I've been a saved Christian for many years now, but I can still recall how alarmed I was when I first heard about Calvinism... I researched it with an open mind but the Holy Spirit wouldn't allow me to swallow that poisonous lie and I wisely rejected it Amen
YOU WERE CREATED FOR THE GLORY OF GOD (1-minute study) If God is only a means to your self-advancement and exaltation, rather than your seeing in him something infinitely glorious, as a God consumned with the manifestation of his glory, then you need to check your conversion. So this is a big reality check. Very few people have ever said to me or shown me what I've now seen in the Bible, that God chose me for his glory. Because three times in Ephesians chapter 1--verses 6, 12, and 14--it says that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world and he predestined us to be his sons, unto the praise of the glory of his grace. He chose you. Why? That his glory and grace might be praised and magnified. Your salvation is to glorify God. Your election is to glorify God. Your regeneration was to glorify God. Your justification was for the glory of God. Your sanctification is for the glory of God. And one day your glorification will be an absorbance into the glory of God. You were created for the glory of God.
ARMINIAN CALVIN-HATERS CANNOT SEE THE BEAUTY OF CHRIST'S SUPREMACY IN ELECTION, WHEREBY HE SENDS FORTH HIS SPIRIT, "CRYING ABBA FATHER." IT IS AS SATAN HAS BLINDED THE ARMINIAN MIND... WHICH DOES NOT HAVE THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY GOSPEL BY THE TRIUNE SOVEREIGN OMNIPOTENT CHRIST, WHO GIVES ETERNAL LIFE "TO MANY AS HE PLEASES." TO THE CALVINIST HE SAITH: "THIS PEOPLE HAVE I MADE FOR MYSELF, THEY SHALL SHOW FORTH MY PRAISE."
Divine sovereignty vs. free will - Here's my view: In God's sovereignty he has the power to grant us free will. Yes, he is sovereign and knows whom he will save. However, as far as we're concerned, we still must choose. Just because God knows the future beforehand, that doesn't mean we don't have the free will to make those decisions.
I'm not a Calvinist but if you say God chooses all those who choose God than God just confirms/conforms to mans will. The reality is people don't just wake up one day and turn to God in Faith. I have a tough time swallowing the Limited Atonement and Irresistible grace parts to the TULIP.
Please tell me that you all realise that this whole “Calvinism” crap is essentially a non issue in relation to salvation and righteousness and blessing.
I think Kevin Thompson, on his Beyond The Fundamentals RU-vid channel, has about a hundred videos where he utterly chews up Calvinism, spits it out, and absolutely stomps it into the dust!
"We are not saved by anything we do" ... Correct. But faith is not something we DO, it's something we BELIEVE. And faith isn't what saves me, it's Christ and his shed blood/finished work that saves me. Faith is only how I receive it
Annoying Stuff - the whole deal is to stay that way all the time when the B. S . Gets deep down here . I have been there . Matthew 5:16 helps me a lot .
You have to be born again, as a spirit. You are not. Thus you are not yet born again. Converted, maybe, enlightened, maybe, changed your ways, maybe, repented, maybe. What is flesh, (you), is flesh. What is spirit, (Jesus, and you, AFTER judgment day), is spirit. Jesus is the first born again, YOU, when it's time, NOT before. You are not yet born again, nor saved. You only SHALL be saved, and SHALL, be born again. Matthew 24:13 No need to thank me.
If somebody asked me, " Are you born again " ? , I would say yes. There's a change that's undisputable, your appetites change. You have a hunger for God's Word and a love for and desire that all be saved. In the words of a popular song..." when the rain washes you clean you'll know ".
My main problem with this is, what does that say about our mission? Mark 16:15: *He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation"* If God has selected a certain people to be saved, what on earth would be the point of preaching it to all creation? In fact, what would be the point of preaching AT ALL? If God has His elect, it literally doesn't matter what we do, we will either go to heaven or not. I truly feel in my spirit that this is a diversion from the truth, and a very dangerous one at that. Preach the gospel to ALL nations, not to SOME people.
Jesus addressed this issue in the parable of the sower. Some soil is fertile and receives the seed, others are not and the seed does not take root. It's not up to us to know who will or who won't believe. We share Jesus because Jesus commanded us to "go now and make disciples of all nations".
To sum it up (according to this guy and Calvin): 1. What you do in this life is insignificant. Before you were born, God loved you or hated you. What you do after you "get saved" is insignificant - living a holy life is purely optional. This kind of thinking is also known by another name - fatalism.
@rod rocketon This is clear example of a strawman argument. You have not studied much of sovereign grace teaching in the Bible, and so you are clearly confused
@@alext.8456 I noticed you provided no actual basis for your rebuttal. Are you saying that a person's eternal destiny is not predetermined? Are you saying that a person must live a holy life to be saved?
@UCu-9hEfVpTp9cq4do_RejQA LOL! Again, no basis. I do not accept the arguments of Calvinism but I understand them quite well. How about the "we all deserve to go to hell, so when God has already predestined an infant to hell, it is really not a bad thing"? If you believe in unconditional election then you cannot tell parents that a newborn is a gift from God because that child may already have been sentenced to eternal torment. Of course, at that point, you probably go into some made-up slosh of God's known and unknown will which is not supported by Scripture. Answer me one question: Before a baby is born has God already determined that infant will go to hell?
@@rodrocketon9480 'Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”' John 3:5-8
@@AllforOne_OneforAll1689 LOL! Yes, I am quite familiar with the passage, including the play on the Greek word for both "spirit" and "wind." This has nothing to do with the question at hand. According to Calvinists, those who will be born again have already been predetermined and they will be unable to resist the Holy Spirit. Those who are not Elect have no possibility of ever being born again. I reject this contrived doctrine.
Evelyn Erazo Hernandez Stick too precious person . !! I Love you!!!!🌈🧰👩💼🤠🌷❤️👌👍🌈⚖️🎹📖🛌🇺🇸🔔😀🎻🛠🌷🌷. These ones really kick “aaa” ball !!!!! Genesis 9:6 Joshua 1:8&9 Psalms 1 ! Psalms 23 ! Psalms 91:1 ! Psalms 119:9&11.! Psalms 130 ! Proverbs 3:5&6 ! Proverbs 15:1 !!! Proverbs 16:3 !!!! Ecclesiastes 7 - all. John 1:1 -31 John 3:16&17 ! John 14:21 ! John 15 . “Acts 1:8 !” Romans 4:19&20! Micah 6:8 !! . Yes !!! All recorded written scriptures . Each one . Has a purpose to help Us . My dad read through it . About 4 times each year !! & he 👌👍 to me ! 3 hours Before his heart quit beating . @ 70 years of age . From Lung tissue damages he got @ 6 years old . Because of pneumonia. Then I buried his casket ?! @ 46 years of age . As his first born son . & that hurt . But each day ! I recover As I walk.! It out .
1 John 1:9 covers us . As long As we are “doing” John 14:21 heartily. As Best we know how ! & “stay Willing “ to do it. When we are all Played out . Push reset button . Try again tomorrow .
Read Ken Wilson's recent book "The Foundation of Augustinian-Calvinism" if you want to know the history of this man-made doctrine. Augustine attempted to explain how infants could be the elect through water baptism. Since the child had not come to faith, it must be based on the will of another. It could have nothing to do with the will of the child. Anyone who denies the relationship between the Church and Israel has cut Acts 2:36, and Romans 11:1-5, and Hebrews 8:6-13, and James 1:1-3 out of their Bibles. Once a person comes to understand the New Covenant promised to Israel and Judah in Jeremiah 31:31-34, which is found fulfilled by Christ during the first century in Hebrews 8:6-13, and Hebrews 10:16-18, and specifically applied to the Church in 2 Corinthians 3:6-8, and Hebrews 12:22-24, modern Dispensational Theology falls apart, and the pretrib removal of the Church falls with it. .
Keto Grilling - yes . And I apologize . & I removed That comment . Thanks For the admonition. But the fact remains. Bill Clinton’s behaviors and choices have impacted every person and every family all over the world . & he Has never apologized for any of that hideous Scandalous activity. & we let him get away with it .
Kevin Barton I won’t argue for him that’s for sure! Just remember our God is in control. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21 ESV May God Bless You!
