Rejecting the Doctrines of Grace

[Ivan]

There is no soul living who holds more firmly to the doctrines of grace than I do, and if any man asks me whether I am ashamed to be called a Calvinist, I answer—I wish to be called nothing but a Christian; but if you ask me, do I hold the doctrinal views which were held by John Calvin, I reply, I do in the main hold them, and rejoice to avow it. But far be it from me even to imagine that Zion contains none but Calvinistic Christians within her walls, or that there are none saved who do not hold our views. Most atrocious things have been spoken about the character and spiritual condition of John Wesley, the modern prince of Arminians. I can only say concerning him that, while I detest many of the doctrines which he preached, yet for the man himself I have a reverence second to no Wesleyan; and if there were wanted two apostles to be added to the number of the twelve, I do not believe that there could be found two men more fit to be so added than George Whitefield and John Wesley. The character of John Wesley stands beyond all imputation for self-sacrifice, zeal, holiness, and communion with God; he lived far above the ordinary level of common Christians, and was one "of whom the world was not worthy." I believe there are multitudes of men who cannot see these truths, or, at least, cannot see them in the way in which we put them, who nevertheless have received Christ as their Saviour, and are as dear to the heart of the God of grace as the soundest Calvinist in or out of Heaven.

C.H. SPURGEON
A Defense of Calvinism

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[JoshCasey]

I also thought of Spurgeon:

Speaking of Arminians, Whitfield said, “We are all born Arminians.” It is grace that turns us into Calvinists, grace that makes Christians of us, grace that makes us free, and makes us know our standing in Christ Jesus.

I think it's one of those things - while Total Depravity is indeed necessary to the entire Christian idea of salvation, but only grace can bring someone to realize that, or any of the other doctrines of grace.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I can answer for what I think of Dave Hunt: I would never trust his scholarship for any cult he has written on given how little he understands about the Reformed faith. I've never seen him be able to articulate it correctly. Either he is dishonest, lacks the mental capacity to understand it, has a reading comprehension problem, has never really read it, or only reads what others say about it.

Dr. White is a personal friend and mailed me a free copy of the "debate in a book" that he did with Dave Hunt on the subject. I'm glad that I had never wasted any time reading any of Dave Hunt's works over the years. I have Reformed friends that had held him in some esteem prior to his treatment on Calvinism. They were really disappointed.

I have my book in storage (Is it called Calvinism: Two Views?) Anyhow, what is least shocking is the obvious fact that Dave Hunt disagrees with the "headings of Calvinism". He's like the Rain Man "God is Love, God is Love, definitely God is Love..." and that's his basic argument throughout the book. The real shocker was the unmitigated Pelagianism that came out of some of the things that he wrote. At one point he states that God never commands anything of men that they are not able to obey.

So, in short:

1. With men like Dave Hunt, I don't have a great deal of respect for their scholarship and think they shouldn't be teaching people.
2. It's not my place to say if they're saved as the secret things belong to God.
3. I have less confidence that a man has received and rested on the Gospel when his public expression of the Gospel is mixed with rank heresy.
4. I think such men will be held accountable for those who they lead astray with a mixed Gospel.
5. There, but the Grace of God, go I. May he ever keep me from such error.