Introducing: the Doctrines of Grace (or, the Five Points of Calvinism)

The Five Points of Calvinism in History and Personally:

The Five Points of Calvinism are historically and personally controversial. Historically, they are a response to the Five Points of Arminianism. The Five Points of Arminianism are named after Jacob Arminius, a Dutch Pastor and Theologian in the mid-1500's to the early 1600's. Some people have accused me of being a direct descendant of good ole Arminius (pictured below). But I promise, though we look alike, I am not.

Jacob Arminius

Those who identified with his system of theology are called "Arminians." (No, this is not the same label as the people from the country Armenia.) This is quite important today. While American evangelicalism was originally Calvinistic, today it is not, but Arminian. In fact, most American evangelical churches today teach the Arminian system of doctrine. For instance, if you believe the natural person, though a sinner, can still reach out to God in faith, unassisted by God, then, whether you knew it or not, you are Arminian in your thinking.

The Arminians and the Reformed were both Dutch. In fact, at the time, they were both apart of the Dutch Reformed Church. The Arminians were publicly antagonistic to the Reformed Theology being taught in Geneva and in the Netherlands. So they published the Five Points of Remonstrance, or "ardent protest". The Reformed Church responded publicly. They held a gathering of their church court at Dordrecht to answer these five doctrines point for point. And [drum roll please] the Five Points of Calvinism were born. The name of that Synod was the Synod of Dort. So, the Five Points of Calvinism, or the Doctrines of Grace, were a reaction to false teaching.

However, some have objected to the name "Calvinism." And I don’t mind the objection. It's not unlike the difference between "Calvinism" and "Reformed Theology." When your average Southerner hears the category "Calvinism" many respond as though you just said a cuss word. But, when you say "Reformed Theology" they are shockingly open. Maybe because "Reformed" and even "the Protestant Reformation" hasn't been taught in our churches in a long time. Maybe because the "Calvinism" well has been poisoned by opposing pastors for a long time. Or maybe, it is genuinely the name. And, the name does matter. It's unfortunate that the Five Points were named after John Calvin, a French pastor and theologian in the early to mid-1500's.

John Calvin

I highly doubt Calvin would have appreciated the name. But, it isn't named after him per se, but the system of theological thought attributed to him. If anything, Calvinism strives, using the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and the method of expository teaching, to be clearly biblical. Sola Scriptura is a mantra of the Reformation calling for the church to find its ultimate authority for any doctrine or practice in "The Scriptures Alone," hence Sola (Alone) Scriptura (the Bible). Further, expository teaching naturally flowed out of Sola Scriptura. If the Bible is our ultimate authority for any doctrine or practice, then the church should stick close to the text going verse by verse, chapter by chapter, through the Bible. This doctrine Calvin unapologetically taught. And this method of teaching is throughout his commentaries and his books. However, Jacob Arminius was three years old when Calvin died. So, Calvin wasn't even alive for the controversy, let alone the pithy response of the Five Points. The Synod of Dort was held from 1618-1619. But Calvin died in 1564, more than fifty years before. But still, he wouldn't have liked the Five Points named after him. And I personally don't mind the Reformed Church apologizing for the reference. We should not be naming movements or doctrines after sinful men. Yet, these five points of biblical doctrine are and will still be referenced as "the Five Point of Calvinism," or "the Doctrines of Grace."

Personally, these doctrines are both so biblical and so contrary to our flesh that many Christians reject the headings and the content. In fact, some just irrationally respond with vitriol to the headings. You’ll see more all the heading in future blogposts. Oddly enough when presented with the content from the Bible, but without the headings, many Christians will see just how eminently biblical the Five Points of Calvinism are. But, when you reinsert the headings … the fangs come out. However, I'm confident that the Holy Spirit working through the plain teaching of his Word, will actually show you the vast storehouses of comfort that come, not just by the doctrine, but when we see the connections of these doctrines to our living and reigning Savior, His Father in Heaven, and the Spirit who abides in us. In following posts, I will personally strive to show how each doctrine relates to your relationship with each person of the Trinity and the gospel.

In Christ, and with you all,

Rev. Joshua Sparkman

Christ Presbyterian Church (2131 Cody Road S.)

cpcmobile.com

Introducing the Reformation Mobile Blog

Welcome to Reformation Mobile, the blog. This blog is a public ministry of Christ Presbyterian Church to Mobile, Alabama. The address of Christ Presbyterian Church is 2131 Cody Road S Mobile, AL 36695.

