Calvinism Defended:
The Gospel, TULIP, and What the Frozen Chosen Do
By
This is the 27th section of the e-mail exchange I had with Bill, an individual who objected to Calvinism. Click here to go back to the table of contents, or here to go to the full 88 page exchange.
Bill Writes: The true nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is freedom in the Holy Ghost and righteous fellowship with the Father and the Son. What makes you think I don’t know the true nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
My Response: Because you ascribe the cause of your salvation to yourself and your free will, and reject the perfection of Christ’s work of atonement on the cross. Because you deny the full effects of sin upon fallen creatures, and because of that, you not only cheapen grace, but you completely dismantle it and throw it out of the window, all to preserve the omnipotent will of the creature. Because you deny God’s sovereignty, holiness, and grace, and you make man the determining and ultimate cause of all things, and not God. Because you deny both the imputation of Adam’s guilt to us, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to all those who, through grace, believe.
Bill Writes: The Gospel is not TULIP. TULIP is a manmade idea and not the divine revelation. It appears that you think that the true nature of the Gospel is TULIP. Search high and low you will never find TULIP in the Bible.
My Response: I’ve already provided more than enough evidence.
The onus is on you, Bill, to overturn the texts that I have provided.
Bill Writes: You’ll have to go the theological works of men to find TULIP.
My Response: I went right to the Bible and provided one text after another that clearly taught what is meant by TULIP. You only attempted to interact with 2 texts that I can tell, and in those texts your exegesis was incorrect. As for going to the theological works of men, it seems you have done precisely that in your use of such things as “synergistic love” and “triune” and “Trinity” and “God is a plural unity” and so on. And, dependent upon which view of eschatology and ecclesiology you subscribe to, I’m sure there would be even more “words” that are not found in the Bible, but nevertheless are important in terms of describing a concept or truth that is taught in the Bible. Frankly, I can’t even believe that this is a line of argumentation that I am having to respond to.
Bill Writes: Jesus and Him crucified, Jesus Christ is Lord. Yes, that’s the true nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
My
Response: And
just what does “Jesus and Him crucified, and Jesus is Lord mean, Bill? Was
Jesus crucified merely to make our salvation possible, or to help us save
ourselves? Or, did Jesus die to infallible the secure the salvation of a
multitude of sinners that cannot be counted?
Much more could be said, but the bottom line is this:
you say the words “Jesus Christ and Him crucified, Jesus Christ is
Lord,” but, you rob them of any real significance by making man and his
“free will” the ultimate cause of all things, to include salvation.
Bill Writes: What is the fruit of TULIP? The Netherlands (atheistic), Switzerland (atheistic), New England (atheistic and universalistic), South Africa (racist). Where is the long lasting fruit of TULIP withered… away.
My
Response: I’ve
already dealt with the question. Anytime
you’d like to start dealing with the texts would be great.
Bill
Writes: It’s not the Calvinists who are
preaching a gospel of liberation from the bondage of drug addiction,
prostitution, and violence. Go to the prisons, the hospices, and the ghettos. Where are the Calvinist missionaries? You won’t find the
frozen chosen in the gutter reaching the lost.
My
Response: Glad
to see that in your omniscience you seem to know all that we “frozen chosen”
do with our lives. How about this
Bill: try refraining from such
inflammatory, not to mention false, comments, and try just dealing the issues at
hand. It would be refreshing to see
that. For now, quickly, it is
rather ironic that you make this statement when the father of the modern
missions movement, William Carey, was, of all things…Calvinist.
By the way, I have a board in my home that contains the names and
information of some of the missionaries that our denomination has planted and
supports all over the world (please note, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church is
just one Reformed denomination. There
are quite a few others, and these all are heavily involved in missions work both
oversees and here in our country). I
have been to nursing homes, homeless shelters, prisons, etc., and I know many
who continually minister in these venues. We just do it to the glory of God. The difference is, we don’t go around bragging about our missionary and outreach work, and the fact that we
went to a nursing home, or a prison, etc. (the only reason I even mention it now
is to try and set the record straight which you have unfairly (again!)
distorted). We don’t put a
guilt trip on people who may not wish to participate in our evangelistic
outreach programs, or who do not want to be missionaries, or who do not put
money in the plate when we are taking our collection to support our
missionaries. Anyway, your comments
are just so contrary to the facts (and,I’m sorry Bill, but mind-numbingly
ridiculous), not to mention unfairly judgmental concerning this that I hardly no
where to start. In one swoop you
have slandered a multitude of laborers for the Gospel, simply because you are
laboring under a stereotypical straw-man that you refuse to be set free from.
I could provide you with tons of facts that would demonstrate just how
outrageously incorrect your comments are, but what good would it do Bill?
None.