Evangelism: Sharing Christ and Facing Challenges in Reformed Circles

Evangelism—sharing the good news about Jesus as the Saviour of sinners—is both the privilege and duty of every believer. Jesus calls Christians to be lights in the world, to make a difference like salt that purifies and preserves. To neglect evangelism is to live in contradiction to our faith. Calvin writes, “And indeed nothing could be more inconsistent with the nature of faith than that deadness which would lead a man to disregard his brethren, and to keep the light of knowledge choked up within his own breast.”[i] Most Christians agree they ought to evangelize, yet many find it difficult. Why is this so? People fear ridicule, worry about tough questions, or feel inadequate in their biblical knowledge.

But the challenge isn’t only on our end; those whom we evangelize bring their own obstacles. Some reject God outright; others say God is unknowable. Many are familiar with Christianity but have little evidence of real faith. Some, like Catholics, Mormons, or Jehovah’s Witnesses, strongly defend their traditions and can be hard to engage. There is another group—hyper-Calvinists—who, while often defending orthodoxy on doctrines like the Trinity and the work of Christ, present unique difficulties. These Christians believe they uphold the Reformed tradition but have developed certain views on the warrant of faith, human responsibility, and the free offer of the gospel, which are obstacles which need to be overcome.  

The Gospel Promises—Open to All?

A cornerstone of gospel outreach is the universal call: all are commanded to repent and believe, and all who do will be saved. Hyper-Calvinists often restrict these gospel promises, insisting they’re only meant for the elect, those whom God has chosen. This mindset can lead to uncertainty: if someone doesn’t know they are elect, they conclude the promise may not apply to them. Some Strict Baptists have even written this into their articles of faith—affirming the gospel’s proclamation to everyone but denying it is “offered” to all indiscriminately.

Yet, the New Testament is filled with broad invitations and commands. While some promises in Scripture do refer specifically to believers, many are open to all who will hear and respond (for instance, John 3:16; Romans 10:13). As Spurgeon notes, the apostles “delivered the gospel, the same gospel to the dead as to the living, the same gospel to the non-elect as to the elect.  The point of distinction is not in the gospel, but in its being applied by the Holy Ghost, or left to be rejected of man.”[ii] The real danger is rejecting the promise because of self-doubt—waiting for evidence of election before coming to Christ, which reverses the order set by Scripture. Faith comes before assurance, not after.

The Warrant of Faith—God’s Invitation

Another stumbling block is the question, “What allows someone to believe the gospel?” Hyper-Calvinist thinking often narrows gospel invitations only to those who are convicted enough of sin or “sensible” in their need. Many struggle, asking, “Do I feel guilty enough? Has the Spirit really begun working in me?” This focus on feelings keeps people looking inward rather than to Christ.

But biblical warrant to believe does not depend on inner preparation, feelings, or conviction. The true ground for believing is Christ’s own invitation in the gospel—“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The hyper-Calvinist might object by saying, “I do not think I am heavy laden enough; I often feel so little guilt over sin.” Spurgeon aptly responds to a statement like this when he writes, “You are certainly guilty, whether you feel it or not; and you are far more guilty than you have any idea of. Come to Christ because you are guilty, not because you have been prepared to come by looking at your guilt. Trust nothing of your own, not even your sense of need.”[iii] A few sentences later, he gives the appropriate prayer for all sinners to make as he writes, “‘God be merciful to me a sinner’ is the right way to put it, and not, ‘God be merciful to me because I sufficiently feel my sinnership, and most fittingly bewail it.’”[iv]   The only proper posture for a sinner to go to Christ is humbly on their knees with empty outstretched hands.

Human Responsibility—Faith and Repentance

A third challenge is the minimization of human responsibility. Hyper-Calvinism sometimes teaches that, because only the elect can truly believe, it is wrong to urge everyone to turn to God and believe. Some go so far as to deny that people in their natural state should be exhorted to have faith or repent, claiming it’s not their duty because it’s not within their ability.

But this conflicts with the main thrust of Scripture and historic confessions. In Matt. 7:7 Jesus tells the multitude to “ask… seek… knock…” These are commands, and each one is followed by a promise of fulfillment if they obey. The Canons of Dort are also very clear on human responsibility.  For example, Head 2, Article 5 states, “Moreover, the promise of the gospel is, that whosoever believeth in Christ crucified, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be declared and published to all nations, and to all persons promiscuously and without distinction, to whom God out of His good pleasure sends the gospel.”

Our Rebellion – The Shifting of the Blame

Perhaps most concerning is the hyper-Calvinist suspicion that God is reluctant to save. Thomas Boston writes, “We are apt to think that we are very willing to have forgiveness, but that God is unwilling to bestow it, and that because he seems to be a loser by it, and to forego the glory of inflicting punishment for our sins; which of all things we suppose he is most loath to part withal. And this is the very nature of unbelief.”[v] A slightly different but equally serious error is, “The sinner views God as One who randomly chooses who to save or not to save, who will only hear the prayers of His elect, and who is reluctant to forgive. Although he may not admit it, he begins to view God as a tyrant, who, though he is very rich, yet is stingy in dispensing His gifts. He views God as One unwilling to save; One who needs to be persuaded to forgive.”[vi] 

But is that what the Bible teaches? 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Ezekiel 33:11 “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” Isaiah 55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Lastly, consider Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem, Matthew 23:37: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

The Vital Task

Much more could be said in addressing these four areas in which hyper-Calvinists err.  These errors are not insignificant as they lead to doubts, an uncertain and improper foundation for faith, a passive fatalism regarding man’s responsibility and especially the misrepresentation of the character of God.  The evangelist has the amazing privilege to present to the unbeliever the glorious and free gospel of Jesus Christ, which they must receive or forever suffer under the wrath of God, knowing they willingly rejected this great salvation. 

[i] John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, vol. 1, 94.

[ii] C. H. Spurgeon, “Degrees of Power Attending the Gospel,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 11, 495.

[iii] C. H. Spurgeon, “A Sermon for the Worst Man on Earth,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 33, 115.

[iv] Spurgeon, “A Sermon for the Worst Man on Earth,” 115.

[v] John Owen, The Works of John Owen, ed by. William H. Goold, vol. 6 (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1863), 503.

[vi] Tanis and Greendyk, Hypercalvinistic Responses to Arminianism and the Marrow of the Gospel, 26.