Why I'm Not a Calvinist (Ben Witherington) 

Thank u Dr Ben. I've been a Nazarene all my life, and the more I study 5-point Calvinism as a mature adult, and Christian, is the more I see how its doctrines are an affront to the character of God.

I love this! I’m not Methodist, but very much agree.

I think we as humans dig too deeply. We will never fully understand God. All these different theologies causes unnecessary debates. We should be spreading the Good News, witnessing and testifying about Jesus. We should be living righteous & acceptable lives, keeping God first out of the love and respect we have for Him. We all will be held accountable for ourselves on that Day. The Bible clearly tells us what we should and should not do. And if there is ever a lack of understanding he advises us to come to Him for wisdom and understanding- not man. We shouldn't lean on our own knowledge which is why we need the Holy Spirit, who will lead & guide us into all truth. The concern should be am I truly walking with Jesus? Have I been born again? Am I doing God's will?

It doesn’t matter if I understand every bit of Gods Word(the Bible).......what matters is that I BELIEVE every single word of the Bible is truth..... If the Bible says “he died for all”.....or “whosoever will”.....then I believe it If it says that “your name on the Lambs Book of Life before the foundations of the world”....or......”all that the Father has given unto me ....I will lose not one”........or that “the Elect of God shall not be deceived “....then I believe it It doesn’t matter what I think or any other human thinks ......it only matter what He thinks.....and if it’s in His Holy Word then it true ........if you can’t seem to make the “pieces of the puzzle fit “.......or it seems contradictory....just leave it in Gods hands......go to Him in prayer .....ask Him by faith for a clearer understanding and in his own time of choosing ...He will reveal it to you But to take one scripture and toss another one away just because it “doesn’t make sense”.....is probably one of the worst things you can do as a Christian

Nobody taught me calvinism and arminianism. But the arminian view is the logical and natural response to what you read in the Bible. With calvinism you have to twist your mind and make a mockery of logic and reason that God gave us (God is a logical being, we are created in his image) in order to be able to see tulips everywhere.

If I’m saved it’s God who was responsible for my salvation not my response or choice. If I reject him, I’m responsible and will be held accountable in judgment. I was without God. He sent Jesus. I did nothing! I was without God. He sent someone to share the Gospel with me. I did nothing! I was without God. His Word was placed in me by the messenger he sent! I did nothing! I was without God. His Word started working in me until belief came alive in me. I did nothing. I was without God. He sent his son. He sent his messenger. They planted the Word in me that produced belief. I did nothing! When Faith and Love came alive in me I couldn’t deny or reject anymore and I found obedience to love opening my mouth in confession of him. Ex. God brought my wife into my life and changed me. When she entered my life love came alive in me and I’ve never been the same. Her presence in my life changed my desires, I did nothing. I found something new in me, changing even my desires. Love for her transformed but when Jesus entered my life through the Gospel, his presence transformed me to a greater degree. I did nothing. I just didn’t reject him or deny him anymore. It wasn’t a choice or a result of choosing to respond. I found my response to his presence irresistible. I could have rejected him I guess but His Word, The Truth overpowered me, and He Captured my heart. I was defenseless. He gets All the credit for my Salvation! Those who reject him and deny the Truth are responsible and will be accountable for rejecting him.

As a Catholic I liked his presentation. I could sit with this man and find common ground.

Everything that happens in history has been decreed/Predestined before the world was created see Eph 1:11, Proverbs 16:33 and Amos 3:6. And yes even when terrible things happen, I know it's hard for some people to accept but look what happened when David sinned against God and one of Davids punishments was that God told him that he was going to use Davids own son to shame his Father by Absalom Absalom doing something immoral to his Fathers concubines in front of all of Israel, see 2 Samuel 12:11-12 God said "Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun." Notice how God said "I WILL DO THIS THING."That was fulfilled in 2 Samuel 16:21-22. Jesus did not die for every single person ever and Jesus didn't die to make people savable. He died to save his elect. In John 17:9 Jesus said that he does not pray for the world. The word world is used in different contexts, in that context he's talking about the non elect. In John 3:16 world means that he purchased people from every tribe, tongue and nation Rev 5:9 and for the children of God scattered abroad John 11:52. Some have been "long beforehand marked out for condemnation" Jude 4 and "appointed to doom." 1 Peter 2:8. About Pharaoh God said “For this VERY PURPOSE I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires." Rom 9:17-18. Jesus said "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Matthew 11:25-27. So, 2 Pet 3:9 the "not willing that any should perish" if you read that letter in context, 2 Pet 1:1 says "To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours." As far as salvation for all men verses, Paul was refuting the false notion of his time that God was only desiring to save just the Jews and 1 Tim 2:2 says to pray "for kings and all who are in authority" because as humans WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE ELECT ARE SO WE PRAY FOR EVERYONE! That's what it means in verse 4 by saying "all men." Amos 3:2 God said "of all the nations of the earth I have only known you." For centuries God passed over the majority of humankind because this verse isn't about knowledge it's about relationship. And it isn't because God foresaw Israel was more righteous then the other nations because sometimes Israel was more sinful then the pagan nations see 2 Kings 21:9. Only those who were predestined to be saved will be see Acts 13:48, Ephesians 1:4-5, Eph 1:11, Romans 9:11-23, John 6:37. 1 Samuel 3:14 God said “Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” That's Limited atonement.

You would think the entire Bible whereby God is constantly interacting with humanity beseeching them to do what is right, to repent, and come back to Him would be a sign that God didn't choose beforehand for people to go to heaven or hell from the beginning of time. It really amazes me how people cherry-pick select verses and then completely miss the entire theme of the book.

It's really interesting that this sinner is judging the character of God!!!

"now I know why God predestined me to be a Methodist" nice zinger!

