What is Meant by "Called" in Romans 8:30?

Primitive Baptists are often incorrectly conjoined with Calvinists. I am often asked to explain how we differ. In a recent discussion this key point of distinction came up.  Consider the testimony of scripture:

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Rom 8:30)

I have heard this passage taught by Calvinists as an unbreakable, golden chain of events that happen for all of God's elect. Consider then the following questions:

Q: Do all of the events of Romans 8:30 (predestination, calling, justification, glorification) happen for all of God's sheep?

A: I have never met a Calvinist who would deny that. 

Q: Does the gospel (I Cor 15:3-4) reach all of God's sheep? 

A: No. Clearly the gospel never reached Job, else he would not have said "HOW can a man be just with God?" (Job 9:2) Neither did the gospel (I Cor 15:3-4) reach any of the OT saints (Eph 3:5).  Moreover, the gospel never reaches the infant dying in infancy, yet the bible's testimony is clear that there are saved infants (II Sam 12:23, I Kgs 14:13, Jer 31:15-17)

Q: So if "calling" happens for all God's sheep, but the gospel does NOT reach all God's sheep, can the gospel be the call of Romans 8:30?

A: Clearly not.

Given the unavoidable force of that logic, what is the "call" of Romans 8:30? It is none other than immediate, Holy Spirit regeneration. It is the life giving fiat of God whereby he imparts the gift of eternal life to his children. God's gift of eternal life is in no more hampered by the distribution of the gospel message today than it was in the time of Seth, or Job, or any other OT saint from Rahab to Jereboam's infant son. God imparts the gift of eternal life to his children irrespective of anything found in them.

That's an eye-opener for most.

Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken

Truly one of my favorite hymns...

Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken formed thee for his own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded, what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded, thou may'st smile at all thy foes.

This sounds like a great place.  I have a hope of going there. (Rom 5:5)

See! the streams of living waters, springing form eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, when such a river ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the Giver, never fails from age to age.

God loved his people from eternity and ever purposed to save them. (Eph 1:4-5)  These were his sons and daughters in election and they did nothing to obtain that status as it was conferred upon them in election by the good pleasure and grace of God. (Tit 3:5)  This love is never failing. (Rom 8:30-39)  So much for those who teach that one can fall from saving grace. (John 10:28)

Round each habitation hovering, see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering, showing that the Lord is near.
Thus they march, their pillar leading, light by night, and shade by day;
daily on the manna feeding which he gives them when they pray.

I love the use of OT imagery to depict the NT Christian walk. (I Cor 10:1ff)

Blest inhabitants of Zion, washed in the Redeemer's blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on, makes them kings and priests to God.
'Tis his love his people raises over self to reign as kings:
and as priests, his solemn praises each for a thank-offering brings.

It is the blood of Christ that makes us acceptable to God (Heb 9:12, 10:14), not anything we do. (II Tim 1:9)  Our response is to be one of worship and thanksgiving. (Php 4:6)

Savior, if of Zion's city, I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity, I will glory in thy Name.
Fading is the worldling's pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure none but Zion's children know.

The world truly hates the truths of God's word. (Rom 8:7)  They will indeed deride and pity those who have faith in the Lord. (Matt 5:10-12)  Nevertheless we have a solid joy and lasting treasure that the world does not know. (Matt 6:20)

YouTube Review 09 - Marc Driscoll on Divine Election

Last week I stumbled upon this YouTube video of cussing preacher Marc Driscoll's Neo-Calvinistic take on election.  His explanation is problematic on several fronts which we will endeavor to correct with commentary in our usual festive shade of blue.

PreMillennial Math

Charles Ryrie defined Dispensationalism by the following three precepts:

1)  A clear distinction between God's program for Israel and God's program for the Church.
2)  A consistent and regular use of a literal principle of interpretation.
3)  The understanding of the purpose of God as His own glory rather than the salvation of mankind.

It is the second principle above, the principle of literal bible interpretation, that Dispensationalists use to defend their belief in a literal 1000 year reign of Christ on earth.  (Rev 20:4-6)  It is on this basis that they level their most strident attack at differing eschatological views.  Those who would deny the literal 1000 year reign of Christ on earth are accused of "not believing the bible" and "over spiritualizing the text of scripture to conform to their system."  At first blush this would seem to be quite a forceful argument.  It strongly implies that Dispensationalism stands in the purity of literalism, and that all other viewpoints spiritualize the bible to the point of unbelief.  But does this strict literalism hold up under close scrutiny or is Dispensationalism guilty of precisely the same "spiritualization" of time in interpreting the text of scripture?

Purgatory?

In a recent internet dialog with a Roman Catholic, I was asked to give an example of where the Roman Catholic Church's (RCC) tradition was not in keeping with the testimony of scripture.  There are numerous examples in RCC doctrine from which to choose, but the first that came to mind was that of purgatory.  Given that I was repeatedly pointed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) as an explanation of what this RC believed, I thought it might be beneficial to provide a critical commentary regarding that teaching.  You will find the CCC's statement on purgatory below, with teth's commentary in blue.  I have embedded the footnotes directly below text for easy reference.

Right Division: A Key Concept in Understanding the Scriptures

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, 

rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Tim 2:15)

One of the fundamentals of the Christian faith is that the word of God must be rightly divided to be properly understood.  This means understanding each passage so that it reconciles with the immediate context (line upon line) as well as the over-all biblical context (precept upon precept).  Only when the meaning of a passage is reconciled to both considerations is it rightly divided. 

Apart from a right division, the bible's statements regarding the various facets of a number of biblical topics would be flatly contradictory.  Right division resolves the "contradictions" that arise out of plain meaningism and establishes God's people in the bedrock truths of the Christian faith.

Calvinism - The Red Herring of Geneva

red herring (n) - the invoking of "Calvinism" in any theological discourse.

Having scoured the internet for several years as a means of gaining a broader understanding of the popular theological notions found in modern Christendom, I have arrived at a very solid conclusion:

Calvinism is a Red Herring  

In fact I would make that even stronger.  I would go so far as to declare that this conclusion is utterly unassailable.  I submit for your consideration the follow reasons: