Whisky Calvinism

The question of 4-point “Calvinism” has come up. Gene Bridges has already made some apt remarks in the combox.

The definition of 4-point “Calvinism” is slippery. The original frame of reference was the Amyraldin heresy. As Roger Nicole summarizes that position:

***QUOTE***

In this book [by Amyraut] the following positions were espoused:

1.Sin is he result of the darkening of the understanding.

2.God moved by an earnest desire to save all mankind, decided to give in ransom His Son Jesus Christ, who died “equally for all men” and to make a universal offer of salvation to all men.

3.God has predestined all men and every man unto salvation, provided they believe; and in nature there is a sufficient presentation of truth so that men may exercise faith if they only will do so.

4.Although man is not precluded from believing by any external constraint, his corruption has rendered him morally unable to accept God’s offer. It is therefore necessary that God himself should produce faith in the hearts of those whom he has chosen to redeem.

5.This he does only for the elect.

E. Palmer, ed. The Encyclopedia of Christianity (NFCE 1964), 1:186.

***END-QUOTE***

The original motivation for this position was ecumenical: “Amyraut intended to soften the edges of the traditional orthodox Reformed view and thus to relieve difficulties in the controversy with Roman Catholics and facilitate a reunion of Protestants in which Reformed and Lutheran could join ranks,” S. Ferguson & D. Wright, eds. New Dictionary of Theology (IVP 1988), 17.

Continuing with Nicole, the Scriptural prooftexts for this position are interchangeable with the Arminian position:

***QUOTE***

1.Passages which are construed to teach that there is a universal saving will of God toward all men and every man (Ezk 18:23; 33:11; 1 Tim 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9; Jn 3:16).

2.Passages which are construed to teach that some men for whom Christ died may ultimately perish (Rom 14:15; 1 Cor 8:11; Heb 10:29; 2 Pet 2:1).

3.Passages which are construed to teach that the saving work of Christ is intended for all (Isa 53:6; Rom 5:18; 8:21; 2 Cor 5:14; 1 Tim 2:6; Tit 2:11), for everyone (Heb 2:9), for the world (Jn 3:16; 1 Jn 2:2).

Ibid. 1:189.

***END-QUOTE***

By way of reply:

1. In myself have blogged on these verses at various times.

2.Even non-Calvinist commentators have offered interpretations consistent with Calvinism on a number of the key verses, viz. Bock on Ezk 18:23; Lincoln on Jn 3:16; Bruce on 2 Cor 5:14; Towner on 1 Tim 2:4; Bauckham on 2 Pet 3:9.

3.It’s misleading to multiply prooftexts when they can be grouped by kind. For example, you don’t need to separately explain every Johannine “cosmic” passage. Since the usage is the same, they count as one.

Same thing with the Pauline “universalistic” passages.

4.Any theological tradition short of universalism is going to qualify the force of these passages.

Several logical arguments are also given:

***QUOTE***

A universal propitiation and intention to save is necessary, if:

1.we are to maintain a well-meant offer of the gospel to all men;

2.there is to be any propriety in the command to believe addressed to men indiscriminately;

3. there is to be any justice in condemning one for not believing;

4. the strict fairness of God’s justice.

Ibid. 1:189-90.

***END-QUOTE***

By way of reply:

1. If universal provision is a precondition for a well-meant offer, then the fact that even under Amyraldism only the elect are regenerated directly undercuts the Amyraldin version of the well-meant offer.

2.Since the universal offer of the gospel is a conditional offer, contingent on faith and repentance, what makes it a bona fide offer is that it’s true: if you meet the conditions, the promise is yours.

3.The unregenerate suffer from a moral inability to believe the gospel, not a natural inability. So they are blameworthy for their unbelief.

4.To believe in Christ, according to Scripture, is not—in the first place—to believe that he died for me, but that he died for sinners, of which I’m one. To believe in who he is and what he did on behalf of sinners.

