IS CALVINISM DANGEROUS?
Dr J C Maris, former General Secretary of the International Council of Christian Churches, observed that “Calvinism is often misrepresented… Consequently, the rank and file of Protestant Christians are lacking a clear insight of what the system represents. We hardly dare to expect a change for the better… There are not many Christians who would take the time to explore the rich spiritual heritage of the great Genevan as contained in his many sermons, his letters, and in his famous Institutes of the Christian Religion. And most certainly Calvin himself would advise us rather to turn to the living and everlasting Word of God and to attend to the preaching of it. As a matter of fact, he was not interested in Calvinism, nor did he seek the following of Calvinists, be they Hyper-, Neo-, or just ordinary Calvinists! In promptness and sincerity, he only wanted to promote true, Biblical Christianity.”
Dr Curt Daniel, who wrote his PhD dissertation on Calvinism at the University of Edinburgh, rightly observed, “While the term Calvinism is well known both inside and out of Christianity, there is an abundance of ignorance of what it means. Some people—including both Christians and non-Christians—reject it outright without knowing what it really is.”
Misrepresentation
One clear example of this misrepresentation is found in the teachings of Ray Crocker, pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Singapore. In his sermon notes titled “Examining the Teachings of Calvinism,” published on his church’s website, Crocker labels Reformed doctrines as “dangerous teachings.” Let me state at the outset: this accusation is false.
This is evident in his criticism of the doctrine of Unconditional Election, which he deems unbiblical. He writes: “When it comes to election, the Reformed/Calvinistic theologian will state that it is an ‘unconditional election’ – i.e. a term that is NOT found anywhere in the Bible. But it simply means that God chose certain individuals to be saved – and their election was: 1. NOT based on any condition – i.e. it is unconditional… and this is based on their contention that man’s election must be… 2. Based entirely on God’s sovereignty. That is, God, at some point in eternity past – with no regard or consideration of any other factors – determined who should be, and should not be, saved. But that opinion totally violates/contradicts the clear teaching of the Apostle Peter… i.e. 1 Peter 1:2.”
Crocker’s criticism of Unconditional Election reveals a misunderstanding of both the terminology and the doctrine itself. While it is true that the specific phrase “unconditional election” does not appear verbatim in the Bible, the concept is unmistakably present. Romans 9:11, for example, teaches that God’s choice of individuals for salvation is not based on any merit or foreseen actions, but solely on His sovereign grace: “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;).”
Scripture does not teach that sinners are saved by independently exercising faith from their own good hearts or free will. On the contrary, the Bible makes clear that fallen man’s heart is not good, and his will is not free. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Paul adds in Romans 3:10–11: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”
Since the totally depraved sinner has neither the ability nor inclination to seek God, salvation must be by the grace of God alone—through faith, which is itself a gift from God (Eph 2:8). Sinful man cannot choose Christ apart from divine intervention (John 15:16) and is chosen not based on works, but solely according to God’s good plan, purpose and pleasure (Rom 9:11). This is what the Rev Dr Timothy Tow called the suka principle—suka being Malay for “like” or “be pleased with.”
It is thus as clear as day that Scripture teaches election and salvation are entirely grounded in God’s sovereign will. Like it or not, election is unconditional—and unconditional election leads to unconditional grace.
It is a biblical truth that in eternity past, God freely and independently chose those whom He would save. He chose to save some, not all—and that choice is His divine prerogative. As the sovereign Lord, God is free in all His decisions and actions. His sovereign election does not contradict but rather confirms 1 Peter 1:2, which states: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father [that is, not merely foreseeing what man would do, but actively knowing and choosing the believer beforehand], through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”
This verse harmonises perfectly with Ephesians 1:3–5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”
It also agrees with Romans 9:11, 14–16: “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)… What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid… So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” Indeed, “not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:9).
Not Dangerous!
Crocker has thus misunderstood and misrepresented Calvinism. Far from being dangerous, Calvinism is both biblically sound and spiritually safe. As Scripture affirms, “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor 13:8). Furthermore, Calvin’s excellent motto, Prompte et sincere in opere Domini—“Promptly and sincerely in the work of the Lord”—reflects the fervent and faithful heart he had for God.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, though a Baptist, testified plainly: “I am not a Calvinist by choice, but because I cannot help it. If I see the truth of God’s Word—and I do—that is enough for me. To me, Calvinism means the placing of the eternal God at the head of all things.” He further affirmed: “What is the Calvinism which is so dear to us? It is that the Lord reigneth; and that in all things he has his will, and his way, and his glory. We do not believe in the free will of man; we believe in the free will of God.”
Spurgeon emphatically declared: “Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else.” And all God’s people say, Amen! JK
OUR BIBLE-PREBYTERIAN HERITAGE
Rev Dr Timothy Tow
The Presbyterian faith that brought Reformation to Scotland must be traced primarily to John Knox, who studied under John Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland. So, if you want to know the roots of this Church and the progenitor of our faith, I must say English and Scottish Presbyterianism and John Calvin. What a glorious ancestor we have whose teachings from God’s infallible Word have shone through the ages. These teachings are the more earnestly sought after in this darkest age of apostasy by a revival of Reformed publications.
The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms which are the standard of our Church and all Presbyterian Churches throughout the world were composed by English divines commissioned by the English Parliament. It is so called because the commissioners who stated the holy doctrines in such classic language held their sessions (nearly 1,200 of them) from 1643 to 69 in the great Westminster Abbey. These were Calvinistic men. Their Confession of Faith is blue-blooded Reformed theology. So our doctrinal position is also royally Reformed, our system of government Presbyterian, not Episcopal nor Congregational.
Our Calvinistic and Reformed doctrine does not emphasise merely the famous five points, viz. the Total Depravity of man, the Unconditional Election in the Father, the Limited (or Particular) Atonement in the Son, the Irresistible Grace of God and the Perseverance of Saints, but all other fundamental doctrines, the foremost of which is the inerrancy and infallibility of Holy Scripture. The five points of Calvinism, but above all the inerrancy and infallibility of Holy Scripture, are reverently taught at our Far Eastern Bible College. And it is our College and Church’s honour that our abridgment of Calvin’s Institutes, his masterpiece of theological treatise, is being used in the classroom in USA, England, India and Taiwan, to my knowledge. Sad to say there have arisen currents to undermine the very faith of our fathers in the FEBC, whether out of malice or sheer ignorance, the Lord knows. But let it be stated here that anyone to be admitted into the brotherhood of B-P ministers must believe and thoroughly know what is comprehended in the Westminster Confession. Or else, let the same person join another church, since he is not one of the same faith.
While emphasising the importance of our foundations in the Reformed doctrines, we do not take a static position to give no room for new light to break into our understanding of the truth (may I use these words from Pastor Robinson in his farewell message to the Pilgrim Fathers). No, we must always be dynamic, to receive what enlightenment God has given through other faithful teachers in as much as we do not stick only to Psalm singing as some Reformed churches do. We are not afraid of modern tunes either, if they have earned a page in the Church Hymnary. Premillennialism, for example, is not fully expounded in the Westminster Confession, but Bible-Presbyterians differing with amillennial brethren, believe Jesus will come again and establish a golden rule on earth for a thousand years. [Source: FEBC’s 30th Anniversary Magazine.]
TLBPC Chinese Service Anniversary Thanksgiving, 4 May 2025
