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Article series: Heresies to reject.Part 1 Calvinism
A study on Calvinistic determinism (predestination)
This article argues that the Bible clearly teaches that man has a real will, and that he is held accountable for how he responds to God's call to salvation.
Part 1
A Biblical examination of human responsibility and God's grace
The question of human free will in relation to salvation is one of the most contentious in Christian theology. At the time of the Reformation, Luther and Erasmus were pitted against each other in a confrontation that has been decisive for the further treatment of the issue. In our time, we encounter a similar tension in the encounter between Calvinist determinism and classical Evangelical Lutheran faith.
Illustration: John Calvin
Calvinism
Calvinism is a theological doctrine within Protestant Christianity based on the interpretations of the Bible by the French reformer John Calvin (1509-1564). It is particularly associated with Reformed theology and forms an important part of the Reformation heritage. Here are some key points of Calvinism, often summarised in the so-called 'five points ’ (TULIP in English):
1 Total Depravity:
Man is totally fallen by sin and cannot choose God of his own free will.
2Unconditional Election:
God, out of his sovereign will, has chosen some for salvation - not because of anything they have done.
3Limited Atonement:
Jesus died only for the sins of the elect, not for all people without exception.
4Irresistible Grace:
When God calls someone to salvation, that person cannot resist his grace.
5Perseverance of the Saints:
Those who are truly saved will be preserved by God and not fall away from the faith.
Calvinism thus emphasises God's sovereignty, predestination and God's grace as crucial to human salvation.
Predetermination
Do humans have free will?
‘The will is enslaved, but faith unites man with Christ, and in Christ he becomes free.’
Martin Luther De Servo Arbitrio (On the Bondage of the Will)
1.
A true will but not saving in itself
The Bible does not portray man as passive clay devoid of all moral capacities. It does say that we are ‘dead in our sins’ (Eph 2:1), but this does not mean that we are incapable of responding to God's call. God's grace works through the Word to call, convict and draw man to Himself (John 12:32; Titus 2:11). At the same time, the Bible teaches that there is real responsibility:
‘And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.’ (John 5:40)
Jesus does not say that they could not, but that they did not want to. Man's problem is the will, but it is a real will, which God calls to repentance.
‘And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:‘ (Acts 17:30)
2.
The Gospel as a real offer
The logic of Calvinism undermines the Bible's calls to repentance and faith. If God has already decided who will be saved, is it honest for Jesus to cry out:
‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.’ (John 7:37)
‘Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’ (1 Tim 2:4)
‘Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.’ (Acts 26:17-18)
If the will is irrelevant, these cries to man are only apparent. But the Bible teaches that the Gospel is a real offer that must be received in faith:
‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.’ (Rom 10:9)
3.
God does not judge without reason
One of the strongest arguments in favour of man having a real will is that God judges man for his sin:
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (Joh 3:19)
If God had predetermined the doom of each individual sinner, the judgement would not be just but tyrannical. But the Bible emphasises that man himself ‘has no excuse’ (see Romans 1:20).
4.
God does not judge without reason
It is true that salvation is by grace, not by ourselves (Eph 2:8-9), but this grace meets us as an offer to receive or reject:
‘..ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.’ (Acts 7:51)
Resisting God's Spirit would be pointless if no one could resist him. But the Bible shows that God works in freedom and calls to faith, but not by force. This is also consistent with how God ‘pulls’ man (John 6:44), not drags.
5.
What Luther really meant about ‘free will’ his book:
‘On the Bondage of the Will (De Servo Arbitrio, 1525)’
It is true that in his book ‘On the Bondage of the Will (De Servo Arbitrio, 1525)’ Luther strongly criticised the idea of free will in the matter of salvation. But his definition of ‘free will’ differs from how modern evangelicals and Lutherans often use the term. Luther denied that man in his fallen state could begin the process of salvation on his own. But he affirmed that man, having been called by the Word, could receive grace:
‘It is not man, but the Spirit of God, who works faith through the proclamation of the Gospel.’ - Martin Luther
Luther also writes:
‘If God draws us by his Spirit, and the Word is proclaimed, then the will to believe and receive is awakened in man.’- Martin Luther
Luther was thus aware that God uses means - especially the Word - to work faith. It is not a question of man being a helpless object without a will, but rather that he cannot repent without God seeking him first. So there is room for real human response - and therefore responsibility - but whatever Martin Luther's opinion on the matter, we humans are warned against following men.
6.
Does God have free will - even though he cannot lie?