Yes the Calvinist god is merciful by punishing by torture those he forced to commit the very sins he came up with! Good job Baucham Sproul, Calvin, MacArthur, Washer, Piper. No wonder millions flock to the merciful Calvin god! The real God of Creation said this of His love for all man and the Created Universe. Psalms 145:9 The Lord is good to ALL; he has compassion on ALL he has made. Little different from the evil cruel god of calvinism isn't it? The real Jesus said in John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 1 Timothy 2 : 3-6 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. Calvinist god followers say that their god blinds the eyes of the Non-elect so they cannot see or understand the gospel. Yet it is they who have been blinded by Satan. Satan has blinded the eyes of those who are perishing. Satan leads the whole World astray. Nothing makes people hate God faster than Calvinism. Nothing turns people into Atheists faster than Calvinism! Nothing kills hope and love faster than Calvinism! Yet they are wise in their own eyes and lost in their souls and hearts.They gather around themselves those who speak the same lie! Wake up and turn to God who loves you . "Repent and be Baptized before your life is spent and there is no more hope for you! This can be the day of your salvation. In Love!

Arminianism puts YOU at the center of Your Salvation. Calvinism put JESUS at the center of your Salvation. Arminianism puts your Salvation in your hands to keep and maintain or you'll lose it. Calvinism puts your Salvation Safely in the Hand of God of which JESUS said no one can snatch you out of, not even yourself. God doesn't un-Save someone whom He's promised to give Eternal Life. Believing you can lose your Salvation once you've Been Born Again is to believe that God is a Liar and His Holy Spirit weak. If you could Save your Self by your own Actions, JESUS' death on the Cross was unnecessary. Arminians believe you're Saved because YOU accepted JESUS. Calvinist believe you're Saved because JESUS accepted you.

After struggling with a lot of frustrating experiences with churches, this video is helping me to better understand why I struggled so much. I didn’t realize all of this pain I experienced was based in Calvinism.

I'm fairly convinced that if Calvinism had been the original form of the Gospel that had been preached in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' life, death and resurrection that it wouldn't have taken off in the way it did. Frankly, it probably would've been relegated to a more cult-like status in terms of both numbers and influence. Seriously, who would sign-up for a brand new religion being actively persecuted in which there was only a slim chance that you might be in God's favor, a God who seemingly not only permits but utilizes evil acts rather than embodying recognizable love or mercy, but are more than likely made to be cast into eternal torment by no fault of your own regardless of what you do or believe? The good news indeed. Its success feels entirely predicated on the fact it emerged in a world that was already long saturated in Christianity and therefore was then filled with people who were already predisposed to the scriptures being true as a first principle and thus be capable of accepting new variations which claimed there was certain things they needed to do to be more faithful adherents.

The doctrine of the elect is severely misunderstood. If God is not sovereign then God is unjust. Who am I to question God's motives. Man is totally and utterly depraved. God chooses man responds, but our response is not free but comes at a price, the blood of Christ. I have heard people say, "I accepted Christ or I decided to choose God." Really, how arrogant and presumptuous. God. Do you not know how God has chosen vessels for honor and dishonor, how can the clay instruct the Potter. We should humbly bend the knee and thank God He had chosen us as His elect. Praise and glory to Christ.

That's funny. "We're praying you'll get those 5 points." In calvinism whatever anyone's says or does, believes anything or not believing anything is pre-determined. They don't REALLY believe what they claim.

I love this video, I visit it periodically. I've had some professors who've tried to ease those 5 points into student's psyches. I'm not omitting the scholarship of Calvin or Luther, but a line of demarcation must be inserted on certain doctrinal perspectives ... now I know why God predestined me to be "non-conformed."

TULIP was not put forth by Jean Calvin. Hence using TULIP as an argument against Calvinism is based on a false premise. TULIP is an insufficient summation or attempt to codify Calvin's Augustinian theology [actually, an attempt to summarize conclusions arising from the 1618-1619 Synod of Dort]. Methodism and Arminus elevate man's choosing God over God choosing man. So who is actually Sovereign in that line of thinking? Is it not written "Jacob I loved but Esau I hated (Romans 9:13). That being said, I do enjoy Dr. Witherington's perspectives on Biblical exegesis. That's what makes practical or Biblical theology so important. Systems can lead to division and confusion. Attributes foreign to our LORD.

I myself studying theology now and you know what, there are endless arguments about different denominations and their theological viewpoints. That doesn’t make sense why leave that division and live according to what the Bible says..No one can understand God fully to explain Him because He is Almighty.. Theology alone cannot make you a better person but Only a genuine relationship with God and do what He commands you to do daily.

If Calvinists have a tulip to represent their theology, what do Arminians have? A daisy -- he loves me, he loves me not, he loves me.... 🤣

People speak of pride with Calvinists....I am a Calvinist (99% anyway) and I often wonder why God saved me? Why? It wasn't because I was good or smart or had just enough faith....what I had known since I was a small kid now somehow struck me at 22 as being beautiful, Jesus was now desirable. I had 'prayed the prayer' many many times....what was now so different about this time? God place into my heart, a love for Himself...that was never ever the case before. Anyways, Calvinists and Arminians are brothers in Jesus, regardless. Even if we don't fully understand what or how our salvation occurred, IF it did occur, then we are brothers!!

You sir, have denied the clear teachings of Scripture. Your doctrine is damnable. God's word clearly says, He chose us (His elect) in Him before the foundation of the world.(Ephesians 1:4) Furthermore, one cannot choose God when they are dead. We were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). You continued to take scripture out of context throughout your presentations when you weren't outright denying it. And your comment at [2:58] "Never mind the exegesis of little things?" You gotta be kidding me. You actually admitted in that one comment that not all scripture is important. Then you said, Jesus died for all and atoned for all [3:38-3:30]. But if you really believe that Jesus died for all, and all are atoned for then all will be saved because all have been atoned for. Your logical conclusion has to then be no one will be in hell when Jesus clearly taught more will travel the broad road that leads to destruction than those who will travel the narrow road that leads to eternal life. If you really believe that, you are a universalist and a heretic of the worst sort.

