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I've seen two plausible suggestions. One, many of Hollywood's most influential figures were raised in Christian Science, such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe, or converts to it, like Mary Pickford. Hollywood is a close-knit group, so it shouldn't be surprising if three's a little...

1. 1 John says we can know. It was written specifically for that. 2. "One of the elect" is just another biblical-ish way of saying "a Christian." How can we know we are a Christian? Again, see #1. 3. Assurance isn't specifically a Calvinist problem. But Calvinist theology is cohesive and gives...

Welcome Nobody. Good luck escaping from the giant.

Do you love your brother's wife in the same way as you love your own wife? If so, you're in a heap of trouble with your brother. Do you love the people in your neighbourhood with the same intensity as you love a complete stranger in, say, Myanmar? No one loves all humanity equally and without...

Sure. That seems to be the most natural reading of John 3:16, for example. But does God love everyone in the same way, and without distinction? No.

The distinction is that in Corinthians, there were various factions following this disciple or that, whereas "Calvinism" is convenient shorthand for a certain soteriology, not adherence to everything taught by John Calvin, nor devotion to Calvin himself, whom very few so-called Calvinists have...

In fact, none of those questions were what-ifs. Again, though: why? If Christ's death was for every single human being without exception, then why warn the nonbelievers away from the elements? Surely they would be entitled to celebrate Christ's body and blood, given for them as much as it was...

So believing in demonic doctrines isn't so bad? I guess you would have to backpedal on that, once you realize the implications for your own doctrine relative to mine. Was selling Joseph into slavery evil? God planned that (Genesis 50:20). Was crucifying Jesus evil? God planned that (Acts...

Could we, though? You made no effort to prove what I said about assurance wrong.

Then from my perspective, what you believe is, of necessity, demonic; and I must treat you as a lost and hellbound apostate, enslaved to a false religion. Is that what you want me to think? Correct. "I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who...

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Assurance, according to the Scriptures, is an objective fact. Which part of that do you think is "Calvinist"?

As is any definitive assertion on the final disposition of the infant or unborn person's soul.

Obviously, a doctrine that can't be defined poses its own problems. The age of accountability is really only a problem for non-Reformed people. It's an assumption posited explain why young children, who are not able to receive Christ by their own unaided faith, are not condemned. Which itself...

They can--if God makes them willing. But infants don't have the capacity at all.

Exactly. "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?" So if salvation is dependent upon hearing and believing the Gospel, and calling on Jesus, then on what basis in your theology is an infant--who has no...

It's strange to me that the people raising the question of infant salvation are almost always raising it as an objection to Calvinism. Since babies are ignorant of the Gospel, they are incapable of placing saving faith in Christ by an act of will. Doctrines such as Pelagianism or the...

There's a good indirect case to be made for universal infant salvation (John MacArthur, John Piper, Charles Spurgeon, and Ronald Nash all basically make the same one). I find it persuasive, just not conclusive.

I've said consistently that I'm agnostic on the topic. Can't know. Nice try.

Other than being true.