Bondage of the Blog

          It never fails.  Just when I think I have heard just about every objection to the Reformed faith, I am surprised by a new one.  This one, however, came by way of a conversation my wife had with a friend.  As my wife tried to discuss Calvinism in general and election in particular, her friend made the audacious claim that both lead to elitism and a sense of theological snobbery.          
          I was taken aback as my wife recounted the conversation.  In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.  Calvinism, when logically followed through, does not breed a spirit of elitism, nor does it lead to theological snobbery.  In actuality, it is quite the opposite.  I can think of nothing more humbling to man than a theology whose main thrust is the sovereignty of God and the debasing of mankind by recognizing the depravity of man in his natural state and the inability of man to save himself apart from grace.  I would tend to think this would lead one to the conclusion that Calvinism strips away any garments of arrogance and leaves one naked, only to be covered in his own shame.         
          Now let me focus on this term, “elect” that my wife’s friend liked to use in a pejorative manner.  The term “elect” did not originate with the advent of Calvinism, nor is it limited to Calvinists.  Rather, it is a Biblical term.  Calling one a part of the “elect” is no more arrogant than calling oneself a “Christian.”  Both refer to those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and both are just as narrow in their definitions.  If I, or other Calvinists, am guilty of calling myself a part of the elect, then I am culpable of using the language of the Bible.            
         But despite the terms one decides to use, I want to examine the charge that Calvinists have occasion to boast.  Do the “elect” or “Christians” have any reason to manifest a sense of superiority because of Predestination as she claimed?         
         To answer the aforementioned question in the affirmative is to fundamentally misunderstand Calvinism and what it teaches.  The foundation of Calvinism is the supremacy of God, the kingship of God and the godhood of God.  To say that God is sovereign is to say that He can and does as He pleases and that He is righteous in the exercises thereof.           
         If anyone had just cause for boasting, it would be the Arminianist.  One might ask how this can be so.  Let me tell you.  The salvation of the Calvinist rests solely on the grace and mercy of a sovereign God who chooses a people for himself.  The Arminianist’s salvation is granted because he relied on his own intellectual prowess and insight, has understood his own need for a Savior and has chosen to allow God to come into his heart.
          Who has the greater cause for boasting?  The one to whom a gift was gratuitously given, or the one who had the faculty to understand his need for a redeemer and wisely choose the correct path to escape eternal damnation?  It seems to me that the Calvinistic position humbles the creature and exalts the Creator, while the Arminianist’s position esteems the creature and neglects the Creator’s role in salvation.  The truth be told, the Arminianist’s position is the actual one that gives rise to elitism and can breed spiritual snobbery.                      
         Calvinism is careful to stress the depravity of man in his natural state and the desperate need for a sovereign God who saves his people from their sins.  If one can realize this aspect of Calvinism, he will dismiss the silly notion that it ultimately leads to elitism and theological snobbery. 

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