Lately I have been involved in numerous discussions in internet land regarding the Gospel and Calvinism. Particularly, how does the Calvinistic doctrine of Limited Atonement relate to the Gospel by which we are saved?
The $64,000 question is if Reformed Theology, aka Calvinism, teaches the same Gospel as the Scriptures teach. Is this issue nothing more than an in-house issue to be discussed amongst brothers? Or is it an issue that divides us and always will? Does the Gospel proclaimed by Calvinism result in a false Gospel? All of these I shall endeavor to answer here, not necessarily from a Lutheran perspective (although that is the default position of this blog), but from the mouth of popular Calvinistic preachers (as well as lesser-known ones) as well as from the Scriptures.
Let us begin by allowing Scripture and it alone to define and tell us what the Gospel says. Thus, we may also conclude what sort of things the Gospel does not say. The classic text from Scripture that tells us precisely what the Gospel says is found in St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (ESV)
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word 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 in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
This short passage penned by St. Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is the Gospel. This is the Good News. The Gospel is as such: Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose on the third, and appeared to hundreds of people, including the apostles.
Notice closely what Scripture says. This Gospel was preached to these Corinthians beforehand. St. Paul had no idea of their election. He flatly and plainly says that he preached to them that Christ died for their sins.
Calvinism cannot preach this! In fact, Calvinist teachers are very careful to point out that we are not to preach to anybody that Christ died for them unless that person has made a credible profession of faith and has been baptized. It is simply unallowable for a Reformed teacher to preach the Gospel and say that Christ died for your sins.
Why is this? It is the Reformed doctrine of Limited Atonement. This doctrine takes a few differing forms, but all of these forms agree that Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection was only intended to atone for those who are elect. Therefore, it would by lying in Reformed Theology to tell anybody that Christ died for them if they are not a professing Christian. Reformed Theology cannot say for certain whether or not Jesus died for a specific individual who does not as of yet (and hence, may never) receive Christ.
Rushing in to fill the void in divers attempts to define the Gospel, Reformed adherents have inserted numerous arguments and word salads to lay definition to the Gospel that falls within a Reformed framework.
Here are some examples:
"Rather than saying 'Christ died for you,' which has no biblical warrant, we proclaim instead that 'Christ died and rose for all those who would believe.' (John 3:16)" - John W. Hendryx (Should I Say "Christ Died For You" When Sharing the Gospel? (monergism.com))
"The Gospel is a command. It's not optional." (The Gospel is a Command - The Master's University (masters.edu)) [John MacArthur]
"I'm tired of Jesus being presented as a weak beggar. He is a powerful Savior and the Gospel is not a suggestion, it is a command!" -James White
"I believe Jesus died on the cross for the elect. He did exactly what he intended to do and accomplished redemption for all who would believe, and not every person who has ever lived." - Erik Raymond (Did Jesus Die for Everyone? (thegospelcoalition.org))
These will suffice for now, although we could go much further and provide many more quotes. Suffice it to say, one thing Calvinists who affirm limited atonement will always affirm is that one may not preach that Christ died for you or that Christ died for your sins in an evangelistic manner. They cannot do this because it would be, to put it bluntly, a bold-faced lie as it pertains to their theology.
John W. Hendryx's article at monergism.com is normative for Calvinism. He flatly says we cannot preach that "Christ died for you."
I suggest that this line of thought is nothing more and nothing less than to declare St. Paul anathema, per 1 Corinthians 15. St. Paul quite clearly says in 1 Corinthians 15 that he himself told the Corinthians that Christ died for their sins, and that is exactly the Gospel they received. This nullifies limited atonement. Period. Full stop.
In the wake of getting the Gospel wrong, other fallacious ideas have rushed in to fill the void pertaining to the Gospel.
James White, John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, and other "Reformed Baptists" have completely substituted other ideas in place of the Gospel. Across the board, Reformed Baptists and hyper sovereign grace Calvinists unanimously assert that the Gospel is a command. There is biblical warrant to what they are saying. In effect, they are deferring to Acts 17:30, where it states that God commands all men everywhere to repent.
This is true. They are not entirely wrong here. The issue is that this is *not the Gospel.* This is a command given by God to humanity. He commands his creatures to repent. This accompanies the Gospel and is related to it, but it is not the Gospel proper.
The Gospel proper is what is stated in 1 Corinthians 15. It is a proclamation of what Jesus Christ did for you. It is 100% divine action and divine promise. The command to repent is alongside of the Gospel, but it is not the Gospel, lest we confuse repentance and belief with the work of Christ at Calvary.
This should not surprise us, however. When a theology cannot affirm such a basic and core tenet of Christianity, other things will always rush in to fill the void. We see this happening across the board in churches that reject the sacraments, for instance. If baptism does nothing and the Lord's Supper is a mere memorial, where can we look to see our salvation in action? In more Arminian, free will Baptist, and Pelagian belief systems, voila, we have the Sinner's prayer, altar calls, second baptisms of the Holy Spirit, and asking Jesus into your heart, among other ideas. In Reformed Theology, especially of a Baptist stripe, we see promises continually turned into commands, and looking inwardly to know if you are truly elect.
There is much more to say on these issues and this is very rudimentary, but suffice it to say, I lean much more heavily to Evangelicalism being more of a mission field than an in-house discussion amongst brothers.
Does that seem too harsh? Perhaps. Yet, God's Word stands, and Calvinists for the most part have the Gospel that saves us incorrect.
And that is no small issue, as the same St. Paul tells us in Galatians 1.
+Pax+
