or mere duty. The Apostle John tells how we may know if we trulylove: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and hiscommandments are not grievous” (1 Jn 5:3). If you can honestly say that it isnot burdensome for you to keep the commandments of the Lord and that you arekeeping them out of love for Christ (Jn 14:15), then you can have the assurancethat God has “begun a good work in you and will perform it until the day ofJesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). In which case, you need not fear that you are foolingyourself, nor need you worry that you will fall, for the Apostle Peter says:“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling andelection sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (2 Pet 1:10).

Bear in mind that morbid doubt is often a manifestation of distrust. We mustindeed have a certain distrust of our own honesty in self-examination, but wemust not doubt God’s Word that we will not fall finally and ultimately if wegive diligence to make our calling and election sure. Indeed, unlike theArminians, the Calvinist has the confidence that whenever he falls, Christ willlift him up: “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but thewicked shall fall into mischief” (Prov 24:16).

Hatred for Sin and Gratitude to Christ

The Calvinist, thirdly, must be one who understands the sinfulness of sin andhates sin, especially his own sin; and is filled with gratitude to Christ forHis victory over sin.

This is particularly so as he contemplates the doctrine of the LimitedAtonement of Christ, for Christ suffered and died to save His elect. He had tosuffer and die to save us because we have incurred the wrath of God on accountof our sin. Sin is so hateful to God that God the Son had to be incarnate, andsuffer and die for it so that sinners may be reconciled to God. There was adouble imputation on the Cross of Calvary. It was an unfair exchange of infinitemagnitude, for there on the Cross was the guilt of all the sin of the elect ofGod, throughout the ages, heaped upon Christ; while, on the other hand, therighteousness of Christ was imputed on all of them.

The Calvinist understands this fact. His heart is therefore filled withgratitude to the Lord. He knows that from beginning to end, his salvation is ofthe Lord. At the same time, He knows that Christ died on account of his sin,and that He had to die because sin is hateful to the thrice holy, triune God—theFather, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Calvinist therefore mourns for his ownsin, knowing that the Spirit who indwells Him hates sin. This leads us to ourfourth point.

Holiness:
The Inexorable Goal of True Calvinism

The doctrine of Calvinism spurs us unto holiness. Amazingly, we can see inScripture a connection between every of the five points of Calvinism and a goalof holiness in the saints.

First, we must recall the account when the Lord commanded Peter to launch outand to lower the net for a draught. Peter was amazed at how many fishes the netbrought and he saw for the first time the glory and majesty of Christ. He knewthat he was standing before the thrice holy God and, feeling naked on accountof his sin, he fell at the Lord’s knees, saying: “Depart from me; for I am asinful man, O Lord” (Lk 5:8). To be sure, in this statement, Peter speaks abouthis own utter depravity and says nothing about his being motivated to holiness.But consider the fact that there cannot be progress in sanctification exceptthat the saint knows how far short he is of the holiness of God, and we can bequite sure that this discovery of his own depravity would have spurred Peter ina quest for holiness. I am persuaded that it is for this reason that Peter, amongall the other Apostles, was chosen to remind the New Testament church of thecall of God: “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:16).

Secondly, the doctrine of Election also finds its fruition in holiness. This ismade clear by the Apostle Paul when he says: “According as he hath chosen us inhim before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy andwithout blamebefore him in love” (Eph 1:4). The saints are elected to beholy and without blame. A Calvinist who is not pursuing holiness by the grace ofGod either does not understand the doctrine of Election or is living acontradiction.

Thirdly, the particular atonement of Christ on behalf of the elect is also forthe purpose of gathering a holy people unto Himself: “Who gave himself for us,that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself apeculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit 2:14). How then can one whodefends Limited Atonement live in sin and without regards to the holiness ofGod?

Fourthly, it is clear also that one of the effects of the efficacious call ofthe Gospel is holiness. Again Paul says: “For God hath not called us untouncleanness, but unto holiness” (1 Thes 4:7). A person who is truly aCalvinist, not just in thought but in heart, will know that if his life remainedunchanged or is characterised by uncleanness, then he is in all probability yetin the state of nature.

Finally, the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints must go hand-in-hand withsanctification. The Calvinist knows that God does not preserve sinners in theway of life. He knows that a professing believer whose life is not transformedwill be in for a rude shock at the day of judgement, for the writer of Hebrewshas admonished: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no manshall see the Lord” (Heb 12:14).

