A BIBLICAL EXAMINATION OF CALVINISM

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
2,719
113
This is a good philosophical argument. But unbiblical.
GOD HAS CHOSEN to do it like this.
There is no Biblical support for such an absurd fabrication.

God could of done otherwise, but chose to create us with a free will
No one is free in their will, or otherwise, until converted; John 8:36.
 
Sep 9, 2018
2,244
1,032
113
71
Illinois
This is a good philosophical argument. But unbiblical.
GOD HAS CHOSEN to do it like this.

God could of done otherwise, but chose to create us with a free will
Why lookie here!

Some folks exercised their free will despite the ultimate cost of doing so . . .

"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (II Thessalonians 2:11-12).
 
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
2,719
113
Why lookie here!

Some folks exercised their free will despite the ultimate cost of doing so . . .

"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (II Thessalonians 2:11-12).
And you exercised yours and earned "heaven." That's your gospel.
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
113
Actually, the usage of the word "elect" throughout Scripture is always tied to service never individual salvation.
"Knowing, brethren beloved by God, about your election..."
1 The 1:4 (clearly about individuals)

"For many are called, but few are elect."
Mt 22:14 (clearly about individuals)

"Therefore, brothers, be diligent, rather, to make your calling and election sure."
2 Pt 1:10 (also about individuals)
 

Lillywolf

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2018
1,562
543
113
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48).

“What shall be shall be, whether it happens or not.”

We are going to get into a little strong meat, although I’m sure that it will give some folks indigestion. I want to talk a little bit about a teaching of fundamentalism. This doctrine is found in Bible-believing fundamentalism. This doctrine is found among those that do believe the King James version is the Word of God, just because you believe the King James version is the Word of God doesn’t make you exempt from teaching, nor does it make you exempt from false living. We don’t need to have any delusions about that.

The doctrine I would like to talk about is called Calvinism.

I’ll begin by presenting Calvinism like an old hard-shell Baptist might, showing why it is true. Then I’ll show why it is false. Calvinism is taught in all the seminaries. There is no way to get a higher education without running into it.

Let’s start at Ephesians 1:4

According as he [that’s God the Father] hath chosen us in him [that’s Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Ephesians 1:4).

Now here is how it is taught. That passage right there says that God the Father chose you in Christ before the foundation of the world. In Calvin’s system, that means this, you are already ‘in Christ’ before He even created the world . . . you are already saved, you are born saved, therefore you don’t need to be saved. You can see that you couldn’t go to hell if you tried.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).

What does that mean? That means that when Christ died on the Cross, He gave Himself for His Church, which is His body. He died only for the saved elect, which were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. This is called in Calvinistic theology, “LIMITED ATONEMENT.”

It simply means that when Christ shed His blood on Calvary, there wasn’t enough to go around. The Blood only apply to the elect. Now hard-shelled Baptists will deny that, vehemently and vigorously, but it doesn’t make any difference—all hard-shelled Baptists believe in a Limited Atonement. John Calvin believed in a Limited Atonement, they all believe in a Limited Atonement.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. . . he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:11, 12).

This is talking about the atonement, this is to prove that Christ’s Blood was only shed for the elect. That is, only those ‘chosen in Him.” He ‘justified many,” He “bare the sins of many.” In plain words, Christ didn’t die for everybody—just “many.” The many of course, a reference to the elect—not everybody.

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

Not everybody, just many. So, when Christ came and died on Calvary’s cross, He didn’t die for everybody—Christ came down and Christ shed His Blood just the elect. They were predestinated to go to heaven because they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. You say, “What about the rest of them?” Well, they are predestinated to go to hell. A Calvinist will deny that, and say, “No, we don’t predestinate them to go to hell!” but he is lying.

If you have a decree of Election—you must also have a decree of Reprobation. The decree of Reprobation teaches that those He didn’t die for go to hell. And another reason they go to hell is that the Blood isn’t applied to them, and the reason the Blood was never applied to them is because it was never shed for them to start with. That’s the situation. They say, “That’s not the reason the Blood was never applied to them . . .” Well, that’s beside the point. The point is they don’t believe that Christ shed His Blood for unsaved people. Limited atonement is what they believe.

