Re: The error of Lordship salvation
Refreshed, I ran across this post today from a guy on another forum, and thought it fit in with some of the things you were saying in this thread.
Does God "force" people?
A common straw-man argument by critics of Calvinism is that we allegedly believe that God "forces us to believe against our will". They even give mocking descriptions of "God dragging people into the kingdom kicking and screaming against their will". This is completely false.
The Bible teaches that we are totally depraved (both Arminians and Calvinists agree). The Bible teaches that we are "dead in trespasses and sins". Not just "sick", not just "unwell", but dead. The Bible also paints a picture of regeneration, of God taking the heart of stone out of our spiritually dead bodies and replacing it with a heart of flesh (Ezek. 11:19, 36:26). There is also the picture of Lazarus being raised to life, Lazarus wasn't "forced" to live, Jesus simply took his dead body and gave it new life. Lazarus also wasn't "asked" if he wanted to be alive, and he wasn't given the "choice" to become alive again, that choice was made by Christ alone.
The term, "forced" has particular connotations to it, which can be used derogatorily. Some may use this term inadvertently, while others (sadly) intentionally choose this term for rhetorical effect. There are two particular connotations built into the term, that of using "force" against an active resistance, and the connotation of an assured certainty of result. By all means, the connotation of assurance of intended result is an accurate application to Calvinism, but the connotation of "opposition to resistance" does not apply, since once God has regenerated the believer, they willingly and eagerly go to Christ, without resistance or fight.
To assume that "nobody who is drawn ends up not going" allegedly implies "forcing" assumes that some of those who are drawn don't want to go, want to "choose" not to go, and that's simply not true.
Now, having said all that, there are a number of passages which teach an assurance of salvation, which even critics of Calvinism (eg. Southern Baptists) recognize. I will give just four examples which come to mind from Scripture (others are invited to add more):
1) Parable of the Banquet
In Luke 14:16-24 we read Jesus giving a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven, comparing it to a great banquet. The host sent out his servants, not once but twice, to invite people to come to the banquet (vv. 18, 22), yet nobody came. The master then commanded his servants to "compel them to come".
I find this parable to be interesting for two reasons... First of all, left to their own "free will", nobody came. This is consistent with Gen. 6:5, Ps. 14:2-3, Rom. 3:10-18, and other passages. But the other interesting point is that host "compelled" the guests to come. "Compel" seems like a very strong word, suggesting inevitability of their coming. It seems that the critic of Calvinism would need to engage in redefinition (or denial) of the meaning of "compel" in order to address this.
2) Lot Escaping from Sodom
In Gen. 19, we read the story of the two angels who visit Lot in Sodom, whom the Sodomites wished to "know". God decided to destroy the city, and because of God's favour of Abraham, God decides to save Lot from the destruction of the city. We read:
Gen. 19:15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
Even after the warning of the city's destruction, Lot "lingered", and the angels had to "seize" him and his wife, to bring them out of the city. Apparently, left to his own "free will", Lot would have stayed and been destroyed, but God decided to ensure Lot's safety by "seizing" him and taking him out of the city. Like "compel", "seize" sounds like a very strong word, filled with connotations of success, Lot will be removed from this city.
3) Christ and the Straying Sheep
In the parable of the Lost Sheep, we read:
Luke 15:3So he told them this parable:4“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
We see the picture of Christ, the good and perfect Shepherd, faced with one of His sheep who has wandered off, and He goes to look for it, and when (not "if", but "when") He finds it, He picks it up, lays it on his shoulders, and carries it back to the rest of His flock. the "free will" of the sheep is to wander away, but the Shepherd ensures and guarantees that the sheep will be back with the rest of the flock. That is the Shepherd's job as protector. It is the same as what we read in John 10:
27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.29My Father, who has given them to me,is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
The Shepherd's job is to ensure the safety of His sheep, and make sure that none are lost, but all are accounted for. And this assurance is due to the power and strength of the Shepherd ("no one will snatch them out of my hand", "no one is able"). Those who oppose Calvinism have to add something to Scripture, "But we can snatch ourselves out of the Father's hand", or "we can ask permission to leave, and God will let us go", but this runs completely contrary to what Jesus taught in Luke 15:3-5.
4) Drawing of the Elect
This has been brought up before, but it bears repeating, and in light of the other teachings listed above, maybe more will be given ears to hear. The Scriptures teach, "No man can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:44). Now the first thing to note is that the text itself teaches that the "drawing" is effectual, it says that those who are "drawn" will be raised up. There are none who are drawn who will not be raised up at the last day.But even if that part of the text weren't there, the meaning of the term, "draw" (both in the Greek and in the English) basically means, "drag", and in fact the term "draw" originates from the term "drag", it means far more than an ineffectual "wooing" or "coaxing", as those who oppose Calvinism like to think it means.
In the Greek, we read of Paul and Silas being "seized" and "dragged" (Grk. "helkuo", the same term found in John 6:44) out of the temple (Acts 16:19).
In John 18:10, we read of Peter "drawing" ("helkuo") his sword. He didn't simply "coax" it or "woo" it, but he dragged it out of his sheath.
In John 21:6, we read Jesus telling Peter and the disciples to cast out a net of fish, and then afterward they "hauled" ("helkuo") it back in. They didn't "woo" or "coax" the net in, they dragged it and ensured that it came back up.
The Bible uses words which describe the certainty of salvation for His people. This is because Jesus is the perfect Saviour, and He cannot and will not fail to accomplish what He set out to do:
- "compel"
- "seized";
- "carried on his shoulders";
- "draw".
---by Theo (Ontario, Canada)
John 6:37-39
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
The Lost Lamb: