-
Dordt and Common Grace
The expression “common grace” has an historical connection to the Remonstrants. That has led some Calvinists to reject entirely the term “common grace,” and to make this a shibboleth of “true Calvinism” or “classical Calvinism.” Such a shibboleth is foolish and mistaken, both because folks like Matthew Henry, Thomas Manton, and Jonathan Edwards used the…
-
Baking Clay Pots – Subtracting Water or Adding Hardness?
Louis Ruggiero (aka LouRugg) asked my friend Dr. White: Oh and by the way, when Turretinfan said that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart by taking away his common sense, I almost fell off my chair. Did he get that stuff from you, or did he make that one up on his own? I answer: One of…
-
Common Grace vs. Prevenient Grace
One reader asked, “How does the Arminian concept of prevenient grace differ from the Calvinist concept of common grace? It seems to me that they each describe one and the same thing.” In Calvinist circles, the term “common grace” is used to describe a number of things. One definition provides three aspects: 1) “a certain…