Fisk On Calvin and Spurgeon

For the next few posts I would like to interact somewhat with Samuel Fisk’s book, Election & Predestination: Keys To a Clearer Understanding. I will not be giving a thorough review of the book since I did not read all of it. My time is certainly limited. Therefore in interacting with a few points made throughout the book, I thought might give a taste of the argumentation provided.

After reading the first few chapters and perusing the rest of the book, it is plainly obvious Fisk is so blinded by his Traditions that he is simply not able to understand Calvinism. At the every end of the book he cites what appears to be contradictory passages from John Calvin as well as spending an entire chapter on Spurgeon. Let me offer the example from Calvin so that it may be seen why he is not able to interact with Calvinism.

John Calvin:

1 John 2:2: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

“Here a question may be raised, how have the sins of the whole world been expiated? I pass by the dotages of the fanatics, who under this pretence extend salvation to all the reprobate and therefore to Satan himself. Such a monstrous thing deserves no refutation”

Last Will and Testament:

“I testify also and declare, that I suppliantly beg of Him, that He may be pleased so to wash and purify me in the blood of which my sovereign redeemer has shed for the sins of the human race…”

The implication being drawn from these quotes is that Calvin contradicted himself. Yet anyone who reads Reformed literature will see this kind of language all throughout its pages. Why you might ask, because the writers of Scripture do as well.

The problem is not the language but our presuppositions and definitions. When we allow the Scripture to define its own terms we see terms such as “all” and “world” and “humanity” being used in ways that appear to be universalistic when in fact they are being used in a general sense. Dave Hewitt does a terrific job in demonstrating this earlier this year. I could not possibly write as well or as clearly as he has done. So if you’d like to see a Reformed understanding of these terms that show Spurgeon and Calvin are consistent in their thinking and writing then read this.