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Table of Contents (in Brief):

Introduction and When I exchanged the joy of the gospel for the glory of Calvinism

• Part One: What is the Gospel?
  • Participation in the Gospel
  • The Gospel defined ‘while standing on one foot’
• Part Two: The Core Argument to Recant Calvinism (a three-fold argument against Calvinism).
  • The First Argument to Recant Calvinism: The Order of Salvation
  • The Second Argument to Recant Calvinism: SIGNS vs. TULIP
  • The Third Argument to Recant Calvinism: Exegesis of Romans 9-11
• Part Three: Where do we go from here?
  • Reevaluating Calvinism : our greatest strength or our greatest weakness?
  • Getting our bearings after being lost at sea
  • What to do with wrong doctrine
  • Concluding thoughts.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 635-640) and indexes.

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Table of Contents (in Full):

Introduction ……………………………………………………xix

When I Exchanged the Joy of the Gospel for the
Glory of Calvinism ………………………………………….. xxv

Part One: What is the Gospel? …………………………… 29

Participation in the Gospel ………………………………. 29
It belongs to and starts with Jesus ………………… 29
The Gospel in the Old Testament…………………… 40
Paul and the Gospel…………………………………….. 54

The Gospel Defined ‘While Standing on One Foot’ … 63
A Promise………………………………………………….. 63
The New Testament Scriptures Repeatedly
Emphasize the Gospel as a Promise…………… 68
To Those Who are Poor in Spirit ……………….. 75
A Call to Faith……………………………………….. 81

Part Two: The Core Argument to Recant Calvinism
(A Three-Fold Argument Against Calvinism) …………. 87

The First Argument to Recant Calvinism: The
Order of Salvation…………………………………………… 90
Foreknew and Predestined……………………………. 92
An Attempt to Make Sense of God’s
Relationship to Time ……………………………… 94
Called……………………………………………………… 103

The Lesser Inward Call ………………………….. 111
The Greater Inward Call ………………………… 121
The Response of Faith and Repentance…… 131
God’s Response to Faith ……………………… 134
Justified………………………………………………….. 135
Glorified ………………………………………………….. 138
An Excursus on the Necessity of being Born
Again in Order to See God’s Kingdom ……… 150

The Second Argument to Recant Calvinism:
SIGNS vs. TULIP…………………………………………….. 156

Think ‘Simple Faith by Means of an Empowered
Gospel’ Instead of ‘Total Depravity’ ……………… 156

The Calvinistic View of Total Depravity……. 156
The Calvinist’s Favorite Texts of Scripture.. 159
The Calvinist’s Greatest Text on Total
Depravity ……………………………………………. 163
Fallen, not Cursed………………………………… 167
What Will Ultimately Condemn Anyone
Outside of Christ?………………………………… 171
The Battlefield of the Sinful Heart…………… 173
Reducing the Gospel, “He loves me, He loves
me not.”……………………………………………… 176
God’s Unchanging Love in this Life and in
Hell ……………………………………………………. 182
The Calvinists’ Strongest Argument ………… 187
Hardening and Softening (Blessing and
Cursing) ……………………………………………… 197
The Whole Point About Parables ……………… 204
Jesus’ Teaching About Coming to Him …….. 210
Is Faith a Gift?…………………………………….. 215
Is Faith a Work?…………………………………… 221
The Non-Issue of the Will of Man …………….. 224
Pelagianism …………………………………….. 225
Semi-Pelagianism ……………………………… 226
Augustine’s View ………………………………. 226
The Scriptural Teaching Regarding the Will
of Man in Salvation ………………………………. 226
Salvation is by Faith …………………………….. 230
A Simple and Sincere Faith in God’s Word… 231
The Word of God Enlightens Sinful Men …… 236
Dynamism – the Power to Believe in Jesus .. 240
Our Participation with the Holy Spirit in
this Dynamism…………………………………….. 247
The Calvinistic Dilemma ……………………….. 250
A Warning to Calvinists …………………………. 252
Summary Statement – Simple Faith by
Means of an Empowered Gospel ……………… 255

