The following is an answer to “Anonymous” (HERE), the brave soul who is a true blue Calvinist who said the following to my previous post “Against Calvinism” (click link at top or search for it):
Your scriptural arguments are the dumbest I have seen in a very long time. Arminianism is Pelagianism. We cannot come to God unless he first acts upon us. This is the Gospel. We cannot reach God. The only reason we choose to follow is because of the regeneration of our hearts by the Holy Spirit first. You have a very low view of God’s sovereignty.
Have you ever read Ephesians 1, Romans 8-9, John 15, Acts 13:48?
Take a look at especially the Acts passage…explain this to me?
OK, so let’s look at the Scriptural support for Calvinism being offered by Anonymous.
- Ephesians 1 says that God predestined the Christians to be Christians and God’s plan for salvation was that people be saved through Christ. Ephesians 1 doesn’t say that God elected specific individuals to be saved and therefore – by default – to elect the rest to be damned.
- Romans 8-9 speaks of God’s choice to show His mercy through His Son Jesus Christ. God by his righteous choice decides to save people through Jesus, His Son, and it does not say that God has established a path for salvation for only a few. Sure, a few will respond to the Gospel and so a few will find the way. But that’s not what Calvinist mean. Calvinist believe God’s sovereign choice requires that man has no free will in the matter. Now that makes no sense unless you want to redefine Faith and Love as something new. Forced salvation by God makes a mockery of faith and a mockery of love. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” To the Calvinist, the verse says, “The elect can’t do anything but keep my commandments and we will call it love.” The Calvinist shreds Romans 8-9. Romans 11 says God’s demand for all men is to believe in His Son: “23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.“
- John 15:16, Jesus says, “you did not choose me, but I chose you.” According to folks like Anonymous, Jesus means that God hand picked who would be saved. Of course, Jesus here is talking to the disciples who were hand picked by Christ and Jesus is talking about the Brotherhood of Christians. Jesus is telling the disciples to love one another. Strange isn’t it then that Calvinists like Anonymous would suggest that the elect could do nothing else! Why would Jesus tell the disciples to be sure to love one another IF He was a Calvinist and believed the Christians could do nothing else?What He means. Jesus did not conform His plan to something men devised. Jesus decided to choose those who conform to Him. We did not choose our Savior or the plan for salvation. Jesus did and we conform to His gracious choice.
- Acts 13:48 says, “48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” Here is the view of a Calvinist. God looked across the landscape of humankind, through all of the generations, and hand picked or appointed which men would be saved. Then Jesus came and died only for those appointed souls and He did not die for the ones not appointed. Although Scriptures say that God loved the whole world so that whoever believes should not perish (Jn 3:16), and even though Paul says in Titus, “the grace of God appeared, bringing salvation to all men“, and though God desires all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), and though God had Jesus to die that He might taste death for all men (Heb. 2:9), and though God Himself doesn’t “wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pt 3:9,10), and though the Scriptures say Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world (not just Believers, 1 Jn 2:2), and though the Scriptures say there is no partiality with God (Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; Gal. 2:6; 1 Peter 1:17), and though the Holy Spirit says, “17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost“, the Calvinist ignores all of THAT to accept the marginal and stunningly unwise Calvinist doctrine.
Here are some passages for Anonymous to answer. And while you are at it, understand that Biblicist, non-Calvinist believe in God’s sovereignty. We believe in salvation through Christ and Christ alone. We believe that God’s salvation is according to His choice and that salvation is to the glory of God and not to man’s glory. With that said, Mr. Anonymous, I looked at your passages. Now you look at what the Bible says:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (Jn. 3:16).”
“3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:3-5).”
“11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,” (Titus 2:11)
“9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone (Heb. 2:9).”
“1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (1 Jn 2:1,2).”
“9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Pt. 3:9).”
“30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, (Acts 17:30)”
John 3:16 is the most recognizable verse in the Bible. “God so loved the world”. But you know what? The Calvinist thinks that God’s love do not equate into God actually doing anything for the whole world to be saved. No, the Calvinist believes that only a few elect actually may believe and have eternal life.
Besides all of this, do some reading about John Calvin. The man used his coercive power to threaten and put to death those who didn’t hold to his evil doctrine. I still believe that contrary to Calvinism, Jesus died for all so that all might believe and be saved. The Calvinist and My Anonymous still believes that Jesus did NOT die for all.
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