Thoughts from a Former Cage-Stage Calvinist
When the Lord saved me, I began to devour theology books, sermons, and YouTube videos. And Scripture, of course. One of the first books I ever read was Kyle Idleman’s not a fan, which my wife (then-girlfriend) gifted me. It honestly set the stage for what it truly meant to follow Jesus.
Then I kept reading. I had never been a reader before that, but now it’s all I thought about. At work one day I purchased an e-book written by a man named RC Sproul (talk about providence!). I originally thought his last name was pronounced “Sprowl.”But it’s amazing to see how God providentially put me in front of faithful and trustworthy theologians, beginning with Sproul.
Then there was John Piper, then Matt Chandler, then John MacArthur, then JI Packer. The Reformed list goes on and on and on. I still thank the Lord that I just “happened upon” these men instead of other teachers who are not so trustworthy.
As I gobbled up resources from these men—and still appreciate all of their ministries—I began to learn what I believe. Yes, I was a Christian, and that was the focus. But what “type” of Christian? Baptist? Methodist? Presbyterian? Pentecostal?
Though we attended a Pentecostal church at the time, I clearly wasn’t on board with much of charismatic theology.
I didn’t agree with baptizing babies, so I wasn’t going to be Presbyterian (or Methodist).
Of course, I didn’t go out of my way to figure this out. It just happened as I learned more and more. And then one day I said, “Oh, I think I’m a Calvinist.”
When I began affirming the doctrines of grace, I wore the label ‘Calvinist’ like a Mormon missionary wears his or her name tag. I wanted everyone to know. As I dove deeper into the doctrines of grace—doctrines that are so sweet—my focus shifted a tad to wondering if someone was a Calvinist instead of just being a Christian. I was eager to convert the non-Reformed Christian to Reformed theology. I was quick to explain why someone was incorrect for not believing in unconditional election. I was excited to debate, to discuss, to argue.
I must’ve been absolutely obnoxious at times.
Let’s rewind for a moment. I was very zealous for the Lord. (I wish some of that zeal would return to my heart!) I wanted everyone to believe in the doctrines of grace because, at the end of the day, I believed that was the most accurate representation of who God, who we are in relation to him, and the work of salvation. I still believe that. But I went about it the wrong way. I was annoying, and needed to be put into a cage (like most new Calvinists).
“Cage-stage Calvinists are identifiable by their insistence on turning every discussion into an argument for limited atonement or for making it their personal mission to ensure everyone they know hears—often quite loudly—the truths of divine election,” RC Sproul wrote. “Now, having a zeal for the truth is always commendable. But a zeal for the truth that manifests itself in obnoxiousness won’t convince anyone of the biblical truth of Reformed theology.”
This was me, like many other Christians who had come to affirm Calvinism. Let’s be clear: the doctrines themselves have never been the problem. Though this “cage-stage” issue is not exclusively a Calvinist phenomenon—any type of Christian can act this way—it has certainly been prevalent in Reformed circles. The problem of cage-stage Calvinists is the problem of the human heart, as John Calvin called our hearts “idol factories.” It’s far too easy for us to take good things—even precious things like the doctrines of grace—and weaponize them into idols.
That was then, this is now.
The Lord has certainly sanctified me since the early days of affirming Calvinism. And he’s done that for countless others, too. It’s quite possible to wholeheartedly affirm the doctrines of grace yet also love (and be thankful for) other Christians who disagree. That’s the big part of leaving the cage—not feeling like you have to “convert” other faithful Christians to Calvinism.
Again, let me be clear: I want Christians to affirm the doctrines of grace. Not to just be a part of my “tribe” but because, like I mentioned above, I truly believe it’s the most accurate representation of what the Bible teaches. I’ll talk to you about Calvinism, and I’ll try to persuade you in that direction, but it won’t irritate me if you’re not convinced.
I think for the most part I’ve “escaped” from the cage. God has made me more like Jesus throughout the years, by his grace, and I’m thankful to not be like who I once was. Two things can be equally true: you can ardently believe in the doctrines of grace, but also not cast out other faithful Christians who don’t hold to them.
If we’re honest, this comes down to not being an obnoxious jerk. We want to be people who are joyful, not irritable. We want to be people who understand the difference between primary, second, and tertiary doctrines of the faith. Above all, it comes down to obeying the Lord by loving our neighbors, definitely our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.