In preparing for my discussion on Total Depravity at Providence Church, I have been reading through my old Professor John Frame’s Introduction to the Reformed Faith. In discussing Hyper-Calvinism he writes in a footnote:
It is hard to define hyper-Calvinism. Often I am inclined to say that a hyper-Calvinist is somebody who thinks I am not Calvinistic enough! But it is probably best to associate hyper- Calvinism with the historic tradition which is represented in our century especially by the teaching of Herman Hoeksema and the Protestant Reformed Church (emphasis mine).
I don’t think Frame’s description of the Protestant Reformed is fair. His comment comes from the fact that they disagreed with him on the issue of the Free Offer. It seems to me that hyper-calvinism is better exemplified by attitudes such as those expressed by the Baptist opponents of William Carey, who suggested his missionary vision was misdirected, because God can convert the heathen quite fine without our help. The PRC carries on active home and foreign missions. I think that the PRC DOES commit error, but a different one. They often talk of others as if the PRC people alone have remained faithful to the orthodox and reformed faith. But that is a problem of pride, not of a love of the doctrines of grace.