Hope in Prayer and Witnessing

The final implication of Calvinism directly answers the charges of theArminians that Calvinism destroys hope in prayer and discourages evangelism.

In the first place, the Calvinist understands that salvation is the work of theLord from beginning to end. He knows that without the Lord’s help he cannotgrow in sanctification. He knows that all his attendance to, and use of themeans of grace, are of no value unless the Holy Spirit makes them effectualunto him for salvation. Therefore, he is constantly crying out to the Lord forHis help, and he knows that the Lord will hear his prayer because he knows thathis sanctification is the will of God (1 Thes 4:3), and he knows that God willanswer any plea of His children that is in consonant with His will (1 Jn 5:14)and are offered in the name of Christ. Similarly, the Calvinist is alsoencouraged to pray for the unconverted. He knows that he must only prayaccording to the will of God, but he knows that the Apostle John is referringto the revealed will of God and not the eternal counsel of God (Deut 29:29). Heknows that although God does not reveal who is elect and who is not, it is Hisrevealed will that sinners repent of their sin and believe in the Lord JesusChrist. And so he is encouraged to pray that God would do so for hisunconverted loved ones. He knows that God alone has the prerogative to answerhis prayer according to His good pleasure, but he is encouraged to pray becausehe knows that if his loved ones were to be converted, it cannot be by their ownefforts, but by the grace and power of God.

In the second place, the Calvinist is encouraged to witness for the Lord, andthe Calvinistic church is encouraged to continue in the work of evangelismthrough the preaching of the Gospel, because these are the means that God hasappointed to gather His elect. The Arminians may get discouraged when they seelittle result to their efforts at ‘sharing the Gospel.’ The Calvinist knowsthat God alone can make effectual our feeble efforts and that, because He hasHis elect for whom Christ died, these will definitely be soundly converted. Sothe Calvinist prays that God may bless his and his church’s efforts and thatthey may be instruments in the Lord’s hands. In the same way, the Calvinisticchurch continues to preach the Gospel each week even though she sees littleresult because she knows that though preaching is her business (2 Tim 4:2),conversion is not her business. She is not tempted to introduce worldlyinnovations to attract the crowds because she knows that false conversions caneasily result from these methods. She, moreover, knows that the regenerateneeds to hear the Gospel too, for we are so prone to wander and prone to forgetour need of Christ.

Conclusion

Calvinism is not cold and intellectual as many suppose. It is about knowing theGod of the Bible and living Coram Deo (before the face ofGod). Calvinism is simply a synonym for Biblicalism systematised. Calvinismalone leads to true biblical Christianity.

Dr. John Gerstner has succinctly summarised the situation in Christendom todaywhen he says:

There have been essentially onlythree theologies in the history of the church. One is usually calledAugustinian, Calvinistic, or Reformed. The second is called Semi-Pelagian,Arminian, or (often) evangelical. The third is called Pelagian, Socinian, orliberal (modernist).

Only the first two (Calvinistic andArminian) can qualify for the termsChristian or Biblical.Calvinism is consistent Christianity and Arminianism is inconsistentChristianity, while Pelagianism or liberalism (anti-supernaturalism) is notChristianity at all but a counterfeit that has fooled a significant portion ofthe church in the modern period (Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth, 2nded. [SDG, 2000], 113).

While we may charitably regard Arminianism as being inconsistent Christianity,we must warn that it is a short step from Arminianism to Pelagianism. Already,the humanistic techniques of Charles G. Finney, the arch-Pelagian, which aredesigned to create conversion and revival, are widely employed in evangelicalchurches. Already, the prince of Arminian preachers, Billy Graham, hascapitulated to Pelagianism by suggesting that Christ may be found in othersystems of religions too. Already, a very great part of Lutheranism andMethodism, which were largely Arminian, is today Unitarian. Arminianism isinconsistent because it is a compromise between humanism and theism. Who wouldwant such a compromise but one who refuses to accept the theism of the Bible,which reveals a sovereign and holy God who will punish sin in His infinitewrath. It is no wonder that, as what is unstable often settles, Arminianismoften settles on the side of unbelief.

Have there not been defections in the Calvinistic camp too? No doubt there havebeen, but history has shown that such defections often begin with the inroadsof Arminianism and Pelagianism. May the Lord protect us from such a downwardslide.

Confident that Christ will continue to build His Church; and the gates of hellshall not prevail against it (Mt 16:18), we will continue to preach and liveaccording to the old paths as revealed in His word and delivered unto thesaints, which path is also known as Calvinism.

—JJ Lim