bgwilkinson said:
Well I know I explained briefly what Calvinism really is in a nutshell. But if you want me to go into more specifics. I will.
Here is what Calvinistic theology consist of:
T.U.L.I.P.
T= Total Depravity
U= Unconditional Election
L= Limited Atonement
I= Irressistable Grace
P= Perseverance of Saints
Now let me just say briefly that there are true things stated within those points, but also there are false things within every one of those points under the teaching of Calvinism, and especially hyper calvinism.
Have to keep in mind that the Devil is subtil, he ain't going form a system that is based on nothing but lies. Anytime where Satan is behind a man made teaching, it will always contain some truth in it.
The error that calvinists make is that they wrongly equate total depravity with total inability.
It is true that man is incapable of saving himself. And that man is totally depraved when left to himself. But when the word of God is preached to him, then the word is what empowers that man to choose either to believe the Gospel or to reject it.
It is the power of God's word that breaks bondage and strongholds in a person's life.
But again, the error with calvinism, is that it goes beyond total depravity. Calvinists believe that only those who are "elect" can respond to the Gospel. They believe that if you preach the Gospel to a person who is "non-elect" that person will not and cannot respond to the Gospel, and hence he cannot get saved.
Therefore, Calvinism denies the power of the Gospel.
bgwilkinson said:
How can you refute what you have not defined and understood?
Ransom had a good start at defining it.
Spurgeon quotes are good too, and he's a Baptist.
I will now address the U in Calvin's System of T.U.L.I.P.
Unconditional Electtion as is taught in Calvinism is that basically a person will not get saved UNLESS God first elects him to salvation. Calvinists also teach that God then regenerates that person which He has elected to salvation, and then that person believes the Gospel.
But the Calvinists simply have regeneration mixed up.
A person is regenerated after they believe the Gospel and are saved.
Now, does the Bible teach Election? Yes it does. But not the way that Calvinism teaches it.
We as born again Christians are the elect of God:
Colossians 3:12-14
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
12 Put on therefore, as
the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Now the error of calvisim in regard to election, is that it teaches that people are chosen to salvation without them having any choice in the matter. Again, their free will is denied in the Calvinistic teaching of unconditional election.
But what saith the Scriptures? Well the Scriptures teach that our election is CONDITIONAL. And that is this, whether or not a person is ELECT is dependent upon whether that person is a believer.
1 Peter 1:1-5
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2
elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Again, the Biblical system of Election is based on the new birth. And that happens when someone obeys the Gospel. When a person hears the Gospel and obeys the Gospel by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, then that person becomes born again and is baptized into the Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells that new believer and regenerates him, and now that person is Elect.
But 1 Peter 1:2 says that we are elect according to the FOREKNOWLEDGE of God the Father.
Notice it did the passage did not say 'according to the forechoosing.'
Calvinism would have us believe that God chose who will believe and that He will cause them to be saved whether they want to be saved or not.
Where do you find this type of teaching in Scripture???
The Bible teaches that God chose to save those who believe the Gospel.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-15
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Calvinism is a wicked system that blasphemes the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Calvinists basically teach that the Gospel is incompetent to save.
But the Holy Bible teaches that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).
In Calvinism, you could be preaching to a thousand people, and if they are all non-elect (all 1,000 of them) then the Gospel is powerless to save those people accroding to Calvinism. And that is exactly why I mentioned earlier that Calvinism denies the power of the Gospel. And as a result, it ends up blasplehming the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I will address one more of point in Calvin's system and that is the L for Limited Atonement.
Now this point in the system of calvinism is easily refuted in Scripture:
1 John 2:1-2
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also
for the sins of the whole world.
Notice it does not say for the sins of the "elect."
The passage says that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins and the sins of the WHOLE world.
1 Timothy 4:10-11
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God,
who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things command and teach.
1 Tim. 4:10 clearly teaches thta provision has been made to save all men. But appropriation only belongs to those who believe the Gospel.
It says clearly that God is the Saviour of ALL MEN. And not just the "elect."
And this next passage of Scripture really destroys the whole argument of calvinism:
2 Peter 2:1
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Did you know that the atonement even paid for the sins of the false prophets? That is what 2 Peter 2:1 is teaching. The Lord bought them with His blood, in that His atonement is available for them, but they (the false prophets) have denied the Lord. Therefore, they do not receive the benefit or the application of the blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though He paid for their sins. They still have to repent and believe the Gospel.
Therefore; once again, we see that Atonement has been made for all men. But the application of that atonement belongs only to those who believe. Therefore, the Atonement is not limited. But the application of that Atonement is limited.
Interestingly enough, the total flipside to the heresy of Calvinism would be the heresy of Universalism. Which is the idea that God will save everybody no matter what. And that all paths lead to God. Etc.
Let us look at two more Scriptures that refute the idea of limited atonement:
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15
and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Notice it says He died for all, and not just the 'elect.'
Isaiah 53:5-6
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
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.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The iniquity of us all was laid on Him, not the iniquity of just the elect.
I am sure by now you are beginning to understand why Calvinism is unbiblical.
