by Bret Capranica | Sep 4, 2006 | Bookreviews, Calvinism
A few years ago, a loving couple [a retired pastor and his wife] who were members of the church I was pastoring at the time, became quite disturbed because of a particular sermon I had preached from 2 Thessalonians 2:13 on the subject of election. With, what I believe was and is a heart of true affection and genuine concern they gave me a copy of Norman Geisler’s book Chosen But Free. They exhorted me that it was a more balanced view point of the doctrines of grace, commonly called Calvinism. They assured me that my understanding of election was not a balanced one and not only violated man’s free will, but would be a direct hindrance to any real evangelism and missions being enacted in our church; the typical accusations. It has taken me four years to finish the book. Yes, I am a slow reader, but more, Chosen But Free (CBF) is not a well written book. I hate to say that in the beginning of a book review, but it has taken me four years of force feeding to finish the book. Geisler’s aim in the book is to confront what he defines as “Extreme Calvinism” and counter it with his proposal of “Moderate Calvinism.” As one will find if he performs even a quick scan of the book, Geisler’s “Moderate Calvinism” is little more than contemporary Arminianism. Geisler gives what I would term as a stereotypical evangelical (what I was raised in) Arminianism. That is, he trumpets the indiscriminate free will (total self-determination) of man to choose whether he will be saved or not. Man’s...
by Bret Capranica | Sep 4, 2006 | Calvinism
The elect are not only redeemed by Christ and renewed by the Spirit, but also kept in faith by the almighty power of God. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints does not maintain that all who profess the Christian faith are certain of heaven. It is saints – those who are set apart by the Spirit – who persevere to the end. Isaiah 43:1-3; 54:10; Jeremiah 32:40; Matthew 18:12-14; John 3:16, 36; John 5:24; 6:34-35, 47; 10:27-30; 17:11-12, 15; Romans 5:8-10; 8:1, 29-30, 35-39; 1 Cor 1:7-9; 10:13; 2 Cor 4:14, 17; Ephesians 1:5, 13-14; 4:30; Col 3:3-4; 1 Thess 5:23-24; 2 Tim 4:18; Heb 9:12, 15; 10:14; 12:28; 1 Pe 1:3-5; 1 John 2:19, 25; 1 John 5:4, 11-13, 20; Jude 1; 24,...
by Bret Capranica | Sep 4, 2006 | Calvinism
So, I’m trying to finish a number of backlogged projects – here’s one: my continuation of summarizing the salient points in Steele, Thomas and Quinn’s book, The Five Points of Calvinism. These are merely quotations from the book and not my own thoughts. I am recording them to have them on file. The other articles can be found by clicking on the “Calvinism” category. THE EFFICACIOUS CALL OF THE SPIRIT OR IRRESISTIBLE GRACE Simply stated, this doctrine asserts that the Holy Spirit never fails to bring to salvation those sinners whom He personally calls to Christ. He inevitably applies salvation to every sinner whom He intends to save, and it is His intention to save all the elect. Through this special call, the Holy Spirit performs a work of grace within the sinner, which inevitably brings him to faith in Christ. His will is renewed through this process, so that the sinner spontaneously comes to Christ of his own free choice. Because he is given a new nature so that he loves righteousness, and because his mind is enlightened so that he understands and believes the biblical gospel, he renewed sinner freely and willingly turns to Christ as Lord and Savior. Thus, the once dead sinner is drawn to Christ by the inward, supernatural call of the Spirit, who through regeneration makes him alive and creates faith and repentance within him. Notable aspects of this doctrine: The Spirit Saves: Romans 8:14; 1 Cor 2:10-13; 6:11; 12:3; 2 Corinthians 3:6, 17-18; 1 Peter 1:1-2. The Spirit Gives New Birth: 1. Sinners through regeneration, are brought into God’s Kingdom and are...
by Bret Capranica | Feb 7, 2006 | Calvinism
O.K., continuing from last week, here’s the most debated petal in TULIP. Particular Redemption or Limited Atonement. In order secure their redemption, Jesus Christ came into the world and took upon Himself human nature so that He might identify Himself with His people and act as their legal representative or substitute. Historical or mainline Clavinism has consistently maintained that Christ’s redeeming work was definite in design and accomplishment – that it was intended to render complete satisfaction for certain specified sinners, and that it actually secured salvation for these individuals and for no one else. Christ did not die simply tomake it possible for God to pardon sinners. Neither does God leave it up to sinners to decide whether or not Christ’s work will be effective. On the contrary, all for whom Christ sacrificed Himself will be saved infallibly. Redeption, therefore, was designed to bring to pass God’s purpose of election. All Calvinists agree that Christ’s obedience and suffering were of infinite value, and that if God had so willed, the satisfaction rendered by Christ would have saved every member of the human race. The Arminians also place a limitation on the atoning work of Christ, but one of a much different nature. They hold that Christ’s saving work was designed to make possible the salvation of all men on the condition that they believe, but that Christ’s death in itself did not actually secure or guarantee salvation for anyone. Since not all men will be saved as the result of Christ’s redeeming work, a limitation must be admitted. Either the atonement was limited in that it was designed...
by Bret Capranica | Feb 3, 2006 | Calvinism
Becoming a pastor is what eventually helped me to come to Calvinism. How? Because I was committed to biblical exposition, I began preaching through books of the Bible. But, there were a few books that scared me. Why? Because of a number of tough theological issues I couldn’t resolve, like predestination and election vs. the free agency of man (ever heard of that one?). I ignored the “P” and “E” words and those books in the Bible that tended to use them. That’s why I came to Calvinism rather early in my pastorate. There aren’t many books that do not use those intriguing words. But I was very fearful of a few books that seemed to camp on them. Romans terrified me. Ephesians was smaller, so it merely made me nervous. But, I thought that I should deal with the issues and settle it in my mind, so I began an exposition of Ephesians. But that was not all. I was also exposed to the results of “decisional” conversions. I can remember preaching one evening of a revival service (no comments please) and when it came to the invitation (again, no comments), I was able to get seventeen people to come forward. As they came, I asked them why they were coming. Few could communicate a clear answer. To my knowledge, none profess Christ to this day. I was shaken. My approach to ministry was shaken. I returned to my study the next week with different questions in my mind. Thank God for the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit through His word. I still remember the day that...
by Bret Capranica | Feb 2, 2006 | Calvinism
I, like others, have not always been a Calvinist. That is, with a capital “C.” But then again, the more I look back on my conversion, I must have been a calvinist (I get a squiggly red line under that word without the capital “C”) when I was converted. When a child, I embraced the kind of gospel call to be saved where you bow your head and very sincerely pray to receive Jesus into your heart so that you won’t go to hell. I was very sincere, and I wasn’t interested in merely being religious. I was raised in a liberal Methodist church. I saw the hypocrisy of a “gospelless” approach to God. My parents embraced it and were on the verge of divorce. Everyone I knew in church embraced it and demonstrated the fruit of the flesh in ways that helped me grow to hate the church. So, when I was at a Southern Baptist VBS and was first confronted with the gospel message, it resonated. I sincerely prayed and yet I still remained in my sin. How do I know? My life, my attitude, and the consequent hardening of my heart toward most things Christian confirmed my lack of conversion. I had repented of nothing. I merely plastered over my diseased heart with the paste of emotional religion. And the emotions faded. Whatever I did at that VBS, it didn’t save. Then I saw my father converted. I witnessed the one-eighty in his entire approach to living. My mom was next. We changed churches to one given to expository preaching (I didn’t know what that was...
