The Appeal of Calvinism and the Deceitfulness of Unbelief
May 7th, 2007 by Nathan White
While scanning the blogs and reading about the huge controversy surrounding Francis Beckwith’s ‘conversion’ back to Roman Catholicism, I came across a blog entry where a Roman Catholic was explaining her abandonment of Protestant Calvinism.
Apparently, this young lady was convinced of the doctrines of grace (Calvinism) through reading some John Piper material and such, but she has now left those beliefs altogether and has embraced Roman Catholicism. Explaining why she was attracted to and at one time embraced Calvinism, she said the following:
“When I prayed I heard no answer, and I didn’t think God answered my prayers because bad things continued to happen to me and my friends. Calvinism appealed to me because God seemed more distant in the Calvinist system. Calvinism also taught that God uses all things for the salvation of those who are chosen. I could only hope that God was using my sufferings to bring me to Him. I saw my inability to let go of God as a sign of my election and salvation. I had tried to be an atheist but couldn’t, and Calvinism explained why.”
I would like to briefly address the few sentences above because I believe there is much contained within from which we can learn and grow. Specifically, I would like to identify four warning signs of unbelief that can be and often are common in the lives of many professing, Calvinist, Christians: 1) a lack of prayer, 2) a distant communion with God, 3) a lack of true conviction of God’s sovereignty when things go wrong, 4) and a deceitful assurance of faith without the proper fruit that comes from abiding in the true Vine.
- “When I prayed I heard no answer, and I didn’t think God answered my prayers because bad things continued to happen to me and my friends.”
We Calvinists certainly have a tendency to be less fervent in prayer than we should be. It is all too easy for us to pray one or two times about a matter, and then just let it go because after all, God is sovereign and we know will we not ‘change His mind’. But note that the scripture says:
“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” - Romans 8:26-27
Only by the grace of God do Calvinists pray as they ought. If ever an unbeliever becomes convinced of the doctrines of Calvinism, it will show itself most clearly in their prayer life. It just doesn’t make sense to the fallen mind to pray when God has already decreed eternity; just like for some it doesn’t make sense to strive to obey God’s law even after Christ has fulfilled it for us. Only God’s Spirit striving within will lead us down the path of obedience -even though our sins have already been paid for; and only God’s Spirit will continually prompt our hearts to wrestle with God in true prayer -even though He has already decreed every detail in eternity. The fallen heart can embrace Calvinism, but the fallen heart cannot embrace Calvinism and a fervent prayer life. It is simply a logical contradiction to the fallen mind, and they cannot get around it. We need to learn from this example and search our own hearts, and search our own lives to rid ourselves of this kind of shallow, unbelieving attitude in regards to prayer.
- “Calvinism appealed to me because God seemed more distant in the Calvinist system.”
Our tendency as fallen beings, even after we have come to the knowledge of the glorious truths of the doctrines of grace, is to fall back into a distant type of attitude about God. We realize who He truly is, a King on His throne, and we realize who we are, the worst of the worst of sinners. And understanding how powerful and sovereign He is can certainly stir up a feeling of distance (ultimately because of our sin), even though as God’s chosen we have been lavished with His grace.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. - 1 John 3:1
We should feel distant because of our sin –no doubt, and this should sting us to the core. But, we should also understand that we have been ‘brought near’ by the grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness, our advocate, our High Priest, and our Lord.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” - Heb 4:15
God will certainly seem distant to the Calvinist who does not trust in Christ as their only means of righteousness and their only hope to escape the righteous judgment of a holy God. Let us cast off these feelings of ‘distance’, brought on because of our stinging conscience and our sinful desire to work for our own salvation, and let us check our hearts to ensure that we are placing our only hope in Christ and what He has accomplished in our place.
- “Calvinism also taught that God uses all things for the salvation of those who are chosen. I could only hope that God was using my sufferings to bring me to Him.”