Keto Grilling - yes . I agree . God is in control . Yes . He is . BUT / AND - Jesus says , “Do NOT ALLOW ( YOUR ) Gospel to be trampled under foot ! I had a man try to ruin my rectum with a piece of pipe while I tried to repair an electrical switch on a machine . He got fired ! I got fired for pushing him a little . I had enough of people trying to hurt me because I am a Christian . He continued his threats ! On chance meetings when I had no desire to fight or get hurt ! He threatened my kids ! Well no one threatens my kids ! God does give us a fighting spirit .
THERAPTURECOMES / 🤠. Yup ! & didn’t he go to oxford to “dodge” the draft ? So he could learn how to smoke marijuana ? Without inhaling ? & Convince his “intern “ Monica ! To do unexpected services . Beyond her call of duty ?!🤠👩💼🌷
If it is an "ism" you know it is a man-made system of Bible interpretation, which ignores the scripture which kills the doctrine. Dr. John MacArthur has attempted to weld together two man-made systems of interpretation. He claims to be both a Calvinist and a Dispensationalist. Based on the book "The Trail of Blood" by J.M. Carroll, the earliest Baptists were neither. .
@@christopherlampman5579 Limited atonement means some are destined for hell before the foundation of the world. If Christ died for the world I guess the writers of scripture used the wrong word. The world means anybody can receive Christ by faith if they choose to believe. Btw Arminianism vs Calvinism is a false dichotomy. Arminius was s Calvinist, with a slightly different view.
Who enabled us to respond? You or God? Jesus said No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44
God bestows Mercy and Grace to whomever he wants. He gives the keys to the kingdom to whomever he wants. so yes he does pick and choose who gets the keys to heaven. One can not get to heaven unless the holy spirit births them into the spiritual realm. The holy spirit choose who is coming to heaven and who isnt because he does the second spiritual birth . Weather or not you want to believe that or not really dont care. Its weather or not you want to believe the bible or not.
Trusting in what John Calvin tells you the bible means makes you a Calvinist. Trusting in what the Holy Spirit tells you the bible means makes you a Christian.
Let know one think more highly of themselves than they ought to...I just hate it when people who claim to be Christians call me a heretic or my understanding of the Bible heresy. So Augustine was a heretic as well? and Jonathan Edwards? And Charles Spurgeon? And R.C. Sproul? And John MacArthur? And Irwin Lutzer? And the 5 theologians I mentioned in another post: Dr William Lane Craig, Dr Norman Geisler, Dr Michael Brown, Dr Leighton Flowers, Dr Hank Hanegraaf??? Well, they must be heretics as well because they don't believe as you do that "Calvinism" is heresy!! So either they don't know much theology compared to you, or maybe, just maybe you might have gotten some bad, misinformation about Calvinism. Dude, I have to wonder if you're just grieving the Holy Spirit...we all need to be careful that we're not acting like Pharisees: Jesus didn't 'fit' into their idea of what Messiah would be--so they condemned Him as a heretic. Sound familiar? Could it be possible that you are thinking that you are some sort of Super-Theologian--able to discern between truth and error--where no Calvinist could? Let's you and I humble ourselves and pray--and may God win the argument. Father, I pray in Jesus' Name, that you will convict and convince Dennis and myself of our pride and arrogance--thinking that we know better than other believers what is heresy and what is Your truth. Help us Father, to speak the truth in love with gentleness and respect, whether to each other or anyone in the future. Help us to admit that we don't know as much as we think we do about You and Your Word and You, Holy Spirit of God, and You, Our Lord Jesus! Forgive us, Lord, for thinking more highly of our knowledge of theology than we ought to have done. Amen
Stand on the Word of God, let the Word of God speak for itself without being seen through the lens of man made doctrines. Calvinism is not Biblical, though it isn't a salvational issue either. We're all Brothers and Sisters in Christ, never forget that. Preach Christ crucified and risen to all that will hear it. God bless! ~Pastor Chris Holman
@@alext.8456 The part we play, is our willingness to accept the gift God has offered us. The glory belongs to God, and his righteousness is not diminished, it we choose to die in our sin. God desires that all men be saved. ALL men. ALL. Hell was made for Satan and his fallen angels. It was never made for mankind. Yet Calvinism teaches that God made most of us, for the sole purpose of occupying Hell.
@@Pondimus_MaximusWillingness: the Bible says we don't have any. It is given to us: "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Sovereign grace: If you honestly look for it throughout scripture, you will find it. Otherwise you will take verses out of context to downplay it. "This verse sounds like..." but you are still ripping it from its context. If I told you all the girls at the dance wore dresses, does that mean ALL the girls who attended, or the six girls I described to you before they even got to the dance - two of which did not even attend? Context. As for the lake of fire, Satan and his angels fell before mankind. God originally prepared the lake of fire when they fell; in other words, before Adam sinned. It was a time sequence, not a case of foreknowledge that is spoken of.
'Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”' John 3:5-8
@Jon Abrahams Sovereign grace preaching is to anyone who will listen. We leave the results up to God. The Word of God saves, not sales pitching or begging or anything else. In other words, if an arminian can talk you into believing, then someone else can come along and talk you out of it. There were no altar calls in Acts, no raising of hands and "come up to the front while we sing 40 rounds of 'Just as I am.'" The apostles preached the resurrected Christ and all those ordained to eternal life believed.
@@joshpeterson2451 so do you preach the gospel to a person not knowing if he or she is the elect , you would be preaching a false gospel you would be lying to that person, you cannot tell that person that Jesus died for them if he didn't. You would have to change the gospel and lie , Calvinism is one big lie. Be blessed and believe in the true gospel, Jesus tasted death for every man. Revelation 22 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely
@@joshpeterson2451 the gospel is "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." NO ONE has ever been saved by election.... no one.
Revelation 22 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely
IMO anyone who defines their relationship with God with an ist or an ism is foolish. Believe what the bible says and what The Holy Spirit of God reveals to you from his word.
Better yet, submit yourself to the holy spirits teaching through the church and the councils/creeds. Our job isn’t to read the Bible for ourselves and determine what WE think it means, our job is to submit our understanding to the church which is the “ground and pillar” of truth. Specifically the ancient church (best retained in Eastern Orthodoxy)
@@alexanderderus2087 Councils of men in costumes and funny hats? Creeds of men in costumes, and funny hats? No need to prove all things, by scripture? I bet Catholics, don't like you, and your statement, goes a long way in speaking of Christianity, as we know it. A multitude of denominations, doctrines, confusion, and deciet. You'll have alot of explaining to do, on judgement day, what with the Sunday keeping, and graven image trinkets.
You neglected to mention that Calvin was the supreme ruler of Geneva who approved of floggings, banishments, imprisonments and burnings at the stake for those who would not yield to his beliefs. He was a newly minted lawyer who was a very recent convert from Catholicism when he wrote "Institutes," his magnum opus. As a one-time Calvinist (for 24 years), I can tell you his ideas of foreordination to heaven or hell through "God's good pleasure" left no room for an individual to exercise faith in Christ or reject Him to be saved or lost. Such false doctrines never existed before Augustine in 400 AD and were never expressed to those outside the Roman hierarchy until 1500. There is NOTHING about this philosophy in the writings of the early church fathers and vast numbesr of contextual places in the Bible refute Calvinism. Calvinism is similar to Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses in that their theology was begun from a man, by taking Bible passages out of context and twisting them to fit their teachings. It is a pernicious doctrine to be sure.
I was tied up in Calvinism for a while, not nearly as long as your experience, and I never could reconcile why God in an act of grace, couldn't allow men the ability of choice. The choice is an offer from God, giving him the glory and the credit for anything that comes after salvation. It is still God doing the work, but man can accept or deny the offer. That is the only way the condemnation or redemption would make sense. God is still sovereign because the framework is set and the rules established. No mans free will can affect the framework God has put in place but he has allowed freedom to choose within that framework. If we choose Christ there are appointed consequences (positive) just as if we do not choose Christ we inherit the negative consequences, both eternal in nature. There is no grey area, though, we are either with God or against God by our choice. Our actions are not out of the view of God either, concerning free will, because if we do not choose Christ, we are serving the flesh and Satan. God knows his adversary very well and therefore knows our actions. If we serve Christ God also knows our actions because they are in accordance with his will. It boggles my mind how easily a person can look at all the instances in the bible of this and come to a hard Calvinist stance. I wanted to believe what Calvinism claimed because it makes it easier in a sense but the scripture led me away from their conclusions. I just think that the influence for Calvinism is so great right now, its really easy to get sucked into it. There are also some good expositors in Calvinism but they incorporate the Calvinist view when approaching a handful of passages.
