John Piper on Exodus 20:5

I was watching the above video in which Leighton Flowers critiques John Piper’s response to a question that had been put to him as follows:

“What does it mean in Exodus 20:5 that God visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children? Does this refer to ‘generational sins’ or ‘generational curses’? How does this principle relate to us and to our children under the new covenant? Will my children somehow be punished for my own sins?”

But Leighton Flowers doesn’t do a very good job of analyzing John Piper’s remarks, and properly identifying, and directly challenging his exegetical errors. It may be that generally speaking, John Piper’s errors arise from his adherence to Calvinism; but merely critiquing his “Calvinism” does not identify or rectify the specific theological errors he has made in response to that question, and in his exegesis of Exodus 20:5. That scripture, quoted in context is as follows (emphasis added):

Exodus 20:

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

John Piper gives the following response to that question (emphasis added):

“First, the sins of the fathers are punished in the children through becoming the children’s own sin. That is really crucial. So here is the key text: Exodus 20:5. ‘I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me.’ In other words, the hatred of God is the embodiment of what the father’s problem was.

“We are not told how the father’s sins become the children’s sins. That is a mysterious thing left in God’s mind. But they do. What we are told is that when father’s sins are visited on the children, it is because the children have become sinners like the fathers.

“The father’s sins are the children’s sins. So no innocent child has ever been punished for a father’s sins; only guilty children are punished and are guilty of the very sins that their fathers sinned. That is the first observation.”

In other words, his conclusion is that the fathers’ sins somehow become imputed to the children. The “children” become sinners by default, even if they themselves hadn’t done anything wrong. The highlighted bits demonstrate his errors. The scriptures, however, do explain why the the sins of the fathers are visited on the children—and how it can be averted. First, Exodus 20:5 itself gives us a clue. It says that the punishment of the “children” continues as long as the hatred of God continues among them. As soon as that ends, the punishment ends. When it says, “third and fourth generation,” that leaves the punishment period open ended. The punishment continues only as long as the hatred continues. As soon as that ends, the punishment ends—whenever that may be—in the first generation, or in the second, or third, fourth, or any other. The judgement ends when the hatred ends. The “timing” is deliberately left open-ended, which means that it is not predetermined. Children tend to follow in the footsteps of their fathers. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6) As long as that culture of “hatred” inculcated by the “fathers” among the children continues, the punishment also continues. When that ends, the punishment ends. The “timing” is made flexible, which means that it is not fixed or predetermined.

So that question is first partly answered within the text of Exodus 20:5. God doesn’t punish the “children” through some mysterious “imputation” of guilt from the fathers to the children (as Piper assumes). The punishment continues because the “children” tend to follow in the footsteps of their fathers. As long as that continues, the punishment continues. When it ends, the punishment ends—whenever that might be—in the first, second, third, or any other “generation”. The open-endedness of the punishment provides the clue to its correct interpretation. The sins of the fathers are NOT “imputed” to the children. They suffer because they are inculcated with the sins of their fathers, and they tend to follow in their footsteps. As soon as that ends, the punishment ends.

The second set of scriptures that address the issue (comprehensively) is from Ezekiel. In the days of Ezekiel, the Jews themselves had misunderstood Exodus 20:5 in the same way that John Piper has done. They thought that God punishes the “children” for the sins of their fathers arbitrarily, without the “children” themselves having done anything to deserve it. For this reason they had concluded that God’s ways were “not equal” (Ezek. 18:25, 29; 33:17, 20), by which they meant that God is unfair! It is unfair to punish somebody for somebody else’s sins—who had done nothing to deserve it. So they had concluded that God’s ways were “not equal,” meaning that they are unfair. He does not deal with people on an “equal” (fair) basis. He does not treat everyone the same! They had even invented a proverb to represent it. The proverb was, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge!”

“Sour grapes” are unripe grapes picked early in the season, which are very sour in taste. In the Middle East they are sometimes used as a substitute for lemon juice in cooking, when they are in season. That is one purpose for which they are still used today. They also impart a peculiar flavor to a dish which lemon juice doesn’t. So they are still used in that part of the world for culinary purposes when they are in season.

Sour grapes have another strange property. If you eat one, apart from it being very sour in taste, the acid they contain somehow affects enamel on your teeth, which makes them feel rough against each other. It is a strange feeling which is hard to describe. The only way to know is to experience it yourself. It “sets your teeth on edge”. That is the phrase used in the text to describes it. The Jews in the days of Ezekiel had experience of that, so they knew what that meant; whereas today in our societies and cultures, most people probably haven’t experienced that; so for them that proverb may not be as meaningful today. Now if you eat “sour grapes,” it is your own “teeth” which would be “set on edge,” not somebody else’s teeth! Somebody who hadn’t eaten “sour grapes,” obviously wouldn’t have their “teeth set on edge!” So the Jews at that time had invented the proverb, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge!” by which they meant to indicate that perceived “unfairness” in God’s dealing with man—that he (unfairly) punishes the children (or makes them sinners) for the sins of their fathers. That is how they (like John Piper) had misunderstood Exodus 20:5. God, however, did not approve of that misunderstanding (and the proverb they had invented for it), so he sets about to correct it through Ezekiel, in chapters 18 and 33 of his book.

The message that the two chapters impart is that, that understanding of Exodus 20:5 is incorrect. God does NOT arbitrarily punish the “children” for the sins of their “fathers,” by some mysterious “imputation” of the guilt from the fathers to the children (as Piper assumes). It happens because the children tend to follow in the footsteps of their fathers; and as long as they do, the punishment also continues. But as soon as the “children” repent of their fathers’ sins, or the sins that their fathers had inculcated in them, the punishment also ends. That is the correct interpretation of Exodus 20:5 as given by God himself through Ezekiel, in chapters 18 and 33 of his book. The correct meaning of Exodus 20:5 is made unmistakably clear by God himself in chapters 18 and 33 of Ezekiel. There is no excuse for any further misunderstanding of that scripture after that. Here are the highlights from chapter 18:

Ezekiel 18:

1 The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,

2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

• • •

9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,

• • •
13 … shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,

• • •
17 … he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

18 As for his father, because he … did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his [evil] ways, and live?

• • •

25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

• • •

29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

No misunderstanding of Exodus 20:5 seem possible after reading that—unless you are a Calvinist of course! Calvinism numbs the mind and dulls the intellect so that the most obvious truths, expressed in the plainest terms, become unintelligible!

John Piper makes another mistake in his interpretation of Ezekiel. In his continued response to the original question he says the following (emphasis added):

“Third, none of this should make anyone feel trapped and without hope because of his parents’ sins.

“Ezekiel 33:14–15 says, ‘Though I say to the wicked, You shall surely die, yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die.’

“The blood of Jesus conquers all sin and judgment for those who believe. And you get a beautiful sweeping statement in Acts 10:43: ‘To him [Jesus] all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’ So nobody is trapped in anybody’s sin—their own or someone else’s—because of the cross.”

That is not an accurate portrayal of what Ezekiel says. In Ezekiel, repentance is given as the only requirement for obtaining forgiveness—and escaping the punishment. “Faith” is not made a prerequisite at all. A measure of “faith” may be implied (believing in the prophetic calling of Ezekiel to take seriously what he says). But repentance itself is made the only criteria for obtaining forgiveness—and averting the punishment. “Faith” is not mentioned at all, and is not made a prerequisite. Once they had genuinely repented (for whatever reason, such as a remorse of conscience for example), forgiveness was immediately granted, and the threatened punishment averted—no mention of “faith”. Here are some highlights from chapter 33:

Ezekiel 33:

10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?

11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his [evil] way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.

13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

So John Piper has seriously erred in his understanding of Exodus 20:5; as well as in his interpretation of Ezekiel—and Leighton Flowers is not doing a very good job of pulling him up on it. Leighton Flowers, generally speaking, has a valid point as far as his objections to Piper’s “Calvinism” is concerned. But merely going after his “Calvinism” does not address specifically the theological and scriptural errors that Piper has made, with regard to his reading of Exodus 20:5, as well as his interpretation of the Ezekiel chapters.

Ezekiel chapters 18 and 33, by the way, are also among the greatest biblical refutations of Calvinism in general. The two chapters between them negate, discredit, and falsify the most fundamental tenets of Calvinism: predestination and “faith alone”. Ezekiel (or rather God speaking through Ezekiel) completely trashes both doctrines. All mankind without exception are free to repent and be saved—or sin and be damned—and nobody is “predestined”. That is the unmistakable message of Ezekiel chapters 18 and 33.

In Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11; God categorically state that he has no pleasure in the death (damnation) of the wicked; but he would rather that they repent and be saved (see also 2 Peter 3:9). If they are not, that is entirely their own choice, not God’s. No one is “predestined” to be damned (or saved). That is diametrically opposed to the Calvinistic abomination that God predestines some people to damnation for his own glory!

Ezekiel chapters 18 and 33, in which God himself speaks in person, are among the most lucid rejection and refutation of Calvinism in scripture (among many others). Ezekiel chapters 18, 33 are a damning indictment of Calvinism. There is no way that Calvinism and Ezekiel can be reconciled. If Calvinism is true, then Ezekiel (and God) must be wrong! Calvinism makes the devil more respectable than God! At least you know where you are with the devil; but with the God of Calvinism, you don’t!

