Debating Calvinism: Five Points, Two Views

by Dave Hunt

Do you feel that the Reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin were in error in emphasizing the deadness of man in sin and the absolute necessity—not just necessity, but sufficiency—of the grace of God to bring a person to salvation?

Not at all. That's not what is being debated. just as Dave Hunt doesn't understand the Calvinist reformers, James White doesn't understand and misrepresents the Classical Arminian position.

Rome’s teaching that the grace of God is necessary but not sufficient to save,

Again, this is a misrepresentation. Classical Arminianism teaches that God's grace was ABSOLUTELY essential for someone to come to Christ. The debate between Rome and the Reformers was grace verses works. There WAS a debate that involved the will of man between Luther and Erasmus, but that was not the main issue of the Protestant Reformation.

I am Reformed because of one thing: Consistently, honestly, and thoroughly read, God’s Word, the Bible, teaches that God is sovereign over all things, that man is a fallen creature, and that God saves perfectly in Jesus Christ. It is the consistent application of sola scriptura (Scripture alone) and tota scriptura (all of Scripture) that leads inevitably to the doctrines of grace.

None of this is contrary to Arminianism.

Mr. Hunt’s position that stands in harmony with Rome on the key points of debate (the nature of grace and the will of man).

This is a subtle ad hominem attack. Again, the debate between the Reformers and Rome was grace verses adding works for salvation. Arminianism, like Calvinism, is all the grace of God. Just because this system believes that God enables and requires faith does not mean that it's the same as Rome, as Paul clearly contrasted faith and works. Faith is not works.

Mr. Hunt repeatedly asserts that Calvinists deny God’s omnibenevolence. His belief seems to be that unless God loves each and every creature in the same way, He is not “all loving.”

No, rather a "god" who COULD save everyone but chooses to damn them to eternal hell is not loving at all.

Patiently withholding judgment from a wicked man cannot be included in God’s “love” unless He does everything in His power to save that person, even if the person is utterly undeserving and justly condemned. For Mr. Hunt, God must love every person equally, try to save every person equally, and leave the results up to men (which is why he denies the freedom of God in election and regeneration).

This is a false dichotomy, as Hunt's position does not deny God's freedom at all. God s free to do as He wills, and according to Scripture, He has chosen to enable and grant man a choice.