After a short back and forth on our Facebook page concerning the subject of limited atonement, I felt a need to make a clear statement why I embrace the doctrines of grace.
Firstly I have to point out that in all honesty I’m not inclined to bang on about T.U.L.I.P. as I so often think of these points totally differently than their names suggest. What I also want to make clear, is that the truth of these points is far more for the benefit of personal assurance, rather than something that needs to be forced upon others point by point.
I have never been discipled as a calvinist, nor even attended a church where the pastor or teaching staff are of that persuasion intentionally. However when I first became aware of these points, and began examining these things against the Bible itself, I found that in all honesty I couldn’t dispute them. They are not points I was quick to accept by any means, especially because of the stigma that those who oppose them attach, but when taken point by point sanely in the light of Scripture, I honestly believe they all stand up.
There is a caveat to this however, and that is to ask oneself what benefit is it should these points be true. This is why I state that they are far more useful for personal assurance than anything else. In fact, if all we do is spend our time trying to prove them right to those who oppose, they become little more than stumbling blocks in my opinion. I believe it is sufficient to quietly and personally agree with them, and allow the words of Scripture they are drawn from to speak for itself. This is the very thing that convinced me personally; not that Calvin was right, but rather these things are clearly outlined in Scripture.
By holding to these doctrines, I do not feel inclined to lord it over others in any way at all. It has nothing to do with fairness or unfairness of God in choosing some over others. That is entirely His prerogative, and the Bible from beginning to end shows this to be true. However I find great comfort in knowing that it is all about God, and about His will, His purpose, His power, His faithfullness, and none of my own.
Of course I have a role to play, yet it is as a servant to the One who imparted saving faith and saving grace to me in the first place. I am so thankful that I no longer have to find my security in a decision that I made, but rather on a decision that He made. I understand the dangers of taking any doctrine to extremes, and these doctrines are no different, but I would just like to quickly outline what each point means to me. To avoid getting into some textual debate I am not going to use any Scripture quotation, and I am also going to use differing titles for each point I feel to be more fitting. Also because this is simply a personal testimony, I am also closing comments. If you want to leave a comment, please do so on the Facebook page which is linked over to the right.
1. Total Inability
Rather than depravity, I use the word inability because it sits more easily with my own vocabulary. When considered in the light of the doctrine of original sin, it suggests that we are all sinners first and foremost because of sin imparted to us from Adam. This is totally scriptural, and because of this state, even though we have a will of our own, it is utterly bound by sin and death.
The reason I find comfort from it is that it removes any possiblity of being saved by myself, and puts the entire onus upon God. If He doesn’t take the initiative, I perish. Full stop!
2. Sovereign Election
This doctrine, or unconditional election as it is known, quite simply puts the ball entirely in God’s court. It is an acknowledgement that He saves who He chooses to save. Not based upon anything any of those saved have done, certainly not upon any good within them, but solely because He has willed to do so.
The comfort I find in this is massive. We all rightfully deserve to perish, yet for reasons only God knows, He has chosen to save some. Who or how many only He knows, but the fact still stands, by rights we should all expect the worse, yet He chooses to display His mercy to some.
3. Particular Redemption
Here is the point that probably comes under attack mostly, yet in my opinion it is attacked mostly because of it’s usual title, limited atonement. In many ways this seems to suggest failure or lack in some way, but nothing could be further from the truth!
Using the example set in the Old Testament atonement sacrifice, we can see that God made utter distinction between Israel and the heathen nations. The sacrifices made by the high priest for the sins of the people, were particularly for the Jews alone. The sacrifice was specific to God’s own people, and the covering of sacrificial blood was sufficient for every person in His sight.
In the same way, the sacrifice of Christ was specific to those God has chosen to save (the elect), made up of Jew and Gentile alike, from the fall of Adam to the last person who comes into salvation before the return of Christ. The sacrifice of Christ was sufficient for every person, both before and after the Cross, who has come into His salvation by grace, through faith. And out of all these souls, not one shall be lost.
This doctrine gives much comfort in knowing that God Himself, applies the blood of the sacrifice of Christ, to those He has chosen to save. And save each one it will! This is in contrast to the idea of Arminianists that suggest that the blood shed by Christ only opened the door to the possiblity of being saved, but ultimately the over-riding factor is our will.
4. Grace that Captures
The doctrine known as irresistable grace, I feel does not sound strong enough?! When we read in the Bible statements such as no-one comes to Christ unless drawn by the Father; the term drawn can quite literally be interpreted as “dragged”!
Again this comes back to the sovereign will and choice of God over our own. In my mind, it would be similar to seeing someone drowning, and literally using every ounce of force to get them out of that situation. It has nothing to do with the person drowning at all, but purely on your ability and strength to save them.
How grateful I am to know that my feet are right now upon solid ground, and by absolutely nothing I’ve done at all. I am here because someone saw me drowning, chose to save me, and had the ability and strength to do exactly that!
5. The Preservation of the Believer
What is know as perserverance of the saints, so often gets abused with a cheap “once saved, always saved” ticket. It’s a cheap and tacky label, that is nothing more than a cheap shot that displays a complete ignorance of this doctrine. What this doctrine most definitely is not, is a licence to do whatever our flesh demands of us. Nor is it in any way a get out clause to avoid pursuing a life of holiness and purity unto the Lord.
This doctrine is not about avoiding holy living, but about the power the Lord gives that enables us to do so, and the grace He affords us to pick us up when we stumble and fall. Basically, at whatever point the Law condemns us by the righteousness of God, the Gospel equips us with the righteous demanded of us that we may be justified and declared innocent!
If this doctrine is false, then I’m history!
I hope this has made the doctrines of grace a little easier to swallow, but I have to say that, no matter how bitter a pill they may at first appear, they truly do fill one’s spirit with confidence, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
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