Blasts from the PastThe Salvation of All Men - John Calvin

John Calvin is often either misquoted or partially quoted by those who would attack the doctrines of grace, including that of unconditional election. Indeed, early on in this Calvin discourse it would be all too easy to think that he was happily signing off on a picture of God that allowed Him to be impotently hoping that men themselves would take advantage of a salvation offered to all.

But by the time he's finished you won't think that. That's because he balances the whole counsel of God to properly exegete, without going beyond what is written, the manner in which the Scripture reveals God's will to men. Then he puts it all properly against the background of the Bible's unmistakable teaching that men are totally depraved. With the right context properly brought to bear, Calvin introduces the correct Biblical teaching that only those whom God chose to draw to Himself in Christ before the world began are actually so drawn.

He does not deny the sufficiency of the atonement for all men, nor yet impugn the proffer of the gospel to all men who come under it's proclamation - but he does clearly and succinctly illustrate that the gospel message is effective only upon the hearts of those whom the Holy Spirit has prepared to receive it, in accordance with God's eternal decree of election.

Our Arminian friends would have us believe that God essentially prepares the hearts of ALL men through a mechanism called "prevenient grace" - rendering them able to respond savingly to the gospel "if they will". So far was this from the orthodox teaching that the Dutch Reformers anathematized the Remonstrants at the Synod of Dordt (Dordrecht) and initially banished many of the ministers holding to such views. Enjoy this blast from the past...


The Salvation of All Men - John Calvin



[WARNING: This is a Calvinist devotional blog - not a debate blog. Call me on the facts if you think there is error, but don't come here trolling for arguments that have been competently answered countless times by people more qualified than I.]