Thank you. Agreed. However, I would not have used the word "inefficient" in connection with arguing against Calvinism that Jesus died for all. They use that word to argue that God was very efficient in limiting to he died for so he didn't waste his blood. Obviously, God's not about cold mechanical efficiency. He's about providing for all of his creation, whether or not they respond to receive his love

The Bible is absolutely clear that God is sovereign -- as R.C. Sproul once, so correctly stated, "If there is one rogue molecule in the Universe, then God is not God!" My Bible says in Romans 8:29-30 - "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." (Notice it's all past tense) In John 6:44, Jesus said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day." The Greek word (helkyse) translated as "draws", literally means to drag -- it is the same word used Acts 14:19 when the mob in Lystra 'dragged' Paul out of the city after stoning him. In John 10:26-29, Jesus said to the Jews, "But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand." This verse does not suggest that Jesus sheep made the decision to be His sheep. Just because God, in His sovereignty forgives some and not others, it does not mean He is unjust. He cannot be 'unjust', but He can act in a 'non-just' way -- that is called 'Mercy'. If God universally forgave everyone He would violate His 'Just Nature' -- "...for all have sinned....

I appreciate Ben. It would have been nice to have addressed some of the Scriptures that those who believe in Calvin's theology point out.

Seems you're arguing against the specific with the general. Further, we should resort to characterizing the Transcendental God with our subjective human "standard". Let the scripture speak for itself.

Jesus Christ died for all NOT some. Unfortunately many reject Him.

This articulation of Calvinism is a straw man, and I am not sure Dr. Ben Witherington accomplishes defeating his straw man.

I am NOT a Calvinist my friend. I don't hate God and I can't for the life of me understand why you would hate Him for not being what YOU think He should be like. If you truly believe Scripture you would understand that God chose us before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4 ESV Even as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love (notice BEFORE) Jesus was the Lamb who was slain before the foundations of the world. Rev.13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And there are many more verses to support this. Does God learn? Is God omniscient, Having total knowledge; knowing everything. Having universal knowledge; knowing all things; infinitely knowing or wise? He most definitely is! Are His ways our ways? Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, Rom 9:21-22 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him. Did Judas have a choice to believe or was he the son of perdition? Judas was remorseful and hung himself..Do you think he was preordained to deceive Christ? Does God know what we are thinking and what we are going to ask Him before we even ask? Did God harden Pharaoh's heart? Didn't Pharaoh want to let the people of Israel go? I could go on and on but your heart has been hardened my friend. Either God IS Sovereign or He is NOT. I myself believe that He IS! The mind of a person plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9 Again, I am NOT a Calvinist. I just believe what the Word of God says. Scripture interprets Scripture. Just wondering...Do you believe Woman can be Pastors? Do you believe transgender people are acceptable to God? Denying God's absolute Sovereignty as the all knowing, all powerful Creator that He is, is truly taking credit for what He has done and therefore is blasphemy! These issues are not Essential for Salvation, but denying His Omniscience regarding this is diminishing who He is. Being a scholar of God's Word, you are responsible in what you teach and are held to a higher standard for what you teach. The United Methodist Church has been misleading people for years! So Sad!

Our core beliefs shape our reality. There’s no such thing as interpreting Scripture in an unbiased way. We need some guiding principle or principles to guide us, and “What does this tell us about the character of God?” is an excellent one.

If a Calvinist truly believes his on (heretical) doctrine and TULIP, why in the world would they be trying to convince us that we should also believe as they do. But, then again, to believe in Calvinism one has to give up logic.

I'm not Methodist but I love your exegesis. Your study of Romans was a revelation. I too am no longer Calvinist. The Bible is a difficult book and needs theologians like you to clarify it.

It’s really quite disappointing to see yet another anti-Calvinist rebuttal that fails to hit the mark in the same two ways: (1) he focuses on notably peripheral, ancillary proof-texts and emotional appeals to subjective notions of virtues like “love” (2) he never once even attempts to refute any of the Calvinist proof-texts on any petal of the tulip. While both are problems, (2) is clearly more significant as it’s unquestionably deliberate, designed to manipulate the viewer who might not look into the opposing Biblical argument. tldr: if anyone attempts to make an anti-Calvinist argument and doesn’t address Romans 9 in any meaningful way, that is a huge red flag and a cause for suspicion

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that WHOSOEVER believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

*Why Would Jesus* *Die For Some and* *Not All?* *Because the Father* *Knows Who Will* *Accept Salvation and* *Who Will Reject* *Jesus' Sacrifice For* *All, Some Start their* *Labor at the Eleventh* *Hour Yet Recieve the* *Same Wage a Penny* *Matt20:6*

We exist in a soteriological paradox; Calvin leaned exceedingly far toward the para- and Jacobus Arminius leaned even more toward the -dox. I see a continuum betwixt the two where both seem so when somewhat moderated each by the other. I love and honor them both as fathers in the faith. This is a very good video.

The commandment to love the Lord your God and love your neighbor is NOT the heart of the gospel. That is law. We cannot fulfill it. Jesus fulfilled on our behalf. The heart of the gospel is Jesus - who he is (the son of God), and what he has done (death on the cross for sins and raised to life). I am concerned that you are mixing the greatest commandment with what the gospel actually is, especially according to 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, Ephesians 2. Also "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will" Eph 1:4,5

Rock on! I don't understand how this isn't more commonly understood.

The reason that you're not a calvinist is because you are not converted yet... Or you're completely unregenerate in the false Gospel of arminianism.

scripture clearly decides against human will in choosing God. “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds. - Jeremiah 17:9-10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” - Romans 3:10-12 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” - Romans 3:18 Augustine soundly pointed out Pelagius’ error, so did Luther to Erasmus and the Synod of Dort put the Remonstrants in their place. Tell me how does dead man choose God! And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, - Ephesians 2:1 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), - Ephesians 2:4-5 Or a bond slave who is regenerated. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. - Romans 11:32 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. - Galatians 3:23 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. - Romans 7:11 So, Let me get this straight, Ben Witherington tells us he has set aside all this Scriptural verses to vend semi Pelagianism and cast aspersions at Augustine, Luther, Calvin, the Puritans, Edwards, Whitfield and Spurgeon. Who should I believe for my doctrine?

So his standard for rejecting other scripture about predestination is his version of love " free given and free taken". Now with that being said that would be his view and no real scripture to back it up. He is giving his humanistic standard for love and at the same time rejecting scripture from the beginning of the video. Then he would reject scripture alone and faith alone. He would base his salvation on himself to accept or reject Jesus. This is interesting though to hear.