Think ‘In Christ’ Instead of ‘Unconditional
Election’………………………………………………….. 256

The Calvinistic View of Unconditional
Election ……………………………………………… 256
The Calvinist’s Favorite Texts of Scripture.. 257
Martin Luther’s Two Wills of God ……………. 262
The Predominate Characteristic of the Gospel Age
is the Impartial Invitation of all Peoples ….. 266
“Many are Called, but Few are Chosen” ……. 269
Necessary Implications of Calvinism – An
Impersonal Election and A Creation Unto
Evil ……………………………………………………. 275
The Perfection of God’s Sovereign Will …….. 277
Jesus’ Gospel – A Conditional Election …….. 283
From Prefiguring Christ to The Christ to In
Christ ………………………………………………… 287
The Elected Nation – Those Who Prefigured
Christ …………………………………………….. 287
The Elect One – The Christ…………………… 291
The Elect Body of Believers – In Christ ……. 296
Paul’s Conversion…………………………………. 302
Summary Statement – In Christ ……………… 307

Think ‘General Resurrection’ Instead of
‘Limited Atonement’ …………………………………. 308

The Calvinistic View of Limited
Atonement ………………………………………….. 308
The Calvinist’s Favorite Texts
of Scripture…………………………………………. 309
John Owen’s Logic Regarding the
Atonement ………………………………………….. 310
John Murray and 2 Corinthians 5:14 ……….. 312
The Scriptural Testimony about the Scope
of Jesus’ Death ……………………………………. 320
Did Jesus Die for Every Jew? …………………. 323
Faith Actions Jesus’ Death…………………….. 325
The First and Second Death …………………… 328
The General Resurrection………………………. 335
The General Resurrection: God’s
Ultimate Solution…………………………………. 338
God’s Reconciling of Himself Toward the
World …………………………………………………. 350
John Murray on Objective Reconciliation…. 353
Propitiation: the Basis of an Objective
Reconciliation……………………………………… 358
The Gentiles Are No Longer “Unclean” …….. 361
‘All’ and ‘World’……………………………………. 366
The Restoration of God’s Rule Through
Adam …………………………………………………. 371
An Excursus on the Trinity and the
Atonement……………………………………….. 373
Satan’s Rule Destroyed by Jesus …………….. 382
Salvation From the Second Death …………… 387
The Particularity of Christ’s Body …………… 389
Summary Statement – General
Resurrection ……………………………………….. 393

Think ‘New Covenant’ Instead of ‘Irresistible
Grace’……………………………………………………… 394

The Calvinistic View of Irresistible Grace …. 394
The Calvinist’s Favorite Texts of Scripture.. 396
Irresistible Grace – The Unjustified
Doctrine……………………………………………… 399
Sinners Have Resisted God’s Grace …………. 405
An Unjustified Irresistible Grace Ultimately
Undermines Assurance ………………………….. 410
Irresistible Grace – The Misplaced
Experiential Doctrine ……………………………. 414
The New Covenant ……………………………….. 416
Summary Statement – New Covenant ………. 419

Think ‘Sustained by Faith’ Instead of
‘Perseverance of the Saints’………………………… 420

The Calvinistic View of Perseverance of the
Saints ………………………………………………… 420
The Calvinist’s Favorite Texts of
Scripture…………………………………………….. 421
The 1689’s Additions to the Westminster
Confession ………………………………………….. 428
What is the Debate? ……………………………… 431
What Determines Our Perseverance
According to the Scriptures?………………….. 433
Summary Statement – Sustained by Faith .. 441

The Third Argument to Recant Calvinism: Exegesis
of Romans 9-11 …………………………………………….. 442
Abridged Exegesis of Romans 9:1-5………………. 443
Paul’s Sorrow ……………………………………… 444
The Jewish Possession ………………………….. 446

