Calvinistic Conditionalism: A letter I just sent to a friend, which perhaps may be helpful to others entangled in a ‘works’ oriented ‘gospel.’ Hey brother, I’m so sorry that I have not replied, but it’s kind of your fault, because you mentioned a particular website, which I’ve always felt very uneasy about, but without any apparent reason, so I thought I should perhaps think about it a little bit more closely, and my thoughts sort of carried me away. One thought led to another, and I started jotting some things down. I’m glad I did, because it seems like most of the things I write, I write principally to myself, which in a way clarifies my own thoughts about ‘gospel’ matters, and as enabled to keep these things in remembrance. II Peter 1:12. So yes, the delay is for the fact that my mind was sort of fixated on that, and since I’m such a slow writer, and have such little time these days, I thought I would wait until after I completed it before writing back, your friend in Christ.
This website that you mentioned is one that I am familiar with, but really, I don’t think I’ve read much of their stuff, (at least in the past 10 years,) as it seems a bit too textbook christianity for me. Interestingly enough, I just started receiving the updates from a dear friend who often posts materials from other authors on his website feed, and just recently he posted some articles about the church by this one guy, who I know is a disciple of that ‘movement’ who posted, what I thought, some of the worst possible articles on the relationships that a church should have to its pastor. It was complete Protestant Priestcraft no matter how you slice it up. In one place he mentioned something about how the members of the church needed a pastor to instruct them, because they were incapable of discerning the ‘truth’ for themselves. That’s a laughable statement! With that sort of a romanish mentality it’s no wonder that the sheep are scattered, Ezekiel 34:12, and as scattered more easily snatched up by such as would make “merchandise” of them, II Peter 2:3, by confining them within their own “scripturally” structured belief systems, from which to stray in even one point would be almost unthinkable, and tantamount to apostasy. These essentially exist in a closed ‘gospel’ system, constantly reinforcing their own “theological correctness” to the exclusion of everyone else, except those within their own immediate circle of fellowship.
Perhaps things are different now, but when I first discovered their website, probably about 10 years ago, I read a few things here and there, and moved on almost immediately. Much sound gospel teaching, and as I recall, some exceptionally well researched, and often unique topics, &c., a ‘confession of faith’ much like ‘my’ own, but intermingled throughout with a spirit of authoritarianism, legality, exclusivity, &c., as sifted through a dialog of grace. Galatians 5:1. Toss in some forced compliance to a ‘gospel’ decorum, and some paid cleric telling everyone how to live the christian life, (or in other words, to live just like he pretends to live,) and you have disciples at best. (Gospel taskmasters differ little from those of the reformed community. Both like to broadcast their ‘living’ standards, and delight in telling the rest of us how to live.) In essence it’s an entire Arminian substructure, built up around calvinistic principles, as so-called morality is substituted for Christ. Since when has the LORD forgotten them that are his? Those that name “the name of Christ depart from iniquity,” II Timothy 2:19, and don’t need moral guide posts at every street corner to tell them what to do. II Corinthians 5:14.
In truth, everybody knows the difference between right and wrong, and we don’t need a bible theologian to tell us the obvious! If that’s all we need, let’s all join the fundamentalist baptist movement, so that we can all glory together in our shame, Philippians 3:19, (the shame of glorying in their destruction of the true message of the gospel,) and “make a name” for ourselves. Genesis 11:4. I would like to think that most of us have had enough of this throughout our lives? Speaking for myself, I can without any hesitation say that I’ve chiseled enough brick and mortar to last me a lifetime, Exodus 1:14, and I would think that it’s nearly impossible at this point for anyone who “knows his own bitterness,” Proverbs 14:10, and by faith has glimpsed even just “the hem” of Christ’s “garment,” (is “made perfectly whole,” Matthew 14:36,) to revert back “from the grace of Christ,” Galatians 1:6, “unto vain jangling,” I Timothy 1:6, (empty talk as severed from Christ,) and return to a brick and mortar mentality, as this would be like attempting to build again those things which have been destroyed. Galatians 2:18. Not wise! “Remember Lot’s wife.” Luke 17:32. Impossible! “Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again.” Job 12:14. “Let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.” Mark 13:16. “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in GOD.” Colossians 3:3.