What a glorious truth of scripture, in that God ordains all things -yes even our sufferings, for His glory and to conform us into the image of His Son! Although the author of this quote says that the thought of God’s sovereignty in sufferings was attractive, she states this former belief in a manner that certainly lacks conviction: “I could only hope“, were the words she used. True faith, however, and true conviction of God’s sovereignty, doesn’t just flippantly hope that the craziness of life is controlled by God, it hopes with certainty and with a dying conviction that God is who He says He is:
“…without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” - Heb 11
Let us check our hearts for not merely hoping that what we believe in (a sovereign God) is true, but having true faith and honest conviction that what God says in His word is absolute, eternal truth to the uttermost. Having an honest conviction is more than just a simple hope; it will manifest itself into our lives, our habits, our inclinations, our relationships, our prayers, and ultimately, our perseverance to the end.
- “I saw my inability to let go of God as a sign of my election and salvation. I had tried to be an atheist but couldn’t, and Calvinism explained why.”
Lastly, we are left with something that should strike fear into each one of our hearts. How often do we entertain the idea that we are elect because we enjoy theology, or enjoy learning about God, or just simply ‘feel’ like we are being ‘drawn by the Father’?
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Heb 3:12
Let us head these warning signs. I am not saying that this woman is an unbeliever, for I have never even met her. I am saying, however, that in embracing the false system of Rome, it appears as though she ‘went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.’
Thus, let us stop right now and examine our hearts. Have we fooled ourselves by embracing a theology but failing to embrace the true gospel and the true Lord behind that theology? Does our unbelief hide behind the guise of true, biblical Calvinism, only to be subtlety protruding in areas such as we see here?
The warning signs are above: lack of prayer, a distant communion with God, lack of true conviction of God’s sovereignty when things go wrong, and a deceitful assurance of faith without the proper fruit that comes from abiding in the true Vine. Let us head those warnings today before we ourselves fall into the snare of the devil and our led away after the accursed ‘another gospel’.
Nathan,
This is a good post, and I am not surprised there has been no comments, sometimes it is better just to take the smack and keep your mouth closed. So I’m going to. But I thought I’d let you know it was good post all the same,
JP said: sometimes it is better just to take the smack and keep your mouth closed
That’s essentially how I felt writing this post. This post is simply a rehash of my original thoughts and convictions upon coming across these words. My, how easy it is to fall into the same line of thinking that this woman describes.
SDG
Nathan,
I do think you are correct. However, I find the doctrines of grace to work so much the other way in my life. Frankly, God is all I have to hold onto and quite possibly this gracious gift of God is what keeps me desperate for Him. I do see how easy it would be to fall into the mindset you described were it not for the other circumstances in our lives which tend to mold and shape us through the divine hand of God. With that said, I pray that God would keep us from using His truth in order that we may somehow think we are justified in neglecting, even forsaking our duties as believers.
I’m left wondering how exactly she thinks Catholicism has “fixed” her.
Do you have a link to the whole story?
Thanks,
Gordan,
She doesn’t explain. This was only ‘Part 1′, which will be continued later on.
Jon, the link is here, and tread lightly. Once you visit (seeing her most recent posts) you’ll probably realize why I didn’t link to her in my article. I’m not trying to start any trouble or get people all riled up; I’m actually hoping that we can use this example to check our own hearts.
Nate: It seems a stretch to assume her prayers were not “fervent”, no? Scripture says to “pray without ceasing”, and perhaps she does still. Did her link contain evidence that she had a deficient prayer life?
Forget the Roman Catholic thing for a moment. Would this be an issue if she had converted to another variant of Protestantism? What I’m trying to ask is if you think it’s necessary to believe in the five points of Calvinism to be among the “elect”. IOW, must you believe in election to be among the elect? I don’t think even Spurgeon thought as such (which is why even he’s spurned over at “outsidethecamp.org” - a group for whom the term “hyper-Calvinists” would apply I think).
James,
By mentioning prayer, I only meant to point out how we Calvinists, who are convinced of God’s sovereignty, can often have poor prayer lives. I did not set out to specifically point out where her deficiencies were, but obviously, complaining that God never answered her prayers gives a little glimpse into this area of her life.
