It's Your Choice

The Fallacy of Calvinism

Bob Raymond

• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9781649900999
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

In this profound and highly thought-provoking book, Bob Raymond explores the most challenging and significant theological questions: the sovereignty and character of God, and the salvation of mankind.Does God exercise exhaustive and meticulous control over everything in His creation?Does God only choose some for salvation letting the rest live a sinful life that destines them to hell?Has He created mankind with self-determination and given everyone the freedom to accept or reject His gift of eternal life?

These critical questions frame the unending debate between Calvinism and Arminianism. Bob takes a firm stand in this debate, and provides the reader with unique and insightful biblical truths. This is a book of hope. "for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1: 16).

CHAPTER ONE

God’s Purpose for Creation

“I have created for My glory”

Isaiah 43:7

MOST CHRISTIANS UNDERSTAND God created the universe for His own glory. There are many passages in the Bible that affirm this belief. One of my favorites is, “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for my glory, I have formed him, yes I have made him” (Isa 43:7). What does this really mean to us when God declares He created mankind for His glory? Is there something special God expects from us? Are there things we should do that would please God? How are we to interpret this?

First, because God created the universe for His glory it establishes the framework for His creation. Everything God has done or will do in the history of mankind is for His glory—everything. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16). Everything God has done is for Himself—His glory. The entire history of the universe, everything that has ever happened, has happened to the glory of God. Surprisingly, for some, this includes sin. As much as God hates sin, it is because of sin He is glorified.

Sin began with Adam and Eve and their story seems as natural as the creation itself. Many Christians do not understand that God’s plan for creation included sin, and we can be certain God created the circumstances for the original sin to take place. God created angels that would rebel against Him. The greatest, Satan, provided the necessary deception for Eve to pick the forbidden fruit. Not knowing good or evil made both Adam and Eve very susceptible to the lies of Satan. The only reason picking the fruit was a sin is because God established the law that made picking that fruit a sin. “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat” (Gn 2:17). Without the law there is no sin (Rm 5:13).

Sin, of course, was not a surprise to God. Erickson said, “His actions are not reactions to unforeseen developments. He does not get taken by surprise or have to formulate contingency plans”⁴. In fact, sin was woven into the fabric of His framework. “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope” (Rom 8:20). God intentionally allowed sin into the world because it is through the forgiveness of sin at salvation and the payment for the debt of sin that God is glorified. In Chapter Three we will learn more about the necessity of sin.

Some theologians suggest that because of the sin in the world God’s original purpose could not be entirely fulfilled. Of course, this is incorrect. Even the Westminster Confession of Faith agrees that God allowed sin for His glory. It states in Chapter VI, “This their sin God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory”⁵. They site Romans 11:32 as the proof text. “For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all”. MacArthur says, “God allowed man to pursue his sinful inclinations so that He could receive glory by demonstrating His grace and mercy to disobedient sinners”⁶. God allowed sin because through the forgiveness of sin and the sacrifice of Jesus He is glorified.

What is critically important to understand is that God is glorified by the salvation of mankind, not by the punishment of the sin mankind has committed. “‘Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?’ says the Lord God, ‘and not that he should turn from his ways and live?’” (Ez 18:23). God takes no pleasure in the punishment of sin, but sin was a critical part of God’s creation. Without sin there would be no redemption, no sacrifice—no crucifixion. God, however, is just and those that reject Him will be justly dealt with.

Secondly, God’s purpose for creation has innately determined mankind’s purpose for life. His purpose is His glory; our purpose is to do everything we can to bring glory to Him (1 Cor 10:31). This is also part of the framework of God’s creation. He wants us to glorify Him and there is no greater way we can do that than to use the freedom of choice He has given us and accept the calling of the Holy Spirit. We are to “Give to the Lord the glory due His name, bring an offering, and come before Him” (1 Ch 16:29). We are to bring to God our understanding and agreement of who He is, and our obedience and submission to Him. We are to believe He is the creator of heaven and earth, obey His commands, and submit to His Lordship over us. This is what glorifies God; this is what He wants from us. Erickson wrote, “While God did not have to create, He did so for good and sufficient reasons, and the creation fulfills that purpose. In particular, the creation glorifies God by carrying out His will. Only humans and angels are capable of obeying God consciously and willingly and thus glorifying God most fully”⁷. MacArthur wrote that the faithful who bear the Lord’s name “exist for one primary purpose: to glorify Him”⁸.

Oden said, “God is glorified in an extraordinary way by the creation of intelligent beings capable of praising and thereby of reflecting God’s own glory in temporal, historical, physical and moral acts. God’s glory is manifested in creation”⁹. Those that freely and willingly believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him as Lord and Savior glorify God more than any other thing could possibly do with the exception of the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. How important was the crucifixion to God’s glory? At the last supper, Jesus looked beyond His sacrificial death on the cross to the glory He would share with His Father when it was finished. “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately” (Jn 13:31–32). Nothing has glorified God more than the sacrifice of His Son for the sins of the world. God desires all mankind be saved and the sacrifice of His Son for the redemption of all mankind should be evidence enough of that fact (1 Tim 2:4).

Unfortunately, the Calvinists have diminished God’s glory by the doctrine of limited atonement that mistakenly asserts Jesus only died for the sins of God’s elect. There is no valid justification for this thinking. Mankind cannot burn long enough in the fiery pits of hell to satisfy the penalty God demands for their sin, not even in all of eternity. Only Jesus could do that, and He did.

Knowing God’s purpose for creation makes it easier to understand that although God loves us, sent His Son to die for us, and wants us to spend eternity with Him; He didn’t do it for us. He did it for Himself. That may sound like He’s a selfish God and from our meager perspective it might seem that way. But from God’s perspective— it is not. God wants our focus to be on Him, not on ourselves. God did not create us to live out our lives meeting our own self-centered desires. He wants our heart and our desires to be on Him. God is a jealous God, but it is a divine jealousy. He wants all of us to give Him our full devotion (Dt 4:24).

There can be no doubt God has created a world and a plan for the salvation of mankind that will glorify Himself the most. Grudem wrote, “If God created the universe to show His glory, then we would expect that the universe would fulfill the purpose for which He created it”¹⁰. The greatest glory comes from the salvation of man who consciously and willingly believes in Him, and thus glorifies God most fully. The reason for the whole plan of salvation is the glory of God. The reason God is glorified is because the choice to believe is mankind’s choice.

We are all sinners and undeserving of the grace of God. Yet, God desires all mankind be saved for His glory. He created a framework that not only will ensure He receives the greatest glory possible, but also one that saves as many as will come to believe in Him. God did not leave mankind stranded in a fallen world without a pathway to salvation. “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim 1:15).

We have all asked ourselves the question: what is the purpose of my life? The answer should always be, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). 1 Peter 4:11 sums it up. “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen”. The purpose of our life is to glorify God. We are to live a life that brings glory to God. Our reward for such a life is an eternity in the heavenly places.

Piper wrote, “What we are saying is that God has planned the very best world for the accomplishment of his goal to magnify the fullness of his glory. And I say that is the ultimate goal of the creation of the world and the governance of the world, to magnify his glory”¹¹.

This purpose for God’s creation must always remain in the forefront of our minds. When God does something, He does it perfectly and He does it for His glory.

CHAPTER TWO

God’s Character

“I AM WHO I AM”

Exodus 3:14

TO A SIGNIFICANT degree the way we understand the character of God determines how we understand some of the key doctrines of the Christian faith. Many of the disputes between Calvinists and Arminians could be resolved with a common understanding of some of these key attributes of God. Two doctrines that seem to have the most controversy are mankind’s freedom of choice and salvation. Not surprisingly these two things are very closely linked together. The big question has always remained the same; does mankind have the freedom of choice once enabled by God to believe/disbelieve in Jesus Christ, or does God choose some for salvation for some unknown reason and let the rest die in their sin? Part of the answer to that question lies within our understanding of the God that created us.

First of all, we know our understanding of God is limited because God is so much greater than we are. ‘“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts”‘(Isa. 55:8–9). We are also constrained in our view and understanding because time and space separate us from the eternal realm, in which God exists. We don’t understand that eternal realm or what God’s existence in it is like.

Although there are many mysteries about God and things we will never understand, we will learn that God’s plan for the salvation of mankind is not concealed in some secret will or that He has some hidden agenda as the reformed-view will suggest. God is very transparent about His plan for the salvation of mankind. If the framework for God’s plan is His glory, then the structure of His plan is built on His character. God does the things He does because He is God. If we can even understand a small measure of the character of God it will help us understand what He has done for us and what He has given to us.

The Trinity

The Trinity is never mentioned in the Bible in the sense that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are considered three beings in one God. The idea of a triune God has been the source of some debate and controversy since the third century. Both sides of the argument can provide biblical references for their positions. It has generally become an accepted doctrine, that has come from the wisdom of man with the aid of the Holy Spirit.

Traditional Christianity teaches God is a triune God existing as three distinct persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God yet there is only one. One of the most familiar verses affirming this belief is in Matthew 3:16–17. When Jesus was being baptized “the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, ‘this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” In these verses, all three members of the trinity are present. They are also present in 2 Corinthians 13:14. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”

I am going to present a theoretical alternative to the idea of a triune God. Rather than a single triune God, I would suggest there is one God who reveals Himself to mankind in three different ways at different times, and sometimes reveals Himself in multiple ways at the same time. This is not a new idea; it has been around since the third century. The initial arguments, however, were primarily focused on a desire to emphasize there is only one God—perhaps because of verses like: “I, and My Father are one” (Jn 10:30), “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9), “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one” (1 Jn 5:7), and “For there is one God” (1 Tm 2:5). An argument against a triune God could certainly be substantiated by using these verses.

My view is focused on God’s glory and the salvation of man. God’s plan for salvation includes the calling of the Father, an indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the sacrificial crucifixion of Jesus. It would be difficult to understand why God would exist in a triune state of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit if it were not for the salvation of mankind. God would not be any less in His deity or character if He were singular in His nature. He still could have created the universe, the world we live in, and all of mankind. There is nothing God does that is without purpose. His plan for salvation was not coincidental with His triune nature.

There is a concept related to the Trinity that is often referred to as “ontological equality but economic subordination”. The ontological equality speaks to the equality of God’s attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, etc. with no inherent differences between the three. Economic subordination speaks to the roles of the Trinity and their relationship to each other. God, as the Father, is in a leadership role and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are subordinate to Him. The only real distinction between the members of the Trinity are in the way they relate to each other and their roles in salvation of mankind.

In God’s perfect wisdom and knowledge, His plan for salvation was perfectly designed and executed. We see the role of God. “This is the work of God, th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Preface
• In Recognition
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 God’s Purpose for Creation
• Chapter 2 God’s Character
• Chapter 3 The Necessity of Sin
• Chapter 4 The Nature of Man - The Trinity
• Chapter 5 The Nature of Man - Salvation
• Chapter 6 Bringing it all Together
• Endnotes
• About the Author