Amen . Ephesians 2:8-10 We are his poem . His workmanship . Created in Jesus Christ to “do “ Good things. Ephesians 3:20&21 . Wonderful helpful Encouragement . Joshua 1:8&9 I love that . Isaiah 26/3 I need that very much .
YOU WERE CREATED FOR THE GLORY OF GOD (1-minute study) If God is only a means to your self-advancement and exaltation, rather than your seeing in him something infinitely glorious, as a God consumned with the manifestation of his glory, then you need to check your conversion. So this is a big reality check. Very few people have ever said to me or shown me what I've now seen in the Bible, that God chose me for his glory. Because three times in Ephesians chapter 1--verses 6, 12, and 14--it says that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world and he predestined us to be his sons, unto the praise of the glory of his grace. He chose you. Why? That his glory and grace might be praised and magnified. Your salvation is to glorify God. Your election is to glorify God. Your regeneration was to glorify God. Your justification was for the glory of God. Your sanctification is for the glory of God. And one day your glorification will be an absorbance into the glory of God. You were created for the glory of God.
“Totally unable to save ourselves”. That is true, but that’s not what the Calvinist means when they say speak of total depravity. They would say you are unable to respond positively to the gospel message unless you are regenerated i.e. born again first.
Exactly. This video is not a really accurate description of what Calvinists actually believe. For example, they believe limited atonement means that Jesus' death only counts for those He chose to save from before time began. You have no 'choice' under irresistible grace, either, unlike what was said in the video. The two ideas are incompatible. Calvinists believe that God makes every single thing happen, which is why their great defender Sproul had to admit that when it comes to why Satan sinned or Adam, that they had no answer, because it certainly couldn't be that God caused them to sin. So without free will or choice, that is a mystery to Calvinists. It's not for the rest of us. Without free will, there is no such thing as love. CS Lewis in the Screwtape Letters: 'God cannot ravage; He can only woo.' Calvinists have to twist verses like 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (some translations use 'willing' instead of 'wishing,' so Calvinists have to create various kinds of 'wills' of God, as they do with more than one kind of 'grace.' Perhaps Calvin would translate John 3:16 as "For God so loved some people in the world so much that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever I allow to believe in him will not perish but have everlasting life." The version we have in our Bibles today sounds much too open to everyone being able to obtain salvation. I don't think Jesus was a proper Calvinist.
There's another problem. Regeneration, as, converted, repentance, and changed your ways, or, in truth, regeneration, as, changed from flesh, to immortal SPIRIT, as Jesus told Nichodemus. That's the real born again.
I think most Christians miss the point. I don't believe every doctrine I come across unless it is spiritually sound. But more important than doctrinal differences, we all should self-examine and say Am I pursuing God? Am I living for Him? Does my life honor Him? and focus on those aspects of our personal life rather than doctrinal differences and debating. If we spent the same amount of time evangelizing as we did debating brothers and sisters in christ, perhaps those who are far from God would know Him. I do read in the new testament where it says predestined, foreknew, predetermined, etc and regardless of if I think it was God saying Yes to this man, but no to another, or if I think it means God is omnipotent and saw all of our life before Him, it should cause all of us to worship and praise Him and thank Him for choosing us and just focus on living a life for Him. Christianity isn't about figuring out all the small details, leave that to God. Read the scripture and obey it to best of your understanding and let it be. Be prepared to give a defense of your faith to the nonbeliever, not a defense of your doctrinal differences to a brother or sister. Focus on sanctification in your life and leading others to Jesus.
How we we know if they are “elect “ or not so we’re not wasting our time sharing Jesus with them and his promises apply??? This is not what I see in the Bible .. sounds like Jehovah Witness theology
Did you just compare us to a cult? And we know if we are the elect if we believe on Christ. We physically can’t believe on Christ Without God regenerating you first
Jesus addressed this issue in the parable of the sower. Some soil is fertile and receives the seed, others are not and the seed does not take root. It's not up to us to know who will or who won't believe. We share Jesus because Jesus commanded us to "go now and make disciples of all nations".
@@ShawnGisler Believing in Christ does not make you "the elect". The Elect are only 1 of 4 groups of believers in the end times, the ones who have been given the most revelation, discipline and wisdom that worship in spirit and truth.
Man has always felt the need to try and help god , even the people who can't read or write, dont need to know this stuff , yet they can believe and rejoice, much is the capacity of the mind , to be in Christ is all that matters, we can look into ourselves and know that there's no good thing , rather look into Christ with the eye's of faith and see yourself in him , do your home work on that knowing your identity in Christ and all that is in him is yours , that my friend is the glad tidings. Truly remarkable and such great treasure Christ is he and is everything I'll ever need.
The distance between one of God’s prophets, and Calvin, Luther, MacArthur, etc. is the distance of infinity. Nobody ever picked up a bible, read it and became a Calvinist. You can only become and accept Calvin and the ‘ism’, from the teaching of other men.
Jesus said “When I be lifted up from the earth (the cross) I will draw ALL MEN to myself”. Not some men, ALL men without distinction. It would go against scripture and Gods nature to show partiality to anyone. ANYONE who responds in faith and puts their trust in Jesus becomes the elect. Election has to do with his plan of salvation for ANYONE who believes, not some subset of men arbitrarily chosen.
"Are you a sinner, and do you trust Jesus as the only way for your sin to be paid?" If the answer to both questions is truly yes, then then that person is a Christian. Calvinists believe that. Armenians believe that. They're both Christians, and agree on the fundamental truths that makes us family by His blood. Now, much smarter people than me have come to down on different sides of the Calvinist/Armenian debate. And for the most part, I think most of these folks are honestly attempting to study understand the Lord as best they can in order that they might best worship, glorify and obey Him. And that's a good thing. Trying to understand who God is a good thing. And we're not going to get it all right. He's an infinite God, and we're finite beings. So maybe, instead of throwing angry words at our family because they came to a different conclusion on something that doesn't change whether or not the person is a Christian, we engage in a combined pursuit of trying to figure out God's truth. The amount of anger, accusations and vitrol on these comments is insane and disgraceful.
I absolutely agree with you. The Almighty God is much bigger to fully understand Him. Trying to understand Him through His Word is a good thing. However, human beings will never come to the same understanding of God just because He is much greater than we can imagine. Therefore, let's be humble and accept our differences instead of judging our family members. I don't believe having faith in Calvinism or in "Free will" doctrine can save us. Only faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth can save us.
It's easy to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and that's it. But only by the anointing of the Holy Spirit from God can you truly turn from your sins and live a fruitful life and ultimately, enter heaven. If you aren't anointed, you aren't a true Christian.
What you have described as Christianity is merely simple beliefism. Even Demons have that. True Christianity is picking up our cross and following Christ. Seeking to know God lest He say “I never knew you”. Sadly, Calvinism denies the true nature of God. In order to be a Calvinist someone would need to either not know God or deny who He is. Either way, they are a follower of Calvin not Christ. God will sort it out in the end but it is still important to contend for the faith and refute false doctrine that leads people astray.
I have always had a problem categorizing or judging anyone else or what they say if it doesn't speak with me and harmonize with my search for God's own heart then I simply don't listen and stay away and remind myself to pray for myself and them I'm in no position to call any persons teachings wrong unless it's laid on my heart and I'm given words in my mouth from the man upstairs himself. Praise God for he is good bless you guys
Josh Smith - do John 14:21 & Acts 1:8 .. solves everything for every hungry human being . Guaranteed success . No debate . No building of a building called a “church !” . Tell people ! Love people . Sing ! Work. Play . Build your own home . Get married once . Stay married . Stay clean of junk & money robbers . Work your backside off . Go to heaven .
don't listen to this word! listen to Jesus! you will be lead down a dark path if you forget the simple teaching of Jesus! stay on the narrow path of Christ!
@@gracepierce1024 The point to focus on is not man's pettiness. We can all be petty, regardless of theology. What does God say about how to be saved? By grace through faith not of works. Is God able to save? We all agree he is able.
I was raised in a Presbyterian church, but my dad raised me with more Evangelical values. I am so grateful he did! Now I am raising my son in an Evangelical church! (:
@@sarayoung9395 Well, grace isn't grace if it is merited or earned. Paul replies to the question of why God chooses some over others with "who are you, oh man, to answer back to God?" (Romans 9:20)
@@daltonparker1086 The whole doctrine flies in the face of fairness. God gave us our innate sense of fairness for a reason. If you used this logic in other areas of life it would be rightly considered unjust by all.
