A Zero Point Calvinist

Calvinism believes that once one has eternal life, it can not be lost.  A “zero point Calvinist” is someone who believes that eternal life can not be lost but does not hold to any of the "five points" of Calvinism (named after the Reformer John Calvin who gets credit for these points); the five points are represented in the acronym of “TULIP."   Not all Calvinists understand all the points the same way, nor do they all hold to all the five points.   Here are my extremely brief responses to each point represented in the five letters of the TULIP.  I’m not going to list a bunch of Bible references—everyone has  proof-texts.

The “T” stands for “total depravity.”  Calvinism believes that the depravity of man is such that he needs to be “born again” first (or receive something like it) before he can respond positively to God.  I believe in the depravity of man which means that everyone is a sinner before God and needs to receive eternal life. I don’t believe in the “total” depravity of man which suggests that he cannot respond to God apart from regeneration or something like it (but see my comments on “Irresistible Grace” below). I do not believe that spiritual death (that is, the condition of the person who does not have eternal life, being alienated from God ) should be compared to a physically dead person who can not respond to someone talking to them (obviously!).

The “U” is for “Unconditional Election.”  In Calvinism, the idea is that God determines to whom He will give eternal life which is not based on a response from the individual—its entirely God’s choice (election).   I believe eternal life is conditional.   I believe the condition is faith in Christ as Savior from sin--because of what he accomplished by His death for sins.  I believe the distinction in Scripture is between faith in Christ for salvation and one’s own righteousness (such as trying to be good enough)—which can saved no one…ever. 

The “L” stands for “Limited Atonement.” “Limited atonement” says that Christ died only for a limited number of people being the “elect.”     This is one point on which Calvinists will disagree about among themselves.  There may be disagreement over whether this third point speaks of the extent (for everyone or the elect only) or the intent (for everyone or the elect only) of Christ’s death.

I would prefer the words “propitiation” or “satisfaction” for “atonement.”  I believe Christ’s death was a propitiation or satisfaction for all sins for all people for all time.  I believe Jesus provided by His death satisfaction to God for what all our sins required—He bore the penalty (consequence, requirement, etc.) of sin while on the cross.  The reason not everyone is then saved is because this propitiation is not salvation in and of itself, but allows God to justify (declare righteous) and regenerate (born again) all who believe in Christ for salvation. The condition is faith in Christ as Savior. 

The “I” stands for “Irresistible Grace.”   This view is that God will irresistibly draw by grace ( Divine enablement) to faith in Christ for salvation those that God has unconditionally elected.  Reformed folks believe this is the work of “regeneration.”  The moderate Calvinist will say its not regeneration but something like it.  I don’t believe regeneration precedes the faith by which we are justified.  I believe the Bible teaches we are born again when we believe the Gospel, not before we believe.  I believe there is a drawing through the word of God and the corresponding work of the Holy Spirit, but I believe it is according to a Divine principle of “to whomever has, more will be given.”  There is a progressiveness in the responding to certain Divine revelation, because the unsaved person (and even a carnal Christian) isn’t ready to receive certain truth that they are not conditioned to received—but an unsaved person can understand things like the 10 commandments, and that he/ she is a sinner and condemned before God.  A person may respond positively or negatively to Divine revelation.  It depends on many factors in a person life—life’s various hardships and the testimony of faithful Christians are often influential factors.

The “P” stands for “Perseverance of the Saints.”  This point isn’t just about “Once saved Always saved,” but about the perseverance of the believer in the faith and good works.  Though I believe a person can not lose eternal life, I do believe one can fail to persevere in faith and good works.  One may fall away from believing in justification by faith alone—they may be deceived into believing at a later time that one must do more than just believe to be saved, and so fall from grace.   One may not persevere in good works or faith.  There is always the question as to whether someone who falls away was really saved to begin with--maybe they were originally the victims of a works based salvation message or did those decisional-method things that are commonly propagated by Christians like “asking Jesus into their heart" or a repeat-after-me-prayer—which doesn’t really bring salvation, and so they may become disillusioned with this “religion” and abandon it.   Yet there have been Bible scholars and theologians who were effective evangelists and impacted many with the truth and yet later fell away to some degree or another.  These are very troubling to be sure.   But I am not convinced of the indefectibility of faith.   The consequences of failure are great, being disapproved--not being useful for the Lord and the loss of rewards.  God is able to keep you from falling, but take heed lest you fall!

