Is calling yourself a “Calvinist” sinful?

No. But it could be. The apostle Paul admonished the Corinthians for their party loyalty, as some there said, “I am of Paul,” others, “I am of Apollos and others “I am of Cephas.” Isn’t identifying as a Calvinist, or an Arminian the same thing? Again, no, but it could be. If a believer’s identity is caught up in anyone or anything other than Christ, that’s a sin. But calling oneself a Calvinist isn’t, on its face, finding one’s identity in Calvin. It is merely describing a position on several issues that Christians disagree about. With respect to charismatic gifts, one might say, “I am of Grudem” or “I am of MacArthur” without idolizing either man. With respect to college football one could say, “I am of Alabama” or “I am of Ole Miss” without being guilty of idolizing either program.

Names, in short, can rightly be used as shorthand to identify what we believe as long as they don’t define our identity. I’m a Christian. I believe that the five points of Calvinism are true. I know enough church history to know that these five points were formulated well after Calvin had gone on to his reward, in response to the five points of Arminianism. Where do I stand with respect to believers falling away? I believe in perseverance of the saints. Where do I stand on the prescience view of election, whereby God chooses us on the basis of what He saw we would do? I’m opposed to that, affirming unconditional election.

I might should refer to myself as one who believes in the doctrines of grace, so as not to offend. Except of course that such might be construed to mean that I think Arminians don’t believe in grace. Either way, my goal is to communicate where I stand on several internal issues, not to elevate a man.

When I was in college I had a friend who, like me, was a Calvinist. He was reading Calvin and misunderstood something he had said. He raced into my dorm room, in a panic, saying, “Calvin didn’t believe Jesus was present at the creation!!!!!” I remained calm and explained to my friend, “First, I’m confident you’ve misunderstood him. Second, even if you haven’t, all that means is Calvin was wrong. There’s no need to panic.” My friend was skirting a bit to close the Corinthian problem. I was trying to help him escape it.

I think Calvin was an astonishingly great theologian. The same could be said for Saint Augustine and RC Sproul and Sinclair Ferguson. These are men who have had a deep and profound impact on my understanding of the Bible. In one sense then you could call me a Calvinist, an Augustinian, a Sproulian or a Fergusonist. I am well aware, however, that not a one of these men are God incarnate; none of them lived a perfect life or died for my sins. They were not raised from the dead, nor do they sit at the right hand of the Father. That is Jesus Christ, and Him alone. Which is why my identity is in Him.

I don’t want to offend anyone who has such a scruple. I do not, however, share it. The principle that drives it, however, I’m fully on board with.