Romans 9:6a-11 – An Introduction and Summary
to ‘The Problem of Israel’ ……………………………….. 450
9:6a – The Referee: “The Word of God Cannot
Fail!”………………………………………………………. 450
9:6b,7a – The Point of Contention – Natural
Born Jews are not the Children of God because
of their Ethnicity ……………………………………… 457
9:7b – The Referee Declares: The Descendants
are the Children of the Spiritual Birth…………… 460
9:8 – The Thesis of Romans 9-11: The Children
of the Promise are The Children of God………… 461
9:9 – The Demonstration of Isaac as a Child of
Promise ………………………………………………. 465
9:10-13 The Demonstration of God’s Purposed
Choice of Jacob Over Esau ………………………. 467
9:12 – The Referee Declares: The Older will
Serve the Younger ………………………………….. 475
9:13 – The Referee Declares: “Jacob I Loved, but
Esau I Hated” ……………………………………….. 476
9:14 – The Question of Injustice with God: That
the Children of the Flesh are not the Children
of God …………………………………………………….. 490
9:15 – The Referee Declares: “I will have mercy
on whom I have mercy” ……………………………. 493
9:16 – Doctrinal Point: Salvation is According to
Mercy …………………………………………………. 496
9:17 – The Referee Declares: For this very
Purpose I Raised You Up to Demonstrate My
Mercy in You…………………………………………. 500
9:18 – Doctrinal Point: God is Just in Showing
Mercy to those of Faith and in Hardening those
who Boast in their Flesh…………………………… 508
9:19-22 – The Assumptions of the Children of
the Flesh …………………………………………………. 513
9:19 – The Question of an Assumed
Innocence ……………………………………………. 514
9:20,21 – The Question of an Assumed
Preeminence…………………………………………. 516
9:22 – The Question of an Assumed Protection
from Judgment ……………………………………… 518
9:23 – God’s Patience that the Children of the
Flesh might become Vessels of Mercy …………… 521
9:24 – Vessels of Mercy are According to the
Call of Faith and Without Ethnic Partiality …… 523
9:25,26 – The Referee Declares: Those Not Counted as God’s People, Who were Born According to the Flesh, Shall, According to an
Act of Mercy, be Called God’s People……………. 524
9:27 – The Referee Declares: The Vessels of
Mercy are the Remnant that Will be Saved…….. 528
9:28,29 – The Referee Declares: The Israel
According to the Flesh are Vessels of Wrath…… 530
9:30-32 – Doctrinal Point: The Children of God
are those who Believe………………………………… 532
9:33 – The Referee Declares: Faith in Jesus
Determines Salvation ………………………………. 534

Chapter Ten – Faith as the Determination of the
Child of God …………………………………………………. 536
10:1-10 – What is Subjectively Necessary so that One Can Become a Child of the Promise –
Faith in Accordance with Knowledge …………… 536
10:1 – Paul’s Optimistic Posture toward his
Kinsmen ……………………………………………… 537
10:2 – Paul is Optimistic Because they are
Zealous for God …………………………………….. 537
10:3 – The Knowledge of God’s Righteousness
Contrasted with the Jewish Endeavor to
Establish their Own Righteousness ……………. 538
10:4 – Doctrinal Point: Jesus is the
Righteousness of God for those who Believe ….. 539
10:5 – Their Incomplete Knowledge: The Law
can impart Life…if Fulfilled……………………….. 541
10:6-8 – That Knowledge of the Righteousness
Based on Faith ……………………………………… 543
A Brief Look at the Larger Picture ………………. 549
10:9,10 – Salvation by means of a Believing
Heart and a Confessing Mouth ………………….. 552
10:11-13 – Reemphasizing the Thesis …………… 554
10:11 – The Referee Declares: It is by Faith
Alone that One is not Ashamed before God ……. 555
10:12 – Doctrinal Point: As He is Lord of All
Without Distinction, He is Abounding in Mercy
for All Without Distinction …………………………. 555
10:13 – The Referee Declares: Those Who Call
on the Lord will be Saved …………………………. 556
10:14,15 – What is Objectively Necessary so
that One Can Become a Child of the Promise…. 557
10:16-21 – The Scriptures Condemn Israel’s
Unbelief…………………………………………………… 558
10:16 – The Referee Declares: Their not Heeding
is their not Believing ……………………………….. 559
10:17 – Doctrinal Point: The Ability to Believe
Arises Out of Hearing the Word of Christ ………. 560
10:18 – The Referee Declares: They are not Counted the Children of God Because when they Heard they did not Believe ……………………….. 562
10:19 – The Referee Declares: They are not Counted the Children of God Because when they Knew the Truth they did not Believe ……………. 564
10:20 – The Referee Declares: They are not
Counted the Children of God Because they Did
Not Seek for God ……………………………………. 566
10:21 – The Referee Declares: They are not Counted the Children of God Because they are a Disobedient and Obstinate People ………………. 568

