A Dilemma Of John Piper, R. C. Sproul, And Other Monergists

By Pastor Bruce Oyen

E-mail: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

   
     My theme is this: "A Dilemma Of John Piper, R. C. Sproul, And Other Monergists." The only reason I made specific reference to Piper and Sproul is the fact that they are current-day, well-known preachers and authors. If this posting were simply titled, "A Dilemma Of Monergists," many readers might just scratch their heads and say to themselves, "Monergists? What are monergists? And who cares, anyway!" But, many of those same persons are familiar with Piper and Sproul. This might get them to consider my point.
     So, here is what this posting is about: Piper, Sproul, and other monergists believe that a person must be born again to become a believer in Jesus Christ. Their belief is in opposition to the commonly-held belief among most Christians, including highly-respected theologians, authors, and preachers, who believe that we must believe in Jesus Christ to be born again. The monergists motto is this: "Regeneration (the new birth) precedes faith." They believe that the new birth results in faith in Jesus Christ, instead of believing that faith in Him results in the new birth.

     The reason monergists hold this view is because of their view of the effect of the sinfulness of humanity. They think the Bible's statements that we are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1 and 5) mean we are not able to believe in the Lord until we are born again. They say we must be given spiritual life through the new birth (regeneration), which enables us to believe in the Lord for salvation.

     But here is a dilemma they find themselves in because of their belief: monergism contradicts a plain statement of the Bible. It's that simple: the idea that the we must be given spiritual life by the new birth in order to believe in Jesus Christ contradicts a plain statement of the Bible.

     "What statement is that?," you might be wondering. It is the one made in John 20:30 and 31. These verses say this: ³⁰And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: ³¹But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

      That's plain, isn't it?  Read the verses again. The apostle John wrote infallible Scripture, and said this: ³⁰And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

 ³¹But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. What is plain here is the fact that John said believing in Jesus Christ results in having life, that is, spiritual life. But the monergists say that having spiritual life results in believing in Jesus Christ.
       My question is this: are we going to believe the words of fallible men like John Piper and R. C. Sproul, or the words of infallible Scripture?
     Calvinists often lean heavily on the writings of John Calvin. Here is part of what he said on John 20:30 and 31. It affirms my point that spiritual life is receieved by faith in the Lord, not before it. Calvin wrote: That believing, you may have life. This effect of faith was also added, to restrain the foolish longings of men, that they may not desire to know more than what is sufficient for obtaining life. For what obstinacy was it, not to be satisfied with eternal salvation, and to wish to go beyond the limits of the heavenly kingdom? Here John repeats the most important point of his doctrine, that we obtain eternal life by faith, because, while we are out of Christ, we are dead, and we are restored to life by his grace alone
    For proof that Sproul and Piper are monergists, click on these links:
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/sproul01.html
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/regeneration-faith-love-in-that-order