An Apology for Calvinism

Posted on June 1, 2023 Updated on June 2, 2023

This will be a shock to some, but Calvinism does not deny the freedom of the human will. Our ability to freely act on our desires is part of what it means to be made in the image of God. Of course, understanding that our freedom is a reflection of God’s freedom, we’d confess that God is freer than man—but man is free nonetheless. The omnipotence, omniscience, and infinite freedom of God are the basis of our theological articulation of the biblical truth that God ordains everything that comes to pass, and yet man is free in his choices. God’s freedom necessitates His decree of all things; but far from invalidating free human choices, His decree is what establishes human agency.

But this is a post about human freedom, not God’s freedom. The main question I want to consider is “What, if anything, limits human freedom?” I think everyone would agree that man isn’t free to do things outside the laws of nature in his own power. He can’t decide to flap his arms like a bird and fly simply because he chose to do so. But absurdity aside, are there things God requires of us that we’re unable to do? To get more specific and biblical, can man determine to and therefore successfully love God and his neighbor perfectly and perpetually with all of his faculties? Can he, through his powers of determination—the act of his free will—meet the standard of God that if met would qualify him as righteous in his own power? In other words, is it possible for fallen humanity to be justified by the works of the law?

Assuming we share basic orthodoxy, we agree that no he cannot. If we would agree with the obvious testimony of scripture, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) and “There is none who does good, there is not even one.” (Rom. 3:12) Because in our fallen nature, we are “sold into bondage to sin.” (Rom. 7:14) There are things God requires of man that fallen man is unable to actualize because of who we are as fallen people. That’s the basic truth of who we are as sinners. In other words, man is free to act on his desires, but his desires are corrupt by nature. His will is free, but bound by his fallen desires. 

What is the nature of this fallen condition that binds mankind to sinful desires and actions? Scripture describes fallen man as being at “enmity with God.” In our flesh, we are described as enemies of God from the heart. (Rom. 5:10) To return to the example of the law, this enmity is clearly seen when we understand what it is God’s law requires—that which we fail to fulfill by nature. How did Jesus describe the requirements of the law? 

A lawyer asked Jesus: “’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’” (Matthew 22:36-40)

The great and foremost commandment—the commandment our flesh is diametrically opposed to—the commandment our free will cannot carry us to fulfill—is to love God. In the insanity of the fallen heart, instead of loving God, it hates Him without a cause. (Rom. 8:7-8; Col. 1:21; John 3:20, 7:7, 15:25; Matt. 6:24) This is of course most vividly displayed by the dark picture of mankind our Lord’s time on earth revealed. The Son took on humanity—the exact image of God in human flesh—and all of fallen mankind, as it were (both Jew and Gentile), killed Him.

They killed Him out of their offense at the suggestion that they could not save themselves but were dependent on Christ to be justified before the Father. As He hung dying, mankind mocked the salvation He came to bring. “And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.’” (Luke 23:35)

That’s the ultimate revelation of the natural disposition of fallen mankind toward God. Enmity with Him and outrage at the notion that if we would be justified, it must be in the person and work of another. And that’s precisely why it must be a work of God to bring a fallen sinner to repentance and faith. Repentance agreeing with God concerning one’s sin and condemnation according to His law in light of His love, and faith receiving and resting in Christ and His sufficiency to save as presented in the gospel. Such a response is entirely alien to the fallen nature which binds us. That’s why from beginning to end, “salvation is [(and must be)] of the Lord!” (Jon. 2:9) Having new life by the grace of God through the hearing of the gospel, we then freely chose to trust Christ. But without grace first, we will continue freely acting out of our nature—in effect shouting along with the rest of mankind, “Crucify Him!” By grace, the Lord must “open our hearts to respond,” (Acts 16:14) or we will continue down our freely chosen path—”Doing evil, hating the Light, and not coming to the Light for fear that our deeds will be exposed. (John 3:20)