The Absolute Sovereign choice of God in salvation is inescapable, even in the false, inconsistent gospel that and is widely believed today by 90% of professing Christianity. God made every atom of every human being who ever lived. Its amazing that we see musicians and athletes and are quick to say that those gifts came from God---not from the people themselves...but yet when it comes to salvation they think entirely the opposite.... Lets just assume for a moment that the gospel that this man teaches is true...lets assume that God has left the ultimate choice in salvation to each man.... Now, answer this: WHO instilled the wisdom, prudence, desire to turn to God and do the right thing in the ones who chose to be saved? It was GOD. And WHO is it that DEPRIVED the others from those virtues and sensibilities from the others who chose not to believe? Answer is GOD! And WHO absolutely knew the final destiny of every man before He even brought them into this world---yet chose to bring these "doomed from the womb" people into the world anyway? GOD! You see, those who oppose the gospel that God chooses in salvation think that God does not know the future and that God is hoping for the salvation of those who He already knows will NEVER repent and believe! The people that believe the false gospel that man chooses ultimately in salvation believe that there is something in man that is OUTSIDE God's own meticulous creative work. If a car manufacturer produces a car in which 90% of the cars pull to the left, is it the car's own doing? Or is it the manufacturer's doing? In the Book of Job, we see when God speaks about the Ostrich, who is careless with her young, that it is God that deprived the ostrich of this instinct. Do you think that God said this because He cares about ostriches? Or to prove a point about all His creation? FACE THE MUSIC! GOD CHOOSES IN SALVATION. NOWHERE TO RUN. NOWHERE TO HIDE. I am waiting for a refutation of what I just said from those who so hate predestination unto salvation, particular atonement, God's complete success in saving His own, Christ's complete success on the cross. 

I always wondered how long it took for John Calvin and his followers to sit around and spin all the TULIP nonsense.

In the end it comes down to man centered theology and God centered theology. Most find Reformed theology offensive because they want humanity to have free will but according to Scripture they don't when man is spiritually dead in sin (Eph 2:1), no one seeks for God (Romans 3:11) no one does good (Psalm 14:3). If man cannot choose God, then man is dependent upon God for everything that would make TULIP correct, no matter how much you dislike God being in control.

Why do calvanists insist you are either calvinist or aminian? Those are men. I don't follow men. I read the scripture. Not their books and their personal ideas of what they think scripture means. I see where calvin may have gotten his ideas, but when i read about the "elect" it seems that group were originally the Hebrew people, then the gentiles adopted into that group through faith in Jesus. The scripture in its entirety points to a loving God who wants all of us to come to Him. His an has alwsys been for all of us to come to Him. We however don't always choose Him even though He wants us. What meaning would faith have if we had no choice? None. What would love mean if we had no choice? Nothing. What would salvation be if we were not once lost? Nothing. The entire bible points to....God made us and gave us the free will to choose which side we will be on. He provides us with every opportunity and every thing we need to choose Him, but we must choose Him, or our selfish desires. We are after all lost sinners destined for hell and destruction if not for Him and what he has done for us.

It's all about God's character.

A video demonstration of man centered theology...

Even if you believe in free will, God still brought a mass of humanity into this world that he knew absolutely were going to choose against Him and go to hell. And those people never could really go to heaven at all because He knew they would choose to go to hell...so He brought them into this world anyway they're just as doomed as a calvinist lost soul. And if you believe in Free Will, who gave you the good sense to choose yes and deprived that good sense to the others? was a God maybe?

3:20 This is 1 of the verses, in my ❤ & mind, that's extremely clear. I struggled w/ this immediately as I was being indoctrinated into the false teaching, wacky interpretations of scripture, & the trend/fad of claiming to be a Calvinist.

Who is this guy? I’ve read many books and agree with many of the reformed scholars ( Sproul, MacArthur, etc…) who’ve dedicated years and years of study. I’ll stand by them and Calvinism. It’s so very obvious.

prevenient grace means "God gives everyone the opportunity to respond to the grace of God"

He just said he doesn't believe 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verses 9 and 10!!!

Best Seven Minute Seminary thus far. Way to go Dr Witherington.

Why would god give someone an offer they can’t refuse and then have them read a book telling them the things they should and shouldn’t do? Calvinism is destroyed with this point. What’s the point of giving us laws and rules and guidance if you are already saved or damned no matter what?

A Calvinist is not the worst thing any of us could be. There are plenty of issues in the UMC currently to keep us busy.

Since we don't need to believe Calvinism and follow it to be SAVE (only born again Christians from ALL denominations will be saved) then I guess we NON CALVINISTS were predestined (if God has DECREED ALL THINGS , according to Calvinism, then LOGICALLY God has DECREED our rejection of Calvinism AS WELL) by Jehovah God to reject both Calvinism and Arminianism and YET BE SAVED.I am a 1-saved by the blood of the Lamb and His resurrection by Grace through Faith 2- bible believing Christian 3-NON_CALVINIST AND NON ARMINIAN AND PROUD OF IT.

I can’t imagine limited atonement but i don’t know the answer so I’m going to have faith like a little child. Lol

