Published in

The Flower Falls

13 min readNov 19, 2019

NOTE: The post you’re about to read is adapted from chapter 6 of the book The Flower Falls: A Careful Examination of Calvinism’s TULIP. If you prefer to read the material in print or eBook, you can find it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com, or ask your favorite bookseller to order it.

Calvinism and the Plain Sense of Pronouns

Followers of Jesus walk on dangerous ground when we overlook the plain sense of Scripture in favor of some hidden, esoteric meaning or a more comfortable interpretation. We must be careful when someone claims that what is written is not what the writer intended to say, but we must also remember that the plain sense of words cannot be determined apart from their greater context.

The message and truths of the Scriptures are timeless, but the various books and letters were written to and about particular people at particular points in time. And each was written with a particular purpose in mind. When reading them, we can gain great insight into the lives and times of the people who wrote and those to whom they wrote. We can see the incredible grace, love, compassion, and justice of our almighty God. We can benefit greatly as we apply its principles and commands to our lives. And we can see that we are spoken of as beneficiaries of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice.

Nevertheless, just as we can’t arbitrarily insert our names in place of the pronouns used in a novel or news report, neither can we do so when reading the Scriptures. Pronouns and their antecedents are not arbitrary. They are not subject to one’s own judgment or choice. Neither are they interchangeable. Rather, they are fixed and vital to the proper interpretation of both written and spoken words.

Bible scholars understand this well. In his bestselling Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, New Testament Greek scholar William D. Mounce includes a chapter on first and second-person pronouns that opens with this “Exegetical Insight” from fellow New Testament scholar Darrell L. Bock: “Small words sometimes carry a big punch, especially when combined with other features of the Greek language. Pronouns can be those kind [sic] of small words. They, like moving vans, can carry a big load.”(1)

Dr. Bock went on to wisely emphasize the importance of correctly applying pronouns saying one must “follow the bouncing ball through various pronoun changes.” He even looked to Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness to illustrate that a simple pronoun can create a unique and important emphasis that can be used to trip people up. When considering his words, I can’t help but wonder if generations of people have unknowingly been tripped up by not following the bouncing ball when reading Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Could it be that much of the confusion and division surrounding Calvinism can be resolved by simply paying attention to the pronouns used by the writers of Scripture? Let’s take a few minutes to consider the use of pronouns in other New Testament passages to see how they compare with Paul’s use of them in Ephesians.

Comfort and Suffering (2 Corinthians 1:1–5)

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians is similar to his letter to the Ephesians in that both contain statements all believers might identify with. The letter begins:

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Acacia. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:1–5).

Paul’s choice of words in verses 2–3 is nearly the same as in Ephesians 1:2–3. Both passages begin: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The only difference between the two is in the latter part of verse 3 where, to the Corinthians, he wrote of “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” and to the Ephesians he wrote of God “who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

When considering these passages, it’s important to note the wonderful reality that all believers share in God’s comfort and spiritual blessings. But it’s equally important to note that the statements following Paul’s greeting were not true of both the writers and recipients. Neither are they true of you and me. After referencing our affliction and being comforted by God, Paul continued:

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort (2 Corinthians 1:6–7).

All believers undoubtedly share suffering in common, just as we share in the comfort that is abundant through Christ; but if Paul was referring to the Corinthians in verses 3–5, he would have had no reason to change the pronouns from the first-person “we” and “our” to the second-person “your” and “you” in verses 6 and 7. Moreover, when considering verse 6, could the Corinthian church claim to be both the “we” and “your” in the same sentence?

Paul went on in verses 8–10 to make further distinctions between the two groups:

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us.”

Neither the Corinthians nor you and I were in Asia at the time Paul wrote. These sentences applied to him, Timothy (v. 1), and possibly others. It is not until verse 11 that Paul brought the Corinthian believers back into the equation. There he wrote, “You also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.”

Here again, the Corinthians might have been able to identify with the sufferings of Paul, but the specifics he wrote of do not apply to them. Neither do they apply to us. This is further evidenced in chapter 4:

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh” (vv. 7–11).

This passage seems the inspiration for a popular song a few years ago that speaks of believers in Jesus being blessed beyond the curse of sin. So, though we may be pressed down, we are not crushed. Though we may be persecuted, we are not abandoned. Though we may be struck down, we are not destroyed. The encouraging lyrics emphasize trading our sorrows for the joy of the Lord, but when the words were originally penned, the apostle Paul was referring to himself, Timothy, and possibly Silvanus being crushed and persecuted, not the Corinthians to whom he was writing (2 Corinthians 1:1, 19). This distinction helps explain why, only two verses earlier, he wrote, “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake” (v. 5). Then he concluded his thoughts: “So death works in us, but life in you” (v. 12).

Little damage might be done if we consider ourselves the antecedents of the first-person pronouns in 2 Corinthians 4, but the truths of the Scriptures can be greatly distorted when we apply other passages to ourselves that the context doesn’t allow. This might be the reason Paul told Timothy to instruct certain men in Ephesus not to teach “strange doctrines” (1 Timothy 1:3).

