Crimson Ink recently published my series of Calvinistic poems called The Doctrines of GRACE. Each letter in GRACE reflects the same concepts of Calvinism’s famed TULIP, though re-ordered (G=U, R=T, A=L, C=I, and E=P).

I can safely say that each artist of Crimson Ink holds to the five points of Calvinism, though we charitably disagree on some secondary doctrines. I wrote these poems to appeal to those who do not hold to Calvinism (i.e. the doctrines of grace) that they might examine the reasoning underneath and behind their views. This is why there were so many questions to the reader. Why do you believe what you believe? My contention is that at bottom anti-Calvinism is not derived from letting the Bible say whatever its going to say.

After publishing the last poem, the E, there may have been misunderstanding regarding something I said quite frankly.
What I explicitly said was,

“Arminian, Full and Semi Pelagian, listen:
THESE ARE NOT BIBLICAL POSITIONS!“

https://crimsoninkmedia.com/the-doctrines-of-grace-5/

What I was not intending to say is that non-Calvinists are not saved, not Christian, not going to heaven. I wouldn’t go so far!

We do have to agree with the rest of the universal church and church history in saying that Pelgianism is heresy. To hold that humans are born without Adam’s guilt or sinful nature, have freewill to obey without divine assistance, and that to the point of not needing the cross if one persists in the path of obedience – such claims are a denial of the gospel. Therefore, Pelagian claims are heresy.

I maintain that anti-Calvinism is not derived from letting the Bible say whatever its going to say, but I realize that in grace God saves, sanctifies, and glorifies non-Pelagians who are also non-Calvinists. John and Charles Wesley are two brothers I look up to. Completely Arminian! Charles Finney, not so much, but A.W. Tozer, E.M. Bounds, brothers and sisters in my home church, all non-Calvinists whom I highly respect. Even so, I do entreat them to think of grace and freewill the way that Charles Wesley did:

“Long my imprisoned spirit lay
fast bound in sin and nature’s night.
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray:
I woke- the dungeon flamed with light!
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.”

— “And Can it Be?” by Charles Wesley

This does not sound like mere Prevenient Grace!

So what did I mean with the phrase above and the other poems?

  • Non-Calvinists should examine their basic inner motives for holding their positions.
  • Pelagianism is intolerable and heretical.
  • Semi-Pelagianism/Arminianism suffers from not letting the Bible say whatever its going to say.
  • God saves and marvelously transforms, walks with, and uses non-Calvinistic Christians.
  • But, I believe, the doctrines of grace does let the Bible say whatever its going to say about God’s sovereignty, human sin and responsibility, and salvation.
  • I believe that the doctrines of grace are not only logical, but more importantly, biblical.

So, I apologize to anyone who understood me to say that all non-Calvinists were non-Christians. I do not retract or deny what I said, but this is my attempt to more fully explain my thoughts.

May the Lord grant you repentance if you are not His yet.
May the Lord grant you peace if you are His already.

In Christ,
elias