The chair analogy for faith

It has been said that the faith by which we are saved is like believing a chair will support you, and that faith is not complete until you sit in the chair.  It’s not enough to believe the chair will support you, but you have to sit in the chair, or your faith or belief is incomplete. 

    

I find this analogy problematic when it is used for the faith by which we are saved, because it adds another step to faith, before it is considered faith.

If a person believes a chair will hold them, then what if they do not sit in it? Do they believe it will hold them or not? The sitting in the chair is an extra step beyond simply believing it will hold you. What would correspond to the sitting in the chair when it comes to the faith by which we are saved? Would it be some good work like feeding and clothing the poor or getting baptized?

If salvation (justification, regeneration) happens at a point in time--and I believe it does--and that point in time is when a person believes certain divine truth, then whenever that divine truth is believed, salvation has taken place. 

Whatever a person may know and believe up to that point of believing the truth that results in salvation can be preliminary.  This could be true with reference to the chair analogy, because before a person believes a chair will support him, he will have reasons to come to that belief, such as the history of the chair being used by others and maybe the appearance of the chair.  If the chair has not supported others, or it appears broken, then he does not have reason to believe it will support him, but if others have sat in it, and it appears to be in fine shape, then he has reason to believe it will support him.   Either he believes it will support him or it will not. Or he may be uncertain, but uncertainty is a lack of persuasion. There's also the fact that the chair is not God, and things like chairs do not carry the kind of certainty that the character and word of God does.

If the chair analogy did not include the extra step of sitting, it could be a fine analogy.  That is to believe the chair supports you is an analogy of the faith in that divine truth by which you are saved.

But it seems that those who use the analogy want to add another step.   Why is that? 

The issue here is not the preliminary knowledge and faith.  

Does salvation happen at a point in time when certain Divine truth is believed or does it not? 

Is salvation put on hold until one acts in some manner consistent with that faith, such as feeding and clothing the poor or getting baptized? 

 

What act must one do, if he has believed the revelation by which salvation comes?

The analogy is seeking to say that the belief that a chair will support you is incomplete until you actually sit in the chair.  This analogy concerns me, because  it adds another step.   The real issue is whether you believe.

Salvation takes place at a point in time when a person believes that divine revelation which results in salvation.  No further step is needed.  Either you believe that revelation or you don’t. (What that revelation is is another issue.) Therefore, I don't use the chair analogy for faith or believing, unless we are only comparing the faith that a chair will hold you with the faith by which we are saved, not including another step to complete it.

Ephesians 2:8-9: Salvation is not of us in that it is not of works

Ephesians 2.8-9:

For by grace you have been saved through faith,

and that not of yourselves;

it is the gift of God,

not of works,

lest anyone should boast.

Salvation is not from ourselves.

This means that salvation is not by our works of righteousness as in keeping the Law (such as the Ten Commandments).

*Salvation is by grace through faith.

*Salvation is not from ourselves.

*Salvation is the gift of God.

*Salvation is not of works, lest anyone should boast.

When the Apostle Paul says that salvation is not of us, he is saying that it is not of works.

But what about faith?

Paul is saying that faith is instrumental in our salvation.

Faith is in contrast to works.

Salvation is "through faith."

If one does not believe (in the right thing), they are not saved.

The right thing is Jesus Christ as Scripture says,

whoever believes in Him [Jesus] should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3.15)

This is because Jesus bore the penalty of sin, being death, for everyone on the cross.

This death is separation from God, which is the opposite of everlasting life.

When one believes in Jesus for salvation, they are saved.

How can faith be instrumental in salvation, if salvation is not of us?

Because faith is not works.

Faith and works are very different.

We are saved by the faith that believes the Word of God concerning salvation through Jesus.

We are not saved by our works of righteousness.

By faith in Jesus, God credits righteousness to us (called "justification"), while "works" is our own righteousness in which we try to stand accepted by God.

Faith is believing the Word of God concerning the way of salvation by which salvation results, but by works, one seeks to stand in one's own righteousness for salvation.

Faith is instrumental in our salvation.

The Apostle Paul says:

knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (Galatians 2.16)

Justification is not "by" works but "by" faith.

