Epilogue: What Continued Happening to Mark
Angry and divisive Mark is no more. Next month Mark will be returning to Podunk Baptist Church. This time as a new man. He still has his beard, he still holds to much the same doctrine, but he holds it differently.
It had been eight years since his disaster of a revival service. Mark left the people wounded…and truth be told Mark left wounded as well. His desire to “set his old church straight” came from a mostly good desire—though Mark will admit that it was mixed with a good deal of pride and bitterness.
A good part of Mark thought that his former church would embrace the doctrines which have led to much growth in his own Christian walk. He was shocked and dismayed to be met with rejection and to have caused somewhat of a division within the ranks of Podunk. Now Mark is a different man. After much repentance on the part of Mark and healing of broken relationships he is being invited back to Podunk Baptist. His doctrine hasn’t changed but his heart has. This time Mark will be lovingly and passionately preaching on the excellencies of Christ.
What happened to Mark?
Shortly after his disaster of a revival service Mark went back to his seminary community. He called upon one of his favorite professors—a faithful defender of all things Calvinism. He figured that if he could have about 15 minutes of venting to this professor he would feel better. His greater hope, though, was that he probably would be given a few tips about how to defend his doctrine even better and help those that differ to come to grips with what the Bible says about God and His sovereignty in salvation.
Mark was shocked when instead of a “go get those rank heretics” he was met with a gentle and loving rebuke. This wise professor was every bit the Calvinist that Mark is in doctrine. But something this professor had that Mark didn’t was that he was a Calvinist in his heart. He held the doctrines of grace quite graciously. He trusted the sovereign Lord even in theological differences. Through years of ministry, study, and life with the Spirit he had come to grips with the importance of love.
Thankfully for Mark and for the Podunk Baptist’s of the world this dear man took Mark under his wrinkled wing. He modeled for him the love and grace that every believer (no matter his stripes) should live. He loved Mark and taught Mark to love. They still chatted Reformed theology, they still even debated some texts, and at times disagreed with non-Calvinists but the way this dear man “debated” was contagious. You see this old man was much like John Newton.
As Newton once said:
‘I am more of a Calvinist than anything else; but I use my Calvinism in my writings and my preaching as I use this sugar’—taking a lump, and putting it into his tea-cup, and stirring it, adding, ‘I do not give it alone, and whole; but mixed and diluted.’
His Calvinism was superseded by something more important—the gospel. Yes, men like Spurgeon and even Newton could believe in one sense that “Calvinism is the gospel”. (You can debate for yourself the wisdom of such a statement). But at the end of the day we see with men like Spurgeon and Newton that fellowship, love, and advancement of the gospel trumped Calvinism. Not that it was insignificant; their Calvinism permeated their fellowship, their love, and their advancement of the gospel, but it wasn’t the whole or end of any of those things—God and His glory were.
Next time I will offer a few basic tips if God places an angry and divisive Calvinist in your life…
There is a difference in Calvinistic thought when grace administers it rather than biblical facts. There was such joy when the Holy Spirit enlightened me to the truth of election. Of course, I thought everyone should know what I discovered. Over the years I have seasoned my speech when teaching. I can see people’s Arminian paradigm kick in with answers they give when I have spoken of the sovereignty of God, same with Calvinist. I am tempted to “go there” but choose to stay on track.
This is a good series of post.
That personal special revelation of the Holy Spirit is a great gift from God to your soul.
That special revelation to you is not ‘a knowing’ that comes from any natural human thought process of your own doing,
but is a supernatural gift giving the certitude of God’s great blessing to you.
This special grace brings the deep peace of Christ to your soul.
Deep speaks unto deep . . .
Special revelation refers to the work of Spirit in revealing Scripture. While biblicists disagree about the personal work of the Spirit in giving special “words” of knowledge or direction. To those who believe in the sufficiency of scripture, the use of the term “revelation” to refer to that subjective work of the Spirit is discomfiting.
Theologically, it is not an accurate term.
“Theologically, it is not an accurate term.”
Therefore, it is not within the parameters of orthodoxy. Therefore, it is not “Christian.”
Hi C.B.
what denominations would you include within the ‘parameters of orthodoxy’ and why?
Hi DAVID,
thank you for responding . . . perhaps it is better said as ‘a personal awareness’ that God has ‘called’ to us and that we have responded to Him.
Christiane,
You said, “That special revelation to you is not ‘a knowing’ that comes from any natural human thought process of your own doing”.
I agree 100%. It is for that reason I choose not to argue or try to reason with people about truths that have been opened to me by the Holy Spirit. With that, there are truths that have not been opened to me yet and I must think soberly when someone says things to me that are not yet in my truth library. I think it goes both ways in some cases and we should be sensitive to know when to listen.
Your last sentence used “special grace” and it made me think of a song by John Starns called “A Very Special Grace”. Great song.
Mike, your post touches on something I have believed for a long time. One of the problems in SBC discourse is the tendency to give “my side” a pass, while prosecuting “them” for similar offenses. I’ve watched that over and over.
Integrity demands that we hold our own accountable. If I am a Calvinist, I should be just as (or perhaps more) incensed when someone I agree with says something outlandish, angry, divisive or unkind. If I am a non-Calvinist, I ought to be very sensitive to misrepresentations of Calvinist belief by my compatriots.
The hero in this story is a wise older man who holds the brash young man accountable.
I love this series of posts. Reminds me of when I was arguing with my wife (RC at the time) over the differences between our beliefs. I married her thinking she wasn’t a strong Catholic and would join me @ church with no problems 🙂
I spoke with my pastor about all the arguments I had against RC beliefes, etc ( I was looking for an ally) and he told me he didn’t know much about the RC. Just told me to love her, sing when they sing, read the bible when they did, pray when they did (the exception being to Mary) and worship God with her.
Our relationship, which had become quite rocky, addended to marital bliss becasue my Pastor gave me Godly wisdom and lied to me at the same time 🙂 🙂
He actually had his own theological differences with RC beliefs/practices, but knew I needed to love my wife, not defeat her. He defused my ticking time-bomb and I and my now 3 children are forever grateful that he chose to guide me rather than side with me.
oops, ascended, not addended
new keyboard… I think they moved the letters around…