1). Ephesians 2:8f does say that faith is a gift of God. The Greek word "this" is neuter and may refer either to salvation or act of believing. People who know Greek believe it is saying faith is a gift of God. "Our response in salvation is faith, but even that is not of ourselves [but is] the gift of God." See: www.gty.org/resources/bible-qna/BQ053113/Is-Faith-a-Gift See also: 2 Peter 1:1, Philippians 1:29, the latter: "it has been granted to you not only to believe . . .". 2. If anything is required from us, then we have done something to earn it. Paul and John specifically mention the role of the human will in salvation and both say it is not ultimate. Salvation "does not depend on human will or effort but on God's mercy." (Rom. 9:16). We are saved NOT by "human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God." (John 1:13.) Faith by any definition is an act of the will. What else is it? A reflex? 3. There is no scripture to say no one was regenerate prior to Pentecost. David prayed that God would "take not Your Spirit from me" (Ps. 51), indicating that he had the Holy Spirit. Pentecost was not the beginning of regeneration; it was power for service. If there was no regeneration prior to Pentecost then no one was saved prior to Pentecost -- or else you believe in some kind of dispensationalism which teaches there are other ways to salvation. 4. You say that human depravity "does not mean they cannot believe". The Word of God says, the human will is always inclined to evil (Gen. 6:5),"desperately sick and beyond cure" (Jer. 17:9), a "slave of sin" (Rom. 6:17), not capable of accepting the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14), that is "dead in trespasses and sin" (Eph. 2:1); "hostile" to God (Colossians 1:21). Being incapable of accepting the things of God and dead, it cannot truly believe God; being hostile and inclined to evil, it never really wants to believe God. 5. Paul's conclusion at the end of the section on depravity in Romans is that all are sinful and therefore salvation cannot depend on people. In your man-centered philosophy, salvation depends on human beings contributing something. But Paul has shown in Romans 1:18-3:22 that that is impossible. 6. 1 Corinthians 2:14. The gospel and the law of God are most certainly things of the Spirit of God, indeed, the most important things of the Spirit of God. Paul is saying here that he is having to treat the Corinthians as if they were "natural" (i.e. unsaved, unregenerate people) and he comments that unregernerate people are not capable of accepting anything from the Spirit of God, especially including the gospel. 7. Jesus said, "you do not believe because you are not among my sheep." (John 10:26). He doesn't say (as you say), 'You are not among my sheep because you do not believe.' Their lack of believing is a result of their not being sheep. If they were sheep (i.e. "the elect") they would believe because believing would be part of their (new) nature. But because they are not sheep (natural people) they are not capable of believing, of accepting the things of the Spirit of God. 8. Romans 10:17 says: ἄρα ἡ πίστις ἐξ ἀκοῆς, ἡ δὲ ἀκοὴ διὰ ῥήματος Χριστοῦ. "Therefore faith [is] out of hearing and the hearing is through the Word of Christ" (my translation). The final phrase is "Word of Christ" not by the bidding or charge of Christ. That's not a valid translation nor does it make any sense in the context. The preaching of the "Word of Christ" (i.e. the gospel) produces faith (by God's Spirit) in the elect and they believe. Faith is the means whereby salvation is received. And faith is a gift. See Philippians 1:29. 1 John 5:1 shows us that everyone who believes (present tense) has been (perfect tense, indicating past completed action) "born of God" prior to believing. Being "born of God" (regenerate) comes first and enables one to believe. "We were dead in our trespasses" (Ephesians 2:5). That's the natural condition of people; they are dead in sin and so cannot believe. Then God "made us alive together with Christ". That's regeneration and God does it because of grace, not because of anything in us (including supposedly fore-seeing our faith). Then we believe. Faith isn't the condition of regeneration but the product of it. Then we gratefully "receive" the gift of salvation, like someone receiving a car that has already been titled to them; it's been theirs already, they just didn't know it until they received it. 9. The gospel (plus nothing) is the power of God for salvation. The preaching of the "Word of Christ" (i.e. the gospel) produces faith (by God's Spirit) in the elect and they believe (Romans 10). Others don't believe because they are not sheep. Note that you've added something the human will does (what you call "faith") as an essential ingredient in salvation, making the human will a co-Savior. Of course, the Word of God teaches us that (1) Jesus is the Savior and (2) the human will will never choose to believe. 10. Genesis 6:5 describes the human condition. (Are you assuming we've gotten better?) A condensed form of the same description is repeated after the flood, when the only people were Noah and his family, in Genesis 8:21, adding the phrase "from youth." So the human condition is that every inclination of the human heart is only inclined toward evil all the time, from youth, even for righteous people like Noah and his family. Noah found grace because that's the only way anyone can be saved. 11. Being a slave means being in bondage and unable to break free; it means being totally obedient to the master. Here, the master is sin. The natural person is a slave of sin and so does (including in his desiring) what his master (sin) tells him. 12. "Dead" as being totally unresponsive and incapable. No, Adam and Eve and all their children are totally incapable of accepting the things of the Spirit of God (i.e. God's Word, the gospel, faith, etc); every inclination of their heart is always evil; their heart is desperately sick and beyond cure (Jer. 17:9); they are slaves of sin and dead in it, with minds that are naturally "hostile" to God (Colossians 1:21). This is the clear, repeated, emphatic testimony of scripture. 13. His "eternal decree" to save was loving. You would actually know that if you knew what you were talking about. In Ephesians 1, "in love He predestined us". It's not we who believe the Bible who are leaving something out. We believe in God's love. It's you, with your synergist, man-centered philosophy that omits God's predestination even where it is most plainly taught. 14. Jesus said, "you do not believe because you are not among my sheep." (John 10:26). Jesus said, "“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.7 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Notice, God hides truths from some people; the Father reveals truths to other people, hence His love is not indiscriminate. Notice the sovereignty of God; all things have been handed to the Son, not to human "free will". Notice that it is the Son who chooses to reveal Himself to some people. That's what the true Jesus teaches. 15. It's not just "Calvin's God" who is sovereign. It's the one true God. God "works all things according to the counsel of his will" (Ephesians 1:11). 16. Acts 13:48? It cannot be interpreted as 'they were appointed to eternal life because they believed'. How could you possibly suggest that? The second half of the verse says: " καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅσοι ἦσαν τεταγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον" "and believed as many as were appointed to eternal life". There is no such word "because", showing their appointment to eternal life was because they believed. 17. God does not ultimately desire all people to be saved. The Bible says God hates Esau (Malachi 1:2; Romans 9). God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that He can bless Israel and glorify Himself (Ex. 4:21; 7:3; 14:4, 17); “It was the Lord’s doing to harden [the Caananite’s] hearts . . . in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy. . .” (Jos. 11:20); the prophet Isaiah asked God why He hardened the people’s heart so they wouldn’t revere Him (Is. 63:17); the Apostle Paul wrote that God “hardens whom He wants to harden” (Rom. 9:18). Further, Isaiah is commissioned by God to prophesy for the very purpose that Israel might “not understand”, that they might be dull, not repent and so earn God’s judgement (Is. 6:9-13). Jesus explained that He used parables not because it was an effective teaching tool (as many people today say) but precisely for the opposite reason: that the hard hearted people might not understand and repent (Mt. 13:13ff). Obviously then, since God hardens hearts, He does desire something more than the salvation of some people. 18. Your theology is based on inferences, eisegesis instead of exegesis. You ASSUME that the offer to "come" means that everyone has the ability to come. But the Lord Jesus told us, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." (John 6:44a). That is, no one has the ability to come to Jesus unless the Father draws him and the Father does not draw everyone because everyone who is drawn is kept safe to the final day. "And I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:44b) 19. If I say, "Whosoever swims across this lake will get to the other side", that doesn't require me to mean that everyone can swim. Just so, when scripture says "whosoever believes will have eternal life" (John 3:16), that says nothing about whether or not all people are cable of saving faith. It only says that those who have it will be saved. 20. John 10:27 does not say "They have believed and become His sheep." Quite the opposite: It says that "My sheep listen to My voice". They hear Jesus' voice because they are sheep; it never says they are sheep because they believe. Jesus said, "you do not believe because you are not among my sheep." (John 10:26). Their lack of believing is a result of their not being sheep. If they were sheep (i.e. "the elect") they would believe because believing would be part of their (new) nature. But because they are not sheep (natural people) they are not capable of believing. 21. "Calvinists" have been some of the greatest evangelists, like George Whitefield, and began the modern missionary movement (e.g. John Elliot, William Carey).

Man centered theology. The character of God in his view must be like a man. That's the only way the bible makes sense to him.

This guy is lying about Calvinism.

Martin Luther said free will was a thing that existed in name only, and he was right. Today the Church believes in the “three yard line gospel”. Jesus gets the ball down to the three yard line but he is unable to score the winning touchdown so he has to hand it off to you and your freewill. The three yard line gospel and its underlying premise of free will is destroyed in the following five arguments. 1. The gospel is the powerful word of God that saves and results in the new birth. Acts 11:14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household. The word for saved is a passive participle it indicates the message will save and the recipients of the message will be acted upon by this message. 1 Peter 1:22-24 since you have been born again,not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word iis the good news that was preached to you. In this passage the gospel is the word of God that produces the new birth. The term born again here is a passive participle again indicating those who experience it are acted upon. This passive participle is used again in the third chapter of John and the first epistle of John 6 times, and it is passive in every instance of the NT i have looked at. The clear teaching is that being born into this world or the kingdom of God is an act of God. Babies don’t give birth to themselves. See also James 1:18, John 1:12,13, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:14 2. The new birth results in faith. John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. The seeing mentioned here is obviously faith and it is the result of the new birth. 1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. Again the participle for born is perfect passive, it points to the new birth as occurring prior to the believing. Paul also uses other metaphors for the new birth like new creation Galatians 6:15. circumcision of the heart Romans 2:29, Colossians 2:11. that point to divine agency not human agency in calling, regeneration or whatever you want to call it. 3. Faith is considered a gift. Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, According to Daniel Wallace in his Greek grammar the pronoun “this” can refer most likely back to either “grace by faith salvation” or it could have an “adverbial effect” that could be translated “and especially”, this points to faith as a gift. This is most likely from the context, since Paul thinks men are dead and are raised by grace, see 2:5. 4. Grace is an attribute of God that is a sovereign and effective work that results in the salvation of souls in every aspect of their salvation. 2 Timothy 1:9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, Galatians 1:15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 2 Corinthians 12:9 - But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Note how Paul in this verse Paul equates grace with the “power”( my power) of God in the first sentence and the “power of Christ”, in the second. 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. “God is able” to make grace abound not man. Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- Ephesians 3:7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. Gods grace is transmitted by the “working of his power”. 1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 5. Individuals are placed in union with Christ by God and this union encompasses every aspect of their salvation. In each of these passages Paul uses the phrase “in Christ” and attributes this work to God not men. 1 Corinthians 1:30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, This would be a false statement if man placed himself in Christ through his faith. Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 1 Corinthians 1:4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, Why thank God if man is the cause of his being placed in Christ? 2 Corinthians 1:21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, See also 2 Timothy 1:9 above Many other arguments could be added to this like predestination, calling, Romans 8:28,29, etc. But this is sufficient for anyone willing to settle with scripture. For those committed to their “ idol free will”as the great Puritan John Owen called it no scripture is ever sufficient.

Very well spoken! Scripture comes down to what the Word of God says period! Not to what scriptures must be interpreted, reinterpreted, and consistently misinterpreted to fit a man made tulip theology. Did the plagiarizing Calvin (the so called great reformer) and self appointed saint who tried to hijack the reformation publicly EVER recant the overseeing of the murdering of dozens of his fellow humans in Geneva and beyond?... which planted seeds for the later Witch trials in Salem bringing a great stumbling block to Christianity. Paul repented after his overseeing of murdering others yet Calvin never did but this is never spoken about openly by Calvinists. Tulip constantly contradicts Gods character and Mans response to Gods great grace and gift of free will. The true reformer was not Calvin or other humanists but the great Reformer was God the Father through Jesus Christ by the empowering of His Holy Spirit.

Dr Ben is spot on. The thing about Calvinists is:they say that those that are against it, 'dont understand Calvinism'. When non Calvinists explain their understanding Calvinism and refute it with Scripture, Calvinists respond by ad hominem attacks. Calvinism can be destroyed so many ways that Scripture has to be totally ignored to embrace it. Reformed theology indeed. Meh.

If you are a Calvinist, then what if you found out that your son or daughter and is not chosen by God but rather predestined not to go to heaven but rather to hell. Would you respect God's sovereignty? or you will beg to God to save your children whom He did not elected in the first place?

Calvin wrong cuz much feels!

The Bible states Christians are chosen before the foundation of the world. Jesus's high prayer in John 17 stated by Jesus, I do not pray for the world , but for those the Father has given me.

When I researched Calvin the man in Geneva, I was shocked at the brutality and micro-control he brought to Geneva. So mystifying how the Geneva city council declared Calvin's word to be God's word!! Study John Wesley and its very apparent there is a huge gulf of difference between the two in how they lived their lives and dealt with their fellow creations. Night and day, black and white.

Israel *is* those in Christ. (the true Israel).

Amen! I like those three Ls. 😃

Romans 9 : 16-20 so on......... plain text regardless of your micro interpretation. He simply does what HE WANTS!!!! if you have a problem with this you are in some serious trouble. I have no problem knowing that the Father knows far more than I do. Also He does what He wills!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very Excellent ! Exactly 👏👏👏 God is 'Love'... an noun. Yes! If one reads 1 Cor. 13 and substitutes 'God' for Love throughout the Chapter you get a very wonderful depiction of God than the portrait which Augustinian/Calvin/Reformed doctrine paints. Unfortunately, so many who leave both Calvinism and Christianity throw out God instead of that portrait. This is also why so many atheist's describe their understanding of God, which they reject, in Calvinistic terms. It happens all the time. There is no verse in the Bible which in proper context which clearly says; "all men are BORN unable to respond positively to God or the Gospel" It is Calvinism's "missing link" and without it their preferred definition of "Total Depravity=Total Inability" which their system presupposes and requires it collapses into the sinking sand upon which it was built.

For me, there are a few statements that Calvinists say that I deem as Calvinist logic. "If God atones for everyone's sins, that would lead to universalism and if God punishes those that that do not put their trust in Christ; He would be unjust because Christ's death atoned for their sins." This is just one of them and I don't seem to find much if any scripture to back that up. From all the Bible I've read, it seems to portray 5-point Arminianism.

A very shallow refutation of reformed view of election. Read Matt. 11:25-27 for the PRAYER of Jesus. Then read Matt. 11:28-30 for the PREACHING of Jesus. You will find the perfect balance between the sovereign view of salvation and the call of salvation to all. Notice that it says in verse 26 that this is "well-pleasing to God".

Calvinism naturally leads to the non existence of apostasy. Yet, the OT and NT are replete with warnings against apostasy. To believe in Calvinism, you’d have to believe that god intentionally brought up a church they call heresy (the Catholic Church) in order to spark a reformation 1500 years later.

God is soverign and we have free will....we will not understand the hidden council of God, but scripture clearly teaches EVERYTHING is under God's soverign control. We all are under the federal ship of Adam and dead in our trespasses and sins. The amazing GRACE is that he chose any of us because we all deserve NOTHING!

You sir have clearly NOT been born-again! ALL those that have been indwelt with christs Holy Spirit of Truth,KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can NEVER be unborn-again as it is christs power ALONE! Unto salvation!And absolutely Nowhere in Scripture does it teach that the born-again can lose salvation! In fact quite the opposite is taught in Scripture! There are many that misinterpreted Scripture that believe that it says that salvation can be lost,such as Hebrews for example but they are NOT reading it in context,such as the fact that it IS written to the Hebrew believers at the time that are considering going back to the temple system of worship and the levitical practices of sin offerings! The problem with "christianity" today is that the "Denominational religion" of "christianity" IS NOT Biblical! Jesus Christ stated: "unless a man be born-again" NOT unless a man be "Christian"! I advise you to Repent(change your mind) and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ AND BECOME BORN-AGAIN!(SAVED)! God bless you!

Calvin the hero of John Mac Arthur

It is true Calvinist is wrong..

Praise God for the sovereignty of man, if it wasn't for me and my ability I would end up in hell!

I see every point you made, in an opposite light. You explained your view from human reasoning. God's spirit, is much higher and can be understood with our Spirit. God tells us to walk by the Spirit, and we won't indulge the sins of the flesh. Then elsewhere, He tells us we're not of this world, we are only in it. Again we're told we're not our own, but belong to Him and are Children of light. John 3: 16 the (who-so-ever) is the key in that verse. God is eternal and omnipresent, meaning He is in eternity past to eternity future and everything in between. Consequently God is here now and was and is here before you and I. I have free will to do as I wish, to sin or not to sin and I exercise my will daily. We live in a body of death, that will never enter heaven. I'll receive my new imperishable body when this old one dies or when I'm caught up to meet Christ with the dead in Christ, in the air. When I hear people say God would or wouldn't do certain things, or make excuses for God, I don't think that's a good idea. God does many things I think I wouldn't do, at the same time, I'd be terrified to try counselling Him. When I stumble and sin, He gives me the gift of repentance. I'm not saying people who aren't reform, aren't saved, because God said people will be in heaven, from every tongue, tribe and nation. I could right much more because Gods Word is endless, but it's getting late.

I'm not a Calvinist either but I absolutely believe that a genuinely born again believer in Jesus can never lose their salvation . A shipwrecked faith in context is referring to Paul's ministry and that he never wanted to lose credibility among those he shared the Gospel with , it has nothing to do with losing ones salvation . Then let's not forget the oft misused verses in Heb. 6 and Heb. 10 which have nothing whatsoever to do with losing ones salvation and are instead imploring Jews to fully partake of the New Covenant and leave the Old Covenant once and for all .

I don't think he is considering the scriptures laying out 'total depravity'. God freely gives his forgiveness and love, and true Christians freely receive it. However every person in the flesh, of our own human nature, willfully rejects the offer. Not even one seeks God or understands God. That's why you must be born again first, in order to understand spiritual things, and then be able to receive God's forgiveness and love.

I went to GCTS as an Arminian and came out even more Arminian after hearing the Reformed position too. It was a great experience

The reason why this preacher is not a calvinist is because he didn't deeply study calvinistic theology.I refute this preacher explanation.

I think you oversimplify what Calvinism say and nit pick selectively. I also think you use human love to project what Godly love looks like and what it stands for.