Consider the account in the book of Acts concerning the Italian Centurion Cornelius.

An angel instructs Cornelius to send for the Apostle Peter,

who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved. (Acts 11.14)

Peter says to Cornelius,

The word which [God] sent to the children of Israel,

preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all-- that word you know,

which was proclaimed throughout all Judea,...

[this Jesus] whom they killed by hanging on a tree.

Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly.

(Acts 10.36-39)

And then Peter says,

To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

(Acts 10.43)

And then...

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

(Acts 10.44)

Salvation took place when Cornelius and those with him heard these words from Peter:

whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

It is clear that salvation comes through faith alone in Jesus Christ for salvation.

[by Jason]

Mercy from God not according to our terms

Romans9.15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." 16 So then [it] [is] not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

In Romans 9, the Apostle is concerned about the salvation of his “countrymen according to the flesh” (vs. 3).  Paul does not used the word “salvation,” in the beginning part of the chapter, but salvation is in view when he talks about who are the children of God and that those who attain to righteousness do so by faith.  Paul does say at the beginning of chapter 10 that his “heart’s desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved.”

But several things said in chapter 9, such as God showing mercy and compassion according to His choice and not by the one’s will or desire or strenuous effort, has emboldened the view that the reason some are saved and some are lost is because it is by God’s choice alone, apart from any response of a person.  If there is a criteria in God’s choice, only He knows, being a mystery-assuming it’s not just an arbitrary choice like some Divine flipping of the coin…heads you’re saved and tails you stay lost.

The understanding of the chapters of Romans 9 through 11, I believe must take into account that the Nation of Israel is in view as to what is going on with her.  Paul says some things that are difficult to sort out.  What He says concerns Israel as a people.  God has chosen Israel for a purpose as a people of God, but to be part of that people is through a particular promise and faith.   That particular people at present has been removed and replaced by a new and different people for a time—that includes Jews who are believers along with Gentiles.  God was working in a way to save Jews now to be a part of the present people of God (Paul spoke of provoking them to jealousy through the salvation of Gentiles), but He is also enduring with and using non-believing Jews and Gentiles, especially in the last days, to bring about the salvation of Israel—not just of individuals, because that can happen now, but the nation as a nation.   But this future salvation will be a nation, as the people of God.  It will not be every individual Jew—as Paul said: “they are not all Israel who are of Israel.”  It will be the Nation as a people, but only according to God’s criterial, not according to theirs or man’s criteria or desire and will.  God’s criteria is according to promise and faith.  If “they do not continue in unbelief … God is able to graft them in AGAIN” (Romans 11.23).  The word “again” just adds support that its talking nationally and not individually.

The criteria of God as to whom He shows mercy does not have to be understood as some mystery or an arbitrary choice.  It is clear in Romans 9 through 11 that the issue is faith.   The problem with Israel was their unbelief.  They had zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, for they were ignorant of God’s righteousness.  That righteousness was the righteousness that God gives by faith in Christ, being justification.  Israel was broken off and replaced as a people of God with a new people of God, primarily made up of Gentiles.  But the day is coming when the nation will be restored as a people, but only through faith in Christ.  “…blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  26  And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:  "The Deliverer will come out of Zion,  And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;  27  For this [is] My covenant with them,  When I take away their sins.”  Romans 11.25-27

Salt and Light

Jesus said...You are the salt of the Earth...you are the light of the world...if the salt loses its flavor...it is good for nothing but to be thrown out...nor do they light lamp and put it under a basket...  Matthew 5.13-16

 Just a simple observation...

I believe these words apply to the people of God, both in a corporate sense, like national Israel or a church, and individually, being believers. 

In a corporate sense like the nation of Israel, there were unsaved people among them that would have assisted in their moral and spiritual failure.  But the nation as the people of God were to have an affect on the nations around her.  

She was to be salt and light, but if she became ineffective or failed in her purpose, then what good was she?  

This can apply to individuals too, but I would think in that case, only saved people.  Unsaved people could never be salt and light.  A believer can fail to be effective for the Lord, like the salt that becomes saturated with impurities and becomes useless.

A corporate entity like Israel was the people of God and to be salt and light, and it included unsaved people, who were surely instrumental in her failure, but her failure corporately led to a corporate judgment, being removed from the place of privilege and blessing and from being a witness for God.  An ineffective church can come under judgment as well--Revelation 2.5 warns of the church of Ephesus having her lampstand removed.