This frightening claim - that even God does not have ‘free will’ or ‘free choice’ is blasphemous - Yes, believe it or not, there are those who seriously claim that God does not have free will because He ‘cannot lie’ (Titus 1:2), but this is based on a misunderstanding of both freedom and the Holy nature of God. It is true that God cannot lie - but it is also true that God is Holy, righteous and immutable. But this does not mean that God is unfree - on the contrary! It shows that God's will is completely free from the constraints of sin.
God cannot lie - not because he is innocent, but because he is free from sin (1 John 1:5).
The devil lies - not because he is free, but because he is bound by lies (John 8:44).
When the Bible says that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), or that he cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13), it means that God does not act contrary to his Holy nature. It is not a limitation, but a testimony to his eternal nature.
Jesus says:
‘I am the way, the truth, and the life:’ (John 14:6)
To say that God is not free because he does not lie: is to misinterpret the nature of freedom. To say that the verse in Titus is proof that since even God does not have ‘free will’ or ‘free choice’, we humans cannot have free will either; is not only a lie but also a tribute to the devil, who is then better than God, since Satan is free and can lie but God cannot. The question is: How can God be Truth, be Holy and at the same time imitate the devil, since the lie is of the devil, the father of lies? No, God always chooses the good - not because he is forced to, but because he is free to do so.
‘Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.’ (2 Corinthians 3:17)
7.
To ‘receive’ - an expression of responsibility and available salvation
The Bible repeatedly speaks of man receiving the Gospel, receiving the atonement, receiving Christ This language shows that salvation is not forced on anyone - it is received by faith, which requires a response
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.[...] by whom we have now received the atonement."(Romans 5:8-11)
"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, [...]. we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God"(2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
Paul himself puts it in 1 Corinthians 15:
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain."(1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
Here we see that salvation takes place through an active reception - not a passive granting. Paul also says about himself:
‘For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,..’(1 Corinthians 15:3)
The expression "receive ’ presupposes co-operation with grace - not that we save ourselves, but that we do not resist it (cf. Acts 7:51).
The Bible also uses expressions such as "everybody “ and ”whosoever ’ to show that the Gospel is available to all people:
‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’(John 3:16)
‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’(Rom 10:13)
These verses show that the offer of salvation is not limited to some - it is available, but must be received.
Jesus confirms this in his teaching:
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."(Matthew 7:13-14)
This means that the way of salvation is real, but not everyone walks it. Few find it - not because they are not allowed to believe, but because they do not want to.
God gives the choice, man responds
False religion - such as Islam and deterministic Calvinism - tends to deny man's responsibility by reducing him to a passive instrument of God's will. The Bible shows a different balance: God calls and acts sovereignly, but man must respond. Faith is not a performance, but it is a real response.
‘To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.’ (Heb 3:15)
It is not either God's grace or man's response. It is God's grace working so that man can believe - but it is man who believes. And that is why it is a true gospel.
Del 2
Calvinism and Islam in the light of the Christian doctrine of salvation
The question of how God saves mankind has always posed profound theological questions for people. Two systems that often invoke God's sovereignty and predestination are Calvinism in Christianity and the theology of Islam. Both claim that nothing happens outside God's will and that man is fundamentally dependent on God for his salvation. But behind these superficial similarities there are deep and crucial differences, not least in how the way of salvation is understood and communicated.
God's sovereignty and predestination
Both Calvinism and Islam emphasise that God is absolutely sovereign. Calvinism teaches that God has predestined from eternity which people will be saved (‘unconditional election’) and that this will cannot be resisted (‘irresistible grace’). It is based on texts such as Romans 9:18:
‘Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.’ (Romans 9:18)
In Islam, belief in destiny (al-Qadar) is one of the six pillars of faith. Allah is the One who guides or leads according to His will:
"Allah guides whom he wills and leads whom he wills ’ (Quran 14:4).
This means that both faith and unbelief are ultimately subject to God's will.
The nature and availability of salvation
A crucial difference between these systems and traditional evangelical Christianity lies in the way salvation is made available to man. According to Calvinism, Christ died only for the elect (‘limited atonement’). This means that Jesus' death was not a universal offer to all people, but an effective act of atonement for a specific number.
Islam, on the other hand, completely rejects the idea of atonement through sacrifice. No one else can bear anyone's sin:
"No soul shall bear another's burden ’ (Quran 6:164).
