For some excellent insight on the Old vs. the New Calvinism discussion (debate?) check out the Reformed Forum podcast on this issue. While you're there read Jim Cassidy's post, 5 Reasons Why I Am Not a New Calvinist. Folks, this is good stuff and we should spend some time thinking on these issues. The discussion was born out of John Piper's recent lecture at Westminster Seminary for the Seventh Annual Gaffin Lecture. For the record, I'm an Old Calvinist but have sympathy and even embrace some of the distinctives of the New Calvinists. Still, there are issues of great import that we should consider. Below is Dr. Piper's lecture.
Showing posts with label Calvinism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calvinism. Show all posts
03 March 2012
The Joy of Calvinism
This is going to be a good read...
Greg Forster on "The Joy of Calvinism" - An Interview by Justin Taylor from Crossway on Vimeo.
Greg Forster on "The Joy of Calvinism" - An Interview by Justin Taylor from Crossway on Vimeo.
07 July 2010
A Review of "THE HUMANNESS OF JOHN CALVIN: The Reformer as Husband, Father, Pastor and Friend"
John Calvin has been often been misrepresented as a cold, hard, unfeeling, detached man and responsible for the death of Michael Servetus. Nothing could be further from the truth and Richard Stauffer’s, The Humanness of John Calvin, The Reformer as Husband, Father, Pastor and Friend, dispels any ideas of these distortions be true. Not a new work, published in 1971, it is worth another look however as Calvin’s life is back in the limelight with the anniversary of his birthday last year. The author, Richard Stauffer, (1921-1984), was an outstanding Reformation historian in his own right and his exquisite knowledge of the time period is revealed within this 96 page tome.Stauffer threads his way through the highlights of Reformer’s life and reveals intimate details, most through detailed knowledge of his letters, about Calvin the man; about his humanness. Dispelling many if not all of the unfair and inaccurate characterizations of the Reformer, we read of the kind, loving, deep feeling man that he was. For those who have been indoctrinated with the lies about Calvin, this book is for you. For those who want to know more about the man behind the theology, this book is also for you. I highly recommend it. It could be a first step to a greater understanding of Calvinism.
03 July 2010
A Short Review of "John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God"
John Piper’s little tome, John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God, is a superb piece that reviews the high points of the Reformer’s life and clearly demonstrates in his thoughts and deeds his desire to display the Majesty of God. Indeed, it is a short work, only 59 pages including the appendix, but it’s a must read for anyone wanting an introductory lesson on Calvin. Moreover, it presents the Reformer's life long passion for sharing God’s majesty, primarily through the preaching of Scripture. If the reader is looking for more depth and information there are other works available (see sidebar).If there is a down side to this little work it is found in the unnecessary appendix in which we find a defense of Calvin’s involvement in the trial of Servetus. Piper deserves credit for defending him but it is yet another wearisome defense of the Genevan Reformer against those who cannot properly interpret history. This appendix would have been better left out as it distracts from the main thrust of the work.
08 February 2010
Calvin on Free Will at 0630 hrs
Every other Monday at 6:30am I get together with a couple of other lunatics and discuss Calvin. All joking aside, it has been a blessing. We discuss some pretty meaty stuff over breakfast and coffee and then head off in our separate ways. We discussed free will and several other subjects today. Allow me to share some choice quotes from Calvin that I have highlighted in my copy of Book II, chapter 2 that I have found undeniably helpful on the subject of free will.
