"Think like a Calvinist. Preach like an Arminian."
That is how one preaching professor taught his students to call
people to faith in a sermon. He couldn't reconcile a theological system
that embraces God's sovereignty in salvation with a plea for sinful
people to change. Ultimately, this
prof thought Calvinism makes sense
biblically and logically, but not practically.
Perhaps you have struggled with this, too. I know I have.
There was a season of my ministry where I didn't call people to
believe the gospel. I preached the gospel, of course, but only with the
hope that the Spirit would use his word to regenerate spiritually dead
teenagers against their will. I merely implied that they must believe
the gospel.
But I have turned from this mindset. This is not because my pendulum
has swung to a more balanced position between Calvinism and
Arminianism---I don't believe there is such a thing. It's because I've
grown to understand what Calvinism is and, perhaps more importantly,
what it isn't.
It is Calvinistic to call people to respond with faith in the gospel.
Eschewing theological labels for a moment, it is biblical and Christian
to call people to believe in the gospel. This is, after all, how Jesus
began his ministry: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at
hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15). You don't have to know Greek to recognize the imperatives.
But we Calvinists love to quote Ephesians 2:8. "Faith is a gift from God!" we exclaim. "It doesn't originate in the person!" Keep Reading...
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