In every sermon, blog, newsletter, article I have agreed with you on every issue except one, predestination. Although I myself do not believe in predestination in a Calvinistic sort of way, I am curious and many people I hear defending Calvinists, never really answer my questions like I know many Calvinists believe in the Great commission, naturally, but why? If every body already has a spot reserved for them why evangelize, or why pray to change things if things are already set in stone? I guess I’m just confused of why anything matters in predestination such as witnessing? Anyways thanks for your help to a very confused young man!

I call this the “doesn’t Calvinism kill evangelism?” question. I get it about once a week. The easy way to answer this question is to point out the difference between Calvinism and Hyper-Calvinism, or even worse, Fatalism. Fatalism is a caricature; a strawman often erected in an effort to portray Calvinism as a belief in the ends (God will save his elect), but not the means (God will use the preaching of the gospel) of salvation. This is at best wrong, and at worst dishonest. However, I do not believe the questioner is being dishonest here. This is a simple matter of not understanding the Doctrines of Grace. This classic misunderstanding can be the result of a number of causes.

First, just like there are lazy, un-evangelistic Arminians, there are indeed lazy, un-evangelistic Calvinists. And unlike their Arminian counterparts, the lazy, un-evangelistic Calvinists can always fall back on the fatalistic caricature. Thus, there are some people who call themselves Calvinists who have actually just found a way to excuse their disobedience to the Great Commission. I wish I could say that this was the source of the unfortunate caricature, but it is not. In fact, most people who question the evangelistic zeal of Calvinists are like this month’s questioner. Note what he doesn’t ask. He doesn’t say, “the Calvinists I know are un-evangelistic.” On the contrary, the at the core of his question is the assumption that the evangelism and prayer in which Calvinists engage makes no sense in light of what he understands to be their doctrine.

The second cause of this classic misunderstanding is ignorance on the part of the questioner (not meant as an insult). Most people are ignorant when it comes to the theology of Calvinism, while others know little about the history of the church (and thus lack any knowledge of Calvinism’s rich evangelistic history). As a result, many are unaware that the Doctrines of Grace have motivated some of the greatest evangelists and missionaries in the history of the church; men like Adonirum Judson, William Carey, and George Whitefield. Then there are great pastor/theologians like Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, John Bunyan, Richard Baxter, Matthew Henry, Arthur Pink, James Boyce, J.L. Dagg, Daniel & Abraham Marshall. And the list has not ended. There are also recent giants like D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, J.I. Packer, Ian Murray, D.A. Carson, John Piper, James White, Tom Nettles, Tom Schriner, Tom Ascol, Timothy George, Mark Dever, and Al Mohler, to name just a few.

The problem opponents have is not that history lacks examples of evangelistic Calvinists, but that the aforementioned caricature of Calvinism (i.e., Calvinism kills evangelism) doesn’t fit the historical record. As a result, opponents have three choices, 1) stop believing the lie and let the history and theology of Calvinism speak for itself in regard to evangelism, 2) hold on to the caricature, but paint the men in this list (and others like them) as “good Calvinists” who fight the system and become evangelistic in spite of the mandates of their doctrine (sort of like people who say, “I hate black people, but you’re a good one… You’re smart, articulate, clean, and… but I digress), or 3) ignore the theology and history of Calvinism and persist in the erroneous line of thinking that puts the Doctrines of Grace at odds with a passion for souls.

But lets get to the question at hand. First, let me state what I (as one of those scary Calvinists) believe. I have often quoted from our church’s Confession of Faith, the Second London Baptist Confession. It seems only fitting to do so here:

Those whom God hath predestinated unto Life, he is pleased in his appointed, and accepted time,( Rom. 8:30; 11:7. Eph. 1:10–11. 2 Ths. 2:13–14) effectually to call by his word, and Spirit, out of that state of sin, and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and Salvation (Eph. 2:1–6.) by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds, spiritually, and savingly to (Acts 26:18. Eph. 1:17–18) understand the things of God; taking away their (Ez. 36:26) heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his Almighty power determining them (Deut. 30:6. Ez. 36:27. Eph. 1:19.) to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come (Ps. 110:3. Song of Sol. 1:4) most freely, being made willing by his Grace. (Source: Second London Baptist Confession of 1689, Chapter X.1, “Of Effectual Calling”)

This is clearly a “Calvinistic” statement. There is a clear appeal to God’s sovereign election and the doctrine of predestination. However, notice also the allusion to the means by which God carries out his work. God is “pleased in his appointed , and accepted time, effectually to call by his word…” Thus, you have a clear reference to both the ends and the means of salvation without the slightest bit of hesitation. This is how Calvinists have viewed the issue historically. God uses the foolishness of preaching to save his people:

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,to the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:11–14)

Notice the presence of both predestination (having been predestined) and preaching (when you heard the word…) in this text. And again without the slightest bit of tension. Who saves sinners? God! What does he use? Preaching! What should we do? Preach! In his first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul sheds even more light on this doctrine:

“Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Cor 1:20–25)

As to the “why pray” part of the question, the answer is the same. We pray because we have been instructed to do so (Eph. 6:18; 1 Ths 5:17; Phil. 4:6; Luke 18:1; Col. 4:2). Prayer is communion with God. We need communion with God. Moreover, the Calvinist knows that it is God alone who can change a sinner’s dead heart. Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:44) Thus, in many ways it makes more sense for a Calvinist to pray to God for the salvation of sinners than for an Arminian. Unlike my Arminian friends, I believe God “forces himself” on people (See Daniel 4). In fact, I don’t believe a man can be saved any other way since “none is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (Rom 3:10–12; cf. Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-3) What other hope is there? Can we change our minds, or “make a decision for Christ?” The answer is a resounding NO! “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom 8:7–8) Therefore, the Calvinist prays that God will do what man cannot.

And for all my non-Calvinist friends out there (you know who you are), let me save you some time and trouble (I can see the emails, phone calls and letters now). My goal here was to answer a specific question. This is not meant to be a thorough defense of the Doctrines of Grace. Remember, the question was why do Calvinists evangelize and why do they pray. You may still believe the Calvinist is wrong, but at least take a deep breath and understand that this is indeed an answer to the question. Right or wrong, this is why a man who believes strongly in the doctrines of election and predestination would evangelize and pray.

For more on this, see The Doctrines of Grace, by Boyce and Rykin, Chosen by God, by R.C. Sproul, The Sovereignty of God, by Arthur Pink, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, by J.I. Packer, Bondage of the Will, by Martin Luther, The Freedom of the Will, by Jonathan Edwards, The Potter’s Freedom, by James White. Also, I’ve preached a message on the subject that you can get here.

VB

Want your question answered? Ask it here
Go to Source