Wherefore, it is not without reason that Augustine so often repeats the well-known saying, that free will is more destroyed than established by its defenders (August. in Evang. Joann. Tract. 81). It was necessary to premise this much for the sake of some who, when they hear that human virtue is totally overthrown, in order that the power of God in man maybe exalted, conceive an utter dislike to the whole subject, as if it were perilous, not to say superfluous, whereas it is manifestly both most necessary and most useful. (II. 2.1)
Again, that no will is free which has not been made so by divine grace. Again, that the righteousness of God is not fulfilled when the law orders, and man acts, as it were, by his own strength, but when the Spirit assists, and the will (not the free will of man, but the will freed by God) obeys. He briefly states the ground of all these observations, when he says, that man at his creation received a great degree of free will, but lost it by sinning. In another place, after showing that free will is established by grace, he strongly inveighs against those who arrogate any thing to themselves without grace. His words are, “How much soever miserable men presume to plume themselves on free will before they are made free, or on their strength after they are made free, they do not consider that, in the very expression free will, liberty is implied. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,' (2 Cor. 3:17). (II.2.8)
What, then, is meant by Cyprian in the passage so often lauded by Augustine, “Let us glory in nothing, because nothing is ours,” unless it be, that man being utterly destitute, considered in himself, should entirely depend on God? (II.2.9)
All the weapons of impiety must be bruised, and broken, and burnt in the fire; you must remain unarmed, having no help in yourself. The more infirm you are, the more the Lord will sustain you. So, in expounding the seventieth Psalm, he forbids us to remember our own righteousness, in order that we may recognise the righteousness of God, and shows that God bestows his grace upon us, that we may know that we are nothing; that we stand only by the mercy of God, seeing that in ourselves eve are altogether wicked. Let us not contend with God for our right, as if anything attributed to him were lost to our salvation. As our insignificance is his exaltation, so the confession of our insignificance has its remedy provided in his mercy. (II.2.11)
Man, when he withdrew his allegiance to God, was deprived of the spiritual gifts by which he had been raised to the hope of eternal salvation. Hence it follows, that he is now an exile from the kingdom of God, so that all things which pertain to the blessed life of the soul are extinguished in him until he recover them by the grace of regeneration. Among these are faith, love to God, charity towards our neighbour, the study of righteousness and holiness. All these, when restored to us by Christ, are to be regarded as adventitious and above nature. (II.2.12)
The end of the natural law, therefore, is to render man inexcusable, and may be not improperly defined—the judgment of conscience distinguishing sufficiently between just and unjust, and by convicting men on their own testimony depriving them of all pretext for ignorance. So indulgent is man towards himself, that, while doing evil, he always endeavours as much as he can to suppress the idea of sin. (II.2.22)
We know too well from experience how often we fall, even when our intention is good. Our reason is exposed to so many forms of delusion, is liable to so many errors, stumbles on so many obstacles, is entangled by so many snares, that it is ever wandering from the right direction. Of how little value it is in the sight of God, in regard to all the parts of life, Paul shows, when he says, that we are not “sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves,” (2 Cor. 3:5). ...Augustine, in speaking of this inability of human reason to understand the things of God, says, that he deems the grace of illumination not less necessary to the mind than the light of the sun to the eye (August. de Peccat. Merit. et Remiss . lib. 2 cap. 5). And, not content with this, he modifies his expression, adding, that we open our eyes to behold the light, whereas the mental eye remains shut, until it is opened by the Lord. ...“With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments,” (Ps. 119:10). Though he had been regenerated, and so had made no ordinary progress in true piety, he confesses that he stood in need of direction every moment, in order that he might not decline from the knowledge with which he had been endued. Hence, he elsewhere prays for a renewal of a right spirit, which he had lost by his sin, (PS. 51:12). For that which God gave at first, while temporarily withdrawn, it is equally his province to restore. (II.2.25)
