True Calvinism versus Neo-gnostic "Calvinism"
The importance of comprehensively studying Calvinism,
biblically, systematically, and historically to preserve true
orthodoxy and to protect the church and individual
believer from neo-gnostic sectarianism

by Greg Fields


As I have further reflected on the bane of neo-gnostic "calvinism" and its concomitant sectarianism, there is a vital issue to address. When understandably recoiling from the baneful theological pontificating of the neo-gnostics, we need to stress that there is an urgent need in the present theological malaise of modern evangelicalism to comprehensively study and teach the salient features of Calvinism biblically, systematically, and historically. Many of the "grass roots" Sovereign Grace fellowshipsemerging from this malaise have seriously truncated the sweeping grandeur of God's Redemptive Plan by focusing almost exclusively on the "Five Points Of Calvinism". This emphasis can very quickly lead to incredible arrogance. Each fresh discovery of Sovereign Grace (as exhilarating as this is!) can easily obviate other equally vital truths, such as "pursuing holiness in the Fear of God", "mortifying our members which are upon the earth", "Setting our minds on things above", and many other exhortations to greater conformity to Christ. The primary impetus of our professed Calvinism in the evocative words of the Puritan Robert Bolton is that " (by) a sincere endeavor, punctually and precisely, to manage, conduct, and dispose all our thoughts, words, and deeds, all our behavior and conversation, in reverence and fear, with humility and singleness of heart, as in the sight of an invisible GOD, under the perpetual presence of His all-seeing, glorious, pure eye, and by a comfortable consequence, to enjoy, by the assistance and exercise of faith, an unutterable sweet communion and humble familiarity with His Holy Majesty; in a word, to live in heaven upon earth". This attitude is as far as the east is from the west from the theological hubris of many believers indoctrinated in these nascent fellowships. As John Armstrong has keenly observed :"And if these same individuals read several books and study a bit further they will often be filled with incredible arrogance regarding what they have now learned. It has always amazed me that men who insist the knowledge of the truth is given by a gracious God act as if they somehow had so much to do with getting things right in their minds. In contrast to the above approach, truly sound learning will always humble us and make us aware of how much we still do not know!" (VIEWPOINT July-September 1998, pg. 3, emphasis added) .

"We believe that it is impossible to bring out accurately, fully, and definitely, the sum and substance of what is taught in Scripture concerning the place which the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost hold in the salvation of sinners, without taking up Calvinistic ground, without being in a manner, necessitated to assert the fundamental principles of the Calvinistic system of theology. " (William Cunningham) These stirring words should constrain us to thoroughly study under the illumination of the Holy Spirit these "fundamental principles", to "gird up the loins of our minds", to think clearly and objectively, having our knowledge formed by grace. This is no small task. It requires diligence, longsuffering, and a humble teachable spirit. Amid the bewildering welter of ephemeral ideologies that we will inevitably confront in this pursuit of learning true Calvinism, we need to meditate upon the memorable words of Thomas Goodwin: "God is the most glorious object that our minds could ever fasten upon, the most alluring. Thoughts of Him should therefore swallow up all other thoughts. . . . ". "But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord. . . . . . " (Jer. 9:24a) .

As Charnock observed, "a man may be theologically knowing but spiritually ignorant". A thoroughgoing Scriptural knowledge of Biblical soteriology is only truly engendered by a fervent love for "The Lord Christ" (as Owen affectionately and reverently addressed our Regal Lord and Saviour) . The proper attitude of a Calvinist imbued with this fervent love for our Lord, and possessing a comprehensive knowledge of Biblical, Systematic, and Historical Calvinism, was wonderfully exemplified by a stalwart of the nineteenth century, Mr. Alexander Carson. His remarks form a fitting conclusion to this essay: " If there is a progress in the Christian's knowledge of the Gospel itself, every step in that progress, he must get rid of a proportional degree of ignorance and error. This proves, then , that perfect uniformity of view, much less of language, even with respect to the gospel itself; is not to be expected among Christians. According to their respective progress, there will be a difference, whether expressed or not. As far as Christians are taught of God they will agree. But even in the Gospel they are not all equally taught of God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nothing, then, is farther from my wish then to be understood as dooming to damnation all who are not prepared to adopt the whole of my views. . . . . . . . . . . that arrogance that makes a god and saviour of its clear views, that confines salvation to a mode of expressing faith, that looks with contempt on the body of Christians, as a sort of pious infidels, that seems to delight in the fewness of the saved, finds no sanction from the Scriptures, and originates in the pride of human nature, not in godly zeal for the truth. When a man seems anxious to find out something in the faith of professing Christians at which to cavil, when he strains their language to condemn them, there is no ground to suppose that he is influenced by love. Keeping clear, therefore, of a censorious spirit, I would wish to impress Christians with the importance of my views of the subject. They have no sectarian tendency, but address themselves to the candor. . . . . of all Christians. The strength, the beauty, the glory of Christianity will appear in proportion as it is viewed in this light. " (My emphasis)
 

Greg Fields