What We Have Seen and Heard (1 John 1:1–5)

Paul wasn’t the only apostle to warn about strange doctrines. John’s first epistle reveals strange doctrines were taught by people who claimed to be “of us” (2:18–22) and provides an important reminder that a proper consideration of pronouns and their antecedents is essential if we hope to rightly interpret the Scriptures. The letter opens with these words:

“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life — and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us — what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that your joy may be made complete. This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:1–5).

John did not identify the antecedents of the first-person pronouns we, our, and us; but he did write that they had seen, heard, and touched Jesus. Followers of Jesus today might attempt to insert themselves into this passage and claim they have seen or heard Jesus in a spiritual sense, but John was writing about himself and others who had seen Jesus with their eyes and touched him with their hands. I’m fairly confident believers today can’t say the same.

We saw passages that confirm the importance of eyewitness accounts when examining Ephesians 1 in the previous chapter, but there are others. Luke wrote of compiling an account of “the things accomplished among us just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word” (Luke 1:1–2). And, though not an eyewitness in the traditional sense, Paul twice claimed to be an eyewitness of Jesus in his first letter to the Corinthians. The first time is in chapter 9, “Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?” (9:1). Then, when reminding them of the gospel he preached among them, he said Jesus not only appeared to Peter, the twelve, and James, “last of all, as one untimely born, He appeared to me” (15:5–8).

Paul’s account is supported by Acts 22:14–15, which records Ananias’ words to him: “The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.”

Peter also wrote of himself and others being eyewitnesses of Jesus when telling his readers: “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16). And, after writing about his readers being tested by fire, he said, “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8–9).

Like the people to whom Peter wrote, you and I can rejoice, knowing the outcome of our faith is the salvation of our souls. However, because we aren’t eyewitnesses of Jesus, we can’t rightly insert our names in place of the first-person pronouns in this passage or in 2 Peter 1:16. Neither can we insert ourselves into 1 John 1:1–5 or Ephesians 1:3–12. Their contexts simply don’t allow it.

Grace and Apostleship (Romans 1:1–6)

Paul’s letter to the Romans is similar to his letter to the Ephesians in that he made a clear distinction between the “we” and “you” in his greeting:

“Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1–6).

Paul jumped right in stating he was the author; but then, without introducing anyone else, he began using the pronoun we. Who are the “we” he referred to? Some people claim he was referring to himself and the Romans. Thus, by extension, to all believers. That might sound reasonable but the context doesn’t support it because, just prior to saying “among whom you also,” he said, “We have received grace and apostleship.”

If you and I were to interpret Romans 1:1–6 the way some people interpret Ephesians 1:3–12, we would be forced to say the Romans (and all believers by extension) not only received grace but also apostleship. At this point, it’s important to acknowledge that all believers have received grace. The greater context of the passage reveals that truth (3:24). However, remembering that Paul is the same author who wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:29, “All are not apostles, are they?” it seems unwise to read Romans 1:1–6 and conclude that all believers are apostles. In fact, rather than suggesting they are, Paul told the Ephesians that God gave “some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (4:11–12).

When Paul told the Romans, “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction” (Romans 15:4), he seemed to rightly understand that, though the Scriptures might encourage us, instruct us, convict us, and even speak about us; they were not written to us.

With that in mind, if we aren’t willing to use Paul’s “among whom you also” statement in Romans 1:1–6 to teach that all believers have received apostleship, then it seems reasonable to consider whether we should be comfortable using Ephesians 1:3–12 to teach that all people who will inherit eternal life have been chosen and predestined by God to do so.

Everyone, Whoever, and All

While the context and plain sense don’t allow us to insert ourselves into Ephesians 1:3–12; 2 Corinthians 1:1–5; 1 John 1:1–5; Romans 1:1–6 and other passages that use first-person pronouns, we are not left out completely. Peter, Paul, and Jesus had plenty to say about everyone, whoever, and all.

Peter raised his voice on the day of Pentecost to proclaim that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:14).

Paul spoke confidently to “men of Israel and you who fear God” saying, through Jesus, “forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” and “everyone who believes is freed from all things” (Acts 13:16, 38–39). He told the Romans that the righteousness of God comes “through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe” (Romans 3:22–24). He said all who believe are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (3:24). He said God is “the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (3:26). And he said “whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (10:13).

Moreover, Jesus told his disciples “Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). He told the Pharisees, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 9:40–41, 10:9). And, referring to “the kind of death by which he was to die, he said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself” (John 12:32–33, ESV).

These passages and others say everything we need to claim forgiveness, redemption, justification, and salvation are available for all people who place their faith in Jesus. And, rather than suggesting God chose and predestined some people to salvation and others to damnation, the passages reveal the heart of God who desires people to be saved, made provision for their salvation, and actively draws them to himself.

God has graciously given some people the gift of teaching, and scholars have contributed much in helping us understand the history, cultures, and customs of biblical people and events. But they (and we) must follow the bouncing ball of pronouns if we hope to understand the plain sense of the Scriptures. Not doing so leads to all kinds of confusion.

Please take time to consider the Scriptures we’ve looked at here, then, if you’d like, you can join me here to see what Paul said about redemption, adoption, and the seal of the Spirit in his letter to the Ephesians.

The post you just read is adapted from chapter 6 of the book The Flower Falls: A Careful Examination of Calvinism’s TULIP. If you prefer to read the material in print or eBook, you can find it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com, or ask your favorite bookseller to order it.

Notes: