08-Chapter 8

CHAPTER VIII - HYPER-CALVINISM: AN ENEMY OF GOD

Why all of the fuss and contention? Many view Hyper-Calvinism as a non-issue and simply agree to disagree agreeable on the subject. The philosophy of live and let live has become the general rule for fellowship, but with this, a problem is encountered. The false doctrine of Hyper-Calvinism continues to grow in the fundamental movement and is permeating many of the local churches. This doctrine is more than just a gentleman’s disagreement or a non-issue. Hyper-Calvinism is an enemy of God! The Hyper-Calvinist individually is not to be viewed in this fashion because, many times, they are just the product of other men and not personal Bible study. They need to be scripturally admonished and, if their attitude towards the Word of God is right, they may be taught correct doctrine. Some are so steeped in Hyper-Calvinism that they will not listen to either the admonisher or the Word of God. In such cases, the Bible gives the answer in Titus 3:10, which says, “A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject.”

Because Hyper-Calvinism is an enemy of God, it must therefore be isolated and eradicated from the local church. The people of God must be scripturally taught in such a way as not to be “carried about with every wind of doctrine.” Doctrinal position must always be Bible based and, therefore, have an unshakable foundation. “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalms 11:3) This chapter will deal in some detail with why Hyper-Calvinism is an enemy of God.

Hyper-Calvinism is an enemy to the character of God.

CHARACTER, n. The peculiar qualities, impressed by nature or habit on a person, which distinguish him from others; these constitute real character, and the qualities which he is supposed to possess, constitute his estimated character, or reputation. Hence we say, a character is not formed, when the person has not acquired stable and distinctive qualities.¹

One of the worst things that can happen to a person who is moral and upright is to have someone slander his character. It does several things. It places the one slandered in a bad light with those around him. The slander is not easily healed because. Once maligned, it seems that the burden of proof is always upon the one slandered, not the slanderer. Hyper-Calvinism places the character of God in a bad light with those for whom He died.

    Hyper-Calvinism slanders the love of God. All of the attributes of God are important, but the salvation of fallen man was initiated by the love of God.

Love is that attrubute of God by which He is inclined to seek the highest good for His creatures and the communication of Himself to them regardless of the sacrifice involved . . . God’s love is His desire for and delight in the welfare of those loved.²

I am unable to see any way out here, or any escape from the conclusion, that the doctrine of an atonement for the elect only, destroys the claim of the work of Christ to be what fully reveals and illustrates the great foundation of all religion, that God is love.³

Much is said in the Bible about this great love so freely bestowed to those who are in sin. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) What a verse! Even while man is in sin, not looking for the Lord, He loves and initiates salvation.

It is simply impossible to maintain that a God who damns those He could save (much less who takes pleasure in so doing!) is merciful and full of love. How then can the Calvinist escape the charge that he misrepresents the God of the Bible? Sovereignty can’t excuse or justify call our neglect on God’s part to rescue those He could save. That God has the fight to damn everyone would not make Him living and merciful if He did Song of Solomon 4:1-16

Man strives to love, but the Scripture declares that “God is love.” Not that He tries to love or is obligated to love, but that it is the very essence of His person.

More specifically concerning love: God has not attained unto love, nor does He by an effort maintain love; it is the structure of His being. He is the unfailing source of all love. It is, because of this fact, preeminently the thing which He requires. “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” Without the attribute of love, God would not be what He is. As no other attribute, love is the primary motive in God, and to satisfy His love all creation has been formed. It is because of the fact that God has no need which He depends on others to supply, that He is ever bestowing and imparting.⁵

John 3:16 states His love for the entire world, though not all will come to Christ. His love for the sinner is beautifully set forth in John 15:13 : “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” The Bible calls the sinner His friend. The Lord Jesus was rightly accused by the Pharisees when they called him a “friend of publicans and sinners.” Even in the Garden in Matthew 26:50, as He was betrayed by Judas with a kiss, the Lord said, “Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.”

Here we confront a major problem with Calvinism: its denial of God’s infinite love for all. That God would choose to save only a select few and leave the rest to suffer eternal damnation would be contrary to His very nature of infinite love and mercy as the Bible presents Him, and as shall be documented in the process of examining Calvinism from Scripture. Incredibly, however, the very damnation of perhaps billions is said by the Calvinist to have been foreordained from eternity past because it pleases and glorifies God! The Westminster Confession of Faith, paraphrasing Calvin himself, declares:

“By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life: and others foreordained to everlasting death . . . . Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God . . . hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory . . . to the praise of his glorious grace . . . . The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will . . . for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures . . . to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.”⁶ The Hyper-Calvinist will refer to the verse in Romans 9:1-33 : Romans 9:11-13 which says,

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

He will maintain that these verses are speaking of individual and national election. The problem is that, if this is speaking individually, these children―before they were even born―were either loved or hated by God. What kind of love is this? That God would hate an unborn child when He pronounced a curse upon those who offended children. The Bible often refers to the unborn and small children as the “innocents.” What a slander upon the character of God’s love!

Another attribute of God slandered by Hyper-Calvinism is that of justice. The Bible declares that God is just. “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3:26)

JUST, a. [L. justus. In a moral sense, upright; honest; having principles of rectitude; or conforming exactly to the laws, and to principles of rectitude in social conduct; equitable in the distribution of justice; as a just Judges 7:1-25 The Bible says that there is a remnant according to the election of grace. When the word “remnant” is used, it refers to just a few. In a textile mill, a remnant is less than one yard of cloth left over from a fifty-yard bolt. This figures at approximately one to two percent. This being true, ninety-five plus percent of the people in the world will perish with Christ. If this great multitude has absolutely no hope of salvation because God has simply chosen them to perish, then no justice may be found. According to Scripture, respect of persons is a sin (James 2:9). If God is a respecter of persons, then―according to His own Word―He becomes a sinner.

Since the Creator’s authority is absolute, it is superlative cause for gratitude that God is perfect In justice. What wretchedness would be the creature’s portion if it were otherwise! Divine justice is exhibited in the fact that righteous laws are given to men, that these laws are sustained by proper sanctions, and that these laws are given an impartial execution. No favoritism is ever indulged, though infinite favor is extended to those who come under the righteous provisions for salvation made possible through Christ’s sacrifice for sin.⁸

Romans 2:11 and Colossians 3:25 maintain that God is no respecter of persons. According to the Hyper-Calvinist, He is a respecter of persons and, therefore, the character of God is slandered again.

Hyper-Calvinism slanders the goodness of God. Could God, whom the Bible declares to be good in His character, condemn children―having done neither good nor bad―to an eternal Hell with no chance of salvation? Nine times the Word of God declares that the Lord “is good.” In seven of these references, thanksgiving is a direct result of realization of the goodness of God. In three of the references, the Lord is praised for His goodness. In Psalms 86:5, the Bible states that “Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Divine goodness is, in this verse, expressed to all of mankind in the promised redemption of any and all that call upon His name. God is ready to forgive those who come to Him. God is plenteous in mercy to those who ask for it. God’s mercy is sufficient for the sins of all humanity. The infinite goodness of God is a perfection of His being which characterizes His nature and is itself and source of all in the universe that is good. The specific terms employed in setting forth the goodness of God are (a) benevolence, which is goodness in its generic sense as embracing all His creatures and securing their welfare; (b) complacency, which is that in God which approves all His own perfections s well as all that conforms to Himself; (c) mercy, which is God’s goodness exercised in behalf of the need of His creatures; and (d) grace, which is God’s free action in behalf of those who are meritless, which freedom to act has been secured through the death of Christ . . . . the mercy of God has had it supreme manifestation in the giving of His Son for the lost of this world.⁹

It is interesting to note that all nine references to the goodness of God deal with His everlasting mercy. God is merciful to both saved and lost. He is merciful to those who have trusted Christ in that there is a complete forgiveness of sins. Mercy simply means that sinners do not get what they deserve. God is merciful to the lost in that they are allowed to live in this wonderful world. God is merciful to the lost in that He has provided a means of eternal life for those who will come to Him in faith. God is good to those who reject Him and still gives breath and a good measure of life.

GOOD’NESS, n. The state of being good; the physical qualities which constitute value, excellence or perfection; as the goodness of timber; the goodness of a soil.

1. The moral qualities which constitute christian excellence; moral virtue; religion. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Galatians 5:1-26.

2. Kindness; benevolence; benignity of heart; but more generally, acts of kindness; charity; humanity exercised. I shall remember his goodness to me with gratitude.

3. Kindness; benevolence of nature; mercy. The Lord God--abundant in goodness and truth. Exodus 34:1-35.

4. Kindness; favor shown; acts of benevolence, compassion or mercy.¹⁰ Not only is goodness a quality of God, but is a quality that is given to His children through the Holy Spirit. Could God truly be called good when He condemns those whom He could save? Instead of offering regeneration, He condemns them to an eternal Hell without either choice of hope! The Hyper-Calvinist will maintain that God is good and yet portray Him as a God who condemns the innocent as well as the guilty. Not only is Hyper-Calvinism an enemy of God’s character, but it is also an enemy of the Great Commission given to the Church. This Great Commission is stated in Matthew 28:18-20 which says, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. In Mark 16:15, the Lord said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” A preacher once preached a message entitled, “Every Creature Needs A Preacher.” The local church has an obligation to propagate the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Romans 10:13-17, the Bible says that in order for a sinner to call upon the name of the Lord, that individual must have an understanding of the Word of God. How can they believe without a preacher and how can they preach except they be sent? This is the responsibility of the local church. “How can they preach, except they be sent?” The heartbeat of God is worldwide missions, and this can only be accomplished through the ordaining and sending forth of missionaries to evangelize the world. In Acts 1:8, the Lord clearly set forth the method of propagation of the gospel. Before His ascension, Jesus Christ specifically told the disciples to carry the gospel to the lost, both in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth. The command was to preach to every man, woman, and child. The fulfillment was to carry the message of hope to every nation and every tongue. Why preach to “every creature” when Christ did not die for them? It is a discouragement to local churches in the area of missions. As the end nears, missions should be more fervent and every effort made to evangelize the world. Hyper-Calvinists are not mission-hearted!

