REEVES: I think the answer that Scripture gives and which John Calvin helpfully highlights
is: "Look to the cross of Christ." John Calvin wrote that in all creation the glory of God
shines, but nowhere has it shone more brightly than at the cross. It is at the cross that the
reality of those doctrines is seen most clearly. And it sounds from the way that that question is
framed as though the doctrines can become in your mind a dry list of things that are true,
but that apparently dry list is seen in blazing color at the cross,
because there at the cross Jesus said that is the hour at which the Son of Man will be glorified.
That is where you see the glory of God shine, which means that at the cross
you see for the first time what this apparently dry doctrine called "total depravity" means.
You see the depth of our sin. You could technically sign up to total depravity and
say you believe it and still forget the depth of what depravity means until you look to the cross.
And when you look to the cross, you realize our sinfulness. If we are to be redeemed,
requires nothing less than the blood of that perfect Lamb. If you ever thought your depravity
was something small and technical, go to the cross. And if you ever thought the grace of God
was some mere dry technical answer to the problem of our total depravity,
you look to the cross and there you see what the grace of God means. And it's in
looking at the cross that you see my sin is an offense against that One.
And so, you find John Bunyan said that in encounter with the cross
you simultaneously weep and rejoice. He said, "Oh, the blessed confusion
that will cover your face because at the cross you know yourself
as such a sinner and you realize who He is as such a great Savior."
NICHOLS: So, this is beautiful, and I think there is something to Calvinists that we
can actually be experiential Calvinists. My mind was drawn to Bunyan and the snaps of the burden,
breaking of his sin as he looks at the cross. And you think about the New Testament authors,
and when Peter wants to talk about giving the classic apologetics text, 1 Peter 3:15, he doesn't
say, "Be ready to give an answer for faith alone in Jesus Christ." He doesn't give a definition
of the gospel that we defend. He turns to almost ... it's the sort of existential implication of
the gospel, "give an answer for the hope that is in you." And the New Testament authors often do
this. It's the joy and the hope that is a stand-in for the gospel itself as we experience the gospel.
And that was beautiful to discuss this sort of list of doctrines which we are very good
at doing in crossing t's and dotting i's, and we need to because everything is at stake.
A faithful proclamation of the gospel is at stake. A faithful church's identity is at stake,
but there is something to Calvinists; we can allow ourselves to be experiential Calvinists.
The Puritans say, "Every one look to ourselves, ten looks to Christ,"
to just have that constantly before us and that joy and that hope that is in the gospel.