James White Refutes Pastor's Anti-Calvinism

[Mathias321]

A must see! James White made this podcast (or whatever it was) at the end of 2010 (I think). I found it on YouTube on a random channel (not Alpha and Omega Ministry's Channel) and downloaded it to upload it for myself on my channel. I believe James White here gets at some very essential points we must make toward those who use these very same anti-Calvinist misrepresentations. James White also brings up some very important points including those who question the "fairness" of predestination but still hold to the orthodox belief that God foreknows all things that come to pass.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

It is often the case that the anti-Calvinist will assume equal ultimacy related to predestination and assume election is salvation versus unto salvation (accomplished and applied in time, WCF 11.4).

I have of late simply taken to quoting Spurgeon in these sort of discussions illustrating the logical result of the anti-Calvinist's view:

“Lord, I thank thee that I am not like these poor, presumptuous Calvinists. Lord, I was born with a glorious free will; I was born with a power by which I can turn to thee of myself; I have improved my grace. If everybody had done the same with their grace as I have, they might all have been saved. Lord, I know that thou dost not make us willing if we are not willing ourselves… it was not thy grace that made us differ… I made use of what was given me, and others did not—that is the difference between me and them.”

Src: Spurgeon, Sermon on John 5:40 “Free Will a Slave” The New Park Street Pulpit, 1855- 1856, Volumes I & II (Pilgrim 1975), 395-402.​

I think the above is effective in getting these folks to examine their presuppositions and what they ultimately entail. Most will recoil in dismay and horror that the above does not represent their view. Yet, they simply cannot escape the argument implied, that their wise choice was the result of something unique within themselves versus their neighbor, who chose badly. I have yet been able to pin an interlocutor down to the point that they will just admit it. Rather they will go through all manner of tortuous explanation and Scripture twisting, turning God into a hand-wringing being, hoping that His creatures will choose rightly because He gave them precious libertarian free will.