Tim Conway preached a series of messages in 2014, powerfully articulating a biblical and confessionally Reformed presentation of evangelical, Christ-exalting Calvinism in opposition to soul-destroying hyper-Calvinism. Click through to the “I’ll Be Honest” website to access all the transcripts.
Pastor Tim Conway is a prominent preacher known for his fervent expository teaching and commitment to Reformed theology.
Calvinism is a theological framework emphasizing God’s sovereignty in salvation, articulated through doctrines like total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. Hyper-Calvinism is an extreme interpretation of Calvinism that denies the need for evangelism and the universal offer of the gospel, often minimizing human responsibility in salvation.
As to HOW Calvinism went wrong in some church denominations, its tricky to pinpoint. It must have been a gradual sliding over generations. But what we CAN stand on, is what the Lord Jesus Christ says in His Word – He is most willing and most able to save all those that come to Him in faith.
Listen with an open mind and be encouraged!
Here are some of the texts mentioned:
- Ephesians 5:14: “Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light”. The Gospel and the genuine offer comes to sinners who are spiritually dead. When they believe (by God’s grace and the power of the Spirit), they are saved.
- Deuteronomy 10:16: “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.” Unbelievers (unconverted) are called to have a change of heart, to stop being so stubborn, and to obey and follow God.
- John 8:24: “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” It is our responsibility and own fault if we die in our sins. It is our responsibility to believe in Jesus as the Mediator, as the only Way of salvation.
- Acts 2:40: “And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.'” Peter seriously and genuinely exhorted (preached/begged) the hearers to be saved – to not stay in their sin, but repent and find refuge in Jesus Christ.
- Ezekiel 18:32: “For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. Therefore turn and live!” God is most loving and most merciful and genuinely wants sinners to be saved. Therefore, the command goes forth: “Turn and live!”
- Luke 14:16-20: “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’”. The various invited guests made excuses not to come. The problem wasn’t that they COULDN’T COME, but they WOULDN’T! It’s much like a child saying “I can’t eat my peas” – the problem is not that their mouth doesn’t work, but he/she WON’T eat the peas. We can bring up so many excuses (I don’t know if I have the right feelings, I don’t want to presume, I’m scared of what family will say, I’m scared of being wrong….. but ultimately that boils down to “I will not”.
Part 1
Show me the reformed churches that are leading the charge in world missions. Now, there are some, but are they in the majority or minority? God has given us means by which to see the lost converted, and we must flee from any form of hyper-Calvinism which will squelch our zeal for missions.
Tim Conway
Part 2
Saving faith is not believing I am saved, but rather saving faith is believing that there is salvation in no other name than in Jesus Christ. Faith doesn’t focus on whether I’ve got an interest or lack of interest in the Gospel, that is not the focal point. Faith believes on the saving work of Christ as my only hope. If your confidence is in your interest and your believing and not in Christ and what He has accomplished, then your focal point is wrong.
Tim Conway
Part 3
My fear for our generation is that churches do believe and teach Calvinism, and yet find themselves no longer having a message for sinners.
Tim Conway
Part 4
Does Scripture ever teach fatalism, that “Whatever will be, will be”? No it does not, rather that is the carnal logic that the hyper-Calvinist reasons with. Hyper-Calvinism destroys the Savior, it destroys the Gospel message, and removes the willingness that God has to save sinners. Yet Jesus Christ commands all to come and to find rest in His finished work.
… How do we get to the place where I feel reluctant to just freely proclaim that Jesus saves? Not only that He saves, but He’s willing to save. And to be able to go across to anybody and indiscriminately tell them the Good News of the Gospel message, and not feeling like somehow it’s this hollow or somewhat insincere. How do we even get there?
… If we’re going to be evangelists to this world, are we going to come and tell them that God is hesitant to save them? That’s exactly sometimes what they’re struggling with. They’re thinking God is hesitant to save them. And the devil will be right there to say, “You’ve been too bad. God isn’t going to save you. God isn’t that kind of God. He is angry with you. He is hesitant to save you.”
And can you imagine? Here comes the often well-meaning hyper-Calvinist, puts his arm around him: “Have you never heard? God hates Esau. God hates sinners. God hates this. God hates that.” Barely able to even talk about John 3:16. We can’t hardly talk about the love of God. And here’s somebody, the very thing they need is to be melted by the kindness of God. And yet the hyper-Calvinistic mentality is that God is slow to save. He’s reluctant to save. He barely will save. Isn’t that true? If you’ve been around any kind of hyper-Calvinism, you know that’s exactly right. It’s presumption to run to God too quickly. God forbid lest you see that there’s some kind of preparationism there, something’s going on, something that gives you license to believe that He’s actually showing you you’re one of the elect. You would not want to presume. We would not want to in any way dare entice one of the non-elect to run to God! That’s the hyper-Calvinistic thinking.
Tim Conway
