Paul's Passing Thoughts

Romans 15:14-21 is yet another portion of Scripture that exposes several different New Calvinist errors within eight verses or less. This is indicative of the fact that New Calvinism is saturated with error.

Verse 14 is a glaring contradiction to the often heard rants by New Calvinists that the saints are totally depraved. The apostle Paul states the following in verse 14:

I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

I honestly cannot think of any statement that could contradict New Calvinism more than this statement by the apostle. Another contradiction in the same verse is Paul’s emphasis on counseling (noutheteho) each other. The idea is that we are to warn each other, instruct each other, remind each other, reprove each other, etc. A far cry from preaching the gospel to ourselves and supposedly teaching others to do the same. Counseling involves far more than having knowledge of the gospel.

Paul continues in verse 15:

I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me….

“Some points”? What points? Why wouldn’t he want to continually remind them of the gospel? The same question is begged of 2Peter, chapter 1 where Peter reminds them of seven things, excluding the gospel.

Verse 16:

….to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Paul now shifts the subject to his primary ministry as an apostle: to lead Gentiles to the Lord. Notice his emphasis on all three members of the Trinity in regard to the gospel; “a minister of Jesus Christ”; the “gospel of God,” and the “sanctification by the Holy Spirit.” The strong emphasis on Christ alone in salvation is predominant in New Calvinism.

Verses 17-19:

Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

Notice Paul writes that “what I have said and done” played a role in Gentiles coming to Christ. What about the following New Calvinist claim?—being a testimony is an attempt to “be the gospel rather than sharing the gospel.”

Verses 20-22:

It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” 22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

This is why we call the gospel “good news” and why Paul wanted to preach where Christ was NOT KNOWN. You see, once people hear the good news, it’s no longer news! This would seem evident. Also, Paul saw the gospel as a FOUNDATION, and because God didn’t want to continue to build on a foundation that had already been laid, “I have often been hindered from coming to you.”

1. The total depravity of the saints is contradicted.
2. Lack of emphasis on counseling/instruction is contradicted.
3. The continual reminding of the gospel is contradicted.
4. The devaluing of  God and the Holy Spirit in salvation is contradicted.
5. The devaluing of godly behavior in presenting the gospel is contradicted.
6. The good news as perpetual news is contradicted.
7. The continual building of the gospel foundation is contradicted.

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