Tuesday, March 11, 2008

How I really feel about Calvinism...

It sucks.
1. I do not believe in Total Depravity in which a person does not have the ability to reach out to God. Total Depravity teaches that man is dead in his sins just like a person who is a tomb; they are dead and can do nothing. Therefore a person who is dead in their sins cannot choose God because they do not have the ability. That is incorrect, the Bible continually speaks of people reaching out to God in which they have not been "regenerated by the Holy Spirit" and there are plenty of Scriptures that indicate that man was "unwilling to receive the message of the Lord." 

2. I do not believe in Unconditional Election to where God has only given the ability for "some" to be saved and the rest were called to eternal damnation. The Bible teaches clearly that God loves the whole world and gave His Son that "whosoever believes" will have eternal life. 

3. I do not believe in Limited Atonement to where Christ Jesus only died for some, that being those whom God determined on His own will to be saved before they were even born. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is for all mankind, Jesus shed blood is for all who will reach out to receive the gift of eternal life. 

4. I do not believe in Irresistible Grace where those who hold to this doctrine believe those whom God has chosen to be saved before the foundation of the world would receive the message of Christ Jesus based upon the will of God, not their own. Those whom God has called will not turn away from God calling them is the view of Irresistible Grace, but the Bible teaches that there are those with whom God has been made known and "they were unwilling" to receive the truth. God did not create robots in this world in which we are puppets, God has given us all a will of our own to either receive Him or to reject Him. 

5. The doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints is a Biblical doctrine in which those who are truly born again and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they are saved not based upon their works or efforts, but based upon the promise of God keeping them safely in His care.

If any of you need scripture to back all of this up, I can get it for you. Its super easy to find, just open any where and start reading without the mindset that Calvinism is right and it will be obvious.

First look at John 3:16 'For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His one and only Son that WHOEVER (not just the 'elect') believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life'
Then...2 Peter 3:9 'God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.'

HMMMmmm...
I am trying to be optimistic about this, but right now its got me just wrapped up in knot that so many people are dividing the body of Christ by believing in this lie and calling it harmless. It brings about arrogance and a certain amount of care-freeness as we are responsible for nothing, no free will, drones just out to do everything that was predestined for us. God knows what we will do, but that doesn't mean that was His perfect plan.

Look at this: in Jeremiah 19:5, God said, "They have also built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or speak, nor did it come into my mind," He made it plain that it was not His will they were doing, whether decretive or preceptive. In other words, it was not the mind (will) of God that they should do such a thing. Nevertheless, the Lord permitted His people to exercise their free wills and do those things clearly contrary to His counsel (will). Things such as this are within the "will of God" only in the sense that He permits them to happen.

I would love to see this go out of style but hey, it says in the word that in the last days lies will divide the body, and that false teachers with false doctrines will rise up. And check it out, the body seems to be welcoming them with open arms.

Pray for me, I don't want to become bitter. If you could hear my tone you would see that this is more grievous to me than anything else.
So yeah, thats 'How I really feel about Calvinism'.

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