God’s Sovereignty and the Will of Man

I found this interesting Q&A video with Dr. Robert Godfrey, who is now the new chairman of Ligonier Ministries; so first, congratulations to him on his appointment. His Calvinistic and “Reformed” theology, however, remains as questionable as ever. At 2:35 minutes into the video he is asked the question, “How does God’s sovereignty not do violence to the will of man, as the Westminster Confession says?” to which he gives the following answer:

“Well, there is an element of mystery in this relationship, because the Scripture teaches that God is sovereign over all things; but it also teaches that man has a will. Now lots of people reason that if man has a will, it must be a free will, but the Scripture doesn’t actually teach that. Man has a responsible will.”

That doesn’t make much sense. How can a “will” be “responsible” and yet not be “free”? If it is not “free,” it can’t be “responsible” either. Responsibility implies freedom of action. I can’t be held responsible for a car which drives itself. I can only be held responsible if I am in control of its actions. If I obtained a car which drove itself, and it was involved in an accident, whoever manufactured, certified, insured, or indemnified it would be held responsible, not me. He continues:

“Man has the responsibility to exercise his will as God directs him in God’s revealed Word. But we also know that God has a hidden will, a will that He keeps to himself, a sovereign will by which He directs all things and accomplishes all things. And He is able to do that without a violation of the will of man.”

Which still doesn’t solve the conundrum of man’s will. Is man free, and therefore accountable for his actions, or isn’t he? He continues;

“Again, it’s not that man has a free will in this process. Those who have not been regenerated by the Spirit of God are bound in sin. They are captivated by sin. They can exercise their will, but their will leads them only to choose for sin and in opposition to God.”

That contradicts both experience as well as scripture. The Bible teaches that all mankind are capable of doing both good or ill, and be rewarded (or punished) accordingly. It teaches that God is “... no respecter of persons: But in every nation [and religion] he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10: 34–35). That was said of Cornelius, who had been a pagan, and who was approved of God precisely because he had been righteous, and because of his devotion to God according to his own (pagan) tradition:

Acts 10:

1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a [Roman] centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout [Roman] soldier of them that waited on him continually;

8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

• • •

21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

22 And they said, Cornelius the [Roman] centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.

Cornelius was approved by God because of his righteous acts, and because of his devotion to God according to his own pagan tradition, long before his “conversion” to Christianity, or before he was “born again” or “regenerated”. It is the heresy of Calvinism and “Reformed” theology that nobody can do any good unless they have been “regenerated,” “born again,” or “converted,” as they like to call it. The Bible teaches otherwise. It teaches that all mankind are capable of doing good—and are rewarded by God accordingly when they do—be they Christians, believers, or not:

Romans 2:

6 Who [God] will render to every man according to his deeds:

7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the [pagan] Gentile;

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the [pagan] Gentile:

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14 For when the [pagan] Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; )

16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Colossians 3:

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons [with God].

1 Peter 1:

17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

Experience also confirms the same. There are millions of people throughout the world, in every nation, culture and religion, who out of a good conscience, and in accordance with the norms of their own culture, tradition, or religion, do what is good and right in the sight of God. “Christians” are not the only people in the world who do any good. Every respectable religion on earth teaches that people should do what is good and right in their lives; and the Bible teaches that those that do, will be approved by God and be saved. They are saved by God, by virtue of the atonement which Jesus Christ has made (whether they realize it or not), because they do what is good and right in the sight of God. They don’t “save themselves”. They are not “saved by their own works”. They are saved by God when they do what he says, or when they do what is right in their lives. The criteria for salvation is always doing what is good and right in the sight of God—and avoiding what is evil—not “faith alone”. That is what the Bible teaches (and experience confirms):

John 5:

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life [salvation]; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The criteria used for judgement is action (good or ill), and nothing else. “Faith” is not a criteria that is used. Believing without doing any good doesn’t “save” anyone; but doing good still does, even if one had not first “believed”. And this refers to salvation itself, not to the “rewards” that one gets (supposedly) “after” they are “saved” (as R.C. Sproul has argued). That is made clear in the text.

