What Difference Does It Make?

Introduction

I was having lunch with a friend who also happened to be a member of the church I served at the time. The church was one that considered itself a Reformed Baptist Church and since I am not a Reformed Baptist preacher, it was unusual to say the least. In the course of our discussion, the subject of Reformed doctrine came up and I gave a brief overview of that doctrine as I understand it. Whereupon my friend asked, “What difference does it make?” After a moment’s thought, I answered, “It doesn’t have to.” It has been about a month since that discussion and the question has persisted in my mind since then. Like most who teach doctrine for churches and colleges, I feel the need to write something and share it with others so this little report expounds on the question and my answer.

Given the situation here in 2016 when the denomination I serve in (Southern Baptist) is tearing itself apart over the issue, maybe these thoughts will help. If nothing else, this little article can give both sides a common target to shoot at.

Does it Make a Difference to God?

I think we have to say a resounding “No” to this question. No matter which side of the debate we are on, the idea that our theological constructs, no matter how impressive, cannot be thought of as influencing or affecting God in any way. The truth about election is what God has determined it to be and all we are attempting to do is discover and understand that truth.

Does it Make a Difference to the Christian (Elect)?

We Christians surely do spend a great deal of time and energy debating the issue. Churches split, friends separate, and people lose their positions in churches and institutions over the questions surrounding Reformed theology. But, as far as a person’s salvation and status before God, I have to argue that it makes no difference which side we take in the debate.

Let me explain. If you are Reformed, you think God determined your salvation. God decided to elect you and then He called you with a call you could not resist. You did not earn your salvation and you are exceedingly grateful that God gave you your salvation. If you are not Reformed, you think God paid for your salvation and offered you the opportunity to believe in Jesus and receive forgiveness for your sin. You accepted your gift of salvation and you are exceedingly grateful that God gave you your salvation. Both views lead to the same condition. If you are Reformed you think you had no choice in the matter and if you are not Reformed, you think you did have a choice. Either way, you have the same result. On the issue of salvation from sin, there is no difference.

However, on other issues in the Christian life, there are differences. I am going to elaborate on two differences I have observed over the years. First is the potential difference in outreach efforts demonstrated by Reformed Baptists and Non-Reformed Baptists. The Reformed concept that the salvation status of every person is determined by God’s choice leads to a damping effect on evangelism and outreach. I will admit that mature Reformed thinkers will witness, lead evangelism efforts, send and go as missionaries, and support outreach in many ways. In over 40 years of participation in ministry in Southern Baptist life, I have only observed enthusiastic evangelism and outreach in Reformed thinkers a very few times. I believe it is a fact of human nature to be lazy and be concerned about our affairs at the expense of evangelism and missions. It you believe that the salvation of each person is already sealed by God’s choice, then the natural thing to do is nothing. If they are elect, then they will be saved regardless of your efforts and the lost will remain lost no matter what efforts the Christian brings to the situation. If I believed that, I would be what is often called a Hyper-Calvinist.

The second difference is one observed in Reformed believers I consider very weak in their understanding of God. Never the less, I think it is a very real danger. Accepting the idea that God causes every event can lead to accepting immoral behavior. If God determines every event, then whatever act committed, whether by myself or others, must logically be God’s will for me or that person. I consider this a serious theological error because it makes God the author of sin. The idea that God wills for sin to happen is an impossible one for me to accept. The error is often seen among immature believers who when confronted by some immoral act reply that “I was only doing what God determined for me.”

Does it Make a Difference to the Non-Christian (Non-Elect)?

The Christian who accepts Reformed theology will argue here that it makes no difference. If God has truly determined who is elect and who is not elect, then what any of us, elect or not, think about it makes no difference. We do not have the opportunity to change our situation. We cannot move ourselves from one category to the other in either direction.

However, if the Non-Reformed position is true, it makes a lot of difference. If I have the opportunity to make a choice and accept salvation and I am denied the opportunity to make that choice, either because the church does not present me with the choice or I feel I have no choice, then I remain in my sin. Churches and Christians who refuse to extend invitations because they are afraid some lost person may try to get saved who is not truly called are committing a sin against the lost person. This opinion applies in public worship situations and private conversations. Jesus called on his audience to “Repent” (Matthew 4: 17) and if we claim to follow Jesus, we must do the same. Whether you believe that God gives the faith to believe or you believe the faith is the will of the individual, we should present the call to repent to the sinner.

The second aspect of this objection I raise comes because I think I have observed the situation of a lost person failing to accept Jesus because of the Reformed doctrine. In my textbook used in my college course on Baptist doctrine, I tell of LeRoy who grew up in a Reformed Baptist home and was deeply influenced by the idea that God elected some to salvation and did not elect others. LeRoy wanted to be saved so badly he literally shook with emotion but he could not bring himself to believe that he had the opportunity to make the decision to accept Jesus. He had been taught that he could not decide for Jesus and had to wait for some special, unspecified sign that God had saved him before he could confess Jesus and consider himself saved. It broke my heart to see him struggle to feel free to accept salvation and not be able to “make a decision.” That event early in my ministry set my opinion about Reformed theology. It is dangerous and must be rejected because it keeps people from being saved. It is true that the general public did not grow up in a Reformed home and does not have the same emotional baggage as LeRoy. However, many of them have the rudimentary understanding that some Christians believe God decides who is going to Heaven and who is going to Hell. It is very easy for the lost person, under the influence of Satan, to think that, “I’m predestined to Hell and may as well just go along in my sin.” The teaching that God has already determined each person’s fate has a very negative effect on attempts to win a lost person to Jesus who has been introduced to Reformed doctrine.  

Conclusion

Does accepting Reformed Doctrine matter? If we accept the teaching of Reformed doctrine, then it does not have to matter unless we allow it to interfere with our evangelism and mission commitment.  If we deny the teaching of Reformed doctrine, then it does not have to matter unless we allow the debates over the doctrine to keep us away from our assignment to go into all the world. If we are not a believer in Christ, it has great potential to harm us if the Reformed position is incorrect and the lost person believes he is without a choice for salvation. For me as a pastor and missionary the risk of harm is too great. If one person who could have been saved by making a decision to accept is hindered from trusting Christ, then it too great a risk.