Salvation here is about believing in Allah, doing good deeds and hopefully sharing in God's mercy. The traditional Christian doctrine of salvation, as expressed in e.g. Romans 3:23-25, emphasises that all people are sinners:
‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:.’ (Rom 3:23-25)
Christ has been set forth as an atoning sacrifice in his blood, and this is offered freely to all who believe.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16)
The nature of sin and the need for reconciliation
Calvinism and traditional Christianity share the doctrine of original sin. Man is depraved in nature after the fall and unable to turn to God on his own (‘total depravity’). Islam denies this: man is born innocent, but is weak and prone to sin. Thus, there is no need for Christ to die for man's sins in Islamic theology, as each individual is responsible only for his own choices.
Thematic comparison
1.
The availability of salvation
Calvinism: Only the elect can be saved. God's call is irresistible.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 6:44)
Islam: Salvation is given to those who believe, do good deeds and submit.
"But those who believe and live righteously shall enter Paradise, where they shall abide for ever ’ (Quran 2:82)
Traditional Christianity: Salvation is offered freely to all sinners.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:’ (Romans 3:23-24)
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:’ (John 3:16)
2.
God's sovereignty and free will
Calvinism:God predetermines who will believe; man has no free will in the matter of salvation.
"Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will..’ (Romans 9:18).
Islam: Allah leads or guides whom he will.
"Allah leads whom he wills and lets whom he wills go astray ’ (Quran 14:4).
Traditional Christianity: God wants everyone to be saved, but man must believe.
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’ (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.’ (Romans 10:9)
3.
The nature of sin
Calvinism: Man is totally depraved after the original sin.
"..who were dead in trespasses and sins;’ (Ephesians 2:1).
Islam: Man is born innocent but is prone to sin.
"No one bears the burden of another.Every man is responsible for his own actions ‘ (Quran 6:164).
Traditional Christianity: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;’ (Romans 3:23).
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;’ (Romans 5:12).
4.
The Atonement - how to be saved?
Calvinism: Salvation is through Jesus' atonement - but only for the elect.
‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.‘ (John 10:11).
"I lay down my life for the sheep’ (John 10:15).
Islam: No atonement by blood - salvation depends on faith, deeds and Allah's mercy.
"No soul shall bear the burden of another soul.No ransom shall be accepted from anyone ‘ (Quran 2:48).
Traditional Christianity: Salvation is a gift through the blood of Jesus, to all who believe.
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,’ (Ephesians 1:7).
"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,’ (1 Peter 2:24).
5.
Perseverance of the saints
Calvinism: No – the elect are preserved to the end ("perseverance of the saints")
Islam:Yes - believers can lose salvation if they sin.
"If you show gratitude, I will give you more.But if you deny, verily My punishment is severe ‘ (Quran 14:7).
Traditional Christianity: No - man can apostatise, but salvation is certain for everyone who believes.
‘..he standeth take heed lest he fall’ (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Calvinism and Islam are united in their emphasis on God's absolute sovereignty and predestination. The two systems are in practice selective: salvation is not a universal offer in the sense that all people can freely receive it on God's terms. Instead, it is dependent on God's decision or the believer's performance.
Yes indeed, man has free will
The traditional Christian doctrine of salvation - as expressed in Romans 3:23-25 - rests on two pillars: all have sinned, and all are offered salvation through Jesus Christ. It is by his blood, not our works or predestination, that we are justified. This message is universal:
‘Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;’ (Romans 3:25)
‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Romans 10:13).
To ponder:
If Calvinism is correct and salvation only happens if God has chosen a person to be saved regardless of their own will. Doesn't that mean that a person, condemned to eternal punishment, could accuse God: That it is his fault, because he did NOT choose him/her to be saved?
‘But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.’ (2 Cor 11:3)
We humans are all sinners and we have been given by God our free will, to resist or receive the atonement to God, through the faith of Jesus Christ.
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1John 5:10-13)
Use your freedom to reject the confusion of Calvinism!
Rely on the atoning work of Jesus Christ - offered by grace and received by faith; available to everyone who believes.
Who pays for your sin, you or Jesus? The choice is yours!
Further reading and resources
Martin Luther: On the Bondage of the Will (De Servo Arbitrio, 1525)
Bengt Hägglund: The Pattern of Faith - A Historical Overview of Theology
Alister McGrath: Christian Theology - An Introduction (on Luther's and Erasmus' debate)
This article is published by: The Bible Library™
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(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) - 2 Cor. 6:2 (KJV)
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. - Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)