No, Calvinism is certainly not necessary for salvation. However, every true Christian is most certainly a Calvinists in practice (or in heart), because anyone who truly believes they do anything to merit their salvation before God, is trusting in their own righteousness instead of Christ’s alone. Thankfully, most Arminians that I know are not completely consistent; being that they reject Calvinism, but embrace it with their lives (they are inconsistent).
SDG
Nate notes of “3) a lack of true conviction of God’s sovereignty when things go wrong”
Well, I’m not sure it’s always so much of a doubting of God’s sovereignty as it is wondering what the intent was in causing it (or allowing it). I’m don’t think one should necessarily feel “reassured” to be told that “God is sovereign” if their family was murdered with a machete in the Sudan, say. Was it decreed as a punishment on the dead? Perhaps it was a punishment directed at us or the person committing the crime? Perhaps it wasn’t a punishment at all? Perhaps it’s being done to teach us some virtue?
How do you suggest a believer is supposed to interpret such events (if we even are at all)?
James,
I think that while we need to be able to affirm that, yes, God has ordained such events to (a) our good, and (b) His glory according to the counsel of His will, we also need to be able to say, “I don’t know.” That God has ordained said events doesn’t mean we get to know why.
-Rob
Sweet post brother. I have a mind to print this thing out and give to our peeps at church.
That’s a very fine answer, Rob.
For me, that’s when “the rubber meets the road” in the whole life of faith: Can you trust that what has happened to you is ultimately for your good even when you can’t know the immediate “Why” behind it? Can you trust that God loves you and considers you one of His own, when the most natural way of interpreting your circumstances is to come away thinking, “God must hate me.”?
It’s easy to believe when we’re comfortable.
I think the book of Job is interesting in this respect. Some people think that it provides the answer as to why God permits evil, or why in particular God permits hardship or adversity in the life of the believer. The only problem with this thesis is of course that while this is the subject of Job’s questions, and the answers given by his three friends, God never actually does give an answer to the question instead he affirms to Job that He is the Sovereign God of heaven and earth and that man ought not to question His motives.
Job 40:8, 9 “8 “Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? 9 Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?”
As noted in other comments we must place our faith in the Covenant faithfulness of God, He is just, He is good, He will do all things well. On top of that He is merciful and gracious, and what He does will be for our good….even in Job’s circumstances this proved to be the case.
Also note the faith of Habakkuk who prays these words after God has revealed to him the impending judgement upon Judah at the hands of Babylon,
Habakkuk 3:16-19 “16 When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops. 17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls– 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.”
Now THAT is faith.
JP
James said: I’m don’t think one should necessarily feel “reassured” to be told that “God is sovereign” if their family was murdered with a machete in the Sudan, say…How do you suggest a believer is supposed to interpret such events (if we even are at all)?
James, I would agree with the three excellent answers above by Rob, Gordan, and JP. But as I have asked you before, how would YOU interpret those events from the standpoint of God being a simply bystander? Is a God who cannot control the evil of man worth worshipping? Certainly not. But a God who works all things after the counsel of His will, being that His character is the absolute of perfection, assures us that whatever happens, happens for our good (if we are believers).
Let me share an illustration that someone gave to me one time:
As creatures, we have absolutely no idea what is good for us and what isn’t –as far as circumstances go. God, on the other hand, has the big picture and His perfect will planned out. It is completely foolish to call anything good or bad from our standpoint, whether it is a hurricane or a mass gunman. Yes, those things can be bad in a temporal realm, but in an eternal realm, as God’s elect, nothing will ever turn out to be bad.
SDG
Nate asks: “Is a God who cannot control the evil of man worth worshipping?”
First of all, I don’t think the question is whether He can or not but whether He does or not. Further, it implies that the universe as it is is exactly as He desires it. I would find this a troubling prospect, given its current condition.
Secondly, you’re placing specific conditions on what you deem to be worthy of a deity. This is fine, but your conditions differ than mine. If He lacks “power”, He’s not worthy of your time it seems. Personally, I care more that He’s good than that He is all-powerful. If a malevolent being had all the power, it doesn’t mean I’d worship it. In fact, I’d hope I’d be able to retain my conscience and refrain from doing so.