We are a PCA church. PCA stands for "Presbyterian Church in America." The PCA is the largest and most theologically conservative Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in the U.S. today. You may recognize names like Kevin DeYoung, R.C. Sproul, D. James Kennedy, James Montgomery Boice, Francis Shaeffer, Ligon Duncan, and Tim Keller. All those men have all been, or are, prominent voices of our denomination.

R.C. Sproul

Christ Presbyterian and the PCA hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith and its Catechisms. The confession does not sit over Scripture, but guards the church like a guard rail on the road from the many false teachings we see today.

We are therefore a self-consciously Reformed and Presbyterian ministry. What does that mean? It means we will be characterized by particular biblical categories. First, we are committed to Expository Teaching and Preaching (2 Timothy 4:2 ). That means we will open up God's holy (Psalm 19:7-9), inerrant (John 17:17) Word, and make sure the lessons and sermons we present are indeed the main point of the text (Psalm 119:105).

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Second, in our teaching and preaching, as we go through the text of Scripture, we are also dedicated to presenting Christ's life, death, and resurrection as the fulfillment of any text (Luke 24:27),

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."

and how its applicable to you (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  (17)  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

This is an aspect of teaching and preaching many ministries entirely skip. And it oftentimes ends up in a legalistic message. Legalism is either that the message is basically works righteousness ("try harder", "do better"), or where the grace is so removed from God's command that it appears to teaching salvation, or the Christian life, is based on our works. Jesus warns repeatedly about legalism. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about your works for him, but about the good news of Jesus' works of righteousness for you before God. Third, we believe in what is called the Regulative Principle of Worship. That means we may worship the Triune God only in the ways he has determined for gathered worship, in his Word (1 Chronicles 13:5-15 & Numbers 3:1-4). Our Triune God has not left us to our sinful imaginations as to how to worship him. That means you will not find smoke machines, nor obstacle courses, nor Santa, in worship here. But you will find a call to worship (Psalm 149:1-2), confession of sin (Leviticus 5:5 and Romans 10:10), singing of tradition and new hymns and biblical songs (Colossians 3:16), sound preaching and instruction in the gospel, theology, and life, and the sacraments of baptism (Matthew 28:18-20) and the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:42). It should be unmistakably clear that we worship King Jesus, not a political party, a football team, or aspects of our culture. Fourth, we are elder-led. The pastor does not run "the show." In fact, there is no show. No gimmicks. The pastor and elders work together, submitting to God's Word and the agenda of Christ laid down in the Scriptures (as seen in Acts 15). We believe elders may be only biblically qualified, and grace-qualified, men. We will therefore not have tons and tons of staff and pastors. But regular, local men, who have been set part by God with graces and gifts, and trained, to disciple the Lord's sheep. This means we hold to the Doctrines of Grace. We believe that in and of ourselves (without God) we are sinners, deserving of his wrath, and thoroughly rebellious (Genesis 6:5), dead in our trespasses and sins, and cannot save ourselves by any works, let alone by our good works (Philippians 3:1-14). We believe Christ's redemptive work of living for our righteousness and dying for our sins is the alone grounds of our salvation (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). He also died only for his own people (John 10:27-28). We believe God's choosing of the sinner is what led the sinner to choosing God (Ephesians 1:4 & 1 John 4:19). And we believe that all those whom the Lord has saved will indeed be those saved when He returns in glory (Philippians 1:6). Lastly, you will be taught historic Protestant and Reformed doctrine clearly from the Word. We will not appeal to gurus, and popes. But we will strive to bring forth the clear teaching of the text of Scripture as we think it necessarily leads to Protestant and Reformation theology.

We are starting this blog so that we can make available good content for Mobile, Alabama. We want to help anyone navigate the intersection of the faith in the Bible, Theology, Culture, and Life in Mobile, Alabama. We will address things singles, parents, and grandparents need to hear. And we will strive to do it from a gracious, biblical worldview, that honors God in his holiness and in his mercy. We hope you are edified by this content. Come join us in worship every Sunday @ 10:15 (2131 Cody Road S. Mobile, AL 36695).

 

In Christ, and with you all,

to the Glory of God alone!

Pastor Josh Sparkman