I want to learn more about Calvinism

[alwaysJesus]

I'm not sure if I want to believe in it or not yet. But, I'm just curious as to how it works so I can be inform on making a decision. A friend has been trying to teach me about it, but, it seems that he only confuse me more. This is a summary of what I've made out so far for Calvinism. Please correct me if I'm wrong

T - Men are evil and wicked in their sin. They won't come to God

U - Therefore out of God's own sovereign will, He has predestined/chosen/predetermined those who will be saved. Those who who weren't chosen will not be save. They will remain in sin and continue on to hell.

L - Therefore, Christ came to die only for the chosen ones (the elect) although His death could of been sufficient for all.

I - Those who were chosen will hear the gospel preach to them and be regenerated by God. Ultimately, they will not be able to say NO to God (they won't be able to resist God). Those who weren't chosen will hear the gospel, but, they can't come because they won't come

P - Those who were chosen will persevere to the end.

Base upon this, it seems to me that the following is more accurate for Calvinism:

"Out of God's own sovereign will, He has already chosen me. Therefore, when I hear the gospel, God will regenerate me. Those who aren't chosen will hear but will not respond."

However, my friend say that the above quote is misleading. He prefers that I say the following:

" I need to first hear the gospel. Then, God regenerates me and then I become a part of the chosen ones."

My friend also told me to read AW Tozer because he said Tozer is a Calvinist. But, from reading Tozer's book, I don't seem to see that Tozer is a Calvinist due to the following quotes from Tozer:

""Faith is a gift of God, to be sure, but whether or not we shall act upon that faith lies altogether within our power. We may or we may not, as we choose."

"Failure to distinguish God's part from man's has resulted in mental confusion and moral inaction among Christians"

"God in His mercy may incline us to repent and by His inworking Spirit assist us to repent; but before we can be saved we must of our own FREE WILL repent toward God and believe in Jesus Christ."

The above are all quotes from Tozer's Power to Path book. Tozer even confirms prevenient grace in one of his books. I don't remember the name at the moment. But, it doesn't seem that Tozer is a Calvinist. Is he?

Thank you for any response and advice.

 

[St_Worm2]

For someone who's trying to begin to make sense out of Reformed theology, I would highly recommend RC Sproul's little book called, "Chosen By God". It will be a great help to you and it's nearly impossible to put down once you've begun reading it.


--David

 

[ronathanedwards]

I can't agree more with St. Worm2 ... Chosen By God is an outstanding beginning book.
Also "The Potter's Freedom" by James White is a good one.

 

[JM]

Don Fortner preaches the Gospel. You can hear his sermons at sermonaudio.com.

 

[AMR]

A book that I give away often is Sproul's Holiness of God. This book, more than any other except Holy Writ, is one that drives me to my knees each time I read it and I read it at least yearly.

Get this book and your spiritual life as relates to the majesty of God will never be the same.

I also recommend you review the many posts in my CF Blog linked in my sig at the bottom left.

 

[Don Maurer]

The above are all quotes from Tozer's Power to Path book. Tozer even confirms prevenient grace in one of his books. I don't remember the name at the moment. But, it doesn't seem that Tozer is a Calvinist. Is he?

Thank you for any response and advice.

Tozer was a Calvinist? I do not know, but he was pastor in a very Arminian denomination, the Christian and Missionary Alliance. I would guess if you read any of the books mentioned above, it would be a better representation of Calvinism than A W Tozer. Tozer is supposed to be a good devotional, but probably not very informative on theological questions.

 

[Iosias]

A great Reformed writer was G C Berkouwer. Do check out his work!

 

[AMR]

Not really a "great Reformer".

Joel Beeke, A Reader's Guide to Reformed Literature: An Annotated Bibliography of Reformed Literature (also appears in the the back of Beeke's Reformed Confessions Harmonized):

A word of warning: Avoid G.C. Berkouwer, Holy Scripture, translated by Jack Rogers (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975). Berkouwer qualifies inerrancy by disassociating it from historical and scientific exactness. He neglects to spell out the dangerous consequences of tolerating arbitrary rejection of selected Scriptures. (p. 15)

Two twentieth-century monographs on providence are noteworthy: Gerrit C. Berkouwer, The Providence of God, translated by Lewis B. Smedes (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1952), asks thought-provoking questions about providence in relation to knowledge, sustenance, government, concurrence, history, miracles, and theodicy. Benjamin B. Farley, The Providence of God (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1988) is the best study of the development of the doctrine of providence throughout history from a Reformed perspective. (p. 29)

See also Gerrit C. Berkouwer's probing 600-page work, Sin, translated by Phillip C. Holtrop (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971). Berkouwer is particularly helpful on the relationship of sin to the law (Chapter 6) and to the gospel (Chapter 7). (p. 35)

Gerrit C. Berkouwer, Divine Election, translated by Hugo Bekker (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960), is imbalanced on election and weak on reprobation, as has been pointed out in Alvin L. Baker, Berkouwer's Doctrine of Election: Balance or Imbalance? (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1981). (p. 39)

For a deeper discussion, read Benjamin B. Warfield, The Person and Work of Christ, edited by Samuel G. Craig (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1950) and the companion volumes by Gerrit C. Berkouwer, The Person of Christ and The Work of Christ (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1954, 1965)...Berkouwer's volumes discuss the historical pronouncements of the ecumenical councils and the Reformed confessions as well as the nature, unity, and sinlessness of Christ. They provide an in-depth discussion of Christ's work in the states of humiliation and exaltation. While Berkouwer is fully abreast of current theological literature, he is too often influenced by it, and takes a position too moderate or vague on many issues. The value of Berkouwer lies in his grasp of Reformed thinkers and presentation of issues in theology. He asks and begins to answer some of the most difficult questions. (p. 46)

Berkouwer, Gerrit C. Faith and Justification. Translated by Lewis B. Smedes. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1954. Helpful but ambiguous in places. (p. 58)

Noteworthy titles include Gerrit C. Berkouwer, Faith and Sanctification, translated by John Vriend (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1952); ... (p. 61)

G.C. Berkouwer, The Church, translated by James E. Davison (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976) emphasizes the unity, catholicity, apostolicity, and holiness of the church as it expounds its true ministry. Indecisive and provocative in places, it is enlightening and edifying elsewhere. (p. 68)

More detailed but not always reliable are John S. Stone, The Christian Sacraments (New York: Anson D.F. Randolph, 1866), and Gerrit C. Berkouwer, The Sacraments, translated by Hugo Bekker (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969). Berkouwer provides an able critique of the teaching of Romanism and Lutheranism as well as various contemporary views of the sacraments. (p. 83)​

 

[Iosias]

Not really a "great Reformer".

You're entitled to your own view, but of course to my mind it is somewhat odd that you would disparage Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer (1903-1996) who was for years the leading theologian of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (GKN) occupying the Chair in systematic theology of the Faculty of Theology, Free University (VU) in Amsterdam. He has been very influential among the Reformed churches and other groups in North America.

 

[JM]

Whatever you do avoid N.T. Wright. He is definitely not Reformed in his soteriology:

http://www.christianforums.com/t7747914/
http://www.christianforums.com/t7744131/
http://www.christianforums.com/t7723924/

 

[Don Maurer]

"Out of God's own sovereign will, He has already chosen me. Therefore, when I hear the gospel, God will regenerate me. Those who aren't chosen will hear but will not respond."

However, my friend say that the above quote is misleading. He prefers that I say the following:

" I need to first hear the gospel. Then, God regenerates me and then I become a part of the chosen ones."

I think there is some vagueness in what your friend says. My concern is the phrase "then I become a part of the chosen ones." If that phrase means become a part of the body of Christ, OK, fine, but if it is speaking of becoming elect, I would disagree. Ephesians 1:4 makes it clear we were chosen from "before the foundation of the world." There is something called the "order of salvation" or "Ordo Salutus." Election takes place in eternity past, then we hear the gospel and are regenerated at the same instant, and then of course we become a part of the body of Christ.

 

[Pteriax]

I recommend "All of Grace" by C.H. Spurgeon, Pilgrim Publications. Also there are a number of good informative videos available on the youtube channel 'canswerstv' on the subject.

 

[Don Maurer]

Deleted