February 1999 New Horizons

Does the Bible Teach Calvinism? A Look at 'the Five Points of Calvinism'

by Calvin D. Keller

Many people have a very negative view of the term Calvinism. Most people are also ignorant of what true Calvinists believe. This article has been written to present a clear and simple statement of what Calvinism is, along with scriptural support for it. I hope that as you read this, you will find it to be what the Bible teaches. (For every Bible-believing Christian, that should be the end of the matter!) Also, I hope that you will find the truths of Calvinism to be powerful and life-changing, which we ought to expect the truth of God to be. If you are trusting in your own goodness for salvation, you will be disappointed—no matter how good you are. But if you have a desire to know God and his truth, you will be challenged—and I hope moved—to trust him more and rely on his sovereign grace. Let me first point out that "the five points of Calvinism" are not a summary of Calvinism or the Reformed faith. They are simply a response to five objections that Arminians have raised to the ... Read more

What Is the Reformed Faith?

by Jack D. Kinneer

We Presbyterians call our Christian convictions the Reformed faith. What do we mean by that name? And from where did the name come? We call our faith "Reformed" because of the Protestant Reformation. During the medieval era, the Christian church became more and more distorted. Truths taught in the Bible were obscured. Ideas and practices without biblical warrant came to prominence. This led to a movement by Christians to reform the faith and practice of the medieval church. It is from this effort at reform that our name comes: the Reformed faith. The Reformed faith is, first of all, a turning away from all forms of self—help salvation in order to find God's true salvation in Jesus Christ alone. As Reformed Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ is the only and all—sufficient Savior of God's people. Christians do not need to add their good works, their religious efforts, or anything else to the work of Jesus Christ. Rather, Christ by his death and resurrection has provided a full and complete ... Read more

The Bible Teaches the Doctrine of Election: Part I

by Geoffrey C. Smith

I intend to demonstrate in this article that the Bible teaches the doctrine of election. The Scriptures teach that God elects some, and not others, to eternal life, without regard to any worthiness (such as spiritual desire, religious merit, or foreseen faith) in those whom he elects. In doing this, God acts in accordance with his highest purpose, which is, as Paul states repeatedly in Ephesians, the revelation of his own glory. We will focus our attention on 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15, a crucial text that addresses the question of how God saves lost people. We will see that this passage, understood according to its plain sense, teaches election, as does the rest of the Bible. The Context First, let's take a moment to establish the context in which this passage appears. This is the pivotal section of the letter. The Thessalonians had become agitated by some type of "authoritative" report that asserted that the Day of the Lord had arrived. In order to choke off this error, Paul reminds the church of ... Read more

Who Despises the Day of Small Things?

by Robert P. Harting, Jr.

Potter and Evans were the starters for the 1932 championship game of the "Little Nineteen" intercollegiate league in which Wheaton College competed. Evans—a future member of the Hall of Fame at Wheaton—was the natural choice to wrap up the series that year. He went up against Nelson Potter, who went on to pitch for the St. Louis Browns. While Potter made it to the major leagues, Wheaton won that day behind the consistent hurling of Clarke Evans. Francis Clarke Evans was born on December 1, 1908, in South Philadelphia. Since Clarke's father died when his son was just a few months old, he was raised by his uncle, who welcomed his widowed sister and niece and nephew into his home. A respected Philadelphia physician, Clarke's uncle also served as an elder at Grace Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, a congregation in which the Rev. Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse ministered for a time as well. It would be another Grace Presbyterian Church at which the Rev. F. Clarke Evans—reflecting on his twenty ... Read more