The theology of Moyse Amyraut, (1596-1664) who taught such doctrines as Universal Grace and Hypothetical Universalism. Remove the "L" from TULIP and it leaves you in Amyraldianism.
Please remember that I'm learning and not questioning to cause an uproar...what do I do with I Timothy 2:3-4 and other passages that would give one the impression that the gospel is meant for all men. I understand that we are called only to evangelize and not to convert so God's elect will be God's elect for He has foreknowledge of all things. I guess what I'm saying is how shall I view the doctrine of election with balance. Election and evangelism. And no I'm not trying to pretty the the doctrine up, I just want to be balanced.
tj "-that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection..."
Believe it or not, The Highway website is a reasonably good resource for finding such things with over 1120 articles, sermons and even complete books. Use the Advanced Search to find what you are looking for. (HINT: Use "quotes" for phrases/multiple words) <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Pilgrim has answered the exegetical question you asked. As far as evangelism and election it is great you are asking--many in Calvinistic circles don't. There should be a balance.
First, it should be noted that historically Calvinists have been evangelists. Calvin sent many to the mission field and of course you have some like Whitfield and Edwards that evangelized the masses.
You may be surprised at how B. B. Warfield describes Calvinism:
Quote
Calvinism is evangelism in its pure and only stable expression, and when we say evangelism we say sin and salvation. It means utter dependence on God for salvation. It implies therefore, need of salvation and a profound sense of this need, along with an equally profound sense of helplessness in the presence of this need, and utter dependence on God for its satisfaction. Its type is found in the publican who smote his breast and cried, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" No question there of saving himself, or helping God to save him, or of opening the way to God to save him. No question of anything but "I am a sinner, and all my hope is in God, my Saviour!" This is Calvinism, not just something like Calvinism, or an approach to Calvinism, but Calvinism in its vital manifestation. Wherever this attitude of heart is found and is given expression in direct and unambiguous terms, there is Calvinism. Where this attitude of mind and heart is fallen away from it however small a measure, there Calvinism has become impossible.
The Calvinist, in a word, is the man who sees God. He has caught sight of the ineffable Vision, and he will not let it fade for a moment from his eyes--God in nature, God in history, God in grace. Everywhere he sees God in His mighty stepping, everywhere he feels the working of His mighty arm, the throbbing of His mighty heart...Calvinism is just Christianity. The super-naturalism for which Calvinism stands is the very breath of the nostrils of Christianity; without it Christianity cannot exist...Calvinism thus emerges to our sight as nothing more or less than the hope of the world.
Second, one of the greatest joys you will ever have in the LORD is knowing that you are sharing "the truth" when you share "the Gospel" (only found in Calvinism) with another and see their life changed. When you see that life truly changed you will know they were one of God's elect. Our responsibility is to share the Gospel and pray for others as if all are elect, though in reality only those whom God predestined and called ... will be saved. However, no matter whose watch it happens on in God's providence, God is to receive all the glory ... (but it still makes you feel real good-joy unspeakable full of glory <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/BigThumbUp.gif" alt="" />).
Some Tulip calvinists such as John Piper interpret the I Timothy 2:3-4 passage as meaning every individual in the world- past, present, and future. Others see this passage meaning all classes of men just as they interpret John 3:16 'world' meaning. Piper wrote an article: Does God have two wills? He basically is saying the Arminians are right about the Timothy verse - God does desire ALL men (that is every solitary individual -past, present, and future) to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. That is why the Gospel is offered to all people.
Piper quotes Edwards in his paper saying that God does have two wills, a secret or decretive will and a general (another word to describe it- revealed? will). The Timothy passage falls under the general or revealed will. Piper goes at great lengths to explain the difference as I am sure Jonathan Edwards did also.
Thanks brothers for the articles and encouragement. Since Monday I've been reading "The Forgotten Spurgeon", and today I've probably come the closet to understanding and having peace about what is called Calvinism. And I think my hang up has been that I don't want to be called a Calvinist because, to me, it would be following a man so to speak. However, my desire is to be true to God's word, have a right understanding of Scripture and ultimately, if God pleases to place me in ministry, to correctly handle the Word of Truth...what a heavy responsibility. So I am coming to the realization now, as I've heard others say and am seeing for myself, that Calvinism is nothing more than the Gospel itself. So maybe I'd rather call it that.
Aside from all of that, I am seeing more and more that the L in tulip is what it is--Limited Atonement. Limited to the elect and the elect have nothing to boast in but Christ alone and it's not for any of us to pre-qualify the elect, but we MUST, ABSOLUTELY MUST, preach the gospel to ALL men (and that's all men of every nation, creed, race etc.)...see, I actually did read. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Bless you brothers,
tj "-that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection..."
Wow! I see I have more reading to do..."and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body..." <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
tj "-that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection..."
What, me worry? said: Piper quotes Edwards in his paper saying that God does have two wills, a secret or decretive will and a general (another word to describe it- revealed? will). The Timothy passage falls under the general or revealed will. Piper goes at great lengths to explain the difference as I am sure Jonathan Edwards did also.
Piper's paper has been discussed on the Board some time ago and he is found wanting in his view. There is no dissimulation in God, e.g., "two wills". What God desires is what He has decreed. There is certainly the "decretive" aspect and the "prescriptive" aspect to the ONE will; i.e., 1) That which God desires and has decreed and will infallibly come to pass, and 2) that which God requires of men (personal responsibility), by which all men will be judged. If God "desired", i.e., willed that all men be saved, then of necessity, all would be saved. To even suggest that God "desires" all men to be saved and that the salvation of those whom He so desires will not infallibly come to pass is to deny the absolute sovereignty of God and to portray God as one whose desires are constantly thwarted. To put it simply, it would portray God as One Who has nothing more to rely upon than wishful thinking; a hope that someone would repent and believe upon Christ.
Perhaps you didn't read my reply to "tj" here: My reply where I provided a link to Dr. Gary Long's exegetical study of 1Tim. 2:4 which goes into some detail showing the fallacy of the Arminian and Amyraldian views?
You'll understand in time why the Gospel and Calvinism are synonymous to most of us here. It is not that it is named after "a man," but "that man" correctly espoused the truths of the Gospel and thus the name ... unfortunately the term Gospel "today" can mean several things ... much of which is not the truth.
And I think my hang up has been that I don't want to be called a Calvinist because, to me, it would be following a man so to speak. However, my desire is to be true to God's word, have a right understanding of Scripture and ultimately, if God pleases to place me in ministry, to correctly handle the Word of Truth...what a heavy responsibility.
I can relate to what you are saying here, nobody wants to be a follower of a man. I believe it was Pilgrim that has said on many occasions something to the effect of: "Calvinism is a rather unfortunate nickname." I know quite a few Christians that choose to call themselves other things that take away from the stigma of the nickname Calvinist. The bottom line however, is what Calvinism truly represents. It represents the true biblical doctrines of soteriology.
I believe that John Calvin would come unglued if he knew that his love of Scripture and belief in its absolute infallibility and truth was being called by his name, "Calvinism", instead of "Christian".
This becomes obvious when the very first subject of his "Institutes" is the doctrine of knowing God through "Sola Scriptura".
Likewise, I think that Luther would do the same with the tag "Lutheran". This is regardless of the subsurface personality apparent in some of both of their writings.
Denny
Roms 3:22-24
Denny
Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." [John 6:68]
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