Faith Bible Church: Test Answers

What Are the

"Doctrines of Grace"?

Part Four

Table of Contents

Part One: Take the "Test"

Part Two: Evaluating your Test

Part Three: You Answers in Historical Context

Part Four: Why is this Important to Me?

Part Five: The So-Called "Five Points"

Part Six: For Further Reading

Why is this Important to Me?

“Calvinism is the Gospel, and nothing else,” C.H. Spurgeon once remarked. We believe that the theology usually referred to as “Reformed” or “Calvinism” is that which best fits the entire body of Scripture. Thus, whatever one thinks of the man John Calvin, we generally agree with Spurgeon’s statement in his autobiography, a belief he held throughout his entire ministry, that “Calvin’s fame is eternal because of the truth he proclaimed; and even in heaven, although we shall lose the name of the system of doctrine which he taught, it shall be that truth which shall make us strike our golden harps, and sing. . . . For the essence of Calvinism is that we are born again, ‘not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’”

Why, then, is an understanding of the sovereignty of God so important? It is because God’s sovereignty cannot be separated from the very nature of salvation itself. If salvation is completely of God (the theological term for this is monergism), as we believe it is, then for man to attribute to himself any part of the transaction (which would be called synergism) would be an insult to God and His grace, for God will not give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8) To put this in practical terms, we are on dangerous ground if we:

...think that God has promised to save anyone who asks Him, when Scripture tells us that many have asked and not been accepted (Gen. 4:4-7; Psalm 18:41 Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 11:11; Ezek. 8:18; Proverbs 1:28; Mt. Mark 10:17-22; Hebrews 12:17)

...think we are saved because we have exercised faith in Christ, when the Bible says that even our faith is a gift of God (John 6:65; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians ). Charles Spurgeon said of his preaching, "I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, "You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself." My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will."

...think that our salvation was initiated by anything which we have done, even our coming to believe in Christ, the Bible, or our own sinfulness; praying a prayer of confession; asking Jesus into our heart; going forward in a church service, etc., when Scripture teaches that the New Birth is an act of God from start to finish (John 1:12-13; John 3:3-8; James 2:17-18)

...think that we have repented unto salvation, when Scripture plainly teaches that it is God who grants repentance (Acts 3:26; Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18; Acts 16:14; 2 Timothy 2:25).

...attribute an obedient Christian walk to our own efforts, when we are told it is God working in us both to will and to do (Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13)

...rely on feelings to believe we are saved, when the Scripture teaches our hearts may so easily deceive us (Jeremiah 17:9; Hebrews 3:12)

It is for such dangerous misconceptions as these in the heart of man that the great evangelist George Whitefield felt such a sense of urgency and put his reputation on the line when he wrote a passionate letter to his longtime friend and fellow minister John Wesley in 1740 to challenge him on what he considered to be fatal errors in his theology, the same Arminian errors that had been repeatedly repudiated as heresy in centuries past. “If I am faithful to God, and to my own and others' souls,” Whitefield wrote, “I must not stand neutral any longer. I am very apprehensive that our common adversaries will rejoice to see us differing among ourselves. But what can I say? The children of God are in danger of falling into error. ... This letter, no doubt, will lose me many friends: and for this cause perhaps God has laid this difficult task upon me, even to see whether I am willing to forsake all for him, or not.”

While it is Scripture, not men, that determines what we believe, we hold that it is dangerous to ignore the weight of nearly twenty centuries of careful and spiritual biblical interpretation by God’s choicest servants, whose views received broad acceptance among the believers to whom they ministered. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jeremian 6:16).

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	What Are the "Doctrines of Grace"? Part Four Table of Contents Part One: Take the "Test" Part Two: Evaluating your Test Part Three: You Answers in Historical Context Part Four: Why is this Important to Me? Part Five: The So-Called "Five Points" Part Six: For Further Reading Why is this Important to Me? “Calvinism is the Gospel, and nothing else,” C.H. Spurgeon once remarked. We believe that the theology usually referred to as “Reformed” or “Calvinism” is that which best fits the entire body of Scripture. Thus, whatever one thinks of the man John Calvin, we generally agree with Spurgeon’s statement in his autobiography, a belief he held throughout his entire ministry, that “Calvin’s fame is eternal because of the truth he proclaimed; and even in heaven, although we shall lose the name of the system of doctrine which he taught, it shall be that truth which shall make us strike our golden harps, and sing. . . . For the essence of Calvinism is that we are born again, ‘not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’” Why, then, is an understanding of the sovereignty of God so important? It is because God’s sovereignty cannot be separated from the very nature of salvation itself. If salvation is completely of God (the theological term for this is monergism), as we believe it is, then for man to attribute to himself any part of the transaction (which would be called synergism) would be an insult to God and His grace, for God will not give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8) To put this in practical terms, we are on dangerous ground if we: ...think that God has promised to save anyone who asks Him, when Scripture tells us that many have asked and not been accepted (Gen. 4:4-7; Psalm 18:41 Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 11:11; Ezek. 8:18; Proverbs 1:28; Mt. Mark 10:17-22; Hebrews 12:17) ...think we are saved because we have exercised faith in Christ, when the Bible says that even our faith is a gift of God (John 6:65; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians ). Charles Spurgeon said of his preaching, "I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, "You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself." My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will." *...think that our salvation was initiated by anything* which we have done*, even our coming to believe in Christ, the Bible, or our own sinfulness; praying a prayer of confession; asking Jesus into our heart; going forward in a church service, etc., when Scripture teaches that the New Birth is an act of God from start to finish* (John 1:12-13; John 3:3-8; James 2:17-18) ...think that we have repented unto salvation, when Scripture plainly teaches that it is God who grants repentance (Acts 3:26; Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18; Acts 16:14; 2 Timothy 2:25). ...attribute an obedient Christian walk to our own efforts, when we are told it is God working in us both to will and to do (Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13) ...rely on feelings to believe we are saved, when the Scripture teaches our hearts may so easily deceive us (Jeremiah 17:9; Hebrews 3:12) It is for such dangerous misconceptions as these in the heart of man that the great evangelist George Whitefield felt such a sense of urgency and put his reputation on the line when he wrote a passionate letter to his longtime friend and fellow minister John Wesley in 1740 to challenge him on what he considered to be fatal errors in his theology, the same Arminian errors that had been repeatedly repudiated as heresy in centuries past. “If I am faithful to God, and to my own and others' souls,” Whitefield wrote, “I must not stand neutral any longer. I am very apprehensive that our common adversaries will rejoice to see us differing among ourselves. But what can I say? The children of God are in danger of falling into error. ... This letter, no doubt, will lose me many friends: and for this cause perhaps God has laid this difficult task upon me, even to see whether I am willing to forsake all for him, or not.” While it is Scripture, not men, that determines what we believe, we hold that it is dangerous to ignore the weight of nearly twenty centuries of careful and spiritual biblical interpretation by God’s choicest servants, whose views received broad acceptance among the believers to whom they ministered. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jeremian 6:16). Back to Table of Contents.