...[W]hat answer shall we give to the apostles who declares that “we are incapable of thinking a good thought?” (2 Cor. 3:5). What answer shall we give to the Lord, who declares, by Moses, that “every imagination of man's heart is only evil continually?” (Gen. 8:21). Since the blunder has thus arisen from an erroneous view of a single passage, it seems unnecessary to dwell upon it. Let us rather give due weight to our Saviour's words, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin,” (John 8:34). We are all sinners by nature, therefore we are held under the yoke of sin. But if the whole man is subject to the dominion of sin, surely the will, which is its principal seat, must be bound with the closest chains. And, indeed, if divine grace were preceded by any will of ours, Paul could not have said that “it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do” (Php 2:13). Away, then, with all the absurd trifling which many have indulged in with regard to preparation. Although believers sometimes ask to have their heart trained to the obedience of the divine law, as David does in several passages (Ps.51:12), it is to be observed, that even this longing in prayer is from God. This is apparent from the language used. When he prays, “Create in me a clean heart,” he certainly does not attribute the beginning of the creation to himself. Let us therefore rather adopt the sentiment of Augustine, “God will prevent you in all things, but do you sometimes prevent his anger. How? Confess that you have all these things from God, that all the good you have is from him, all the evil from yourself,” (August. De Verbis Apost. Serm. 10). Shortly after he says “Of our own we have nothing but sin.” (II.2.27)
Wherefore, it is not without reason that Augustine so often repeats the well-known saying, that free will is more destroyed than established by its defenders (August. in Evang. Joann. Tract. 81). It was necessary to premise this much for the sake of some who, when they hear that human virtue is totally overthrown, in order that the power of God in man maybe exalted, conceive an utter dislike to the whole subject, as if it were perilous, not to say superfluous, whereas it is manifestly both most necessary and most useful. (II. 2.1)
Again, that no will is free which has not been made so by divine grace. Again, that the righteousness of God is not fulfilled when the law orders, and man acts, as it were, by his own strength, but when the Spirit assists, and the will (not the free will of man, but the will freed by God) obeys. He briefly states the ground of all these observations, when he says, that man at his creation received a great degree of free will, but lost it by sinning. In another place, after showing that free will is established by grace, he strongly inveighs against those who arrogate any thing to themselves without grace. His words are, “How much soever miserable men presume to plume themselves on free will before they are made free, or on their strength after they are made free, they do not consider that, in the very expression free will, liberty is implied. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,' (2 Cor. 3:17). (II.2.8)
What, then, is meant by Cyprian in the passage so often lauded by Augustine, “Let us glory in nothing, because nothing is ours,” unless it be, that man being utterly destitute, considered in himself, should entirely depend on God? (II.2.9)
All the weapons of impiety must be bruised, and broken, and burnt in the fire; you must remain unarmed, having no help in yourself. The more infirm you are, the more the Lord will sustain you. So, in expounding the seventieth Psalm, he forbids us to remember our own righteousness, in order that we may recognise the righteousness of God, and shows that God bestows his grace upon us, that we may know that we are nothing; that we stand only by the mercy of God, seeing that in ourselves eve are altogether wicked. Let us not contend with God for our right, as if anything attributed to him were lost to our salvation. As our insignificance is his exaltation, so the confession of our insignificance has its remedy provided in his mercy. (II.2.11)
Man, when he withdrew his allegiance to God, was deprived of the spiritual gifts by which he had been raised to the hope of eternal salvation. Hence it follows, that he is now an exile from the kingdom of God, so that all things which pertain to the blessed life of the soul are extinguished in him until he recover them by the grace of regeneration. Among these are faith, love to God, charity towards our neighbour, the study of righteousness and holiness. All these, when restored to us by Christ, are to be regarded as adventitious and above nature. (II.2.12)
The end of the natural law, therefore, is to render man inexcusable, and may be not improperly defined—the judgment of conscience distinguishing sufficiently between just and unjust, and by convicting men on their own testimony depriving them of all pretext for ignorance. So indulgent is man towards himself, that, while doing evil, he always endeavours as much as he can to suppress the idea of sin. (II.2.22)
We know too well from experience how often we fall, even when our intention is good. Our reason is exposed to so many forms of delusion, is liable to so many errors, stumbles on so many obstacles, is entangled by so many snares, that it is ever wandering from the right direction. Of how little value it is in the sight of God, in regard to all the parts of life, Paul shows, when he says, that we are not “sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves,” (2 Cor. 3:5). ...Augustine, in speaking of this inability of human reason to understand the things of God, says, that he deems the grace of illumination not less necessary to the mind than the light of the sun to the eye (August. de Peccat. Merit. et Remiss . lib. 2 cap. 5). And, not content with this, he modifies his expression, adding, that we open our eyes to behold the light, whereas the mental eye remains shut, until it is opened by the Lord. ...“With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments,” (Ps. 119:10). Though he had been regenerated, and so had made no ordinary progress in true piety, he confesses that he stood in need of direction every moment, in order that he might not decline from the knowledge with which he had been endued. Hence, he elsewhere prays for a renewal of a right spirit, which he had lost by his sin, (PS. 51:12). For that which God gave at first, while temporarily withdrawn, it is equally his province to restore. (II.2.25)