Matthew 7:

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Matthew 25:

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations [and religions]: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

1 Corinthians 6:

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 6:

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

The criteria used for “judgement” is always action, not faith. We are judged for what we have done, or how we have acted, not how we have believed. “Faith alone” doesn’t save anyone. “Faith” becomes important because if men “believe,” and come to understand what God requires of them, they are more likely to do good, to repent, and do what God requires of them, than if they didn’t. It is keeping the commandments of God that saves, not “faith alone”—or rather; God saves those who keep his commandments, and do what is good and right in their lives. Faith without obedience brings a greater damnation than no faith at all!:

Luke 12:

47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Pagans and unbelievers who are not fully aware of the commandments of God, and sin, will receive a lighter sentence, than Christians and believers who know the will of God, and commit sin (and do not repent). “Faith alone” without works, or without keeping God’s commandments, damns people faster than no faith at all! That is what the Bible teaches. Godfrey then continues:

“And so God’s sovereignty either leaves those who are not elect in that decision that they do pursue according to their will [as predestined]; or God regenerates that will, enlivens that will, as Augustine said, ‘stretches that will out from being turned in on itself to being related to God.’”

That is the abominable heresy of Calvinism. It has no basis in scripture. According to the Bible, God is “... no respecter of persons: But in every nation [and religion] he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10: 34–35). The plain meaning of those words are obvious to everyone except to Calvinists it seems. Godfrey then concludes by saying:

“And so God does remain sovereign, but man never becomes just a beast or a machine in the presence of God.”

Not according to Calvinism! Calvinism is a deceitful and dishonest theology. It pretends to be something that it is not. It does turn man into a beast or a machine, while pretending that it doesn’t!

Calvinism is almost exclusively based on a few misconstrued passages in the writings of Paul, whose focus and purpose is to neutralize the efforts of the Judaizers at the time who were attempting to subvert the gospel by supplanting it with the Law of Moses. That is Paul’s only concern by the passages that Calvinists find so convenient to misread their heretical theology into. Paul never intended his teachings to be so understood. Peter saw the danger of that, and warns us against it in 2 Peter 3:14–17. James does the same in James 2:14–26. Paul himself would have been more surprised than anybody else to find what the Calvinists have been reading into his words—something that he never intended. I have discussed that elsewhere in my blog.

Other scriptures that Calvinists misconstrue to draw their heresy from are a few passages in the Gospel of John in which Jesus appears to identify faith as the soul agent of salvation (John 5:24; 6:40, 47; 11:25–26). But these are quoted out of context. The broader context of the Gospel of John makes it clear that these passages are addressed to those whose primary difficulty was their inability to believe in him:

John 4:

48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

John 5:

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
• • •
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
• • •
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
• • •
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

John 6:

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

• • •

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

• • •

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

• • •

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 7:

5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

John 8:

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

• • •

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

John 10:

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

John 11:

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

John 12:

44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

• • •

46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

None of these scriptures teach “faith alone”. They all emphasize faith because they are all addressed to the Jews at the time whose main difficulty was their inability to believe in him. In scripture, different doctrines, commandments, or aspects of the gospel may be emphasized depending on the needs and circumstances of the people being addressed. If their main problem was lack of faith, faith may be emphasized; if their problem was lack of obedience, obedience may be emphasized. In the Gospel of John, emphasis is often placed on the importance of believing in him, because they are addressed to a people at the time whose main difficulty was their inability to believe in him. There are other passages, likewise, which emphasize obedience, because they are addressed to those whose main difficulty was their failure to obey. It would be just as wrong to conclude from those verses that faith is therefore not required for salvation, than to conclude from these other verses that faith is the only thing that is required for salvation.

Speaking in general terms, however, according to the Bible, keeping God’s commandments, or doing what is good and right in the sight of God, takes precedence over “faith” as a means of salvation. We are not saved “by our own works”. We do not “save ourselves”. We are saved by God when we do what he says. We still need to keep the commandments of God to be saved. God saves us when we do what he says. Pagans who do what is good and right in their lives will be saved; while Christians, or believers, who don’t (and do not repent) will be damned. They will be damned faster, or receive a greater condemnation, than pagans, or those who do not know the gospel, who commit the same sins. The commandment to “do good” is still applicable today:

Matthew 5:

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Luke 6:

27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

• • •

33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Galatians 6:

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

1 Timothy 6:

17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Hebrews 13:

16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

1 Peter 3:

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

Those who observe these rules will be saved, be they Christians or pagans. Those who do not observe them will be damned, Christians or pagans alike. Christians and “believers” who do not observe them will be damned faster than pagans and “unbelievers” who don’t. That is what the Bible teaches.

If Godfrey wants to steer Ligonier in the right direction, and make a success of it, he needs to steer it away from the abominable heresy of Calvinism towards a more Bible centered theology. That is what R.C. Sproul would have done if he had been able to live long enough. He would eventually have seen the light (specially after reading my blog posts 😀), and steered Ligonier away from it. Calvinism is as unbiblical as it can get. The Bible and Calvinism are diametrically opposed. Calvinism is the doctrine of demons. The Bible teaches Calvinism like hell it does. And the sooner people realize that and move away from it, the better it will be for all concerned.