Hey, I know it is hard to tell in a format such as this, but it would seem that you think I am some how in danger of being duped by this pastor.

I am in the process of looking at what he said further, when I get a chance. (Things are a little too busy at the moment.)
I really didn’t intend to do this but I think in fairness to this Pastor I would make certain you completely understood him. I am going to include the relevant portions of his e-mail.

From what I see from his e-mail on first reading without actually studied it intently.
I would definitely say that he does hold to the 5 points of Calvinism. But that he holds to them despite disagreeing with most Calvinists on regeneration.
As I told you in my last post however, disagreeing with most Calvinists is definitely not a problem with him.


“Second point, I did say that in John 3:3 the argument about “seeing” the kingdom based upon the Greek word horao is unconvincing. They argue, that horao means perceiving instead of seeing the kingdom. Some Reformed theologians use this text to teach that you cannot see (that is understand i.e. believe the Kingdom) without having first been born again. This they then use as their chief text in arguing that regeneration precedes faith. But the parallel text in 3:5 says that they cannot enter the kingdom of God, without having been born from above. This means that seeing and entering have to do with experiencing the Kingdom. Jesus is simply saying that without being born from above, no one will enter into God’s kingdom. The chronology of God’s saving grace is not the point of John 3 at all! The point is who enters the Kingdom and who goes to Hell.

Third, I am not denying, that God has to perform a prior act of grace in the life of a spiritually dead sinner which enables him to believe and repent. The question is, what does SCRIPTURE give as that divine act? The Bible uses the terms “called/calling” and “illumination” and not the word regeneration. The prior work that God does in the life of the elect, which enables them to believe is an effectual calling to salvation. This is irresistible grace. It is a calling to salvation that Jesus likens with a dragging (Greek helkuo is also in the passive voice) in John 6:44 “No one can come to me except the Father draw (literal drag) him. This drawing, dragging is an effectual calling to salvation.

Fourth, both faith and repentance are gifts from God to his elect. If they are both gifts from God, brought about in the life of His elect through His divine Power and according to his sovereign choice, then how can any reformed theology say that faith is a work of man and not a work of grace? To place faith (a gift from God to his elect) prior to regeneration does not make me an Armenian! Faith is a gift from God:

NIV Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,

NAS 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

NAS Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Arguing from the passive tense is absolutely meaningful, if you are trying to prove that it is a work of grace. But it is absolutely meaningless, if you are trying to argue, which of all the works of grace comes first. For all God’s acts of grace are passive, i.e. God performs upon his elect; they are receiving this action from God and not performing this action).

Fifth, when God calls one of his elect to saving faith, he does so by granting him faith and repentance, and this unto life. Life here can only mean regeneration to new life, because beforehand we were already dead in our trespasses and sins.
Acts 11:17-18 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life."

Here, life is the result of repentance and does not come prior to repentance. All over in scripture we see the same chronology: faith, repentance, new birth. Even in Ephesians chapter 1:3-14, where the sovereignty of God in salvation is so clear, we read:

NAS Ephesians 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

The sealing work of the Holy Spirit clearly takes place after hearing and believing.

Sixth, we read in James 1:18 that we are born again through the word. That means that it is through faith in God’s word (for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God) that we are born again:

James 1:18 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Our new birth is through our believing the gospel. Look at 2Thes:

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here we once again have calling and election placed together. We are saved through the work of the Spirit (in giving us eyes to see, ears to hear and an understanding heart) so that “through our belief in the truth” we are saved. We were elected unto salvation through believing the gospel. Salvation is the result of faith.

The bottom line Tom is this: Reformed theologians are absolutely right in arguing that God must do SOMETHING to save spiritually dead sinners. It is also logical, that God must make men alive so that they can believe and repent. But I simply don’t see any single verse teaching that regeneration is that prior work of grace, which enables faith and repentance. In fact, I see clearly in Scripture a chronology that places new birth and life after faith and repentance. I believe that the Bible calls what God does for his elect, that enables them to believe and repent, illumination (e.g. 2Cor. 4:6) or calling (e.g. 1Cor. 1:22-24). Scripture speaks of God giving eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart that understands (e.g. Deut. 29:4 The Hebrew word for heart often means mind. This is why the translators of the NIV translate this verse with mind). Faith and repentance are given as gifts of God only to his elect, resulting in them believing and repenting unto life.

I hope that this helps you at least understand my position better. I am not saying that man does anything (as an Armenian would). I am also not denying that God has to enable spiritually dead sinners to respond to the gospel with faith and repentance. I am simply stressing, that Scripture calls this prior work of grace mostly “calling” (a word found always with election or choosing). I am also stressing, that the chronology found in Scripture is faith and repentance unto life, not life unto faith and repentance. “


Tom