God Give Us More GPGHSGers!

At the PCRT this past weekend, something unusual happened -- free books were given away. The purchaser had the option of choosing "What is a True Calvinist?" by Philip Ryken or "What are Election and Predestination?" by Richard Phillips. I chose the former. Its brief 30 pages are a rapid read. I thought the book was going to go something like this: "A true Calvinist is one who believes the following doctrines," followed by a doctrinal treatment of each letter in the TULIP: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. I thought it would be a quick and handy reference when dealing with those subjects. Boy was I wrong! And I am so glad I was.

Dr. Ryken is a gifted expositor and demonstrates this in centering his booklet around an exposition of Isaiah 6. While the TULIP is presented in the booklet, and is assumed as the basic set of doctrines for anyone claiming to be a Calvinist, Ryken suggests that the TULIP alone does not make one a True Calvinist. Indeed, we can all agree with Ryken's statement that some Calvinists are "considered narrow in their thinking, parochial in their outlook, and uncharitable in their attitude toward those who disagree." Rather, true Calvinism, according to Ryken is demonstrated in a God-centered mind; a penitent spirit; a grateful heart; a submissive will; a holy life; and a glorious purpose. Granted, these headings do not lend themselves well to an acrostic -- who would want to be classified as a 6-point GPGSHGer? But, perhaps if those who hold to the Reformed doctrines of grace carried themselves in this way, the label "Calvinism" would not be so offensive to so many. I would submit that most people who are afraid of Calvinism are so because so many so-called Calvinists come across as arrogant, combative, and cerebral.

I have never been one to take the title "Calvinist" upon myself. If we put the proper definitions of TULIP on the table (and jettison the caricatures offered by the anti-Calvinists), I hold to all the petals of the TULIP. I do maintain a belief in divine middle knowledge that causes me to be shunned by many in the Calvinist camp. This is because the doctrine of middle knowledge is caricatured by many Reformed people in the same way that "limited atonement" is by non-Calvinists. Holding to middle knowledge does not require one to also hold to libertarian freedom, as Terrance Tiessen has ably argued. But I am not eager to gain the title of Calvinist, and don't mind it being withheld from me. I would suppose that Calvin himself would not want those who agreed with him to label themselves with his name or any other man-made label. Similarly, I would suppose that Spurgeon, Edwards, or any other great name of Church History would reject the notion of people being called "Spurgeonists", "Edwardsians," or any other _________ - ist or ____________-ian. However, whatever we call ourselves, we would do well to demonstrate the characteristics in our lives that Ryken sets forth in this wonderful little booklet: a God-centered mind; a penitent spirit; a grateful heart; a submissive will; a holy life; and a glorious purpose. Where right doctrine is properly absorbed, applied, and adhered to, these things will flow in our lives.

May God grant His church more GPGSHGers.