DaveXR650
Well-Known Member
Yes it is what it teaches. But the Calvinistic confessions teach election according to the sovereignty of God and that the free will of a creature is not violated. And even modern guys like R.C. Sproul did not like the "I" and wished they could change it to "E" for effectual grace.The issue in some circles with irresistible grace is what it teaches. Calvin taught that man has no choice in salvation, therefore, the elect can't reject it. The result is "once saved always saved."
That the result is once saved always saved is not really true for two reasons. One. The Baptists are usually on the page that they were the one choosing to believe. Look at Flowers's Provisionism , which he likes to call "Traditionalism" as if it was the original Baptist position. Anyway, the Baptist once saved always saved was modified by some of the free grace guys like Ryrie to mean that once you were saved you could do anything you want and could not loose your salvation even if you tried to defect from the faith. This is not what the Calvinists taught in the 1600's for sure. They taught instead that a saint would persevere and works and sanctification would occur and indeed they must occur. That would be reason two. They did view the "P" as comfort for those who feared they might fall away or feared they were not doing well enough but it is far different from the free grace Baptist position.
That is does but I'm not sure which side is causing this. I personally find the actual theological differences no cause for getting upset and consider us all brothers, from semi-Pelagians on up thru High-Calvinists and Primitive Baptists. What I do think is worth fighting over is the shallowness and lack of seriousness that had developed in the Baptist circles I was in in recent years. A good dose of Calvinist preaching whether from Paul Washer or from John Owen has been very beneficial in correcting some of this. But Wesley would have been fine too, I guess.It's been my experience that Calvinism brings up many bitter arguments. I guess that's why I'm in such opposition to it, and can't keep my mouth shut, lol.