The idea of preceding/prevenient grace is not found in Scripture. If you could choose God, you wouldn't. Nor did Christ die to make men savable- he died to save you! And the work he does in you- he will continue to sanctify you until the day of Christ... because if you could lose your salvation, you would! But it really all comes down to the doctrine of total depravity (cf. Romans 3:9-11). If unregenerate man is unable to choose God apart from divine grace, then God is completely sovereign in salvation- and consequently the other 4 doctrines of grace are necessary. I will say, however, that the hermeneutical gymnastics Witherington has to do in his commentary on Romans are commendable. JI Packer says it much better than I can: "What matters is that we should understand the gospel biblically.… And we can now see what has gone wrong. Our theological currency has been debased. Our minds have been conditioned to think of the Cross as a redemption which does less than redeem, and of Christ as a Saviour who does less than save, and of God’s love as a weak affection which cannot keep anyone from hell without help, and of faith as the human help which God needs for this purpose. As a result, we are no longer free either to believe the biblical gospel or to preach it.… Instead, we involve ourselves in a bewildering kind of double-think about salvation, telling ourselves one moment that it all depends on God and next moment that it all depends on us.… We want to magnify the saving grace of God and the saving power of Christ. So we declare that God’s redeeming love extends to every man, and that Christ has died to save every man, and we proclaim that the glory of divine mercy is to be measured by these facts. And then, in order to avoid universalism, we have to depreciate all that we were previously extolling, and to explain that, after all, nothing that God and Christ have done can save us unless we add something to it; the decisive factor which actually saves us is our own believing. What we say comes to this-that Christ saves us with our help; and what that means, when one thinks about it, is this-that we save ourselves with Christ’s help. This is a hollow anticlimax "

Thoughtful, however, you didn’t mention the explicitly sovereign language of Romans 8 and Ephesians 1, nor the parable of the tares in Matthew 13, nor various other passages explicit and implicit of predestination. BTW, if you identify as something other than a Full-Gospel Christian, pride and schism are afoot.

He never accounts for the fall and the state of man. Dead, not wounded or stunned in sin. Death needs resurrection. I Christ died for ALL then ALL will be saved. His death and sacrifice is not limited by our will but God's design and purpose.

Interesting. Up until I was about 7 years old we attended the Methodist church. My dad and all his family were Methodists but my mom had been raised Baptist. She and her brother eventually convinced my dad to switch to the Baptist church. I remember there were lots of discussions at that time about the differences in the two churches. The main point that I remember being discussed was that Methodists believed that we should be sprinkled while Baptists believed that we should be immersed. The other thing was the eternal security question. My dad was a steward in the Methodist church but when he became Baptists he became a deacon.

Grew up Anglican, so even with all its dismal shortcomings now, at least the groundwork for basing all learning, belief, understanding on scripture was there. I attended many types of calvinistic churches but always found something cold and 'off' with their culture, so digging deeper now, I can see where it might, in reality probably emanates from. Thank you Seedbed and Ben Witherington for this channel and your teaching. It's great to see short concise summaries of these topics also - some are hours too long :)

Proverbs 3:5 KJV [5] Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Romans chapter nine is plain enough for a third grade student to understand that there are only to categories namely elect and reprobate Vessels of Mercy Honour Vessels of Wrath dishonour With Grace Without Grace

How can you lose something that isn’t earned? By not doing a certain work? If salvation depends on works in order to be kept then it isn’t given by grace. And if it’s given by grace then it depends not on works. Romans 11. True salvation is eternal security the moment of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. To say otherwise I feel undermines the saving grace of God.

Mostly a commentary on why he feels or thinks something rather than believing the word of God. I will stick with what God tells me in His word over pride in my personal opinions. I am no Calvinist; I am a disciple of God. By God's grace I was given faith to believe His revealed truth and can now respond in good works as Jesus created me for before time (Ephesians 2:8-10). I can have no claim to deserving this gift or choosing it, for than I could boast of it over my unrepentant neighbor. But I will continue to proclaim this good news to the nations and pray the Holy Spirit will give new life to all those that hear. Also I find no no condemnation for brothers and sisters that may have incorrect interpretation of this doctrine (even if that is myself), so please know I say this in love and trust of God's redemptive power. Soli Deo gloria

X catholic priest inquisitors John Calvin conspired with the Catholic Church in the execution of Michael Servetus for writing a book ‘the errors of the trinity’ Inquisitor John Calvin unlike apostle Paul never repented for adding and abetting in the murder of Michael Servetus.

If you believe God is omniscient and omnipresent, it is quite literally impossible to 'not' be predestined. And since the scriptures tell us that God knew us before He formed us in the womb, this only validates that point. Now, I am not saying the 'eternal' dissolves the 'temporal'...merely that God knew who would be saved before the earth was formed, and I am okay with and bow to said Sovereignty.

This just raises more questions for me because f you reject the doctrine of election and God's sovereignty, does this mean even God himself doesn't know who's going to be saved in the end? And does this mean that man's free will can thawert God's plans?

If our response limits the atonement, man is the one who holds the power of salvation not God.

Isaiah 53:5, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes, we are healed.For salvation, people just need to follow the way they did it in Acts? They were baptized in the water and of the spirit after they believed. Here's why! The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If we are to follow him, we must do the same thing. Death= repentance, Burial = baptism, and resurrection = being filled with the Holy Ghost and rising again from the dead. That's what Acts 2:38 is.We must obey the gospel, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ... Matthew 7:21-23, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER which is in Heaven. St John 3:3-5, EXCEPT a man be born of WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, he cannot enter into the kingdom of GOD.We can't come up with our own gospel. Galatians 1:8-9, But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Don't be cursed. One way for all people. Jews, Gentiles, and Samaritan. Our salvation has to match-up with the scriptures and no scriptures on the subject can be taken away.Eternity is TOOO long to be WRONG! st, John 5:39, Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.God told Noah exactly how to be saved, how he must build the ark. Noah didn't come up with his own plan like people are doing today. A sinner's prayer, you just have to believe, etc which is not in the bible.The gospels show what Christ has done on the cross for us. The book of Acts shows us the beginning of Christ's Church and how to enter the Church, obeying Acts 2:38. The letters were written to the Church to show us how to behave now that we are born again into the Church.It's better to walk alone than to walk with a crowd going in the wrong direction. Are we supposed to follow the teachings of the apostles? Acts 2:42, They continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrines. Ephesians 2:20, We are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. If you believe in this message, help spread it in the name of Jesus Christ. God bless you!

Amen, brother! So refreshing! What you say just fits scripture, plain and simple. I think Calvinist have over intellectualized some parts of scripture without taking the gospel together as a whole. I think the challenge for us is understanding that God knows all and knows the future but from our perspective the scripture is telling us we have free will and need to willingly come to Christ…but God already knows the outcome so that’s a difficult idea for us to reconcile