The Burden of the Proof

Without question, Scripture repeatedly presents God's love, compassion and concern for all Israel and the whole world to be saved. Nor is there any doubt that He offers salvation to all in the clearest language possible. In contrast, not one scripture can be produced where any of the tenets of Calvinism is clearly stated. The burden of the proof is upon the Calvinist to show where the Bible clearly teaches his doctrine. Yet, even in the passage which White calls "the clearest exposition of Calvinism," the theory is not plainly stated but must be read into.

Indisputably, the phrase represented by the first four letters in the acronym TULIP never appear in the Bible. That fact speaks volumes. Never does the Bible say that men are by nature incapable of believing the gospel or of seeking God. Never does it say that a select group is chosen unconditionally to salvation, or that grace is irresistible, or that Christ died only for an elect. The Calvinist cannot produce for any part of TULIP a clear, unambiguous statement from any part of Scripture! Bu we can show hundreds of passages that refute TULIP.

Never does Scripture declare that God desires billions to perish and that it is His good pleasure (and even to His glory) to withhold from them salvation. Never is God's love limited to a select group whom alone He desires to save. In contrast to a few verses that Calvinists must strain to support TULIP, hundreds proclaim plainly God's love and desire for the salvation of all.

The burden of the proof is on the Calvinist to show clearly from the Bible that his doctrine is true-and he cannot do it.

In the passage about the Father drawing, there is nothing to indicate that only certain ones are drawn or that the drawing is irresistible or without the willing desire of the one being drawn. Moreover, to "draw" someone in the ordinary sense of the word doesn't mean they will necessarily come all the way, nor is there anything in either the Greek or the context to suggest, much less demand, that conclusion.

Hundreds of times throughout the Old Testament, God calls through His prophets to Israel, to the hungry and thirsty, to all who will repent, to turn to Him, to seek Him, to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34.8). Surely He seeking to "draw" them to Himself. Not once is there any suggestion that God will irresistibly cause anyone to come to Him, much less that He would do this for less than all. And so it is all through the New Testament. The call is given to "whosoever will" again and again. The invitation is open to all who are willing. For the Calvinist to attempt to make John 6 the exception that supports TULIP is to pervert the clear message of the totality of Scripture.

Contrary to the eisegesis forced upon this text to produce an irresistible drawing unto Christ (which He never taught), many souls are drawn partway to Christ by the Father and then turn back: "If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition [Greek, apoleia]; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" (Heb. 10.38-39).

The same Greek word, apoleia, is found eight times in the New Testament. It is often translated "perdition," and in each case means eternal damnation. Piper acknowledges that "Most commentators agree that...[apoleia] indicates clearly the eternal perdition..." Consider the following: "judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Pet. 3.7); "And the beast...goeth into perdition" (Rev. 17.11). Clearly, those who "draw back unto perdition" cannot be among Calvinism's elect since the elect cannot lose their salvation and be damned. Yet those who "draw back" must have been drawn to some extent. Otherwise, to "draw back" would be meaningless.

White avoids Hebrews 10.38-39. So do Pink, Sproul, Piper and a host of other Calvinists, at least in their books that I have been able to peruse. In his exhaustive treatment, Vance is unable to quote a single Calvinist commenting on this passage. No wonder why they avoid it.

Many Calvinists declare, "You make God out to be a heavenly wimp who would sure like to save folks, but He just can't do it unless they cooperate. But the God of the Bible is mighty to save, and He does it in spite of the proud, stubborn, self-righteous will of fallen sinners!"

So God could cause anyone and everyone to believe the gospel and irresistibly draw them to heaven-but He only does this for a select number? Do you feel arrogant when you make that claim? This is Calvinism-whether one calls it "moderate" or "extreme"! It has been imposed upon the Bible in violation of the entire tenor of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. It is a libel upon the character of God, a denial of the nature of love, and an offense to the conscience which God has placed in the heart of every man.

Unquestionably, salvation is a gift of God's love. Neither a gift, nor love, as God has designed them and as the Bible presents them, can be forced upon the unwilling, not even by God. This does not indicate any weakness in God, much less make of Him a "wimp," but simply reflects the nature of love and a gift.

That man may rebel against God, disobey His laws, and refuse God's offer of the gift of His grace does not in the least demean God's sovereignty. In fact, in His sovereignty He has ordained that love and a gift would require a choice, and He makes that clear in His Word.

A Calvinist writes, "You say God loves every person in the world and it is His will that each one be saved.... To even think that God sovereignly allows man to thwart His divine will is heretical, demeaning to God's greatness and a fabulous invention of the mind to accommodate your bias. God controls every animal, every person and all events.... Your views, dear brother, make God's will subordinate to man's will, and represent God's plan of salvation as a failure since all men are not saved...."

Those who maintain this position could hardly have thought it through very carefully. If God controls every person and event, then rape, murder, and all crime and wars and suffering must be His doing according to His will-clearly not the case. In the counsel of His will He allows that which is not His perfect will in order to give man the power of choice. Evil is surely the opposite of God's will. Therefore, we can be certain that it is not God's will for evil to reign on earth. Satan is the god of this world, and "the whole world lieth in wickedness [i.e., in the wicked one, Satan] (1 John 5.19). God allows this state of affairs only for a time.

Without the power of choice, we could not love God or one another. Man has been given the awesome responsibility to choose for himself. Sadly, most choose evil over good and self instead of God. He does not force salvation upon many any more than He forced anyone to obey the Ten Commandments.