...[W]hat answer shall we give to the apostles who declares that “we are incapable of thinking a good thought?” (2 Cor. 3:5). What answer shall we give to the Lord, who declares, by Moses, that “every imagination of man's heart is only evil continually?” (Gen. 8:21). Since the blunder has thus arisen from an erroneous view of a single passage, it seems unnecessary to dwell upon it. Let us rather give due weight to our Saviour's words, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin,” (John 8:34). We are all sinners by nature, therefore we are held under the yoke of sin. But if the whole man is subject to the dominion of sin, surely the will, which is its principal seat, must be bound with the closest chains. And, indeed, if divine grace were preceded by any will of ours, Paul could not have said that “it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do” (Php 2:13). Away, then, with all the absurd trifling which many have indulged in with regard to preparation. Although believers sometimes ask to have their heart trained to the obedience of the divine law, as David does in several passages (Ps.51:12), it is to be observed, that even this longing in prayer is from God. This is apparent from the language used. When he prays, “Create in me a clean heart,” he certainly does not attribute the beginning of the creation to himself. Let us therefore rather adopt the sentiment of Augustine, “God will prevent you in all things, but do you sometimes prevent his anger. How? Confess that you have all these things from God, that all the good you have is from him, all the evil from yourself,” (August. De Verbis Apost. Serm. 10). Shortly after he says “Of our own we have nothing but sin.” (II.2.27)
28 August 2009
Nine Factors
Nine Factors Contributing to the Resurgence of Calvinism:1. Three Preachers: one from the 19th Century, one from the middle of the 20th Century, one who is still preaching today: Charles Haddon Spurgeon, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and John MacArthur. A Baptist, a Presbyterian, and a Dispensationalist. - Lig Duncan
Read the other eight reasons here. It's a good read.
14 March 2009
New Calvinism - Truly Remarkable
Time magazine has named the New Calvinism as one of the 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now. That is simply astounding! The author is not entirely accurate in his description of the Old/New Calvinism but we'll take what we can get, right? Mark Driscoll has been all over this declaration by Time and has posted some good stuff on it such as this.
The author draws our attention to a decisive position when he states, Like the Calvinists, more moderate Evangelicals are exploring cures for the movement's doctrinal drift, but can't offer the same blanket assurance. "A lot of young people grew up in a culture of brokenness, divorce, drugs or sexual temptation," says Collin Hansen, author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist's Journey with the New Calvinists. "They have plenty of friends: what they need is a God." Mohler says, "The moment someone begins to define God's [being or actions] biblically, that person is drawn to conclusions that are traditionally classified as Calvinist." Of course, that presumption of inevitability has drawn accusations of arrogance and divisiveness since Calvin's time. Indeed, some of today's enthusiasts imply that non-Calvinists may actually not be Christians. Skirmishes among the Southern Baptists (who have a competing non-Calvinist camp) and online "flame wars" bode badly. (Emphasis mine.) He's got a point. Driscoll responds by stating, Sadly, Cruel Calvinists are a small but loud bunch. Thus, now more than ever, it is vital that all Christians in general, and Reformed Christians in particular, demonstrate the kind of love and humility that our theology requires. The cruel, flame-thrown half-truths and misquotes between Christians do not speak well to the watching world of the love we are supposed to share. ...borders include spiritual gifts, baptism, communion, worship styles, Bible translations, sense of humor, and the like. Various states can have their own proverbial borders on these issues. Nonetheless, like states we must be able to live as a loving and unified nation. We cannot turn our state borders into national borders and refuse to live at peace in unity and love with those who live in other proverbial states. Simply, the state borders should not be battle lines where personal and theological wars are fought because bigger things are at stake, such as the evangelizing of lost people and the planting of missional churches.
So, where are you & I as Calvinists? Are we loving our fellow Christian that has a different viewpoint?