Now you can see in this situation that if you were born right you go to heaven, and if you were born wrong you go to hell—there’s nothing you can do about it.

In Ephesians 2 we see that if you are chosen in Christ to be saved before you are saved, and the Blood is shed for you, then your salvation is automatic. And if your salvation is automatic, then you have nothing to do with it. This doctrine is called TOTAL DEPRAVITY which means that you are unable to do anything to save yourself, that the whole operation from start to finish is God’s work and you have nothing to do with it.

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

Which means what? It means that out here, in time, you were dead in trespasses and sins, and a dead man can do nothing to respond. Therefore, the Holy Spirit has to overcome this fellow, quicken him and give him a new birth before he can respond, because he’s dead—he’s totally depraved.

Now in that system, do you see what follows? If the Holy Spirit quickens that fellow, and He gives him life, then he repents. And then he believes on Christ. He could not repent until God quickened him, and he couldn’t believe until God quickened him. So you have a backwards salvation. The fellow is saved, then he repents. Then he believes, and he receives. That has some interesting overtones.

When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18).

Here is proof that a man can not repent of himself. Here is proof that he has to be quickened before he can repent. If God doesn’t grant you repentance than a man can’t repent. So, repentance is a gift as well as the rest of it. Isn’t it amazing what you can prove with the Scriptures? The devil can quote Scripture.

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (II Timothy 2:25).

So, if God doesn’t give you repentance, you can’t repent. So, what happens here—this unsaved fellow sitting out here and he is one of the elect, because He was chosen in Christ back at the beginning—the Holy Spirit quickens the fellow, gives Him the new birth, and that gives him repentance. So he repents, and he receives Christ.

Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth” (Romans 9:18).

Pharaoh never had a chance.
Actually, it was Moses who never had a chance to sincerely change the Pharaoh's heart. Because God saw to it that the Pharaoh be incapable of change. This was so that God bringing the plagues upon the innocent Egyptian people and including Pharaoh's house could prove his dominion over the polytheism of the Egyptians and their collection of god's and goddesses. Those who were believed to hold dominion over all that the plagues affected.

It's really very simple to understand if we first accept Genesis. God existed before anything came to exist. All that exists does so because God created it by his will and power to do so. There therefore can be no thing that, as he tells us in his word, that is not of God.
Romans 9:18 Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.

Exodus 4:21
The LORD instructed Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

Exodus 7:3
But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I will multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,
 
Sep 9, 2018
2,244
1,032
113
71
Illinois
The 'innocent' Egyptian people? You mean the ones that enslaved the Hebrew people and robbed them of their goods?

If you read the OP, Pharaoh 'hardened' his own heart as least twice and maybe more.

>>>Because God saw to it that the Pharaoh be incapable of change. <<<

???
 

CharliRenee

Member
Staff member
Nov 4, 2014
6,693
7,176
113
PS Do you want to know what you have in common with many Calvinists? It's that women can't be pastors. So, you have a common bond. (I just figure this about the OP, correct me if I am wrong.)

As for me, I am a woman, I have studied the Bible for over 38 years now, including in the original languages, and I know how to correctly divide the Word. I preach and teach in my church, and people are always happy to hear what God has given me. Perhaps later we can argue about that? I have loads of things I have written from the Greek about why the doctrine of only men being allowed to preach is wrong.
I'd be interested to know how you found in the bible this

I have loads of things I have written from the Greek about why the doctrine of only men being allowed to preach is wrong.

I would love to find that in the bible. I am female and wanted to but He seems pretty clear, He doesn't want that role for us, we're not to teach men. But again, I'm open to hear your information, for sure.
 
Sep 9, 2018
2,244
1,032
113
71
Illinois
God's greatest ministry for women is in bringing up the preachers of our generation. They are the ones that set the tone in the home for truth and spiritual things. One preacher even called them, "The Holy Spirit of the Home."

Only God knows how many good, godly men are standing in a pulpit there because he had a godly Eunice . . . such as did Timothy. Not to mention his grandmother Lois.

I believe that God gave women a full plate according to this passage in Timothy.

"But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed" (Titus 2:1-5).
 

Lillywolf

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2018
1,562
543
113
No matter what forum I enter unless it is one dedicated to Calvinism, there always appears a contention, some even have an aggressive hatred for those who they believe are Calvinist and display this in posts to that person or persons.
Calvinism in a nutshell denies man' free will and upholds God's sovereignty and those scriptures that address his own teachings concerning his will, predestination that is the exercise of his will, and predeterminism, that is the future of his will thus exercised.

We argue first there is a God. Then we argue among ourselves that his word isn't really saying what is inspired by him to be written when it comes to our personal sense of self determination.
A Christian will say, I believe the Bible is God's inerrant word. And yet, when it is pointed out that God's sovereignty precludes our exercising our will without his interference or manipulation beforehand, that's thought to be errant.

“A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.” Acts 16:14,

“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, "28" to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.” Acts 4:27-28;
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,130
3,689
113
"Knowing, brethren beloved by God, about your election..."
1 The 1:4 (clearly about individuals)

"For many are called, but few are elect."
Mt 22:14 (clearly about individuals)

"Therefore, brothers, be diligent, rather, to make your calling and election sure."
2 Pt 1:10 (also about individuals)
All points to service...election always takes place in time not eternity.
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
113
"Spinoza insists more or less (like an ancient Peripatetic philosopher named Strato) that all has come from the first cause or from primitive Nature by a blind and geometrical necessity, with complete absence of capacity for choice, for goodness and for understanding in this first source of things."

Spinoza went further: he appears to have explicitly taught a blind necessity, having denied to the Author of Things understanding and will, and assuming that good and perfection relate to us only, and not to him. It is true that Spinoza's opinion on this subject is somewhat obscure: for he grants God thought, after having divested him of understanding, cogitationem, non intellectum concedit Deo. There are even passages where he relents on the question of necessity. Nevertheless, as far as one can understand him, he acknowledges no goodness in God, properly speaking, and he teaches that all things exist through the necessity of the divine nature, without any act of choice by God. We will not waste time here in refuting an opinion so bad, and indeed so inexplicable.

Leibniz, Theodicy

If this is true, I cannot accept Spinoza's views.
 

Lillywolf

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2018
1,562
543
113
The 'innocent' Egyptian people? You mean the ones that enslaved the Hebrew people and robbed them of their goods?

If you read the OP, Pharaoh 'hardened' his own heart as least twice and maybe more.

>>>Because God saw to it that the Pharaoh be incapable of change. <<<

???
The Egyptian people were enslaved under Pharaoh too. They had no say over policy in Egypt. More than just Jews were enslaved in Egypt.
And don't forget, when Pharaoh finally allowed the Hebrew people to leave the Egyptian people loaded them down with Gold for their exodus.

This part of your statement upholds my own post.
If you read the OP, Pharaoh 'hardened' his own heart as least twice and maybe more.

>>>Because God saw to it that the Pharaoh be incapable of change. <<<


What is at issue is Pharaoh was incapable of softening his heart so as to allow the Hebrew people to leave Egypt. Pharaoh's heart was hard of course because his kingdom operated on slave labor. However, left to his own conscience we do not know if he would have relented and allowed the Hebrews to go free after the devastation afforded by the first number of plagues that beset Egypt.
God precluded the Pharaoh from his softening under the suffering so as to relent to Moses' command to let his people go.
 

Lillywolf

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2018
1,562
543
113
"Spinoza insists more or less (like an ancient Peripatetic philosopher named Strato) that all has come from the first cause or from primitive Nature by a blind and geometrical necessity, with complete absence of capacity for choice, for goodness and for understanding in this first source of things."

Spinoza went further: he appears to have explicitly taught a blind necessity, having denied to the Author of Things understanding and will, and assuming that good and perfection relate to us only, and not to him. It is true that Spinoza's opinion on this subject is somewhat obscure: for he grants God thought, after having divested him of understanding, cogitationem, non intellectum concedit Deo. There are even passages where he relents on the question of necessity. Nevertheless, as far as one can understand him, he acknowledges no goodness in God, properly speaking, and he teaches that all things exist through the necessity of the divine nature, without any act of choice by God. We will not waste time here in refuting an opinion so bad, and indeed so inexplicable.

Leibniz, Theodicy

If this is true, I cannot accept Spinoza's views.
Did you watch the video?
 

Lillywolf

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2018
1,562
543
113
Just the beginning, I do not like the voice. But if my quotation is wrong, tell me...
Your quotation is irrelevant in response to the video. If someone here doesn't watch a video but quote the post that contains a video and replies to said post and video, they are first demonstrating they literally do not know what they're talking about.

We cannot talk about what is in a video when we first admit we don't watch the video that is offered so that people can talk about it.
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
113
Your quotation is irrelevant in response to the video. If someone here doesn't watch a video but quote the post that contains a video and replies to said post and video, they are first demonstrating they literally do not know what they're talking about.

We cannot talk about what is in a video when we first admit we don't watch the video that is offered so that people can talk about it.
And what if we would talk about what you think instead of what the video says? What is your opinion about Spinoza and his views?
 

Lillywolf

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2018
1,562
543
113
I'd be interested to know how you found in the bible this

I have loads of things I have written from the Greek about why the doctrine of only men being allowed to preach is wrong.

I would love to find that in the bible. I am female and wanted to but He seems pretty clear, He doesn't want that role for us, we're not to teach men. But again, I'm open to hear your information, for sure.
If you feel called to preach, preach!
There is no scripture in the Bible where God states a woman is not permitted to preach his word. God calls those whom he will to his service. And there were women pastors that served to spread the good news, as the Bible tells us. Those who wish to exercise gender discrimination in their own personal view will interpolate those scriptures to say, the women thus described were not preachers!
They'll claim they were something other. The play is on semantics so as to uphold their personal offense and aversion to women being in God's service over men.

The scripture that women should remain quiet in church is often offered as proof God doesn't want women to preach. That too is a misnomer and a falsehood that its perpetrators will answer to God for in due time. When Paul said we are all one in Christ, there is no male nor female, no Greek nor Jew, that should have precluded anyone from thinking God himself would engender gender segregation among that oneness when it came to his inspiring those within that one body, the church that are those in faith to Christ, to deliver the good news of Christ.

Paul's letter concerning women remaining quiet in church if held as fundamental prohibition against women's role in church would preclude women in the choir, women leading choir, women teaching Sunday school, which is a preaching post in itself. Women would have to remain quiet in church. There's no post script in that verse of 1 Corinthians 14:34 that says, unless women wish to speak in teaching the young among you, or leading voices to sing God's praises.

Paul's letter was to manage the church he founded in Corinth. Because at that time and in some contemporary churches today, women were separated from men in church. This precluded distractions from attentiveness to the word by a husband and wife talking to one another, or a woman seeking to understand more of the word preached by calling aloud for further illumination and therein disrupting the service. A woman was to wait till after service and then make inquiry of her husband. As first century women in Corinth and elsewhere were most probably illiterate. While their husbands were to some degree learned.

You'll find men who insist women are not called to preach and as they invoke that verse in 1 Corinthians, they'll omit the following verse that gives proper context concerning Paul's admonition. *Verse 35* "And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. "

As you can read, the chapter 14 verses in context pertain to women and their learning the scriptures in church. It does not state women are not entitled to preach in church by God's command. Paul had issues with the female sex. You'll see this in his writings that reflect as much. Paul's church epistles, letters written to the churches he founded, are just that. Letters pertaining to management of said churches.
While those writings, epistles, that were the inspired words of God to Paul are prefaced by Paul to inform of that difference.
God NEVER said women are not called by him to preach. God called a woman to give the world his holy spirit savior. It would be contrary for God to then consider women inferior to give his good news to the world.

Those who preach sexism sin. They are to be prayed for. Not believed. Believe God. If you feel called to preach, listen to God. Not fallen men who think you are less than because of your sex. A sex that if it did not exist in the world would not be responsible for the existence of such men to then disrespect the vessel that let them arrive to this world by God's will.