Paul's Passing Thoughts

“This is why New Calvinism must be stopped. It redefines faith, short-circuits sanctification, and deprives the saints of experiencing true blessings by replacing true literary schemas with the Ind/Imp.”

I have written many articles about the whole the imperative command is grounded in the indicative event thing. Chapter 12 of the new book addresses this fallacy in detail. Supposedly, the Bible was written with a schema that always precedes commands with a description of Christ’s redemptive work—indicating that all of our works flow naturally from a deeper understanding of redemption. This also, supposedly, purifies our motives because we are then motivated by gratitude and not any kind of effort to please God in “our own efforts.”

Problem is, that order is often reversed throughout Scripture and indicates are often contingent upon the completion of the imperative. Also, many imperatives are based on things God hasn’t done yet, and not necessarily the “finished works of Christ.” Pathetically, New Calvinists then argue that the preceding indicative, no matter how far back, is always linked to the imperative. So, some indicative two books back and regarding a totally different subject is what we should be linking said imperative with. Whatever.

Other literary schemas are conveniently never spoken of. I wrote an article a couple of days ago that was a little testy because this whole Ind/Imp thing is really getting on my nerves (http://wp.me/pmd7S-XO).  The schema written about in that article speaks of faith and obedience being the same thing in Scripture. A friend of the ministry called for an adjustment regarding the following statement I made in the article: “Obedience doesn’t come from faith or flow from faith, it is faith.”  His comments in regard to this statement are worth restating:

Ok, Faith is obedience in some sense, but obedience also comes from Faith too. Faith is being sure, understanding the value of what’s being said – it’s the motive. Motives produce action, they go together. Christ had compassion, therefore He healed. By Faith we move:

Rom 1:5 “to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.”

Phil 2:17 “the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.”

1 Thess 1:3 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Anon said: “Faith that doesn’t work isn’t faith.”

True, but two ways of Faith:

Faith does not work in regard to the forgiveness of sins because God doesn’t ask it. Rom 3:25 says “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Therefore Paul says “the man who does not work” according to David: “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” So, by faith alone we are forgiven and “we have gained access into this grace in which we now stand.”

However, Faith does work (active) when commanded and is blessed:

Gen 22:15 “The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

So Christians do like Father Abraham, “the man of Faith.” We are the predestinated children of Abraham. Who did Christ come to help? Heb 2:16 “For surely it is not angels he (Christ) helps, but Abraham’s descendants.”

Arkansas Bill

Bill makes a valid argument, but I think he would also agree that obedience is more than  a mere product of faith. After all, James said Abraham’s faith was “completed” by his obedience (2:22). In fact, James 2:14-26 bolsters the argument. James even says that works apart from faith is like a body that has no spirit (v26). Sounds like oneness to me. I made the following statement in the same article: “….faith is not faith until it does something” I stand by that statement, and the Scriptures are saturated with the literary schema that makes the two same. For instance, unbelievers are called on to do what? Believe, right? Consider these verses which I think call on unbelievers to do the same thing, but in a different way:

Acts 3:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Acts 8:22

Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.

Acts 20:21

I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Acts 26:20

First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

1 Peter 4:17

For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

1 Peter 1:2

Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Of course, Christians have to know this first, and therefore understand the powerful lesson that this schema teaches: obedience whether we feel like it or not leads to the blessings of experiencing the blessings of our salvation to the degree that God wants us to. In 1Peter chapter 1, Peter instructs us to “add” to our faith. This is utterly profound. We are not to wait around for faith to “fuel” obedience as the New Calvinist crowd says to do, we are to “add” to the faith that we believe is in us because the word of God says it’s there, but we have to appropriate it.

Be sure of this: Christians who lack assurance of salvation need to add obedience to their faith—that’s Peter’s whole point in that chapter. Nothing fuels boldness like assurance; if we are 100% assured of our standing with God, we are likely to do anything for Him. This is an UPWARD spiral, unlike the false teaching of New Calvinist’s like Jerry Bridges who teaches that the cure for doubt is to preach grace to ourselves till the doubt goes away. That’s nothing more than searing our consciences with a hot iron. Bridges and other New Calvinists even say that to be motivated by guilt is wrong. No, guilt is a spiritual motivator—telling us that we are not adding enough obedience to our faith and thereby “completing” it. Paul told Timothy to keep a clear conscience before God and men (1Timothy 1:5,19 and 3:9).

Also consider these verses:

2 Corinthians 1:12

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.

2 Corinthians 4:2

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

2 Corinthians 5:11

Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

Titus 1:15

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Hebrews 13:18

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.

1 Peter 3:16

keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:21

and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

This is the first schema New Calvinists don’t want you to know about—the schema that doesn’t wait for a process between faith and obedience to legitimize it. It contradicts the supposed error of  “leaping from command to obedience.” This is why New Calvinism is so dangerous and will ruin people’s lives.

The second schema New Calvinists either avoid or distort is the put off/put on schema. Where to even start on this one. Christ uses this schema throughout the Sermon on the Mount. The problem, why you do it, stop doing that, and start doing this. A good example is Ephesians 5: 3,4;

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Put off foul conversation, put on thankfulness. This also tells us that this behavior is driven by unthankfulness (ie., course joking around the water cooler at work). Other examples are Ephesians 4:25, 28, 29, 31, 32, 5:4,11,18, 6:4, Psalm 1, Galatians 5:19-23, 3John 11, Hebrews 10:25, 1Peter 2:1-2, 3:9, Matthew 16:24, 1Thessalonians 1:9, 5:6,15, 1Peter 1:14-15, 2:11-12, 4:2, 5:2,3-6, Romans 12:16,21, 13:12, 14:17, 15:1-2, Galatians 6:3-4,8 Philipians 2:3, 21, 3:3, 4:6, Colossians 3:2, 5-10, 1Timothy 4:7, 6:11, 6:17, 2Timothy 1:7, Titus 2:11-12, James 1:22, 1John 3:18, 4:18, Acts 18:9.

To downplay this schema as New Calvinists do strikes at the very heart of sanctification which is Ephesians 4:22-24; it calls us to put off the old person and put on the new creature created in Christ. We have the fullness of Christ already, we need to put it on as we discover the attributes in Scripture.

The third schema is obedience leads to blessings/peace. This contradicts the New Calvinist teachings that right feelings always precede right doing.  Like all other New Calvinist teachings, the exact opposite is true. The most obvious is James 1:25. It plainly states that the blessings are IN the doing. Philippians 4:2-9 concludes with the God of peace being with us as a result of right thinking, right doing, and right praying.

This is why New Calvinism must be stopped. It redefines faith, short-circuits sanctification, and  deprives the saints of experiencing true blessings by replacing true literary schemas with the Ind/Imp. Though that schema has some application for being encouraged and motivated by what God has done—to make it the only and primary motivator will lead Christians into treacherous waters.

paul