Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
EMAILS ON OUR CALVINISM ARTICLES
AUGUST TO NOVEMBER 2003
We
sometimes get a response to our various articles, especially on
Calvinism. I intend to reproduce some of the emails below, essentially
as received but usually with the sender's name replaced with their
initials (purely to protect their anonymity) The sender's email appears
in black. My response, as ever, in red:
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Received 23-11-03 Dear Mr. Maxwell: Recently
I obtained a copy of the above tract by Mark Huss from Fundamental
Evangelistic Association in LA, California. I thought of answering it,
but as you have done such a fine job, there is no need. Hi. Thanks for your note. I appreciate you writing. Glad you have gotten some help from our web site.
Would you know anything about the
Fundamental Evangelistic Association - what type of organization it is?
Some of their material is very good - but then they also sell the Mark
Huss tract. It makes one a little nervous about giving out any of their
literature. But perhaps it was an oversight on their part. Our
friends down in the FEA are fundamentalist and sadly very rigidly anti
Calvinistic. I am happy to identify myself as a fundamentalist i.e.
prepared to contend militantly for the fundamentals of the faith, but
also like some of the contributors to the "Fundamentals" tracts (which
helped give rise to the name of fundamentalist) I am also a Calvinist
and non Dispensationalist. Re: distributing their material, it's up to
you. If the good stuff is good, why not? On the other hand, you dread
the thought of someone writing for more details and getting the more
erroneous stuff. In such cases, I usually look around and see if there
is something else I can use which stands on safer ground.
I am not a "Calvinist", but believe in the obvious truths contained in the 5 points. I prefer to call myself a Christian. Fair
enough. It's only a name for convenience sake. Sooner of later, though,
you do have to take some kind of label. That's life in the last times.
When and if you have time for a
response regarding the Fundamental Evangelistic Association, I would
appreciate it. I'm so happy to have found your answer to the Huss tract
on the internet - I had been very disturbed by it. Sincerely, PN, Maine, USA Mark
Huss did a crude hatchet job, noted more for its inaccuracies than its
truth. (I actually got a nice email a while ago from Mr Huss thanking
me for my comments, although no sign of him retracting his errors.) I
hope the comments above prove to be helpful to you. Thanks again for
writing. Colin.
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Received 20-10-03 Hello Brother: I just came across your web site last week and printed your article "Some Serious Answers To Some Serious Questions For Calvinists"
to take with me on my business trip. I appreciate your article and your
web site very much. I especially enjoyed the section "Criticising Calvinism - How To Do It", Chuckle very clever. Hi.
Good to hear from you! It is of great concern to me that many
people reject Calvinism without really knowing what it is. Part of the
blame for this lies at the door of those who criticise these doctrines.
In some books or web sites, I sometimes wonder how objective they
really want to be. Having sought to put the record straight, I thought
I would try and challenge (graciously) those who write such articles. A
novel approach can sometimes through light on a subject from another
angle.
My wife and I have been saved for 25
years and for the 15 years previous to this Spring worshipped and
fellowshipped among the "Brethren". About five years ago the Lord began
to show my wife and I from the Word Of God the doctrines of Grace and I
would have to say that now we are full blown Calvinists. We certainly
don't understand everything but we are continuing to grow and have
found a wonderful Church to fellowship and worship at. Your
background seems similar to mine. My early days were found in an open
Brethren assembly who were not Calvinistic, but I too came into the
Doctrines of Grace. I have been a Christian now for 25 years also,
although a Calvinist for around 22 years. Really, none of us "know
everything" but we are most content to know that God knows and that God
has every last detail under His sovereign control.
So it is a great pleasure to find
sites like yours that expound the Scriptures especially those that the
non-Calvinist uses to challenge these great truths of God. I have quite
a few friends from Bible Chapel circles and they know their Scriptures
well and I desire to respond to their criticisms with grace from the
Word of God. Your web site and several others have enabled me to do
that. Thank you so much for your ministry, it has ministered to a
brother in Halifax, NS, Canada and I will be visiting your site often. In His Name, For His Glory, H.H. The
key words there are "with grace" I deplore the contentious spirit that
both sides often use in this debate. I always try to take the sting out
of it as best I can. Glad to know that this, and other sites, have been
of value to you. It is exciting that a small work here in Cork, Ireland
can reach over the water and indeed around the world. Thanks again for
writing and encouraging us here. Colin.
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Received 16-10-03 Thank you! I just love your site. It is always an encouragement to hear from viewers and to know that our labour on this site is not in vain in the Lord.
I became a Christian in 1975. The
church I belonged to got deeply involved with Word of Faith so I was
raised spiritually on Hagin, Price, Copeland etc even teaching their
message. In my heart I would question but if one voiced one's doubts
that was a "big No no." I mean "Who are you to question?"
I
am thinking of the verse in 1 John 4:1 which tells us that we are to
test the spirits and again 1 Thessalonians 5:21 where we are told to
prove all things. Any one who does not like his teachings even
questioned, surely cannot be of God. Again, Paul invited the
Corinthians to judge what he was saying (1 Corinthians 10:15)
God in his mercy took me home to the
UK where He began to sort me out. It's been a long painful road but I
can only give Him praise for His love and patience. God has used
Spurgeon, Pink, Whitefield, Calvin and many others to show me His
wonderful plan of salvation and far from making me complacent, arrogant
or lazy, it has been just the opposite. That ALMIGHTY GOD could
determine to save me, foolish sinner that I am, is so humbling and awe
inspiring I want to give Him everything, and it would never be enough.
Before it was my confession now I know it is His love and grace. Thank
God for Calvin he surely is God's chosen vessel. God's peace and love be with you always. G
Long and
painful though the road may have been, it has evidently been of profit
to you. Your experience seems to be that of the Psalmist who could say:
Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
(Psalm 119:67) All the men you mentioned have been chosen and used to
God to instruct and bless millions. Thanks again for writing and
encouraging us here. Colin.
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Received 9-9-03 I
wish to thank you for providing such a wonderful web site. I have
directed a few people from the free-will camp to your web site to
enlighten them on some of their misconceptions about Calvinism. It's a
very handy tool to us for this purpose, because the same questions and
misconceptions are expressed practically every day online. I, also,
have your web site URL listed on my web site for those who may visit there that need their questions answered. I pray that the Lord continues to bless your ministry and that your ministry bears much good fruit for God's kingdom. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. I trust that God will bless your efforts also. God bless, Ken. Thanks
for your note. I really do believe that if we could sit down for an
hour or two with many non Calvinists in a totally discussional setting,
free from any hint of debate, it would greatly help our cause. A good
way to start is to ask for proof of what they are saying e.g. if a non
Calvinist baldly states that Calvinists do not believe in evangelism (a
common notion)…ask for documented proof. We live in the day of
the internet when a good hour with a computer and a search engine
should access many accepted Calvinist sources. I mean, is there any
thing in (say) the Westminster Confession of Faith or some other widely
accepted Calvinistic Confession which states this? Or did John Calvin
or CH Spurgeon or some other widely used Calvinist author ever state
that evangelism was unnecessary? On the other hand…do these
Confessions or authors (either by lip or life) show the exact opposite?
If Calvinists do not believe in evangelism or missionary
work…does the non Calvinist think then that I will be hard
pushed to prove, both from the present and from church history, that
they do? I take this approach on another page in this site where
Calvin's message was summarised that the sinner should sit back and do
nothing. All I had to do was to simply quote Calvin from his
commentaries on Isaiah 55:6 and Matthew 11:12 and the summary is seen
to be untrue. I believe we can do this again and again with a host of
misperceptions. Thanks again for writing and linking to us. Colin.
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Received 18-8-03 I'm
trying to make sure I have the 5 points of Calvinism correct....there's
so much information out there...I NEED Accuracy. I seek for The
Truth.....and right now in my study...I'm trying to get at least to
start with the 5 points of John Calvin's teachings...what some have
referred to as the 5 points of Calvinism. Also you said you enjoyed
being challenged right? Thank
you for your email. It is important for you if you wish to examine the
Doctrines of Grace that you do find an accurate stating of the case.
Our CALVINIST INDEX
page should provide you with plenty of good solid information. As for
enjoying being challenged, this is true when the challenge is sincere
and void of any bitterness etc.,
Well then if a person can't lose their
salvation....then why is there a warning in the Holy scriptures about
having your name blotted out of the Lamb's Book of Life? Have you ever
thought about that? I
have. The warning is there ever to keep the people of God back from sin
and especially the sin of presumption (Psalm 19:13) Where someone
manifests themselves to be an apostate, they are but giving an
indication that although they professed that their name was written in
the Lamb's Book of Life, yet this was not the case. In this sense it
may be said that their name is removed from the Lamb's Book, although
is it was never really there in the first place. When Christ dismissed
those supposed believers in Matthew 7:23, He did not say: "I do not
know you" but rather "I never knew you"
And remember King Saul who was anointed by GOD...and then he disobeyed GOD and lost that anointing. Losing
the anointing should not be confused with the losing of salvation. Many
men in the Bible lost their power and influence etc., when they dallied
with sin. This does not mean that they forfeited their eternal life. If
eternal life can be forfeited…then it was not (by definition)
eternal life.
And what about the Holy Scriptures
that talk about somebody falling away and going back to there sinful
life style and says its like a dog eating their own vomit. There's so
much I could say but I'm too tired...have been studying hard.
There is a
difference between a backslider and an apostate. It is the apostate who
returns like the dog to the vomit and the swine into the mire. This is
because they do not have the new nature. The sheep (God's metaphor for
the true Christian) may fall into the mire, but it will struggle to get
out because it does not suit his nature. Likewise the true Christian,
although he may fall grievously, yet he will be unhappy until He
returns, Peter like, to fellowship with God.
But if you can please help me I would
appreciate it....I figure if you're a true Calvinist then you should
know the accurate teachings of John Calvin. In HIS Grace, Val I trust that these answers have helped you. Colin.
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Received 27-8-03 Greetings! I just wanted to leave you with this note that I really enjoy your web site! Brian
Short and to the point! Thanks for the encouragement. Colin.
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Received 28-8-03 Dear Colin Maxwell, I was doing some research on Calvinism and I came across your web site. I have a question that I would like answered. Nice to hear from you. I am happy to try and answer any questions you might have on the Doctrines of Grace.
According to what I have read on Total
Depravity man cannot believe the gospel because he is blind and deaf to
the things of God. The Holy Spirit has to enable or
regenerate a man before he can accept the Gospel. I have also read that
a man cannot even see his need for repentance nor be able to repent
without the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Is this correct? Yes,
these statements are true. Sin renders man unable of himself to accept
the word of God. His inability is moral. It is not God holding the
sinner back…but his own chosen sin. Also, there are many who,
through God, see their need of repentance but never actually repent.
How did the followers of John the
Baptist believe his message (Mark 1:15) and repent (Baptism of
repentance) without the regeneration of the Holy Spirit? The
short answer is that they didn't. Those who repented and believed the
gospel did so through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is God who
grants faith and repentance (Acts 18:27/Acts 11:18) and He does so
through the Holy Spirit.
According to the John 20:22 the
disciples of Jesus did not receive the Holy Spirit until after the
resurrection. Jesus said in John 16:5-16 that it was good that he
leaves so that he could send the counselor, The Holy Spirit, into the
world. Is this correct? Both
these references are relative and not absolute. It is not that they
were complete strangers to the Holy Spirit and had absolutely no
dealing with Him at all…rather that they would receive Him more
powerfully for their respective ministries. Don't forget the Holy
Spirit was in the world and among the people of God long before the New
Testament. He came mightily upon Samson (Judges 14:6) David knew His
presence (Psalm 51:11) as indeed did all the OT prophets (1 Peter
1:10-11)
It was not until later in Acts 8:13-17 that the followers or believers actually were recorded as receiving the Holy Spirit.
Those in Acts
8:13-17 who received the Holy Spirit were the Samaritan believers. They
had not received the Holy Spirit in relation to power for ministry
etc., Again, like above, the words are relative and not absolute.
The disciples of John the Baptist did not receive the Holy Spirit until Acts 19:1-7. As
above. Do you really think that the disciples of John had not
absolutely heard if there be any Holy Spirit? (Acts 19:2) John
certainly had and preached Him! (Matthew 3:11) Were they totally
ignorant of basic OT verses like Genesis 1:2? You are taking relative
verses in an absolute sense and this is causing some confusion.
How could these people believe that
they needed to repent, and believe in the coming of Jesus Christ if
they had not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit? How is this possible
according to the doctrine of Total Depravity?
Once we sort
out the exegetical problems above, it is clear that they did repent and
believe through the regenerating work of the Spirit of God. Anything
spiritual is the work of the Spirit of God. Regeneration leads
infallibly to repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
and this brings to the soul all the benefits of redemption. Total
Depravity therefore is a very scriptural doctrine indeed.
I would appreciate some insight into this dilemma I have been searching for quite a while. Thank you for your time. God Bless You! Jeannie
I trust that these lines have been of help to you. If you look at our Calvinism index page, you will find a wealth of helpful material. Or take the time to go through our Bible Studies on the Doctrines of Grace. Thanks for writing. Colin.
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Received 30-8-03 I
came upon your web site after typing in "Calvinistic questions for
Arminians". I came to Christ at 16 and spent the next 28+ years under
Arminian teaching. A little over two years ago, the Doctrines of Grace
became clear to me (a story in itself). There are many questions I wish
a "Calvinist" would have asked me when I was an Arminian. I believe
they may have hurried me along in coming to the Doctrines of Grace
(sanctification being a mystery to me). These questions are not
"scriptural tennis" type, but more philosophical I guess. Have you ever
given this any attention?
Thanks for your
email. It is always good to hear from those who have come into a
knowledge and appreciation of the Doctrines of Grace. Have a look at
our Bible Studies on the Doctrines of Grace pages.
Although not entirely free from the controversial end, they do start
off from the word of God and show the scriptural logic of the
Doctrines.
I am looking forward to more reading on the site. So far, your church looks very well-balanced. Thanks, Cole
Balance is the main thing. Thanks for your email. It encourages us to know that we have encouraged you. Colin.
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