The simple negative point of the illustration is that if you become ineffective, you're of no good use and will suffer the consequences.

He who endures to the end

Matthew 10.22 and 24.13 both have this promise that he who endures to the end will be saved.  It is stated in a context of persecution, and both contexts could refer to the days leading up to the coming of Christ, but especially the Matthew 24 context.

10.22 reads, 22 “And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”

24.9-13 reads,  9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

What is this salvation being promised?

It is common for Christians to apply this to eternal salvation:  you must endure to the end of your life in faith or you were never really saved to begin with or you lose your salvation.

Those who don’t agree with either view just referenced--usually those who believe salvation is by faith alone, and such faith is not indefectible—believe this salvation is a physical one and in reference to those final days of the great tribulation that lead up to the coming of Christ: those who endure in faith to the end will be physically delivered.

And in keeping with the idea of physical salvation are the words of Revelation 13.10: “ He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. “ (NKJV)  These words may actually suggest otherwise, but the last part about the patience of the saints could fit with the promise.  There’s actually different manuscript readings of this verse that might seem more fitting,  “If anyone is meant for captivity into captivity he will go.  If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed.  This requires steadfast endurance and faith from the saints.” (NET Bible)  The NET Bible agrees with a similar statement in Jeremiah 15.2, while the NKJV agrees with what Christ said in the Garden.  Maybe both are represented in Revelation 13.  Matthew 26.52: “But Jesus said to him, "Put your  sword  in its place, for all who take the  sword  will perish by the  sword.” Jeremiah 15.2 reads: “2  "And it shall be, if they say to you, `Where should we go?' then you shall tell them, `Thus says the Lord:  "Such as [are] for death, to death;  And such as [are] for the  sword , to the  sword ;  And such as [are] for the famine, to the famine;  And such as [are] for the captivity, to the captivity."  But we know from Revelation believers will be martyred, and the reference above would indicate that if you are appointed to death or captivity, then it will happen.

I think the promise could really be a spiritual one.  Jesus said in Luke 21.16-19, “  16  "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put [some] of you to death.  17  "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  18  "But not a hair of  your  head shall be lost.  19  "By  your  patience  possess   your   souls.”  The context here I believe is the persecution of the early church, but it is similar to and spoken about in connection with the days leading up to the coming of Christ.  When Jesus said not a hair of the head will be lost, he didn’t mean physical hair.  He also spoke of possessing their souls by patience.  I believe both of these have a spiritual significance. 

I think it could be a spiritual kind of salvation.  I think it is similar to other statements by Jesus about Losing and saving one’s life or soul—the word “psuche” is translated “life” and “soul.”   If one’s life is bound up in the temporal things of life, he will lose his life and those things—he may try to save his life by holding on to those things, but he will die and all that will be lost.  But if one sacrifices the temporal for the eternal, he will preserve, find, and save his life, even in death, because those things remain and to the extent they become part of his life, his life will remain in death with those things—not a “hair…lost” would metaphorically mean the preservation of those things.  Jesus is recorded using the words “save,” “find” and “preserve,” for the life that is “lost” for him.

Reference in made to Lot’s Wife in a second coming context, connected with that saying about saving and losing one’s life, Luke 17.33.  She looked back.   Yes, she lost her life physically, but maybe there is more to it—her life was back there in Sodom.  She lingered behind, kept looking back.  She wanted to save it, but she lost her life, physically, but maybe even more than that, much of who she was, her soul-life.  

The saving/ losing of life is used in Mathew 10.39, which is a discipleship context that speaks of the difficulties of that commitment throughout Matthew 10.  Matthew 10 is similar to the great tribulation difficulties of Mathew 24.  Both Matthew 10 and 24 use the statement about enduring to the end.  The “end” must be the end of the period of persecution.

All these connections about discipleship, saving/ losing one’s life, remembering Lot’s wife, and the tribulation of those days could explain the salvation that is in view.

I could see how physical life can be in view, but I think it is more of a spiritual kind of life in view--a value/ purpose of life thing. 

Luke 12.23 says that life is more than food and the body more than clothing.   Lot’s wife must have been looking back, wanting to hold on to the temporal.  If your life is bound up in the temporal, you will lose it, physically, but its who you are.  In committed discipleship, your life is more than the temporal—it is of value to God, for time and eternity.  Its your identity that will remain and have reward in heaven.  If you lose your life for Christ’s sake and the gospel, you will save it (Mark 8.34-37) or find it (Mat10.39, or preserve it (Luke 17.33).   You will be saved.

Addendum

Jesus: "For what  profit  is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16.26

 An absurd idea to make a point.  What would it profit a person if he gained the whole world but lost himself or his life?   If you were given everything this world had to offer and then died, what good would it be?  Or, if you were given everything this world had to offer but lost yourself in the sense of self-worth, identity, hating who you have become.  What good is it?

Salvation and It’s Tenses

Salvation, or being “saved,” is presented in Scripture in three tenses, past, present, and future; and all three are designated by the same word “saved” or “salvation,” but context must decide the tense.   (A tense is when an action happens.)  There is also the obvious sense in which the word is used for a physical kind of salvation, and it can be that the physical salvation is connected to one of the tenses:  those who are in a spiritual sense saved will be physically saved.

Understanding the three tenses are importance, so that one does not conclude that salvation ultimately depends on your own righteousness or ability to endure to the end of your life.  The first tense, being “justification” and “regeneration” happen at a point in time when one believes in Jesus for salvation,  and this makes the second tense possible, of which one can become the kind of person God has called you to be, and it secures the third tense when the believer is resurrected and in the kingdom of God.  The second tense does have an impact on the experience of the third tense, that is, what we do in this life that is of eternal value will carry over into that final tense of salvation.

A person is "saved" when they believe the promise of God of salvation through believing in Jesus for it.
This is the first tense of salvation.  This salvation is "justification" and "regeneration."

There is another use of "save[d]" that it is used concerning those who are already believers and so it has to be used in another sense.

The second tense of salvation is with reference to the conduct expected in the life of the believer, a life transformed in alignment with God’s word.  This kind of life is approved by God and useful--and fulfilling.

First Timothy 4.15-16  has Paul telling Timothy that by continuing in the doctrine, he will  "save" himself and those that hear him.

James 1.21  says one is saved through receiving the implanted word  (cp. 1 Pet2.1-2; 1.23-25).  That implanted word is what saved one in the first tense, but needs renewed in the mind.

1 Timothy 2:15 speaks of a woman being saved through childbearing—is this the woman’s fulfillment through impacting her children spiritually?

1 Peter 1.9 speaks of receiving the end of faith, the salvation of souls.  This could be the outcome on a believer who stays the course in persecution and the blessing and impact it brings.

Hebrews 7.25 says that Jesus can save to uttermost those who come to God through him.  This is probably the enablement to stay the course under trials and difficulties and experience God's working and blessing in your life.

Matthew 16.24-26 has Jesus saying that whoever loses/ destroys his life for Christ's sake will find it,  but  if they seek to save it, they will lose/ destroy it.    To truly save/ find your life is to lose/ destroy it for Christ’s sake.   To save, find, or preserve your life is in sacrifice for the Lord.     

There is a third tense of salvation which Scripture speaks concerning, and that is the final state of the believer in the resurrection and in the kingdom of God.

Luke 13.23-30:  “Lord, are there few who are saved?”  I believe the first and third tense are indicated in this text.  The question looks to the third tense, while the answer concerns what one must do to get there.  The kingdom of God is pictured as a city with a wall and gate.  One must strive to enter that gate.  That gate is described as narrow, and though many will seek to enter, only a few will manage to do so.   The “many” here probably refer to those in Israel who did not believe in him during his earthly ministry.  Matthew 8.11-12 speaks of the “sons of the kingdom” being cast out, and if this is “a Semitic expression for those who belong or by privilege should belong to the kingdom” (Gundry), then they are the many who seek to enter in contrast to the few who believed.  But it could apply to all those who think they should enter by what they think qualifies them.

1 Peter1.3-5 speaks of the “salvation ready to be revealed.”   This final tense/ aspect of our salvation will be affected by how we live now, our present tense of being saved through/ during this life of faith.  In light of that approaching Day, we should live godly/ holy lives, see Hebrews 10.22-35, 35-39; 2Pet3.10-13.