Do not all present-day legalists uniformly reject the principle of a spiritual life lived in Christ, (“Christ, who is our life,” Col 3:4,) otherwise known as the law or principle “of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:2. Man-made religion has the principle of legalism / conditionalism at its core, as the seeds of legalism run deep in all of us by nature, even as we attempt to incorporate those principles into our profession / persuasion of grace. We all equally revolt against the truth of a spiritual life lived in Christ, by Christ and upon Christ, from first to last, to receive him every day, (“as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord,”) as he was received the first day, ever conscious of this fact, that we have nothing to bring him, (“nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling,” Toplady,) our last day on earth, in a way of commendation than the first day we heard his blessed name. “Naked came” we all out of our “mother’s womb” and naked” shall we all “return thither,” Job 1:21, is a divine principle of life, naturally and spiritually. I think it was Luther who said, “when I look at myself, I do not see how I can be saved, but when I look at Christ, I do not see how I can be lost.” That’s the story of our lives!
The justified live by faith and only by faith, Hebrews 10:38, which can be faithfully transcribed “live by Christ and only by Christ.” If you define the christian life by anything else, you will find yourself in a works gospel, or risk falling into legalism. We ought to obey and follow Christ in everything we are constantly being told, but since when has that even been an option? Believers do obey and follow Christ, who’s giving us options here? “If a man love me, he will keep my words.” John 14:23. Where is the disconnection here between the life of a believer and the life of Christ? If we love Christ, sin will be our greatest enemy! This can’t be undone! The two are inseparable! May we never look at obedience as something that we bring to the LORD, but rather that disposition of mind and heart that he brings to us, as all things are from him, to him, and unto him – the Spirit of God working within us “both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.
The LORD directs all our steps, and I trust he knows what he’s doing. If we can trust him with our salvation, from first to last, I’m sure we can trust him with our morality or whatever you want to call it. Unlike “a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke,” (or as one unacquainted with the gospel of Christ, of all spiritual blessings and heavenly truth laid up in Christ, &c.,) all believers, (called “out of darkness” and “into” the “light” of Christ, I Peter 2:9,) are being turned continually unto the LORD. “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God,” Jeremiah 31:18, and here the last is first, as our ever turning towards Christ for everything, (in salvation, grace & time,) is indicative of the fact that the LORD is our GOD. “It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” John 6:45. All that the Father giveth unto Christ cometh unto Christ, which isn’t a one time reckoning or some ‘conversion’ experience, having little to do with our initial quickening, but everything to do with our life in Christ daily, as we look to him for all things.
If “he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” Luke 16:10, then it’s an undeniable fact that GOD who is altogether faithful, Deuteronomy 7:9, and especially, (if I may even so speak, as “thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds,” Psalm 36:5,) in the great matter of our redemption, Hebrews 1:3, then we can believe with some certainty, I Thessalonians 5:24, and rejoice (ultimately “because our names are written in heaven,” Luke 10:20) in confident expectation of this “very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6. Doesn’t he save everyone to “the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25. How do we dismember that all inclusive gospel declaration? Why would we want to? What or who can possibly “separate us from the love of Christ?” Romans 8:35. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.” Romans 8:32.
The LORD keepeth me. “The LORD is thy keeper.” Psalm 121:3-4. “He will keep the feet of his saints.” I Samuel 2:9. “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” I Peter 1:5. Perhaps we are forgetting that Christ’s garden is enclosed? Song 4:12. The LORD is my keeper! That’s good enough for me! I’m not out to impress anyone or pretend to be something that I’m not. At the end it all comes down to this anyway, “by the grace of God I am what I am,” I Corinthians 15:10, and for those of us who “have learned of the FATHER,” do continually, always and only to come to Christ. John 6:45.
These days I don’t dabble much in confessions of faith, but when it comes to a confession of my hope of being kept in the faith of Jesus Christ, (“faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it,” I Thes.5:24,) I’m making this entire Psalm my charter. Psalm 121. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved, he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper, the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil; he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Psalm 121:1-8. May it please the LORD to give us a glimpse of our complete preservation in Christ. Jude 24. I’m going to read this Psalm again tonight with my wife, and I hope it’s as rich in gospel treasure as it is at this moment. Wow, these thoughts are very scattered, hopefully there’s some ‘good’ which can be extracted. MPJ