This is a short response to the 6 minute video entiled "Christianity vs Calvinism: A Different Foundational Basis of Faith" by Faith On Fire
The video in question asserts that the difference between a "Bible-believing Christian" and a Calvinist stems from having different foundational bases of faith. The claim suggests that while Calvinists interpret the Bible through a particular theological lens, those who oppose Calvinism claim to interpret Scripture directly and objectively, without presuppositions or theological frameworks. This argument is built on the assumption that non-Calvinists hold a neutral, Bible-only stance, whereas Calvinists are accused of allowing their theology to guide their interpretation of Scripture.
Response to the Assertions
Presuppositions in Interpretation: Every person approaches Scripture with certain presuppositions, whether they are aware of them or not. No interpretation is free of a framework or lens, as our understanding of language, context, culture, and theology shapes how we read and understand the Bible. To claim that Calvinism is based on a theological system while other views are purely "Bible-based" ignores the reality that all interpretations are informed by some level of presupposition.
Even the assertion that a person is “Bible-only” involves a presupposition about the nature and clarity of Scripture, how it should be read, and how one understands God's revelation. For example, those who oppose Calvinism presuppos human free will (even though the Bible does not even mention it), affecting how they interpret texts about God’s sovereignty and election.
The Bible and Theology: The idea that Calvinism is based on theology while its opponents are "Bible-only" is a misunderstanding of the nature of theology itself. Theology is the study of God, based on Scripture, to understand His nature, character, and will. Reformed theology, such as Calvinism, seeks to systematize and articulate what the whole counsel of Scripture teaches on topics such as God's sovereignty, human sinfulness, salvation, grace, and faith. Calvinists believe that their theological framework emerges directly from Scripture, interpreted in its entirety and contextually.
The Bible itself demonstrates that sound doctrine (theology) is crucial. For instance, Paul exhorts Timothy to "hold fast the pattern of sound words" (2 Timothy 1:13) and to “correctly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). This implies that a correct understanding of doctrine, derived from careful study of Scripture, is necessary.
The Problem with Denying Presuppositions: Those who claim a "neutral" or "non-theological" reading of Scripture might not recognize their own interpretive frameworks or biases. For example, a belief in absolute human free will is itself a theological stance that affects how certain other Scriptures are understood (such as passages about God's sovereignty and human responsibility).
Additionally, claiming that Calvinists rely on theology while opponents are merely "Bible-believing" can create a false dichotomy. Calvinists are Bible-believing Christians who argue that their theological conclusions are derived from a thorough and holistic study of Scripture. Calvinism asserts that God's sovereignty, human sinfulness, and the doctrines of grace are clearly taught in the Bible, not imposed upon it from outside. I personally concluded that Reformed theolgy was true, way before I even knew or read any Reformed theologians, coming to this conclusion from the plain reading of scripture.
Biblical Basis for Reformed Doctrines: Calvinists ground their beliefs in a multitude of scriptural passages. here are just a few:
- God’s Sovereignty: Passages like Ephesians 1:11, which states that God "works all things according to the counsel of His will," and Romans 9:15-16, which emphasizes God’s sovereign choice in mercy, apart from the will or effort of fallen man..
- Total Depravity: The universality of human sin and inability apart from grace is affirmed in verses like Romans 3:10-12 ("There is none righteous, no, not one") and Ephesians 2:1 ("And you were dead in trespasses and sins").
- Unconditional Election: Ephesians 1:4-5 teaches that God "chose us in Him before the foundation of the world… having predestined us to adoption as sons."
- Particular Redemption: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14-15, ESV); 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.’” (Revelation 5:9, ESV). This verse emphasizes that Jesus' sacrificial death was effective in ransoming — or purchasing — a specific people for God from "every tribe and language and people and nation." The language used here is particular and selective: Christ did not die to make all people savable but to actually redeem a people out of every group. This underscores that Jesus' atonement was intentional and effective for those whom He intended to save, securing their redemption completely.
- Irresistible Grace: John 6:37 and John 6:44 show that all who are given to Jesus by the Father will come to Him, and no one can come unless the Father draws them. A syllogism.
- Perseverance of the Saints: Philippians 1:6 states that God will bring to completion the good work He has begun in believers. John 6:39 declares, "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day."
The Role of Sound Theology: The Bible calls for believers to develop sound theology (Titus 2:1, "But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine"). Reformed theology, including Calvinism, is an attempt to faithfully summarize and systematize the teachings of the Bible. To dismiss it as mere “theology” in contrast to being “Bible-based” is misleading, as it overlooks the fact that sound theology is grounded in a rigorous study of the Scriptures.
Conclusion
Like so-called "Bible-believing Christians," those who affirm Reformed theology also believe that all men, because of their sin, justly deserve the wrath of God, save through the mercy of Christ alone. Reformed believers hold firmly that salvation is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and that there is no salvation apart from trusting in Him. We all affirm the need for faith to be justified. The difference between Reformed theology and other Christian perspectives is in how the Bible teaches that one comes to faith in the first place. Reformed theology teaches that fallen humans, in their natural state, are spiritually blind, dead in sin and hostile to God (Ephesians 2:1-5; Romans 8:7; 1 Corinthians 2:14), and therefore require the Holy Spirit to open their eyes, unstop their ears, and give them a new heart to believe (Ezekiel 36:26; John 3:3-8, 6:37, 63-65, 17:2). Both perspectives agree on the necessity of preaching the gospel, for "faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). However, while Reformed believers see preaching as the means God uses to gather His elect, relying on the Spirit’s work to regenerate the hearer, others may believe that fallen humans, in their unregenerate state, are morally capable of coming to Christ through persuasion alone, apart from the Spirit's renewing work. This distinction is crucial: in Reformed thought, salvation is entirely a work of God's grace in Christ, from beginning to end, requiring the sovereign intervention of the Holy Spirit to bring spiritually dead sinners to life.
All interpretations of the Bible are influenced by presuppositions and theological perspectives. The assertion that non-Calvinist views are "neutral" or "Bible-only" while Calvinism is a purely theological framework is problematic because it fails to recognize that every interpretive stance involves some underlying assumptions. Reformed theology, including Calvinism, claims to be rooted in the entirety of Scripture and offers a coherent understanding of biblical doctrines like God’s sovereignty, human sinfulness, and salvation by grace through faith.
------
Related Resources: What the Bible Says About the Doctrines of Grace