Calvinism and Arminianism:
Myths & Realities
One Calvinist explains: “What is unbelievable is the assertion that those who reject the doctrines of grace can also claim to understand the gospel. They do not. How can they? That’s where the Synod of Dort stood and I think they got it right.”
Another Calvinist responds: “I was saved before I became a Calvinist. I would argue that I certainly and ‘savingly’ understood the gospel before I came to understand the doctrines of grace. I think that I understand it much better now, of course, but to assert that non-calvinists do not and cannot understand the gospel is wrong, prideful, and uncharitable.”
The original Calvinist replies: “If the doctrines of grace aren’t essential, why even bother to preach it?”
The Calvinist responds: “We are commanded to preach the whole counsel of God. Not just the most barest essentials of what man must believe in order to be saved.” (emphasis mine)
My conclusion is that the Calvinist’s reference to the “whole counsel of God” was meant to imply the aforementioned “doctrines of grace.” The problem is that the gospel is already, clearly spelled out in Scripture, though Calvinists wish to infer something much deeper, namely, fatalistic precepts of special secret election and non-election. The problem with that, is that why would the apostles lay out what they describe as “the gospel,” if there is something more, namely, something secret, with a wink and nod?
Galatians 1:6-9: “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”
1st Corinthians 15:1-4: “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
If Calvinism rejects an Unlimited Atonement, then it rejects the Gospel, and is in danger of a curse, according to Galatians 1:9.
Arminian Charge: Calvinism teaches a different Gospel.
Myth or Reality: The Gospel is clearly defined in Scripture, but Calvinists claim that there is much more to the gospel, namely, the TULIP system of Calvinism, which Calvinists affectionately refer to as the “Doctrines of Grace.”