Chapter Eleven – God’s Faithfulness to Unfaithful
Israel…………………………………………………………… 569
11:1-6 – God has Not Utterly Rejected Israel….. 570
11:1 – Paul Presents Himself as an Example … 570
11:2a – God Does Not Reject Those Whom He
Knows Personally…………………………………… 571
11:2b – 4 – The Referee Declares: The Scriptures
Declare a Conditionally Elected Remnant in
Contrast to an Unconditionally Elected Israel …. 572
11:5 – Doctrinal Point: There is a Particular
Election at the Present Time ………………………. 574
11:6 – Doctrinal Point: There is a Particular Election at the Present Time so that the Basis of Works might be Annulled by Grace ……………… 578
11:7 – Doctrinal Point: God Hardened the Jews
Because they Rejected the Humble Posture of
Faith under God’s Mercy ……………………………. 581
11:8-10 – The Referee Declares: Let them Not See so Long as they Stubbornly Affirm Themselves! …………………………………………. 584
11:11-15 – God’s Faithful Love for the Israel
According to the Flesh ………………………………. 587
11:16-22 – A Warning to Gentile Believers to not Become Conceited Toward Unbelieving
Jews and Before God …………………………………. 590
11:23,24 – God Will Save the Children of the
Flesh if they Believe ………………………………….. 595
11:25 – Doctrinal Point: Israel is Under a
Partial Hardening …………………………………….. 597
11:26a – All Israel Will be Saved ………………….. 600
11:26b-27 – The Referee Declares: Ungodliness
Will be Removed from the Supplanter…………… 603
11:28,29 – Doctrinal Point: God’s Constancy of
Love for Israel ………………………………………….. 605
11:30,31 – Mercy for All Now ………………………. 608
11:32 – God’s Disposition is to Show Mercy to
as Many as are Disobedient…………………………. 610
11:33-36 – Paul’s Sorrow Turns to Optimistic
Ecstatic Joy …………………………………………….. 615
Concluding Points Regarding Romans 9-11……. 615

Part Three: Where Do We Go From Here? …………… 618
Reevaluating Calvinism: Our Greatest Strength
or Our Greatest Weakness? ………………………… 618

Getting Our Bearings After Being Lost At Sea … 623
Star of Truth: The Scriptures Do Portray God’s
Will…………………………………………………….. 624
Star of Truth: The Gospel is a Promise Activated
by Faith ………………………………………………. 625
Star of Truth: God’s Spirit is at Work in Every
Heart ………………………………………………….. 625
Star of Truth: The Power to Believe is in the
Gospel Itself………………………………………….. 626

What To Do With Wrong Doctrine ………………… 627
We Must Repent as the Church of Jesus Christ
Has Done Before ……………………………………. 627
We Must Believe in the Abundant Grace of God
to Forgive …………………………………………….. 629
We Must Know that it is God’s Purpose to use
us………………………………………………………. 629

Concluding Thoughts…………………………………. 630
What is Going On? …………………………………. 630
It is All Too Difficult to Reform a Reformed
Christian …………………………………………….. 631
Step Forward in Faith …………………………….. 633

Bibliography …………………………………………………. 635
Names & Subjects ………………………………………….. 641
Scripture ……………………………………………………… 653