As Paul Helm points out:

“Saving faith is not a person’s belief that he has been saved by Christ nor even that Christ has died for him in particular. It cannot be this because until he trusts in Christ in order to be saved he has no reason to think that Christ has died for him in particular or that Christ has saved him,” The Beginnings: Word & Spirit in Conversion (Banner of Truth 1986), 69.

Be definition, only a believer is in a position to believe that Christ died for him. And if, in fact, I do exercise saving faith in him, then he did die for me.

5.No one is damned for failing to believe in a Gospel he never heard. The lost are hell-bound because they are sinners. Disbelief in Christ is simply an aggravating circumstance. As Warfield points out:

“The Scriptures teach that no man can be saved without a knowledge of Jesus Christ in his saving work. This is transmuted into its opposite that no man can be lost without a knowledge of Christ in his saving work; and then in the interest of this proposition provision is made for every man to be brought face to face with the offer of the gospel under favorable circumstances, if not in this world, the in the next,” The Plan of Salvation (Eerdmans 1984), 83.

6. It is only unjust to be unfair (i.e. inequitable) if you deny someone his rights. But sinners are not entitled to the mercy of God.

7.As Owen pointed out a long time ago in his classic objection (double jeopardy) to unlimited atonement, if penal substitution is universal, then everyone ought be saved. Their sins have been atoned. Justice has been exacted in the person of the Redeemer.

8.The Amyraldin compromise has the persons of the Trinity working at cross-purposes. Redemption is made for everyone, but the universality of the atonement is undercut by the particularity of election and regeneration. So the scope of the cross is broader than the work of the Father in election or the Spirit in renewal.

9.In what sense did Christ die for all? Did he die with the intention of saving everyone? But if you deny universal salvation, then universal atonement is vacuous. He cannot die with the intention of saving everyone unless everyone is saved by his death.

10.In what sense is the work of Christ sufficient for all, but efficient for the elect?

Sufficient for whom and for what? Unless everyone is saved, then it is clearly insufficient to save anyone in particular.

More recently, we have what is called 4-point Calvinism. This is even fuzzier than Amyraldism.

The implication is that 4-pointers subscribe to everything in TULIP except for limited atonement. But on closer inspection, they redefine the remaining points.

Total Depravity.

In 5-point Calvinism, depravity implies spiritual inability. The unregenerate are unable to repent of their sins and believe the gospel apart from monergistic grace.

In 4-point “Calvinism,” the unregenerate retain the freedom of the will to repent and believe the gospel.

Unconditional Election

In 5-point Calvinism, election is not contingent on the potential response of the elect. Indeed, apart from irresistible grace, the sinner is unresponsive at best, and, at worst, the knowledge of the gospel hardens his heart even further.

In 4-point “Calvinism,” election is contingent on foreseen faith. It’s the Arminian version of election.

Limited Atonement.

In 5-point Calvinism, Christ made penal substitution for the elect alone.

In 4-point “Calvinism,” Christ died for everyone.

Irresistible Grace

In 5-point Calvinism, the elect are passive in regeneration. They do not cooperate in the work of regeneration.

Likewise, regeneration is prior to saving faith. Regeneration creates a predisposition to believe the gospel. It makes the mind and heart receptive to the gospel.

In 4-point “Calvinism,” grace is sufficient and prevenient rather than irresistible. God still takes the initiative, but the sinner must consent to the overture of grace. The grace of God liberates the will to do otherwise: to believe or disbelieve (the power of contrary choice).

Likewise, faith is prior to regeneration.

Perseverance

In 5-point Calvinism, the Holy Spirit preserves the regenerate in faith and fidelity. They can backslide, but they can never commit apostasy. They can fall into sin or suffer a crisis of faith, but their spiritual restoration is assured.

In 4-point “Calvinism,” you can die an impenitent unbeliever and still be saved. In 4-point Calvinism, grace is essentially objective rather than objective and subjective alike.

It is limited to what God has done for you in Christ, rather than what God also does within you by the Spirit. It deals with guilt, but not with corruption.

Justification without sanctification. Good Friday without Pentecost.