CALVINISM & TULIP

Calvinist tenets are oftentimes summarized by the acronymn TULIP.

Total depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited atonement

Irresistable grace

Perseverance of the saints.

Today, 1-15-01, one of my "oldest" cyberfriends (a 10th grader who started writing when he was 12 years old) asked me my position on the tenets of Calvinism. This was my response--

Interesting you should write to me concerning Calvinism. Yesterday, I was just compiling some scriptures to refute limited atonement and irresistable grace. I quite enjoy old time Calvinistic preachers and even some modern ones like Ian Paisley but I do not agree with all of their theology. That is the problem you get into when you take to yourself a manmade name like "Calvinist" "Baptist" "Methodist", etc. None of these are Bible words [applied to Christians/disciples of Jesus Christ]. "Calvinist" comes from following the theological line of John Calvin. I don't like that. I am a...disciple of Jesus Christ, not man. Paul addresses this issue with the Corinthians who were bragging about who baptized them. No man died for me but Jesus and I will only be called by His name. I do not delve into a denomination and just embrace whatever they say. This is not to say that I have not found names useful to let me know where I can get some reasonably good writings.

I agree with the Calvinists concerning total depravity and perseverance of the saints. I love their emphasis on the sovereignty of God and on holiness. However I am convinced, through the scriptures, that they are confused on limited atonement and irresistable grace. The Bible makes it quite clear that Christ died for ALL, not just the elect. VERY clear. It makes it clear that God would have ALL men to be saved. It says it in no uncertain terms...

 

Q. What about predestination? God has already selected the ones He wants to be saved so He predestinates them to be saved. Doesn't the Bible say that God predestinates people?

A. God foreknew who would respond to the gospel call and predestinated them based on FOREKNOWLEDGE--not that He selected some to be saved and some for burning. God allows wicked people to exist in order to accomplish His purposes. Every man is an evil creature--we need affliction that we may learn to fear the Lord (see Psalm 107 in its entirety). The vessels of wrath accomplish that purpose.

 

Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

1 Peter 1:2 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.

Romans 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Psalms 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

 

Q. What about unconditional election? Doesn't our sovereign God select who He wants to go to heaven just because He feels like it? Doesn't He pre-ordain peope to hell just because he feels like it?

A. No. It is God's will that ALL men should be saved. He strives with men. A man has to climb over heavenly obstacles in order to go to hell--

 

1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have ALL men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to ALL men,

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto ALL and upon ALL them that believe: for there is no difference:

Romans 10:11 For the scripture saith, WHOSOEVER believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10:13 For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

GOD WANTS ALL MEN TO REPENT!

Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Ezekiel 18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

Ezekiel 18:30-32 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

 

 

Q. What about "limited atonement"? Jesus only died for the sins of the elect, right?

A. Wrong. Jesus did not just die for the sins of the elect, He died for the sins of ALL--

 

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the WHOLE world.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for EVERY man.

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for ALL, then were all dead:

2 Corinthians 5:15 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.

1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time.

 

Q. What about irresisitable grace? Isn't it true that man doesn't have a freewill? We call Arminians "freewillers".

A. Through , His prophets, God constantly tells the people throughout the word to choose life. He sets before them and says CHOOSE life. God expects and requires man to make a choice--

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, CHOOSE you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore CHOOSE life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Man does have a FREEWILL and God accepts his FREEWILL offerings.

Deuteronomy 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your FREEWILL offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:

Psalms 119:108 Accept, I beseech thee, the FREEWILL offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.

Q. What about perseverance of the saints? Once you are saved aren't you always saved?

A. The dog CAN turn back to his vomit and the sow to her wallowing in the mire. Please see "Can a man walk away from Jesus?"




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