James said: it implies that the universe as it is is exactly as He desires it. I would find this a troubling prospect, given its current condition.
James, why would we care what you find to be troubling? Furthermore, why would God care? Does He answer to your view of what is good and what isn’t? You need to ask yourself who made whom.
James said: you’re placing specific conditions on what you deem to be worthy of a deity.
Do you not see that you did the exact same thing you accuse me of when you stated ‘I would find this a troubling prospect’ a sentence above?
James, again and again people on this blog have asked you to back up your position with scripture. You have failed to do so. We must get our idea of Who God is from His revealed word, not our own philosophical reasoning. As natural sinners and enemies of God, we completely lack the capacity to understand God, or to even judge between right and wrong. And yet, you seem to continually place your reasoning and your opinion of what you think God is, as some kind of ’standard’ that God must meet to warrant your attention.
Please produce scriptural evidence for your assertions, that is, if you are going to begin to convince anyone that you words hold any weight.
Nate: I HAVE quoted various Scripture passages (Hebrews, James, etc.), but I am told that I am not interpreting them correctly. I realize I may be wrong about some of these interpretations, which is what I’m trying to find out. (I have modified my views in the past, so I’m not unwilling to yield.)
Here’s what’s happening: I quote Scripture passage A which I suggest means one thing, then I am told we can’t take it to mean THAT because we have to take it in context of Scripture passage B which implies something contrary. Well, that’s fine, but how do you KNOW that it isn’t the other way around? On what basis do you come down on side B and not A? What METHOD are you using to determine what to take as hyperbole and what to take at face value? Historical records or studies of ancient languages? Human logic and reasoning? The opinion of a theologian you respect?
–
You ask: “why would we care what you find to be troubling?”
Well, you don’t have to care. My suggestion is simply that we ALL (me included) place parameters on what we deem worthy of our worship. For the Calvinist, it’s the attribute of power and sovereignty (or what the one understands those words to mean), as you’ve admitted. On a more personal level, I’m trying to understand why that alone takes pre-eminence over other values like Justice, Mercy, Goodness, etc.
The one thing I’m trying to figure out is why Calvinism is appealing. You’d think that the one theological system that debases man’s self-righteousness and freedom (in the libertarian sense), and exalts God’s glory over ours’ would repulse a person. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Calvinist. I just know from personal experience that Calvinism wasn’t appealing.
James,
Can you just answer the “family murdered in the Sudan” question, as you yourself best understand the answer? You can’t beat something with nothing. Complain all day that the Calvinistic idea of sovereignty is wrong, but if you’ve got nothing to replace it with, then it’s simply whining.
Gordan: As I’ve been mulling this over, perhaps we are in not as much disagreement as I had first thought, though we seem to be getting caught up in terminology.
I’m not sure there’s much of a difference between saying God permissively allowed something to occur and suggesting He willed it to occur. Either way, He chose to allow it to pass, yes? His inactivity in preventing it is simply another form of activity in a way (a negative action, in a sense).
Either way, you’re left with unanswerable questions: so instead of “Why did God cause this?” it becomes “Why did God allow it?” …. doesn’t really matter either way, does it? Both questions assume He COULD do something otherwise.
James,
I think that’s pretty reasonable. Good “mulling” job, there.
But I think that those of us who are big on sovereignty would phrase things differently in the case of a “bad thing” that is caused by men sinning, rather than by natural causes like a tornado or something. I’d say, yes, God sent the tornado: He caused it and directed it precisely where He wanted. But the “family slaughtered in Sudan” I would not attribute to God “causing” it. Men’s sin still belongs to ones who do it. I realize some still argue that this makes God the author of sin because that’s what He ordained that they should do, but this is not a biblical way to speak, in my opinion. So, in the Sudan scenario, I’d probably phrase it in terms of God “allowing” rather than causing.
Gordan: Natural disasters I think must be taken in a different context than human evil. Otherwise, we’ll end up believing that God has a natural enmnity towards those who dwell in trailers and mobile homes while remaining affectionate towards those fortunate enough to be living in large, expansive estates.
This is hardly something I’d believe to be theologically accurate.
