Monday, December 16, 2019

Anthony Hoekema on Conversion in Reformed Theology Being a Work of Both God and Man


In the ordo salutis (“order of salvation”) in Calvinism, most models have regeneration precede (at least in the logical order, if not temporal) both conversion and the reception of “saving faith.” Notwithstanding this central difference between Latter-day Saint and Reformed soteriology, Reformed theologians view (true) conversion as a work of both God and man. As Anthony Hoekema wrote:

CONVERSION THE WORK OF GOD AND MAN

Conversion is first of all the work of God. Though conversion is the outward evidence of regeneration, the new life implanted in regeneration continues to exist only independence of God. We cannot maintain that new life in our own strength. We need to continue to be strengthened with power through God’s Spirit in our inner being (Eph. 3:16).

Old Testament believers wanting to be converted to God but lacking the strength to do so realized that only God could enable them to turn back to himself: “Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old” (Lam. 5:21; cf. Jer. 31:18). The New Testament similarly underlines this point. Jesus taught that the new life received in regeneration can only reveal itself as we remain in union with him: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). In a startling statement which spans our entire history from the moment of the new birth to the appearance of our Lord upon the clouds of heaven, Paul tells us that he is confident “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). Surely this sovereign work of God includes our conversion . . . We could say, therefore, that God is the cause of our conversion.

But “cause” is a cold word which suggests mechanically forcing somebody to do something he does not want to do. The real situation is infinitely more complex, mysterious, existential. People, as they later see, are moved, drawn, they are going through the process of conversion, God’s movements may be largely hidden in events that seem quite “natural.” An old friend turns up; you come upon a book; a disappointing job obliges you to reexamine your goals; you discover that earning more money does not satisfy you. (Cornelius Plantings, Jr., A Place to Stand, Teacher’s Manual [Grand Rapids: CRC Publications, 1979], pp. 114-15).

In distinction from regeneration in the narrower sense, however, conversion is also a work of man. In fact, both in the Old and New Testaments, conversion is pictured more often as a work of man than as a work of God. Abraham Kuyper points out that the Old Testament shūbh, meaning “to turn back,” occurs 74 times as a description of man turning to God, but only five times as a designation of conversion as a deed of God; he also observes that in the New Testament the words for conversion are used 26 times to describe conversion as a human activity, but only two or three times to depict conversion as a work of God (Dictaten Dogmatiek, 2nd ed. [Kampen: Kok, 1910], Vol. 4, Locus de Salute, p. 94).

From the Old Testament we may recall the passage whereby the old shoemaker brought about Spurgeon’s conversion: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth” (Isa. 45:22, KJV; cf. also 55:7). Or we may think of Ezekiel 33:11, “Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?” New Testament passages describing conversion as a requirement for human beings include Peter’s summons on the Day of Pentecost: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven” (Acts 2:38). Paul’s words to the Philippian jailer also come to mind: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31). As Paul unfolds the precious truth of salvation by grace, he again calls for the exercise of personal faith: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Rom. 10:9). And in 2 Corinthians he trumpets forth the marching orders for preachers of the gospel: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as through God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).

In all these passages, and many more, God calls on us to be converted, to turn to him, to repent and believe, to be reconciled to him . . . conversion is both the work of God and the work of man. God must convert us, and yet we must turn to him, both are true. We should not jettison either side of the paradox. The preacher therefore must earnestly and fervently urge his hearers to be converted, trusting that God will enable them to do so. And when conversion does occur, he as well as his hearers must give God all the praise. (Anthony A. Hoekema, Saved by Grace [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1989], 114-15)

I will note that if a Latter-day Saint wrote what Hoekema wrote, many critics, including those within the Reformed faith, would argue that this is just another example of how "Mormonism" is focused too much on man and his ability and try to rob God of his glory, and so forth.

On the many problems with Reformed theology, see: