Saints, I felt led to mention this branch of theology that has crept into the church over the past several years. I first thought that it's influence was limited, but the more I learn about our present day church, the more I see Calvinism has made its way into nearly every modern church. Perhaps not in its fullest form, but parts of it. Please don't click away. This is very important to your salvation and to you being raptured. Did you know that John MacArthur was a Calvinist? He's probably the most visible and famous one of late. Oddly enough I wrote this post on Saturday and on Sunday the pastor I love to listen to spoke on the very same thing! Here's a link to his sermon if you're interested.
Calvinism is a branch of Protestant theology that emerged from the teachings of the 16th-century reformer John Calvin (1509–1564), a French theologian and pastor during the Reformation. At its core, Calvinism emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, and the total dependence of human beings on God's grace for salvation. Sounds good, doesn't it? But let's dive a little deeper.
The Five Tenets of Calvinism: T.U.L.I.P.
These are often summarized using the acronym TULIP
1. T – Total Depravity
Human beings are completely affected by sin in every part of their being—mind, will, emotions, and flesh. No one can choose God or do good without divine intervention.
Human beings are completely affected by sin in every part of their being—mind, will, emotions, and flesh. No one can choose God or do good without divine intervention.
2. U – Unconditional Election
God's choice to save individuals is based solely on His will and not on any foreseen merit, action, or decision on the part of the person. Salvation is not earned or even initiated by us—it's a result of God's sovereign grace.
God's choice to save individuals is based solely on His will and not on any foreseen merit, action, or decision on the part of the person. Salvation is not earned or even initiated by us—it's a result of God's sovereign grace.
3. L – Limited Atonement (also called Particular Redemption)
Christ's death on the cross was specifically intended to save only the elect (those God has chosen). Jesus didn’t just make salvation possible—He actually accomplished it for those whom He came to save.
4. I – Irresistible Grace
When God calls someone to salvation (the "effectual call"), that person cannot ultimately resist. The Holy Spirit changes the heart so that the person freely and willingly responds in faith. The person has no choice.
5. P – Perseverance of the Saints
Those whom God has elected and drawn to Himself will continue in faith and will not fall away. True believers may stumble, but they will persevere to the end because God preserves them. Once saved, Always Saved
Christ's death on the cross was specifically intended to save only the elect (those God has chosen). Jesus didn’t just make salvation possible—He actually accomplished it for those whom He came to save.
4. I – Irresistible Grace
When God calls someone to salvation (the "effectual call"), that person cannot ultimately resist. The Holy Spirit changes the heart so that the person freely and willingly responds in faith. The person has no choice.
5. P – Perseverance of the Saints
Those whom God has elected and drawn to Himself will continue in faith and will not fall away. True believers may stumble, but they will persevere to the end because God preserves them. Once saved, Always Saved
First of all, yes, they have Scriptures to back up what they believe, and in truth, if you don't know the totality of the Bible, you could easily say, "yeah, that makes sense." The problem with these Calvinists is that they look at God through the lens of TIME, whereas our God exists outside of time. That is why some passages in the Bible seem to contradict each other in terms of election to salvation.
Why am I bringing this up? This belief can lead to some horrific results
1. Some people may believe that they are not chosen and cannot ever be saved so they will not accept Jesus no matter how much they are led to
2. People who believe they are chosen by God and are saved believe they are "special" which can lead to arrogance.
3. People who believe they are God's chosen and are saved believe they can never lose that salvation, no matter what sins they commit or wicked lifestyle they choose. This particular idea has crept even into churches who don't believe in Calvinism, and it is a highly deceptive belief that will lead many to hell.
Here are the problems with Calvinism (taken from this Article, the author of which did a great job, including listing many Scriptures for your reference!)
1. Calvinism denies man’s free will to obey or disobey God, which is the basis of man’s responsibility and accountability, as taught by the Bible
2. Calvinism denies that each individual is responsible and accountable for their own sins committed in their own life, and will not be damned for the sins of anyone else, as the Bible teaches:
3. Calvinism denies that Christ died for everyone and His unlimited atonement is available for everyone and that those for whom Christ died can still perish if they reject Him as the Bible teaches.
4. Calvinism denies that God loves everyone and wants all sinners to repent and be saved as taught by the Bible:
5. Calvinism promotes Once Saved Always Saved and denies the possibility of falling away from the faith as taught by the Bible
Martin Luther said, “Be a sinner and sin boldly… No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day.”
Westminster Confession of Faith said, “They whom God hath accepted in His Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.”
Westminster Confession of Faith said, “They whom God hath accepted in His Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.”
6. Calvinism denies man’s role, responsibility, and choice to cooperate with God in regeneration or in the changing of his heart as taught by the Bible
7. Calvinism denies that there is deliverance available from all sin in Jesus Christ, or the possibility of overcoming sin in this life by the grace of God as taught by the Bible
8. Calvinism denies that man’s choice to repent of all his sins is a necessary condition of forgiveness, but rather teaches that once saved we are no longer obligated to follow any moral law—especially the Ten Commandments or ethical teachings of Scripture. (Antinomianism), as opposed to what the Bible teaches
I was shocked by this quote from Spurgeon!
Charles Spurgeon said, “You must not expect that you will be perfect in ‘repentance’ before you are saved. No Christian can be perfect. “Repentance” is a grace. Some people preach it as a condition of salvation. Condition of nonsense! There are no conditions of salvation. God gives the salvation himself…”
9. Calvinism states that God is the author of sin and the sovereign cause of its entrance into the world
Martin Luther said, “Since, therefore, God moves and does all in all, He necessarily moves and does all in Satan and the wicked man…”
Martin Luther said, “God worketh all things in all men even wickedness in the wicked…”
John Calvin said, “Whatever things are done wrongly and unjustly by man, these very things are the right and just works of God.”
So what do we do with all these Bible passages that talk about how God foreknew us and predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son and uses some people for good purposes and some for ignoble purposes?
Calvinism looks at the Bible and God through the lens of Time. God is outside of Time. When He looks at you and me and the Earth and everyone on it, He sees the END of it all. He also sees the Beginning and everything in between. It's like an author of a book. I can pick up one of the novels I've written off the shelf and flip through it. Each page represents a point in time, a particular scene in someones life, but I already know the ending of the story. I'm outside of the story.
God is the same way. Before He even formed you in your mother's womb, He already knew whether you would choose Him. He already knew everything you would do in your life and everything that would happen to you! So, when He says, He foreknew and predestined you to be saved, it's because He already knows you're going to accept Him.
To believe in anything else is to say that mankind has NO FREE WILL. If that is true, then why did Adam and Eve sin in the Garden? They were already pure and holy and walking with God. Why did He give them free will? The Bible is clear. There are thousands more Scriptures that tell us how much God loves the entire world and how Jesus came to save whosoever would believe in Him.
Calvinism is a dangerous theology. The Jesus in Calvinism is not the real Jesus. The Jesus in Calvinism offers salvation only to a limited few and gives them zero choice in the matter. The Jesus in Calvinism saves those He chooses and doesn't care how they live their lives or how wicked or sinful they are after salvation.
I'm sorry, but that isn't the Jesus I know. So, be careful. My fear is that if you are clinging to the wrong Jesus when the trumpet blows, you may not be called up!
No comments:
Post a Comment