I will be reviewing an article by a person named Nathaniel Green. He has proceeded to write an article against Reformed Theology which I feel is nothing more then the usual straw man arguments as presented by all Arminian Free will theists. His first tirade against the doctrines of grace proceed as follows:
“I know people won't totally understand how wrong anything is until they first realize that it is wrong in the first place. Many people have already shown the evidence, Matthew 23:37. But it's like this, you'll see at least 2 groups; each of them claiming that their position is backed up by the Bible”(1)
He first quotes Matthew 23:37 which reads as follows:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! “(2)
This passage is speaking of God wanting to draw the unbelieving Jewish leaders’ (Jerusalem’s) children (Jewish people) to salvation but they (the leaders) were not willing that, the children be drawn. How this proves his point, we are not told, for he does not elaborate. The point of Christ’s statements is to show that the unbelieving Jewish leaders were so corrupt that they were not willing that the people come to him do to the sin of unbelief that is in their hearts. Paul confirms this in Romans 8:7 and attested by Jeremiah 17:9-10 which read as follows:
“Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (3)
The prophet Jeremiah confirms the wickedness of man’s heart in the following verse of chapter 17:9-10:
"The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?
I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings." (4)
However, this doesn’t mean Jesus’ will was stopped for, “who can resist His will?” (Rom. 9:19). Moreover, everyone the Father gives to Christ will receive Christ and be saved (John 6:37). Therefore, everything that happened in Matthew 23:37 was part of God’s sovereign or decretive will, although it went against His prescriptive will which is that all men be saved. The great Reformed scholar John Calvin had this to say in his following Commentary on Matthew 23:37:
"The ones the Lord desired to gather are not the ones who "were not willing"! Jesus speaks to the leaders about their children that they, the leaders, would not allow Him to "gather." Jesus was not seeking to gather the leaders, but their children. This one consideration alone renders the passage useless for the Arminian seeking to establish freewillism. The "children" of the leaders would be Jews who were hindered by the Jewish leaders from hearing Christ." (5)
As seen above White confirms the fact that this passage is referring to the unbelieving Jews hindering those under them from hearing Christ.
Mr. Nathaniel Green then goes on to claim in his article:
“We will go into the evidence in a moment but first let’s say you realize that Calvinism is wrong or that evolution is wrong. 1 side says again and again that God died on the cross for us while making it impossible to be saved. While the other side will show verse after verse from the bible to show that this is wrong. But the Calvinist return to repeat the same story.”
He states that Calvinists believe Christ died on the cross making salvation impossible but this is a straw man and not what Reformed Theology teaches. Reformed Theology teaches that due to depravity no one seeks to receive what Christ did on the cross and so therefore it is God who must first draw us to the knowledge of that salvation through regeneration as a gift. The Old Testament confirms this in Ezekiel 36:25-27 and Jonah 2:9 which State:
"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them]." (6)
"…Salvation [is] of the LORD." (7)
These are two of many passages of Scripture which demonstrates that God is in control of the ends and means of salvation. You can also find similar statements in places such as Daniel 4:35,Proverbs 16:33 Deuteronomy 7:6, Phil 1:6, Jeremiah 10:33 among a host of other passages. The Scriptures indeed teach that the Holy Spirit is the only source that brings us to this wonderful revelation. The fact remains is that he accuses us of not having any text to back up our position which I have demonstrated is absurd and dishonest.
Mr. Green goes on to state in his article:
"Remember Calvinism is like any other Roman lie just like Evolution. There are many degrees of Evolution and Calvinism the slightest difference doesn’t matter it only matters that the mission is accomplished."
This statement is an equivocation fallacy Mr. Green is trying to compare Calvinism to Evolution and Roman Catholicism when these two areas are completely foreign to the subject having nothing to do with the discussion. Mr. Green has committed a red herring here by diverting from the subject. This is mere accusation without evidence. Rome teaches the concept of free will as opposed to the Biblical doctrine that men are bound by sin and can only be brought into subjection to God by God’s own mercy and grace.
An example that the doctrine of free will can be found within the roots of Romanism is the historical account in the fact that Rome had commissioned Erasmus a Roman Catholic to debate Martin Luther on the will of man. Luther argued that man’s will was in bondage to sin and Erasmus argued that the will of man is free much like Arminians, Pelagians and Open theists teach today. So if anyone is holding onto the beliefs of Roman Catholicism it is the freewill theists like our friend Mr. Green.
Mr. Green’s final argument comes to a close with this last statement:
“Remember Calvinism is a make believe story! The lies are so wrong and bizarre. The idea that they claim that the God has died for them has made it impossible for many to be saved. They take Yahshua and try to make him into a Roman or Greek God."
Mr. Green claims Calvinism is a make believe story. However it was never a story to begin with but is in fact a mere nickname used to separate the truth from the false man-centered free will theology. He pits sound Biblical teaching of Reformed Theology against Hyper-Calvinism which is in fact mere fatalism and not even Scriptural as it denies the essence of the preaching of the Gospel. He then post a you tube video about mind control as if it is relevant and proceeds to quote 2nd Timothy 2 as a supposed refutation when it in fact confirms the Calvinist position that man is bound to sin and only God can save them out of it. God has indeed made salvation possible and Mr. Green is right but this salvation can only come by God drawing us to that knowledge which leads to justification - Scripture confirms this:
"He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken." Isaiah 53:8(8)
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21(9)
"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." John 6:44-45 (10)
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned." 1st Corinthians 2:14 (11)
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1st John 5:1 (12)
In conclusion as you can see this young man has actually proved the Scriptural teaching that salvation is of God and not of ourselves. The evidence shows that God shows mercy and saves- men do not save themselves nor do they have the capacity. It is for this reason people reject the truth: they create the idol of free will making the creator bow to our demands instead of listening to the words of Jesus Christ who said in Matthew 26:42:
"He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." Matthew 26:42 (13)
I pray this article has been helpful in refuting the misconceptions about the doctrines of the precious faith we hold so dearly – Biblical doctrines that so many are fighting against. I leave you with this final statement which is summed up by the great preacher Charles Spurgeon:
"No doctrine in the whole Word of God has more excited the hatred of mankind than the truth of the absolute sovereignty of God." (14)
Footnotes:
1.http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/nathaniel-green/lies-that-create-cognitive-dissonance/168834236496234
2.Matthew 23:37
3. Romans 8:7
4. Jeremiah 17:9-10
5. James R. White, Potter's Freedom, 2nd ed, p. 138
6.Ezekiel 36:25-26
7. Jonah 2:9
8. Isaiah 53:8
9.Matthew 1:21
10. John 6:44-45
11.1st Corinthians 2:14
12. 1st John 5:1
13.Matthew 26:42
14.http://www.spurgeon.us/mind_and_heart/quotes/g.htm#sovereignty
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