Hyper-Calvinism is an enemy to the individual soul-winner. The “go ye” of the Great Commission is to the individual. Biblical evangelism is from faith to faith. Those who have been regenerated through faith in Christ are to share their faith and salvation experience with others. Hyper-Calvinism causes the saints to transfer the personal responsibility of carrying the Word of God to the Lord Himself. Every child of God is responsible to propagate the gospel! In every place and in every way, the gospel is to be communicated to the lost.

If grace truly is irresistible, if only those elected by God to salvation can be saved, if no one can believe the gospel until regenerated by God and thereafter given the faith to believe, would it not be vain to attempt to persuade anyone through the gospel - or for those who hear to attempt to believe in Christ? Since there is nothing one can do to change one’s eternal destiny (if one of the elect, nothing can stand between the soul and heaven; and if not among the elect, nothing can be done to escape hell) shouldn’t one just go on with life and let the inevitable take its course? While many Calvinist would object to this view, it cannot be denied that this is the practical conclusion to which that dogma leads.¹¹

Hyper-Calvinism leads to fatalism. There is nothing that can be changed concerning salvation and God’s elect; therefore, there is nothing that actually needs to be done in the area of soul winning. Hyper-Calvinists are not aggressive soul-winners because the very doctrine itself destroys individual’s responsibility and places that responsibility entirely upon the Lord. The result of this fatalism is clearly seen in countries where Hyper-Calvinism became prominent. Countries such as the Netherlands, England, Wales, and Ireland are spiritually dead because of the teachings of men like John Calvin and Charles H. Spurgeon. These men are heralded as great preachers, and truly their influence and pulpit oratory has been greatly appreciated by men of God, and yet they introduced and preached Calvinism. Slowly the doctrine of Hyper-Calvinism took hold and the soul winning and mission efforts of the churches began to wane. Hyper-Calvinism always leads to fatalism.

Hyper-Calvinism is an enemy of the cross of Christ. It is hard to imagine living in a country where the gospel is not being preached. Living out one’s entire life never having heard the good news that a Savior has come and died for the sins of the world. Generation after generation living in the same communities without a gospel witness; therefore, having no hope. In 1 John 2:2, the Bible says, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” The “our” is a reference to those saved (the Hyper-Calvinist would say that they were the elect), and is contrasted with the “whole world” which is the unsaved and “would prove that Christ’s death is propitiatory for all mankind.”¹² When Christ died on Calvary, He bore the weight of the sins of the whole world. The Lord not only died for those who would accept His great salvation, but also for those who would ultimately reject. Jesus Christ was sent into the world to die upon the cross for all of men. John the Baptist, when first recognizing the Christ, said in John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Christ not only died for the sin of the world, but would have taken it away if received by the lost. The Hyper-Calvinist will try to use the term world as being a reference to the elect and not every individual. The word world is used eighty times in the gospel of John alone, and not one reference refers to the elect. To the contrary, many times the word is used to show the hatred of the world towards the Son of God. In John 1:10, the Bible says, “The world knew him not.” This is certainly not a reference to the elect. In John 7:7, Jesus Christ is hated by the world. How could one of God’s children hate Him? The Bible says that God’s children love Him, not hate Him. Many other verses using the word world are in direct reference to the lost and not to the saved. Jesus Christ said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

Hyper-Calvinism is an enemy of assurance. One of the blessings of being saved is to have full assurance of salvation. In 1 Thessalonians 1:5, Paul wrote, For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. The power of the gospel is that it will save any and all that come to Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Ghost begins to indwell the believer and empowers him to live the Christian life. A vital part of that salvation is “in much assurance.” Not just having a measure of peace that comes and goes, but having a blessed peace that comes through knowing Christ personally. Paul later wrote of having personal assurance in 2 Timothy 1:12, when he said, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” There are actually two tenses found in this verse. There is the past tense of salvation in the words “have believed.” This was a reference to Paul’s Damascus Road experience where he was gloriously saved. There is a specific time and place in life of a believer where the new birth takes place. The present tense is found in the “I know.” The word now is understood and is a positive thing. Paul not only received Christ, but also had full assurance of eternal life. The Hyper-Calvinist cannot biblically have this assurance. Assurance of salvation rests solely upon the promises of God. Verses such as 2 Timothy 1:1, which gives the promise of life through faith in Christ, causes the child of God to rest in God’s salvation. Ephesians 1:13-14 says, In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Blessed assurance comes through trusting Christ alone for salvation and placing one’s faith in His unwavering promises. There is a license plate that says, “God said it; I believe it; and that settles it.” This statement may sound good to the casual reader, but is biblically incorrect. God says it and that settles it if a person believes it or not. The Christian’s guarantee of eternal life lies within the veracity of God. God has promised eternal life to all who believe and the Scripture cannot be broken. Assurance of salvation also is based upon one’s obedience to the gospel. Romans 10:16 says, “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?” The Bible says to repent of sin and trust Christ. This is the basis of full assurance. Hyper-Calvinism teaches that one cannot be saved unless they are one of God’s elect; therefore, obedience to the gospel is not the basis of salvation.