A Meaningful Discussion Between Moderate And Hyper Calvinists
The following statement was written for a social media post:
Many followers of Andrew Fuller believe the fundamental error of Hyper Calvinism revolves around an imbalance between divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
Many followers of John Gill believe the fundamental error of Moderate Calvinism (Fullerism) revolves around their distinction between the covenant of redemption and the covenant of grace.
The Moderate Calvinist believes unregenerate sinners are responsible to savingly believe on Christ under a conditional covenant of grace, and that regenerate sinners are responsible to obey the heart law once they have been born again.
The Hyper Calvinist believes unregenerate sinners are responsible to obey the heart law under the authority of the covenant of works, and that regenerate sinners are responsible (privileged) to savingly believe on Christ under the authority of the unconditional covenant of redemption (covenant of grace). The covenant of works (made by God with Adam on behalf of the human race) is binding upon unregenerate sinners; the covenant of redemption or grace (made by the TriUne Jehovah on behalf of the elect) is binding upon regenerate sinners. The issue, therefore, is not whether man is responsible before God—Moderate and Hyper Calvinists are agreed on this point; but rather, under which covenant does God hold man responsible.
A meaningful discussion between Moderate and Hyper Calvinists can only be achieved if both sides are willing to give proper attention to each other’s viewpoint on covenantal authority.
Jared Smith served twenty years as pastor of a Strict and Particular Baptist church in Kensington (London, England). He now serves as an Evangelist in the Philippines, preaching the gospel, organizing churches and training gospel preachers.
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