“The biblical gospel is summed up in these truths we call the doctrines of grace, the five points of Calvinism. If we lose these truths then we lose the biblical gospel.” -Jeff Durbin (sermon min 12:01) And another popular Calvinistic preacher has said: “We cannot delve into the gospel without delving into predestination and election. …it affects how we share the gospel.” -Voddie Baucham (sermon).
The bible, however, is very clear what the gospel actually is and warns us to be very careful about protecting its simplicity and truth. We should not ever replace the gospel with a man-made doctrine, not even a soteriology. Nor should we make it a necessity of the gospel, by doing so we are adding to the gospel.
What does the bible say the gospel is?
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Ro 10:9–10).
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31)
So what do we do with the idea that Calvinism is the gospel or should be added to the gospel?
“I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” (2 Cor 11:3–4)
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” (Gal 1:6–9)
I personally do not think that Calvinism is a different gospel or cultish. It is merely a way of understanding salvation. I do not agree with it and I don’t think that most Calvinists would claim it was the gospel. Durbin and Baucham are essentially saying C.S. Lewis, A. W. Tozer, Billy Graham, William Lane Craig, Hank Hanegraaff, all the early church fathers, and I have “lost the gospel”. I think that all Christians regardless of doctrinal beliefs must be very careful and clear with the gospel.
“Don’t let a doctrine get in the way of the gospel.” – John Piper (also a Calvinist)
John Calvin [2] was attempting to explain how salvation worked from a philosophical and perhaps theological perspective. He never intended for the ideas to become or replace the gospel. I firmly believe that Calvin would be appalled by Durbin’s and many others’ claims. But we must keep in mind that by his own admission Jeff Durbin has not actually read Calvin’s work (min 15:15) yet he claims that “Jesus was a Calvinist” (min 15:37). [Personal note: it always makes me cringe when someone says “Jesus was…” Jesus is! And He most certainly IS not a Calvinist.] John Calvin himself admitted that the early church fathers did not have this teaching.
“This cardinal truth [Calvinism] of Christianity was first clearly seen by Augustine, the great Spirit-filled theologian of the West.” -John Calvin [1]
Calvinism misplaces “regeneration” to be required prior to one placing his faith in Jesus. Regeneration is only used twice in the new testement. Once in Mt. 19:28 when Jesus is talking about the new heavens and the new earth and Titus 3:5 when it is describing the work of the Holy Spirit after salvaiton.
Let’s look at it in context: Tit 3:4-8
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
It clearly states “having been justified” past tense. In addition regeneration is left out of all passages that teach the order of salvation (Ordo Salutis) Rm 8:29-30, Eph 1:13. We should absolutely believe in regeneration, we should stick to what the bible says about it and not invent our own understandings.
Calvinism teaches that lost people cannot respond to the gospel. This is called total inability. The bible says that we are saved by grace through faith and that faith comes hearing the gospel (Eph 2:8, Rm 10:17).
Calvinism teaches that salvation is only available to certain people. This is called unconditional election. The bible teaches that salvation has been made available to all (Acts 2:21, Rm 10:13, 1 Tim 2:4, Titus 2:11, 2 Peter 3:9).
Calvinism teaches that Jesus only died for a few people. This is called limited atonement. The bible teaches that Jesus died for all (1 John 2:2, 2 Cor 5:15, 1 Peter 3:18, Heb 10:10)
Calvinism teaches that we cannot reject the gospel. This is called irresistible grace. The bible teaches that we are responsible for rejecting the gospel (Luke 10:16, Mt 10:33).
Calvinism teaches that if we backslide at all then we were never saved. This is called preservation of the saints. The bible teaches that sanctification is an ongoing process that will be completed at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10, 1 Cor 3:15).
See my deeper article on Calvinism where I list my sources for their claims.
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