Postcards from the Edge

I get very few comments on my blog. The majority of responders, few as they are, seem to prefer sending e-mails directly via the link provided in the Agonizomai sidebar.

I have no problem either with the lack of comments or the fact that people take time out of their lives to write to me directly. These things are what they are and I take it as all from the hand of God.

One person wrote privately to say that he/she had often thought about commenting, but then had felt there was nothing (additional) to be said. I think that the fact that my blog is a devotional one, and not primarily a theological one, probably keeps some people from quibbling or calling me out on various points of doctrine. As I said, it is what it is.

When I posted the recent article "The Trojan Horse of Arminianism" there was undeniably some material that might be provocative to some people - particularly those of an Arminian persuasion. But, in my ignorance, I had completely overlooked the thought that I might be a magnet to those whose thoughts were the polar opposite of the Arminians.

I strongly believe that Arminainism IS a canker on the gospel. But that doesn't lead me to think that all Arminians are destined for the lake of fire. I will defend my stance as best I can. But, by the same token that I abhor the Arminian doctrine (not Arminians, but the doctrine) - I also abhor hyper-Calvinism. And it is on this point that I am including some sanitised correspondence that I recently had with a hyper-Calvinist.

The correspondent began with a somewhat cloudy metaphor about a journey in search of "true" believers in the "true" gospel of Calvinism, concluding with the remarks that begin these extracts as follows:

C. B_____ writes Now I am looking for one who speaks, believes in, and loves the true gospel and aviods (sic) fellowship with those who hold to a different gospel. I believe that calvinism shows what the true Gospel is. Do you believe in it? Do you care? Would you aviod (sic) fellowship with those who are against the gospel? Do you love your true family in Christ? Would you consider those who hate the true gospel to be a fake family? My response C. B_____ I must assume that your e-mail was in response to one of my blogposts at Agonizomai.blogspot.com. You use of metaphor was a bit confusing to me, though your questions at the end are plain enough. Perhaps you could write something to me in plainer language if you find I have misunderstood anything you have said. As to your questions: Q.I believe that Calvinism shows what the true Gospel is. Do you believe in it? A. Yes. Calvinism IS the gospel. The word "Calvinism" is merely a convenient label representing the doctrines of sovereign grace that are taught in the Bible and have been believed through the ages. However, we are not saved by believing in "Calvinism" - but by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as our full and sufficient saviour from sin. Q. Do you care? A. Yes, I care. Are you asking if I care that Calvinism is the gospel? Then my blogpost(s) should answer that question. Q. Would you avoid fellowship with those who are against the gospel? A.Tricky question. 1) I believe that churches should hold people accountable to their profession of faith - which means church discipline up to and including disfellowshiping those who resist correction. In every congregation there is always a mixture of saved and unsaved. It can't be avoided. Jesus said the tares must grow up with the wheat. He will sort one from the other at the end of time. But we must strive, in Christian love, to hold people accountable to their profession of the faith. 2) I would not deliberately join myself to a congregation that was adamantly opposed to the doctrines of grace. 3) Because I truly belong to Christ and He lives in me I can abide in Him wherever I find myself placed by His providence and leading. I can be among both unbelievers and false believers without my faith being threatened. There is a difference between separation for fellowship and isolation from the world. We are called to be in the world, but not of it. Q. Do you love your true family in Christ? A. Yes. My true family in Christ is all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour from sin and the wrath of God by His life, death and resurrection - and who have been born again of His Spirit. It is sometimes hard to know for sure which these are. Loving them is not always the same a liking them. Loving is always doing what is for their good according to God's word. Loving people we don't like is of more spiritual value than loving those we feel warm and fuzzy towards. In any event, we are to forbear each other in love. Q. Would you consider those who hate the true gospel to be a fake family? A. Depends what you mean. Do I think that all Arminians are going to hell? No. Must a person be a Calvinist to be saved? No. In this day and age, most people are Arminian when they come to Christ, and only gradually come to understand the full truth about God's sovereign grace. Are there "fake" Christians? Absolutely. Some are deliberately false professors and many are simply fooling themselves - deceived. Only God infallibly knows which are which. The Philippian jailer asked Paul, "What must I do to be saved?" And Paul answered him, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." At the jailer's house later, much more may have been said by way of explanation to bolster the new believer after he professed Christ - we don't know. But it is the believing in Christ (and all that implies) that moves one through the door. Growth in the knowledge of God follows and continues throughout our lives until we are called home. I'm not entirely sure how to take your allegory. My first impression is that your traveller seems to be looking at men rather than at Christ. Nobody will ever measure up if that's where the traveller is putting his emphasis. Everybody will sooner later disappoint us all. We are all fallible. We all still have within us that old sin nature that sometimes displays itself in inventive and surprising ways. Other men are not the standard. Jesus Christ the Lord is. It was Christ who suffered and died for His people and it was Christ that ws raised again (and we with Him). It is Christ that ever lives to make intercession for us. It is His blood that justifies us and that cleanses us from all sin. Nobody else. He is the Saviour and His is the only standard. Your traveller should look to Him always, and put all else in that context. Blessings, Tony Hayling Agonizomai