The author draws our attention to a decisive position when he states, Like the Calvinists, more moderate Evangelicals are exploring cures for the movement's doctrinal drift, but can't offer the same blanket assurance. "A lot of young people grew up in a culture of brokenness, divorce, drugs or sexual temptation," says Collin Hansen, author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist's Journey with the New Calvinists. "They have plenty of friends: what they need is a God." Mohler says, "The moment someone begins to define God's [being or actions] biblically, that person is drawn to conclusions that are traditionally classified as Calvinist." Of course, that presumption of inevitability has drawn accusations of arrogance and divisiveness since Calvin's time. Indeed, some of today's enthusiasts imply that non-Calvinists may actually not be Christians. Skirmishes among the Southern Baptists (who have a competing non-Calvinist camp) and online "flame wars" bode badly. (Emphasis mine.) He's got a point. Driscoll responds by stating, Sadly, Cruel Calvinists are a small but loud bunch. Thus, now more than ever, it is vital that all Christians in general, and Reformed Christians in particular, demonstrate the kind of love and humility that our theology requires. The cruel, flame-thrown half-truths and misquotes between Christians do not speak well to the watching world of the love we are supposed to share. ...borders include spiritual gifts, baptism, communion, worship styles, Bible translations, sense of humor, and the like. Various states can have their own proverbial borders on these issues. Nonetheless, like states we must be able to live as a loving and unified nation. We cannot turn our state borders into national borders and refuse to live at peace in unity and love with those who live in other proverbial states. Simply, the state borders should not be battle lines where personal and theological wars are fought because bigger things are at stake, such as the evangelizing of lost people and the planting of missional churches.
So, where are you & I as Calvinists? Are we loving our fellow Christian that has a different viewpoint?
04 April 2007
Boettner on Calvinism
Calvinism answers the charge this it is unfavorable to good morality, not merely by opposing reason against reason, but by putting facts of world-wide reputation over against these fictitious claims. It simply asks, what rival fruits can other systems oppose if we point to the achievements of the Protestant leaders of the Reformation period, and to the high moral earnestness of the Puritans? Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and their immediate helpers were all thorough-going "Calvinists," and the greatest spiritual revival of all time was brought about under their influence. Those in England who held to this system of faith were so very strict regarding purity of doctrine, purity of worship, purity of daily life, that by their very enemies, who thus were their best witnesses, they were called "Puritans." The Puritans in England, the Covenanters in Scotland, and the Huguenots in France, were men of the same religious faith and of like moral qualities. That the system of Calvin should have developed precisely the same kind of men in each of these different countries is proof of its power in the formation of character.Loraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, pg 279
Reformed Doctrine of Predestination
10 February 2007
Calvinism...Where the Rubber Meets the Road
I found a very well written article on the practical side of Calvinism. For when the going gets tough the author wrote:
Now that’s where Calvinism really comes through for you. It applies the Bible where you need it the most. Think through the basics. Jesus died for you personally (Personal Atonement). He loves you, not what he can get out of you (Unconditional Election). He pours out his love on every bit of you, not just on what you think is your sweeter and nicer side (Total Depravity). His love is stronger than all your doubt and foolishness and fear put together (Irresistible Grace). He keeps on loving you, all the way through to the end (Perseverance of the Saints). That’s the Five Points of your Father’s love!
Calvinism is truly life changing and life enriching. For those who think its just stuffy ol' theology, well it's time to think again.
Read the whole article here.
Now that’s where Calvinism really comes through for you. It applies the Bible where you need it the most. Think through the basics. Jesus died for you personally (Personal Atonement). He loves you, not what he can get out of you (Unconditional Election). He pours out his love on every bit of you, not just on what you think is your sweeter and nicer side (Total Depravity). His love is stronger than all your doubt and foolishness and fear put together (Irresistible Grace). He keeps on loving you, all the way through to the end (Perseverance of the Saints). That’s the Five Points of your Father’s love!
Calvinism is truly life changing and life enriching. For those who think its just stuffy ol' theology, well it's time to think again.
Read the whole article here.
03 February 2007
A Positive Article From....
Wow...A positive article on Calvinism printed in Christianity Today. Nice to see it anyway. It was encouraging to read some of the modern initiatives that are engaging today's youth. Take a look here.
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