@@sarayoung9395 Would you say that what happened on the cross was fair? The awe of the gospel is found in how unfair it was for Christ to die on our behalf.
@@stevendrumm4957 'Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”' John 3:5-8
When it comes to the Bible, it’s very concerning that there are different beliefs even though it’s one non-changeable book. Since when did the Church of Christ become political parties? Anyone who is seeking to know God, read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.
Amen I agree with you I have a brother who is into calvinist and he says God doesn’t love everyone only the elect John 3:16 is the truth my brother says you have to take the whole cancel of God I thought the Bible was the whole cancel of God I didn’t know he picked and chooses who will be saved and who want be saved I’m i right God chooses anyone who chooses his son who died for our sins why would a God let his son die on a cross just for some plaase explain that to me that means that Jesus only died for the elect it’s mind boggling to me John 3:16 says for God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son that who so ever believes in him will not perish John 3:16
Mike Hopper - nope !! Don’t ! Just Apply/do / act /believe 👩💼🤠❤️ john 14:21 ! Please !! 🌈🌷❤️ With large doses of Romans 12:1&2 in heavy black strap molasses. With your beans and biscuits .
What is now happening with Calvinism, is that those Pastors who profess such ideas, are now saying that "taking the Mark of the Beast will not condemn you." This is the result of teaching dogmatically that you cannot lose your salvation. This is a most serious of theological errors. In the true history of Calvin, this man believed that men and women could be burned at the stake if they did not believe certain doctrines. Under no circumstances can Christians advocate killing another human being for differences in doctrine. Rome did this to millions. This is the work of the "Mother of Harlots" of Revelation 17.
+Tony Weeks , The verse you referenced is akin to when Christ said: "You will know them by their fruits". It is about being able to identify a "Christian", because "had they been one of us, they would have remained with us" rather than making clear to the world that they were not Christian. Ironically, it is only 17 verses prior to that one that John states outright: "Jesus died not for only our sins, but for the entire world also." But to make this even simpler for you, while there are nearly 100 verses that directly state that Christ died for "All", so that "None" should perish, and/or for the whole "World" (plus for the "Lost" and the "Sinners"), if you want to validate Calvinism, simply provide the verse that affirms what Calvinists believe; namely: "Christ died for the Elect". It would only require one verse that "Directly" (key word) states that to prove your case... Otherwise, Calvinism is unbiblical by not even possessing one verse that states what it believes. Afterall, if God's intended message was to inform us that Christ only came on behalf of a limited number of persons, wherein God does not desire saving everyone, then surely He had at least ONE of His authors clearly state that fact at least ONCE throughout all of scripture, right? Besides, "Christ died for the Elect" only requires five words... surely its not that difficult to write. So care to provide?
The one thing that Calvinists can never explain is how God can elect the saved without electing those who would go to hell. By logic, if God chose who would be saved, He would then have also chosen those who are going to hell. What is the point of evangelism and teaching the gospel and Bible then if those who are to be saved or dqmned will then be elected anyway? That's not the true gospel but fatalism.
And on top of that, if God was simply choosing who to save and who to condemn then why would he ever send his precious son to suffer such a brutal punishment for our sins.. Calvinists absolutely do not believe on the Holy Gospel for their salvation, they were simply chosen so they don't need a savior
Inconsistant Calvinists will deny their Calvinist god chooses people for Hell, but that's completely irrational. If I bought a bag of jelly beans and I choose the jelly beans that I love based on their flavors and the rest of the jelly beans end up in the garbage because i hate them, I know that the jelly beans had no choice in ending up in the garbage, but i made the choice for the jelly beans. We must remember that Calvinism makes people retarded, and they have a difficult time understanding basic concepts like decision making
It is a real shame when someone tags a doctrine such as election to some mere man. Do we tag salvation to some man like Calvin? Why not? The reason why it is God's salvation not man's salvation. So, when one debates they try to weaken the doctrine of election God uses to some mere man it is tilted from the start to deny election because Calvin and many others believed this sound doctrine in the Bible. I say, quit the name calling a doctrine of God to some mere man.
I have a friend that is a Potter..His pottery sells for alot of money...When he spins a pot on the Wheel he will sometimes stuck his finger in it, or maybe a fork or he will punch it, breaking the pot. Then he will fire it in this condition. Because the broken pottery is now one of a kind it can go from two or three hundred dollars to three or four thousand dollars. Before God will use you, you must be broken before a Holy and Righteous God... once you have been broken and gone through the refining fire...you are worth more to God, because you are a one of a kind... Know this the process of being broken...can hurt, emotionally, you will think you are doing crazy sometimes...your finances can vanish...your home or apartment, could be taken away....you will deal with mind battles...and God will allow you to go through these things. Once you get to the other side you will have learned to live by faith and to trust God . . . Once you go through the refining fire..you will be a one of a kind and very valuable to the kingdom of God.... Some of you are going through that process as I text.. Don't fight it... relax and trust God because he loves you... Your in the process of becoming one of a kind for the Glory of God in Christ Jesus...Hodos!
I'm not a Calvinist, I'm a Bible believer and the "T" in tulip is actually correct. The Bible says all men are evil; Gen 5:6, 8:21, Jer 17:9, Ps 14:3, Rom 3:10, 23. Sin is passed down through Adam, Romans 6:12. Born in Sin: Ps 51:5, 58:3, Proverbs 15:11 11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? So why do parents have such a hard time with kids going wild as soon as they start to think and live? Why are the schools so filled with problems if children are born good? When Jesus said let the children come to me and be like children it's not because they are sinless, it is because children are dependent of the parents for everything. Christians depend of Christ for everything. Granted, as it says in Ezekiel the father will not bear the sins of the son or vice versa. Children will not be bear the sins of grown ups, but children also need to hear the gospel and decide whether they accept or not. That is why they are born "sons of the flesh". That is why so many kids raised in churches decide to leave the church. They never accepted it in their heart. Mark 16:15-16King James Version (KJV) 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. "Every creature includes children". It is not until a person is "born again" that they become the sons of God, born of the Spirit.
You appear to misunderstand the claims Calvinism makes with "Total Depravity". Even the "Total" part should give you a clue. They are not simply claiming that people are Evil and Depraved, they are literally claiming that "All" humans are 100% incapable of performing absolutely ANYTHING "Good" whatsoever. Meaning, God creates ONLY evildoers... If the "T" of "TULIP" were simply attesting to the sinfulness of humanity, then it would be valid; but because it attempts to nullify any capacity to goodness whatsoever, that claim denies the relevance of any command God ever provided throughout the entire Bible since, by default, they would always choose the most evil outcome in accordance to how God created them. Meaning... The Calvinistic god is a Masochist!--By creating creatures for the sole purpose of rebelling against himself.
+Truth , While it is true that people will naturally lean more in favor of Calvinism or Arminianism, even Calvinists admit that a "4-Point" Calvinist isn't possible. Likewise a "4-Point" Arminian is equally impossible. When you do not apply to the full specs of a Belief Structure, you are ultimately not able to be associated with it. For example, a person cannot be 80% Christian (aka: 4 out of 5)... you either are or you are not. A true middle-ground person deserves a different title to more accurately associate with their Belief Structure. As a result, plenty of people can be both an Anti-Calvinist and an Anti-Arminian.--I myself fit that... I didn't actually know about the existence of the belief known as "Arminianism" until long after I had become an Anti-Calvinist. I was introduced to Calvinism not by contrast to Arminianism, rather by an assault of Calvinistic ideals from a co-worker at my job. Upon discovering such a derailed version of "Christianity" existed, it became necessary to fully research the prospects revolving around the Belief Structure known as Calvinism for the purpose of discovering both the depths of its claims, how aligned with Truth it is, and ultimately, how to defend Christianity against it. During my researching, I eventually discovered the 72-Points of Anti-Calvinism, to which I agreed with ALL 72-Points and found myself to be a 100% Anti-Calvinist. After affirming how contrary Calvinism is from the Gospel, it wasn't until many, many, many years later that I discovered the Belief known as "Arminianism" when Calvinists began accusing me of being one...REPEATEDLY. So I began to research Arminianism likewise... While I do admit that its fallacies are far fewer, it two is problematic, especially to the extent that Calvinists complain about it. Because if indeed human will could out-perform God's will, we'd have a theological problem since the Creation should never be greater than the Creator. However, Calvinism possesses literally twice as many problems as Arminianism. And although I could not find a detailed list of points for Anti-Arminianism in the same way I was able to discover the 72-Points of Calvinism, if a list did exist... I suspect I'd be a 48-Point Anti-Arminian at best (supposing that there were 72-Points against Arminianism total). Meaning, there is minimally a portion of Arminianism I can agree with, but it is far too minimal to regard me as a true Arminian. Meanwhile, I cannot find myself in favor of absolutely anything Calvinism claims. Even when I try to play devil's advocate, I cannot find even just one valid argument to benefit Calvinism. It is riddled with so many discrepancies that it amazes me that it possesses such a cult-like following in the first place. But my simple point here is that you'd be mistaken to assume that "All" people are either Calvinist or Arminian... Certainly I believe people are likely to agree with one slightly more than the other, but the only way to truly apply to either Belief is to be ALL-IN, not one foot in the door and one foot out. If even just one of the core beliefs presented by the Belief Structure in question are in error, then you are not factually aligned with it. Once again, in the same sort of way that you cannot be a Christian while assuming a portion of Gospel is in error, even if only disagreeing with 1%.
God doesn't want Calvinists or Armenians. He wants Bible believing Christians who love and keep his word 100% with all your heart. Acts 11:26 King James Version (KJV) 26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called CHRISTIANS first in Antioch.
No! They are "Calvinists" who follow Calvin's personal (conclusions) teachings. You need to be a follower of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Everything you need to know is in the Bible and the Holy Spirit will show it to you. 1 John 2:27 King James Version (KJV) 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
John 14:21 for renewed Determinations . To our Life purposes . I John 1:9 for mistakes ! Acts 1:8 for hope for everyone. Use two lips for encouraging self & your family & friends . Forget the dead theologians. They are long gone. We need refreshment today .
dbboi33 - yes . It is . Shut religion down . Speak truth . Complete the work your Good at . Be professional. Live . Love . Be happy and quiet . Ignore foolishness . Go to heaven when your heart stops .
YOU WERE CREATED FOR THE GLORY OF GOD (1-minute study) If God is only a means to your self-advancement and exaltation, rather than your seeing in him something infinitely glorious, as a God consumned with the manifestation of his glory, then you need to check your conversion. So this is a big reality check. Very few people have ever said to me or shown me what I've now seen in the Bible, that God chose me for his glory. Because three times in Ephesians chapter 1--verses 6, 12, and 14--it says that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world and he predestined us to be his sons, unto the praise of the glory of his grace. He chose you. Why? That his glory and grace might be praised and magnified. Your salvation is to glorify God. Your election is to glorify God. Your regeneration was to glorify God. Your justification was for the glory of God. Your sanctification is for the glory of God. And one day your glorification will be an absorbance into the glory of God. You were created for the glory of God.
@@johnstewart4350 In all of your humility, you are right: I need to check my conversion. Oh that's right, I can't. I can't possibly know on this earth that I've been elected. And who cares anyway because heaven or hell, it's all for His glory - my pseudo-opinion and pseudo-personality (because there can't be free will in an entirely predestined machine of a universe) aren't in the equation. All of which makes 2 Peter 3:9 all the more confusing, I mean why discuss it in front of us. Surely it's just a private musing because he gets to choose and, you know ... the 'i' in TULIP and all that. When I talk with Calvinists I feel as if I've banged my head and missed an important part of the conversation.
@@johnstewart4350 God didn’t choose us before the foundation of the world for salvation. Kevin has a video on Ephesians 1:4 and the use of choice and election in the Bible. The beauty of Christianity is you make a choice, not works, to repent and believe in the risen Christ. The Holy Spirit then indwells you and He guides you to Christ and repentance. It’s so beautiful because it’s not works or random. It’s a choice. Here’s Kevin’s video on Ephesians 1:4 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3a17ghWvaz0.html
Calvin (I believe) presented the 'counterpoint' to previous error. Thus it never was 'total truth', and seeing it as such is an error which leads to many other errors.
Anyone who would call themselves a Calvinist should consider that he was directly involved in the death's of over 50 people who did not share his theology. Some of these people were actually burned at the stake. We shall know them by their fruits.
“God chooses to save some”. That is true, but the Calvinist would know that means “He chose to save only the elect. Who are the elect? We have to go back to the T to find out. The elect are only those that God chose before the foundation of the world to sovereignly (unconditionally, apart from anything they did or would do) regenerate so that they would have faith to believe in Christ. The Calvinist would say “you do not choose Christ”, Christ chose you.
@@route2033 which means those that weren't, weren't chosen by God. Which means they have an excuse for their unbelief. Which goes against scripture because God says you won't have any excuse for your unbelief. Not being preselected to believe is a good excuse why one doesn't believe. Calvinism is heresy.
@@route2033 the elect are those who believe not those who work at it. Election is grace believing in the finished work. Chosen is to go all the way with God. Some 30, some 60, some 100 fold. To him that overcomes shall be given the crown of Life.
Real problems with predestination; free will is endowed upon us by God and honored by God. Those not saved by God actually refuse God and turn their backs on Him thru their free will.
Calvinism clearly errs from the teaching of the Word of God on all 5 points of it’s TULIP. The logical conclusion of Calvinism is that God is an unfair respecter of persons who chooses people to salvation, not according to any standard that He established, but arbitrarily. This strikes at the love and justice of God, contradicts the fact that Christ gave his life for ALL, and rejects man’s responsibility to choose and love his Creator.
Question from an atheist here. If we are made in yahweh's image, and we have nipples, is it then logical to conclude that yahweh too has nipples? And as nipples are a trait found specifically in mammals, is yahweh, like us a mammal?
Norswil did they ever taught you in school what are hyperbole, metaphors, similes or anthropomorphisms? It will do you some good to look them up in a dictionary if they didn’t. Just saying!
calvinist tell God how to be sovereign calvinist tell people what God really meant when he said the world, God needed John Calvin's a Roman catholic to help to interpret the words WORLD, WHOSEVER, ALL, ETC. THE TULIP IS WILTING
Say we have five criminals who have just committed a terrible crime. The judge then tells these men that someone righteous has chosen to take their punishment and free them of their consequences of breaking the law... But the judge sends 3 of the 5 to jail still, despite their pardon. Would that judge be fair? Would the scales of justice balance? No he'd be charging people for crimes to which had already been paid.
David Grant Friend why don't you quote the full verse For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10 ESV
Jeswinth Gabriel I didn't quote the whole verse because I thought to keep my comment short and to the point . Calvinists don't believe what the Bible says. I didn't want to overload anyone with the eight other verses saying Christ died for everyone., the world. All people ect.
The Bibliognost no I am a Bible believer and since Calvinists are not, I didn't want to take the time to explain what words like, Every,All, Whosoever, mean.
That first part, T, is where Thomas Sowell posits in "A conflict of Visions," and "Intellectuals and Society," that human's are flawed from day 1, and that in everything we do, all there are is tradeoffs.
wow! you guys are soooooooooooooooooo pious to love a god who elected you to salvation before the beginning of the world while damning the rest of us who just take Jesus at His word an are "being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever..." and wow!!! your god is sooooooooo lucky to have you people to tell us that "world, all, every, and each" is just another way of spelling "e-l-e-c-t"...The problem is that the God who used the words "world, all, each, every" told us we are saved by believing in JESUS and being born again in THOSE very words which you argue "hath God said" against.... Consider that a man may not be saved by election no matter what RC Sproul said "If I know anything about theology, I know that if God sent me to hell tonight I could make no just complaint" only someone who does not know the seriousness of their sin and Jesus would come up with such a horrible imagined piety because Sproul is literally denying Jesus in that statement because Jesus said : "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qG_ZUWiM_50.html&t=2338 so, since sproul's reaction to God would not be "but you promised, I believed your words!" it is obvious that Sproul DID NOT believe Jesus instead Sproul believed Calvin, and worse still, Sproul spent his life telling people that Jesus did NOT mean what He said and consequently Sproul is discovering right now that preaching against the gospel of Jesus Christ and causing these little ones who believe on Jesus to doubt the promises of the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ are the very lies that take to you hell, forever... Calvinists, you're not pious for believing in the lies of the devil who asks "hath God said" since the very beginning ...and it were better for Sproul to have a millstone around his neck and be drowning in the sea.
I'm not a Calvinist! See? It's not hard to say if you're not, but if you are then you have to parse your words. I don't believe in Total Depravity. I believe that man has a sin nature and can't save himself, but I don't believe that we are incapable of seeking God and believing the gospel without a sovereign dispensation of God's grace in order to do so. (By the way, he didn't define Total Depravity correctly. It doesn't mean that we're not capable of saving ourselves. All Evangelicals believe that. It means that we're not capable of responding to the gospel due to our depraved state.) I don't believe in Unconditional Election. I believe that there are conditions that we have to meet to be saved. We have to believe. I don't believe in Limited Atonement. I believe that Jesus died for everybody. I don't believe in Irresistible Grace. I believe that we can resist God's grace because we have free will. I also don't believe in the Perseverance of the Saints. I believe that we're saved by faith, and true faith will result if living right and pursuing the truth, but again we all have free will and we don't lose our free will when we're saved. We'll always have the choice to depart the faith until we reach heaven. What it is about Calvinists that makes them feel that they can't be up front with people about what they believe?
1 Tim. 2:4 says God wants ALL to be saved. The fact that all aren't shows that God allows us to choose. Calvinism is the most evil doctrine ever devised.
Verses like 2 Peter 3:9 and 1 Tim 2:4 kept me on the fence for a while. But I'm convinced an argument against Calvinism based on these passages can't stand up to scrutiny. 1 Tim 2, for example, starts with the command to pray for "all" men. however we interpret the passage, we will need to have some qualification on what the word "all" means, unless Paul wants the Ephesians to get out the phonebook, and start praying for exhaustively every single human being! =)
I guess it all depends on what your definition of the word 'is" is. hahaha. If you don't like the obvious interpretation of "all", who does "all" refer to? The Church? No, because v2 gives some examples of who we should pray for and why. We are to pray for others outside the Church. Why would praying for them benefit them if they are not of the Elect? What good does missionary work do? The Elect will still be saved whether they ever hear of Christ and the damned will remain such, not matter their faith and charity towards others. The judgement of god has already been made and there is nothing we can do to alter it so prayers and evangelism is useless and of no importance....per Calvinism's logical conclusion. This is obviously false. Calvinism is a damnable heresy.
+Kevin Kirkham I think what I was getting at is this: do you think the command to pray for "all" means for the 6 or 7 billion individuals in the world right now? "And now we pray for, Aaron adams, Anthony adams, Benjamin adams..." And if the meaning of "all" in the command is more generic than that, why would it's use be more universal as the passage continues? In case you think I'm just playing with language, think about words like, "justify". Does it have the same meaning in James 2 as it has in Romans 4? If so, is Abraham declared to be just before God by faith alone, or not faith alone, but by works also? What about 1 John 2:15 "do not love the world or the things in the world..."? Is John using the word "world" in the same way he uses it in John 3:16? Finally, the word "all" itself is used throughout the bible in ways that must be qualified by the context. Consider Romans 3:21-26. Is every human being in the world "justified by God's grace as a free gift"? If we read the passage in the context of the chapter it is in, and even the whole book of Romans, the apostles usage of "all" in verse 23 is clear: A righteousness has been revealed apart from the law, a righteousness that comes through faith for ALL who BELIEVE. As the passage continues Paul uses the word all to describe this group, which he has already established, of whom it can be said 2 things: they have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and they are all Justified by His grace as a free gift. Do you see that if we do not allow the word "all" in this context to mean "all who believe" we end up with universalism, the belief that no one will go to hell, because God has justified "all"? context determines the meaning of words, sentences, etc. To deny this is to oversimplify, and to ignore a vital necessity in understanding language, in the way that it works everyday. As someone who desperately wants to hear and understand what God has revealed in His word, it must be my endeavor to also strive to understand words in the context in which they are found. I look forward to a response, respectfully, Mike =)
M:..do you think the command to pray for "all" means for the 6 or 7 billion individuals in the world right now? K: We can pray for mankind without having to name them individually. My church often prays for the “leaders of nations” to allow to allow missionaries to enter. We don’t name them one by one. M: In case you think I'm just playing with language, think about words like, "justify". Does it have the same meaning in James 2 as it has in Romans 4? If so, is Abraham declared to be just before God by faith alone, or not faith alone, but by works also? K: Those who receive the Gospel and touched by the Spirit are justified and are so without works. If they die right then and there, they are pure before God. Those of us who lived beyond our moment of accepting Christ are changed by our faith and do the works to glorify God. Those who are not truly believers are not convicted and will not do the works. Their faith is dead, per James. BTW, if the Elect don’t perform works per James, is their faith in vain if God plans to save them no matter what they do? Do the un-Elect become elect by faith and works of righteousness or are they damned no matter what? Another nail in the Calvinistic Heresy. M: What about 1 John 2:15 "do not love the world or the things in the world..."? Is John using the word "world" in the same way he uses it in John3:16? K: The former verse deals with unrighteousness and material things. The latter deals with mankind. BTW, Jn. 3:16 is also anti-Calvin because it says that whosoever believes in Christ will be saved, but Calvinists don’t believe that. There are many believers in Christ who will amongst the damned and many unbelievers who will be among the Elect. M: Finally, the word "all" itself is used throughout the bible in ways that must be qualified by the context. Consider Romans 3:21-26. Is every human being in the world "justified by God's grace as a free gift"? If we read the passage in the context of the chapter it is in, and even the whole book of Romans, the apostles usage of "all" in verse 23 is clear: A righteousness has been revealed apart from the law, a righteousness that comes through faith for ALL who BELIEVE. K: Sure, Paul put a qualifier on it in verse 22. The “all” in v.23 and the “they” in v.24 refer back to those who believed. Justification comes only to believers, M: Context determines the meaning of words, sentences, etc. To deny this is to oversimplify, and to ignore a vital necessity in understanding language, in the way that it works every day. As someone who desperately wants to hear and understand what God has revealed in His word, it must be my endeavor to also strive to understand words in the context in which they are found. K: I agree 100%. Here is a better verse showing that God wants all humans to repent so that none perish - 2 Pet. 3:9. God doesn’t want ANY to perish. If the verse refers only to the elect, they aren’t going to parish whether they repent or not. If it refers to the damned, they will parish whether or not the repent, according to Calvinism. 1 Jn. 2:2 says that he (Christ) died for the sins of all mankind and not just the believers. If only the few Elect are to be saved, why did Christ suffer for the damned which cannot make the atonement of Christ effective in their own lives? Calvinism is contrary to the Bible. It states that missionary work makes no sense since the fate of people is fixed. It denounces the necessity to live righteously (James 2). It says that prayers for others matter not since their fate, good or bad, is already sealed. It is complete fatalism. A damnable heresy.
Thank you for your response. First of all, I think you made my main point for me. My initial point was that words get their meaning from context. Your response to my John 3:16 / 1 John 2:15 comparison demonstrates this beautifully. “The former verse deals with unrighteousness and material things. The latter deals with mankind.” What if I were to say, “World means WORLD!”? I would be missing the distinction you make, very appropriately, between the meaning for “world” that is used in John 3:16 (mankind, humanity, etc.) and John’s usage in 1 John 2:15 (evil world order, rebellious human collective). You also, I believe, perfectly understand the way the word “all” functions in Romans 3:23-24. It’s usage is restricted by the proceeding verse which limits the category based on the context. Again, what if I were a universalist and said, “all means ALL! Every single person is justified by God!”, ignoring what you point out so clearly? Again, we see an example where flattening out the meaning of a word (“all means ALL!”) would not only violate the meaning of a passage, but would also lead to serious error. I think you are also on the same page with me in the comparison between Romans 4 and James 2. But let me make sure. Here is the presentation that I would make: Paul uses the word justify in the sense of one’s standing before God (God declaring a person to be just, righteous, etc.) where James uses the term justify in the sense of one’s warrant before other’s (and themselves) to claim a saving faith (you are not justified in your claim of faith, because you do not have works to demonstrate that your faith is genuine). Again, it is very appropriate to recognize the word as having multiple definitions, and using the definition that is appropriate in the context. You asked the question about the elect not performing works. I think you are missing a crucial point in the bible’s teaching on grace: God does not give the grace to come, and believe in Jesus without ALSO giving the grace to continue in the faith, do Spirit empowered good works, and persevere to the end. Consider the words of Jesus in John 6:37 - “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus’ explanation for why the crowd does not believe has to do with God’s giving a specific group to the Son, who will be raised up on the last day. My question to you is this: Who does the Father give to the Son? You raise 2 Peter 3:9. Again, I think context is everything. First, the passage starts with “This now is the second letter I am writing to you, beloved”. Who does he mean by “beloved”? I think the argument of the passage is very clear: The Lord’s patience is demonstrated when He delays His coming so that every single one of His beloved elect comes to repentance, and that is why He has not returned yet, even though He certainly will, eventually. How does the argument work if the Lord waits for absolutely everyone, including those who will never come to repentance? Isn’t that the same thing as saying, “He’s never coming back”? But Jesus is coming back! And Paul’s argument makes complete sense if we allow, again, the context to establish the meaning of the passage. I will certainly admit that on the face of it, 1 John 2:2 seems to clearly proclaim a universal atonement. But I think a more thorough analysis of John’s usage of the word “world” allows the meaning to be the same concept as what he presents in John 1:29, John 11:49-52, and Revelation 5:9-10. The reality of Jesus’ substitutionary atonement for His people is established clearly throughout the bible, especially in the book of Hebrews, and the question remains this: If Jesus actually took the wrath of God for the sins of those who will never believe, why does God still have wrath towards them? Are not all their sins paid for? How can the books be opened, and judgment be exacted from those whose debts have been paid? (Rev. 20:13) You mentioned missions, and so I will respond. The most profound encouragement I have to evangelize is this: God does not simply stand back and see what sinners will do with His gracious offer; He can turn a dead, unresponsive human soul, a heart of stone, into a heart of flesh. I need never fear in my prayers that someone has just “made up their mind” that any situation is hopeless, because I serve a God who changes hearts, and does so with absolute sovereign authority. The question is this: why would we pray for God to change a person’s heart, to change their mind, if all He is interested in is what they will do with their own will? He has already done everything He can and will, and the rest, supposedly, is up to them. Again, I look forward to your response, With love, Mike =)
@@anonimo-um2ng The body of believers is the church. A focus on Mary isn't biblical and the eucharist is idolotry. The new testament is about the spirit, the old testament was about the physical. I interpret John 6 as we need to consume the Word and Jesus is the Word.
Even though I was predestined before I became born again in 1987, I wasn’t chosen by God immediately. At that stage I was in the category of the called but yet to be chosen, just as there was a time when I was yet to be born again. And although I was always predestined along with God knowing that I would eventually get chosen, I was still yet to be chosen. I believe it’s only in the last few short years that I’ve been chosen, and I know it. How did I get chosen? By becoming completely obedient to God with all gratitude. Not 80% or 90% obedient. But 100% obedient. But we, who are the predestined, are invariably not always privy to whom God will and won’t save, so therefore we sow liberally like the sower in the parable. And as the growth of the seed shooting up into shoots is not dependent upon us, apart from preparing the ground, as John the Baptist did for Jesus, but instead it depends upon God’s sunlight wind and rain. We do the work of the sower liberally sowing the word of God. Who would have thought such a terrorising persecutor of the church could become the messenger to the gentiles? The prayers of the saints undoubtedly contributed to turning this menace into a miracle. Even though I was predestined before I became born again in 1987, I wasn’t chosen by God immediately. At that stage I was in the category of the called but yet to be chosen, just as there was a time when I was yet to be born again. And although I was always predestined along with God knowing that I would eventually get chosen, I was still yet to be chosen. I believe it’s only in the last few short years that I’ve been chosen, and I know it. How did I get chosen? By becoming completely obedient to God with all gratitude. Not 80% or 90% obedient. But 100% obedient. But we, who are the predestined, are invariably not always privy to whom God will and won’t save, so therefore we sow liberally like the sower in the parable. And as the growth of the seed shooting up into shoots is not dependent upon us, apart from preparing the ground, as John the Baptist did for Jesus, but instead it depends upon God’s sunlight wind and rain. We do the work of the sower liberally sowing the word of God. Who would have thought such a terrorising persecutor of the church could become the messenger to the gentiles? The prayers of the saints undoubtedly contributed to turning this menace into a miracle.
Like when you decide to listen to the alarm clock wake up and go to work so you won't starve. You decide to stop at the red light to not die tragically on a car wreck. You decide to show up on time, go to lunch on time, and leave work on time to not get fired and face the financial burden. Then at night you get hungry and thus decide to eat to satisfy that hunger and then you get tired and sleepy thus you decide to go to sleep, so you will be ready to take decisions next day, unless of course you decide to have bad dreams or be too stressed to sleep.
This is an honest question as I'm not very familiar with these beliefs. Why does the debate revolve around the eternal destination and salvation of someone as opposed to positions or purpose? Do these views always assume that when people die they either go to Heaven if saved or "elect" or eternal Hell forever if not "elect" or saved? For example, Romans 9:17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very "purpose" I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens." or 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the "purpose of God" according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” What does this have to do with salvation and eternal destination? As opposed to the purpose of God.
Jonathan Kotyk Who defines what a slave to sin is? Can a slave want freedom from his master? What about a slave to righteousness? Can he disobey his master? Realize, that in the total depravity construct, definitions are placed on words and phrases. We should ask ourselves "what does it mean to be dead in sin?" Is it dead like a corps? Is it dead like I'm facing the death penalty? (Dead man walking) Is it dead like I'm not bearing any fruit? Is it dead like I'm separated from God? When a Calvinist runs through a list of conditions that a certain group of people had/are experiencing, ask yourself... Are these acquired conditions? ( look for words like: became, made, strayed, etc.) Is this talking about all people throughout all time? (Would you say that "yes, all lost people are homosexuals") Is this a quote from the OT in order to make a point? If so, what point is he trying to make? (Look for phrases like "as it is written", don't be afraid to search out where it is written and find out the context, then go back to your original text and go back to find out if the authors point was to prove total depravity or to show that the Jews, though they had many advantages, fell short and sinned in the same manner as the Gentiles, and therefore they need not be high minded) Try exercising some of these hermeneutical principles, and who knows what you just might discover. (Intended to be light hearted, not condescending) God bless!
An act of the will starts as a desire in the heart, which is then articulated in the mind and then carried out in the will. If the heart is sinful and incapable of good, then you can only act within the confines of what is available to the heart, thus we are slaves to sin.
I think Calvin got a lot “awful-right” too... Good man. Brilliant man. Saved man. Right about a lot of things, man. Wrong about a lot of things, man too.
Calvinism is theology taken from scripture, re-injected back into the Word of God in a wicked way by wicked people. Take words like "Election, Pre-destination, determined" and give them your own definitions, then go back and apply them to God's Word and God's attributes and you will get Calvinism. I am not saying they aren't trying to be biblical, and I am not saying they aren't right about a LOT of stuff, and I am not saying it isn't Biblical, because it is but it's basically a theology that starts with God's Sovereignty and Power mixed with Man's wickedness. You can start anywhere, but what a weird place to start. Why not start with God's Love or God's Creativity? 1 Corinthians 13 also doesn't exist in Calvinism. It's removed from the Bible (lol) Calvinists also have the problem of putting the weakest portions of theology over the best of man's philosophy %100 of the time, since the Bible is better than the imagination of man. The Bible being authoritative is fine... but man's reading of the Bible being authoritative is a bit of a stretch I believe that the Bible is the Word of God, but it's not "perfect" because of the people reading it. It's also not Deity. I have a strict Christ>Bible theology. Sure it's perfect if it's translated perfectly, but a lot of verses are pretty mysterious and people smarter than me are really confused about a lot of stuff. R.C. Sproul used to talk about how stupid he was about EVERYTHING in the Bible, regardless of the fact he was smarter than everyone else reading it. If our smartest people are wrong about their interpretation of scripture, then it's safe to assume that the Bible is filled with "errors" or "half truths", and that's okay. In John 2 19 Jesus Christ talks about how he will "destroy this temple and build it up in 3 days". Contextually, it's clear to %99.9 of people reading it that he will destroy a temple (a building) and build it up in 3 days (he is a carpenter). However, I may take a "Minority" view on a passage like this and say "maybe he is being a smart-ass and is referring to himself, and it's an esoteric thing to say." Amazingly, the %0.1 view was correct in this passage, as the "theologian nerds" made a mistake; God literally died and rose again 3 days later! The Temple was himself, and the building back up was also himself. Interesting. I didn't see that coming. Oh wait, yes I did. This is also the case with the word "Pre-destination". In the Greek pre-destination just means to destinate something before hand. If I want to go to New York next week, I can pre-destine myself to go there today. God pre-destined everyone to Heaven, as it's clearly written in 2 Peter, but Calvinists get around it with word play. What if pre-destine was actually a 150 word definition in God's eyes, not what the original Greek says? What if by Pre-destine God actually loaded a lot of awesome entropy layers of love and creativity into it? Would the Calvinists care? Would the Calvinists think it's possible? An analogy God gave me weeks ago was this A letter comes down from the sky and it says from God "I want you 3 to run to the store and pick up some milk." They have 15 minutes to interpret it John interprets this to mean that we should all get into the car and go to SAFEWAY Amy says that we should drive to LUCKY's (another store) James (a Calvinist) is pissed. In the Greek the word "Run" means "to use one's legs to travel distance". James insists that we should run to the store, not drive. Let me guess, we should also pick up the milk too? Like literally, pick it up? I mean it doesn't say "buy" the milk does it? In reality, God is laughing, as the correct interpretation is this: I want you guys to LOVE each other... and LOVE me... God's interpretation of Scripture is so much better! Notice how God has a really loose view of HIS OWN WORD?? Wow... All of his verses should be viewed in the light of Love and Justice, and not just justice, and not just love. Hell is really bad, but it's not as bad as it should be because of God's mercy MIXED IN with his Justice. When Adam sinned, he should of went to hell, but he was given a promise, and when Lucifer sinned, he should of been immediately punished, but he was given a world to be god over through God's mercy and creativity. God is so merciful, and regardless of man's wicked theology injected into the Bible (Calvinism), God will stay like that. Sure God is anti-evil, but he isn't infinite in his anti-evil the way he is infinite in some of his other attributes. "Free Will" is an ongoing debate, and I take a hard stance that all sides are wrong, but I lean Free Will. Check this out: Right this second, we are in the presence of the Imagination of Jesus Christ. I hope that makes you feel better. Calvinism closes doors that shouldn't be closed in order to protect God's maximums while denying philosophical brilliancies that might be onto something. The God of Calvinism is very literal and very black and white. We know that God isn't that cool because the Bible says the Bible says the Bible says the Bible says John Calvin talked about singular pre-destination theories that will boggle the mind (in the worst ways). They aren't creative and makes this life out to be a Movie that God scripted and is watching and can't/won't change. Human Life is closer to a complex sporting event between God's Justice and God's Mercy where we are the Athletes and he is the coach, fan, referee, and Owner than it is a Calvinistic puppet show with "no maverick molecules". God is a loving, gracious, creative, infinitely awesome meticulous artist, but he isn't a psychotic power hungry egotistical control freak too. Not entirely.
'But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, ' Galatians 1:15-16 'Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. ' II Timothy 1:8-11
Clinton De Abreu, Christians only follow Jesus and His words as Calvin's doctrine of double-predestination maligned God's character and thus a heresy teaching. thank you
1. Does God know everything from beginning to end? 2. Did God know every single person that would ever be born? 3. Did God know when and how every person would die? Any true Christian will have to answer yes to every one of these questions. That means that God knew who would be saved and who would not be saved before He ever created them, yet He still created them all, even the ones that He knew would go to hell... we can't change what God knows.. I mean do you really think that God KNEW a million years ago all the people that would go to heaven or hell.... and then along the way be shocked to realize that He was wrong because some of them chose different than what He already knew before He created them? I mean come on, this is absolutely ridiculous. Lets take another examples... Would God create someone to go through torture? Most people say no but think about it, that's exactly why He put Jesus on earth. Do you think that God created Judas without knowing that Judas would betray Jesus? No, God created Judas strictly to fulfill scripture. Would God put someone on earth just to disobey him? Many Christians say not but Romans says that Pharaoh was born for the very purpose that he served. Before Moses went before Pharaoh even once God told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh's heart so that Pharaoh wouldn't obey... God said he was doing this for His glory. We have to stop trying to make God live up to what our small minds think is fair... we have to trust by faith that God IS just and fair by His own standards.
Bible doesn't say pharaoh was born for that purpose. It says that he was raised up for that purpose. Your assuming that it means born. Could "raise up" mean put into power? Yes.
I don't believe in Calvinism. Just read your Bible. It is the ultimate instruction book. I know God loves me and I trust that he will take me to Heaven as I have accepted him as my savior and I try my best not to disappoint him. Praise the Lord.
TULIP is beautiful flower but awfully bad theology. Rightly accurately interpret the word of God says he and I wander how come this theology was not endorsed by early Christians. Augustine was Gnostic and not Christian Calvin picked up all this from him, Augustine. Please do read Will Durant's History of Civilization. Will had a little good to say about John Calvin. Another comment I found. "If a man kills for the sake of Jesus Christ he has his exegesis wrong" Enough said. No one sane can be true follower of teachings of john Calvin or any of the reformers. Stick to what Jesus tought. Dave Hunt dedicated the entire book on the subject. what Love is this calvi's misrepresentation of God. Please do read it.
The word World doesn't mean ever person. The Apostle John doesn't mean everyone. World for John means All types or kinds of people, that is to say Jesus died not only for Jewish people but also non Jewish people, Peoples of the Nations. That's the basic meaning of the biblical concept of COSMOS.
@@ronnaleecaton1752 ““Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.” This one??
@@ronnaleecaton1752 can I pose a slightly different, yet crucial suggestion in light of Matt 3:11, because I believe we might actually see this very similarly. Born again means many things, forgiven of sins, regenerated heart, belief that Jesus is the Christ, but repentance, or the working of the Holy Spirit as you called it (no problem there), is the EVIDENCE of being born again. Wouldn’t you agree?
If your a Calvinist what’s the point of witnessing to people? Also if we are in the millennium as they say we are then why is Jesus not seated in Jerusalem
> If your a Calvinist what’s the point of witnessing to people? That's a pretty weak straw man. But here's a serious answer for you. Ephesians 2:8-10 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for *good works*, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. God saved us to do the good works He predestined for us. He uses us through those works to send the gospel to people. People become saved by God through the gospel. Consequently, God uses us and our works as a means of saving His people, similar to how God used Moses to save the Israelites. A Calvinist witnesses because some of the elect were predestined to become saved through their witnessing of the gospel. > Also if we are in the millennium as they say we are then why is Jesus not seated in Jerusalem Most Calvinists are amillennialists and believe that Christ will return and reign at the end of the church era. They claim that Jesus is reigning spiritually at the moment, which I doubt any Christian would disagree with.
@@TimPowerGamer So one is to witness to non-elect because you call that a good work? A good work for what? If they can't repent then what's the purpose?
@@767Robson It's not about witnessing to specifically elect or non-elect people. We don't know which is which (which is why we witness to everyone). God could have foreordained our witnessing to an elect person and that could have been the mechanism He chose to utilize to bring them unto salvation. And that would absolutely be a good work. One of which the Lord deserves all the credit for, but one I would feel honored to play a small part in.
God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are 3 separate Gods that have the same will. Jesus died for the sins of all mankind and those that dont hear the word or die before the chance get a 2nd shot at judgement. God is a living being and not a invisible mist witnessing everything everywhere. God gave us common sense and has told us several times he is a God of love. John 13:34 stop living in the 1500s God has given us a new prophet, Joseph Smith. Dont listen to the 2nd hand evil words of someone trying to hold you down. Read the Book of Mormon for yourself. Not 1 person that has read it became more evil. Either you pray and the Holy Ghost will tell you yes or no. The only sheppard you need is the one you pray to. God bless you
LuvMyAR15 they are not three separate Gods, they are God in three persons God created us as the Father, offers us salvation as the Son, and leads us as the Holy Spirit.
@@NLBrown-gz2qe thats what i said, 3 Gods we Christians worship. 1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Also 1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 1 John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. There are 3 Gods it is clear as day and they work as 1 just like a married couple. God bless you my friend. I hope this helps. No Golden Calfs here, ever.
He gave the Lamb you put the blood on you heart by faith. What makes the Atonement so grand is that if only 1 in ten million believed in His finished work on the ✝ He still would have gone through that horrific crucifixion. At my darkest moment in life He sent 2 common folk (evangelists) across my path to tell me Jesus would wash my sins away. Regardless of who did what To God Be The Glory! Theology did not save me. Christ alone by His cross. The Spirit and the Bride say come! God our Father will sort us out
