Fralick on Calvinistic Pharisees

Brother Kevin Fralick wrote (here) on the Primitive Baptist accusation that Calvinism is legalism equal to the legalism of the Pharisees.

Brother Fralick quotes Elder Hulan Bass and Conrad Jarrell.

First, I want to concede to Brother Fralick that Calvinists affirm that gospel belief is a faith effected by the Spirit and is the gift of God.  To the Calvinist, the will of man in exercising faith in regeneration is fully effected by the Spirit to do so irresistibly, so that it is not a work of man alone.

The accusation that this is legalism (legalism being the idea that eternal salvation is earned by works apart from grace) is false because it is God by the Spirit that effects the faith of man, not man alone.  The accusation by Elders Jarrell and Bass seems to be that to admit that the faith effected by the Spirit is a faith exercised by man, though it is effected by God alone, is tantamount to a merited salvation apart from grace.

The Elders, themselves, however, cannot escape their own objection in regard to their own view of the effectual call.  The effectual call, even to any Primitive Baptist, effects some kind of faith in the regenerate.  This faith is some kind of volitional trust in God, on some necessary level (John 17:3), which is exercised in man whether it is sub-conscious or not, and would be as equally objectionable as a "work of man" by their own standard as faith in the gospel.

The salient objection to Calvinism is not whether faith is exercised in the regenerate, which, plainly, all Primitive Baptists must agree that faith is exercised immediately upon regeneration (however different the Primitive Baptist view of the faith exercised is), but the standard of faith knowledge or what is the object of faith in regeneration.

Where I believe the Elders considered are correct in their accusation of legalism in Calvinism is upon the emphasis and indefensible standard of the regenerate's works.  If works were emphasized by Calvinists on the basis of their epistemic value of evidencing the eternal salvation decreed by God, there should be no problem.  However, when an unbiblical standard of works is made the condition for eternal salvation, legalism is the result.

To speak of works as conditions for salvation rather than the evidences of salvation obscures that eternal salvation was unconditionally purposed by God.  What was purposed by God cannot be conditional, save in a relative sense to the assurance of the believer.  An absence of works removes epistemic warrant for belief that one was redeemed by Christ, it does not dictate the objective fact of whether they were redeemed or not, though it may evidence the objective fact that they are unregenerate.

Eternal salvation effects some degree of good works in those set apart by the Spirit of God, but the crucial emphasis must be on Christ as the author of all spiritual blessings.  It is the universal tendency of man to flee to himself for trust; the Calvinist has the tendency to temper the accusations against him that he suggests that the unrighteousness of man commends the righteousness of God by giving place to a legalistic standard of a "true" state of grace beyond confession of Christ and love of the brethren.

When only those who maintain perfect and strict discipleship are true children of God, the Calvinist has imposed works on grace by imposing burdens grievous to be borne.  The message of the gospel is, "Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and I shall give you rest."  Many Calvinists relieve their burdens in Christ only to take them up again.  Was this not Paul's view of Christian Jews who believed in Christ, but still lived under the yolk of the law?  Paul even, for their sake, acted as a Jew under command of James to show the Christian Jews that Paul walked orderly according to the law (Acts 21:20-26).