Calvinism, Objections, Questions and Answers
1. A person cannot rightly claim that Christ died for
him, unless he knows he's elect.
This objection is answered when we understand that a person
can know he/she is elect by repenting and trusting in Christ for salvation. It
is true that Calvinism teaches that Christ did not died for every single
individual. However, Calvinism asserts that Christ died for all those that
repent and trust in Him. Thus people can know they’re elect by obeying
God—repenting and trusting in Jesus Christ.
2. Doesn’t God have to “force” a person to believe the
gospel?
It depends on what is meant by ‘force.’ If one means that
God does everything, including believe for a person, then no. That would be
hyper-Calvinism. If by it one means that God makes a person believe, like a
person is forced to give money to a gunman, then no. But if force is understood as changing a person’s heart, and
desires to willingly want salvation, then yes.
3. If God makes a person trust in Christ, then a person
does not have to do anything.
This objection is confusing Biblical Calvinism with
Hyper-Calvinism. Calvinism teaches that God changes a person’s heart giving
him/her the ability to trust in Christ (Eph 2:1-5). Thus a person does
something, namely believes in Christ, but behind this action is God’s
enablement. In modern terms, a person commits him/herself to the person of
Christ. But this commitment is only possible by God’s grace. Everyone is
obligated to commit one’s self to Christ. Have you attempted to do so? If not
why?
4. If Calvinism is true people do not need to preach the
gospel.
This objection is a repackage of the previous
Hyper-Calvinist idea that God does not need or require means to accomplish his
will. Again, this is against what scripture teaches. God does whatever He
pleases (Psalm 115). It is true that God does not need anything, but if God
requires means to accomplish His will then we cannot object to it. God has
commanded Christians to preach the gospel as a means to draw people to Himself.
Furthermore, if God commands something, it is sufficient to
obligate us to obey. So if God says preach, we should preach. If God says
believe, we should believe. If He says repent, we should repent.
5. It doesn’t matter what your motive is for believing in
Christ.
This is not true. The very reason why there is a distinction
between pure and impure motives testifies to the fact. A pure desire for
salvation is one that is Scriptural. For example, in Luke 13 Christ commanded
people to repent or perish, indicating that fear of hell is a proper motivation
to obey God. A more broad definition could be that pure motives are ones that
consider God as the primary one offended by our sins. Thus we should seek to
please and make right, the wrong done by our sins the way God has commanded
through his Son. The offended party should be our primary concern, which is
God. In summary, pure desires/motives are Scriptural and Theo-centric
(God-centered). Motives, although maybe noble, cannot be based on a desire to
please man but God. For example, a person should not desire salvation merely to
be a part of a Christian community. Nor should a person trust in Christ in
order to please their Christian friends or family. A person should want to
please God and have a right relationship with Him, regardless of anything else.
Thus a person, individually, trusts Christ for salvation because of awareness
of sin and the only remedy Christ.