So far so good. At least the door was opened to a further exchange of understanding. Or so I thought. But it turns out that people hear only what they want to hear - which is why we all, starting with me, need to constantly guard ourselves against grafting our presuppositions and preferences onto what somebody else is actually saying.

And we certainly need to be watchful to prevent that sort of extremism from invading our beliefs that goes further than what God says in His Word. Read on...

C. B____ responds: I have already met your kind. You probably care far more about relationships. You should have made this clear on your website, that you think arminians, those going about to establish their own righteousness, are Christians. You are calling those who hate the truth of 'Christ alone' my brothers and sisters. Nothing could offend my conscience more. I have spoken to these arminians. They hate Gods sovereignty and consider worldly relationships of greater importance. They take God's name in vain and never regret it. That says enough. You, my freind, are no calvinist at all. You are an arminian with a calvinist mask as far as I can tell. I am so tired of deception. Come out of the dark and tell me what you really believe. I am sorry for sounding so impatient, but I am not going to be bewitched by this 'relationships are more important than theology' thing again. Sigh. I really don't mean to intimidate you. But what irritates me is that your blog was misleading. My response: C. B_____ Ya know, C... I thought long and hard about responding to this e-mail in great detail - but wisdom tells me that would do no good. If you want to know what I "really" believe then read my blog. Start by re-reading "The Trojan Horse of Arminianism" and what I clearly say in it about Arminians - and not just the things you want to hear. Then read other articles from which a fully balanced view of my understanding can be garnered - and which have been there all along for anyone to read. The one who needs to come out of the dark is not me, it is you. I am the one who is putting his whole faith and understanding in the public domain for anyone to read and/or disagree with. You, on the other hand have not even posted a comment to my blog - nor have you declared anything about your own faith apart from some mystical metaphore about a "journey". That, and the implication that my failure to say that all Arminians without either exception or distinction will be consigned to the lake of fire for all eternity somehow makes me a closet Arminian. If that's all you've got, then I respect your right to an opinion and I respectfully disagree with you. If you have more specific things to say, then say them - but disclose what it is that you believe in clear terms. Or make a Biblical argument that supports your judgments. Or are are you only willing to speak in sweeping generalizations and in ad hominem terms? Don't worry about intimidating me. Respectfully, Tony Hayling Agonizomai

Jesus Christ the Lord once reminded the Pharisees that "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath." The sentiment being that what God does, He does out of love and for the benefit of His creatures. When He ordains, His ordinances are beneficial - they are not just sovereign autocratic decrees. His love for the objects of those decrees is real and genuine and heartfelt. It is forbearing and kind and patient. In the saints, it is a love that regards the heart that God Himself is at work in, changing it into the very image of His Son - the Son who Himself grew in grace and in knowledge, and in favour with God and men.

And this is my point. That a hyper-Calvinist would as soon condemn Jesus Himself for being too soft as the Arminian would comdemn the Calvinist for making Him too harsh. The truth is that God is both kind and severe. His sovereignty does not negate His love - it ensures and guarantees it, towards those who are its object. We are justfied in His sight when we confess with our lips and believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord. After that, we strive for perfection in our understanding of God so that we may have a better walk with Him.

As far as judging the ultimate end of our Arminian brethren, let those who have perfect understanding cast the first stone. But let no one who has been given light to see Sovereign Grace in all its beauty and glory cease to glorify God and render Him praise by both declaring and defending those truths with all the grace and conviction that God has given him.