New-Calvinism: A Return To Biblical Christianity

Calvinism has been around for 500 years. Calvin spoke biblically on points of salvation. With the rise of New-Calvinism across America, this resurgence is a return to Biblical evangelism. Although New-Calvinism could become dangerous if undirected, it is the best hope in turning from the seeker-sensitive, watered down Gospel church culture of America.

Calvinism is the theological system of Calvin and his followers marked by strong emphasis on the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humankind, and the doctrine of predestination (“calvinism”). Calvin taught on five main points of salvation: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints, or TULIP.

“T.U.L.I.P. concerns the essential doctrines which pertain to the salvation of God's chosen people through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. The Puritans were keenly aware that if the essentials of the Christian faith were overthrown or changed, the faith disappeared. It would no longer be the faith of the Bible. It would not longer be the doctrines of the Bible. It would no longer be Christianity. Rather, it would be the vanity of someone's unbiblical and unexegetical mind, heresy which would infiltrate and hurt the people of God.”(McMahon)

Total Depravity is the idea that without Christ mans only choice is sin (McMahon).

10AS IT IS WRITTEN: "NONE IS RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE;11NO ONE UNDERSTANDS; NO ONE SEEKS FOR GOD.12ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE; TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME WORTHLESS; NO ONE DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE."(ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION ROMANS 3:10-12)

Unconditional Election claims that God chooses based on his sovereign will whom he will save (McMahon).

64BUT THERE ARE SOME OF YOU WHO DO NOT BELIEVE." (FOR JESUS KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING WHO THOSE WERE WHO DID NOT BELIEVE, AND WHO IT WAS WHO WOULD BETRAY HIM.) 65AND HE SAID, "THIS IS WHY I TOLD YOU THAT NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS IT IS GRANTED HIM BY THE FATHER."( JOHN 6:64-65)

Limited Atonement is the idea that “The Atonement of Jesus Christ is not limited in its power to save, but in the extent to which it reaches and will save certain individuals” (McMahon).

21SHE WILL BEAR A SON, AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS, FOR HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS."(MATTHEW 1:21)

“Since grace is undeserved by any person, Irresistible Grace teaches that when the Spirit of God is sent to change a person's heart, that person cannot resist the change” (McMahon).

37ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVES ME WILL COME TO ME, AND WHOEVER COMES TO ME I WILL NEVER CAST OUT.( JOHN 6:37)

Perseverance of the saints teaches that once God has renewed the heart of a sinner through the application of the redemption wrought by Christ upon the cross, he will continue to be saved and show forth the fruits of that salvation (McMahon).

6AND I AM SURE OF THIS, THAT HE WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL BRING IT TO COMPLETION AT THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST.( PHILIPPIANS 1:6)

Though these five points are what Calvin is best known for, he preached on average 5 times per week (Piper).

“Of course, like every other man besides Jesus Christ, John Calvin was imperfect. His renown is not owing to infallibility, but to his relentless allegiance to the Scriptures as the Word of God in a day when the Bible had been almost swallowed up by church tradition.”(Piper)

Calvin was a God-fearing man whose deepest desire was to honor God and speak his truth.

New-Calvinism doesn’t discount anything Calvin taught or anything traditionally believed by Calvinists, it simply continues what Calvin taught. “New Calvinists defy mainstream evangelicalism because they believe it’s gone soft on sin and watered down the Gospel into a glorified self-help program. In part, Calvinism appeals because it’s insensitive to seekers.”(Farnworth) There is a desire in our generation for biblical truth and we will not stand for a watered down version of truth no matter how hard it is to hear.

"They have plenty of friends: what they need is a God." Mohler says, "The moment someone begins to define God's [being or actions] biblically, that person is drawn to conclusions that are traditionally classified as Calvinist."(Van Biema)

Calvinism is back, and not just musically. John Calvin's 16th century reply to medieval Catholicism's buy-your-way-out-of-purgatory excesses is Evangelicalism's latest success story, complete with an utterly sovereign and micromanaging deity, sinful and puny humanity, and the combination's logical consequence, predestination: the belief that before time's dawn, God decided whom he would save (or not), unaffected by any subsequent human action or decision. Calvinism, cousin to the Reformation's other pillar, Lutheranism, is a bit less dour than its critics claim: it offers a rock-steady deity who orchestrates absolutely everything, including illness (or home foreclosure!), by a logic we may not understand but don't have to second-guess. Our satisfaction — and our purpose — is fulfilled simply by "glorifying" him (Van Biema).


So why is there concern with New-Calvinism? The concern simply is that where there is knowledge, pride and arrogance also follow.

“Of course, that presumption of inevitability has drawn accusations of arrogance and divisiveness since Calvin's time. Indeed, some of today's enthusiasts imply that non-Calvinists may actually not be Christians. Skirmishes among the Southern Baptists (who have a competing non-Calvinist camp) and online "flame wars" bode badly.” (Van Biema).

New-Calvinism is one of the most divisive topics the church has seen in recent times.

“I believe that [Calvinism] is potentially the most explosive and divisive issue facing us in the near future. It has already been an issue that has split literally dozens of churches, and it holds the potential to split the entire convention [Southern Baptist Convention].” -Steve Lemke (Farnworth)

In order for New-Calvinism to be as impactful as the Calvinism of the reformation, New-Calvinists need to sprinkle their message with grace. New-Calvinists need to heed the words of Martin Luther “I opposed indulgences and all, papists, but never by force. I simply taught, preached, wrote God’s Word: otherwise I did nothing…. I left it to the Word.” (Farnworth) They will need to leave it to the word of God. New-Calvinism is on the rise; the appealing truth-above-comfort mentality and the commitment to hold true to scripture is going to change things in the evangelical world. This church culture that looks similar to the catholic church of 500 years ago is in for an awaking of intelligent, well spoken, biblically sound, and thought provoking young adult generation that is going to be leading the churches of tomorrow.


Works Cited

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McMahon, Dr. C. Matthew. "Irresistible Grace." A Puritan's Mind. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 MAR 2010. .

McMahon, Dr. C. Matthew. "Limited Atonement." A Puritan's Mind. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 MAR 2010. .

McMahon, Dr. C. Matthew. "Perseverance of the Saints." A Puritan's Mind. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 MAR 2010. .

McMahon, Dr. C. Matthew. "Total Depravity." A Puritan's Mind. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 MAR 2010. .

McMahon, Dr. C. Matthew. "T.U.L.I.P.." A Puritan's Mind. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 MAR 2010. .

McMahon, Dr. C. Matthew. "Unconditional Election." A Puritan's Mind. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 MAR 2010..

Piper, John. "The Origin of Calvinism." Desiring God. N.p., 28 JAN 1997. Web. 29 MAR 2010. .

Van Biema, David. "The New Calvinism." Time Magazine 03 MAR 2009: Print.