Does Calvinism or Reformed Theology Teach a License to Sin?
I have heard the accusation from the Arminian camp (though take note that not all non-Calvinists are Arminians) saying that Calvinism or Reformed Theology teaches a license to sin. Some of them to be the conservative camp of Protestants because they believe you teach Calvinism or Reformed Theology, people will become lax and say, "Well I'm unconditionally called, I don't need to do anything to keep my salvation." The Arminian stand on salvation is simply a slimmer or diet version of the Roman Catholic view of conditional security. Both Arminians and Roman Catholics are just as equally misguided as the other.
I would allow myself to defend the truth that Calvinism has been the systematic theology used by Protestants and later some Baptists have adopted Reformed Theology into their way of thinking. Some of the best Baptists to use Reformed Theology were John Gill and Charles Haddon Spurgeon. During the Reformation, although Martin Luther was the start of it but the influence was stronger with John Calvin. Calvin was in fact a major opponent of the founder of the Jesuit Order namely Ignatius of Loyola. Both of them attended the same school and they would one day clash because Loyola was part of the Counter-Reformation.
Whether the Arminians miss it on purpose or not, the P in the acronymn of TULIP means the Perseverance of the Saints which gives a more biblical view of eternal security. As defined in the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (which was written by Baptists who embraced Calvinism) says:
Calvin in a debate against Cardinal Jacob Sadeleto wrote:
In plain simple words, Calvin did not buy the idea that a faith without works is still genuine faith and called dead faith as dead faith. He was not a bit afraid to really expose the idea of faith that does not result to works as inauthentic, sham faith while today, many preachers may have ended up thinking of the nonsense that a dead faith is still dead faith and that there will be those who profess to believe and never grew up were still saved. They have failed to realize the sanctifying power of God as stated in Philippians 1:6 that when God begins a good work in those He saves, He is certain to finish it. I have noticed how many modernist easy believism preachers do not even preach expository. You may end up getting something as out of context as the "Pisseth Against the Wall" sermon by Steven Anderson. Arminians either purposely ignore the meaning of verses, jump off from verses such as Evangelical Outreach or Gospel Way (which do not deserve their titles) even ignore 1 John 2:19's meaning on purpose or Matthew 7:23 which really states that Jesus never knew the damned. They were never saved to start with.
Calvinistic preacher Arthur W. Pink wrote a very comprehensive view of the perseverance of the saints in his book "Eternal Security" which has defined it far better than how modern writers would write about it. In that same textbook, Pink had presented the sad reality that many think they are saved just because they profess to be saved but the lifestyle shows not the slightest change. If a person says they are saved and yet they live like devils, there is something wrong. When it comes to Arminians and Antinomians, I choose neither for they distort the view of salvation as the first group adds works to the finished work of Christ and the second group converts the grace of God into a license to sin all you want.
To claim that a person can be a Christian and never have any change is total heresy at best considering that when God's grace saves, God's grace also sanctifies. Antinomians as I've observed get defensive when I tell them to defend their stand that good works inevitably comes out of God's grace is still teaching works salvation. It cannot be works salvation if the good works of the believer are the result of God's grace, not by human effort and that while it contributes nothing to staying saved but it is the result of getting saved.
I would allow myself to defend the truth that Calvinism has been the systematic theology used by Protestants and later some Baptists have adopted Reformed Theology into their way of thinking. Some of the best Baptists to use Reformed Theology were John Gill and Charles Haddon Spurgeon. During the Reformation, although Martin Luther was the start of it but the influence was stronger with John Calvin. Calvin was in fact a major opponent of the founder of the Jesuit Order namely Ignatius of Loyola. Both of them attended the same school and they would one day clash because Loyola was part of the Counter-Reformation.
Whether the Arminians miss it on purpose or not, the P in the acronymn of TULIP means the Perseverance of the Saints which gives a more biblical view of eternal security. As defined in the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (which was written by Baptists who embraced Calvinism) says:
1.) Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, and has effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but they will certainly persevere in that state to the end and be eternally saved. This is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, and therefore He continues to beget and nourish in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the spirit which lead to immortality. And though many storms and floods arise and beat against the saints, yet these things shall never be able to sweep them off the foundation and rock which they are fastened upon by faith. Even though, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sight and feeling of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them, yet God is still the same, and they are sure to be kept by His power until their salvation is complete, when they shall enjoy the purchased possession which is theirs, for they are engraved upon the palm of His hands, and their names have been written in His Book of Life from all eternity.
2.) This perseverance of the saints does not depend on them - that is, on their own free will. It rests upon the immutability of the decree of election, which flows from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father. It also rests upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, and upon the union which true saints have with Him. - It rests upon the oath of God, and upon the abiding of His Spirit.
- It depends upon the seed of God being within them and upon the very nature of the covenant of grace.
- All these factors give rise to the certainty and infallibility of the security and perseverance of the saints.
3.) The saints may, through the temptation of Satan and the world, and because their remaining sinful tendencies prevail over them, and through their neglect of the means which God has provided to keep them, fall into grievous sins. They may continue in this state for some time, so that they incur God's displeasure, grieve His Holy Spirit, suffer the impairment of their graces and comforts, have their hearts hardened and their conscience wounded, and hurt and scandalise others. By this they will bring temporal judgements upon themselves. Yet they shall renew their repentance and be preserved, through faith in Christ Jesus, to the end.
Calvin in a debate against Cardinal Jacob Sadeleto wrote:
"We deny that good works have any share in justification but we claim full authority for them in the lives of the righteous... It is obvious that gratuitous [grace wrought] rightoeusness is necessarily connected with regeneration. Therefore, if you would duly understand how inseparable faith and works are, look to Christ who as the Apostle teaches (1 Corinthians 1:30) has been given to us for justification and for sanctification. Wherever, therefore, that righteousness of faith, which we maintain to be gratuitous, is there too Chris is, and where Christ is, there too is the Spirit of holiness, Who regenerates the soul to newness of life. On the contrary, where seal for integrity and holiness is not vigor, there neither is the Spirit of Christ nor Christ Himself, and wherever Christ is not, there is no righteousness, nay there is no faith for faith cannot apprehend Christ for righteousness without the Spirit of sanctification."
In plain simple words, Calvin did not buy the idea that a faith without works is still genuine faith and called dead faith as dead faith. He was not a bit afraid to really expose the idea of faith that does not result to works as inauthentic, sham faith while today, many preachers may have ended up thinking of the nonsense that a dead faith is still dead faith and that there will be those who profess to believe and never grew up were still saved. They have failed to realize the sanctifying power of God as stated in Philippians 1:6 that when God begins a good work in those He saves, He is certain to finish it. I have noticed how many modernist easy believism preachers do not even preach expository. You may end up getting something as out of context as the "Pisseth Against the Wall" sermon by Steven Anderson. Arminians either purposely ignore the meaning of verses, jump off from verses such as Evangelical Outreach or Gospel Way (which do not deserve their titles) even ignore 1 John 2:19's meaning on purpose or Matthew 7:23 which really states that Jesus never knew the damned. They were never saved to start with.
Calvinistic preacher Arthur W. Pink wrote a very comprehensive view of the perseverance of the saints in his book "Eternal Security" which has defined it far better than how modern writers would write about it. In that same textbook, Pink had presented the sad reality that many think they are saved just because they profess to be saved but the lifestyle shows not the slightest change. If a person says they are saved and yet they live like devils, there is something wrong. When it comes to Arminians and Antinomians, I choose neither for they distort the view of salvation as the first group adds works to the finished work of Christ and the second group converts the grace of God into a license to sin all you want.
To claim that a person can be a Christian and never have any change is total heresy at best considering that when God's grace saves, God's grace also sanctifies. Antinomians as I've observed get defensive when I tell them to defend their stand that good works inevitably comes out of God's grace is still teaching works salvation. It cannot be works salvation if the good works of the believer are the result of God's grace, not by human effort and that while it contributes nothing to staying saved but it is the result of getting saved.