Why I am a Calvinist

[guest1]

My friends blog Pastor David Steele has this and I copied it here .


I affirm the sovereignty of God in salvation and embrace a Calvinistic worldview where the glory and supremacy of God are the end of all things. Seven fundamental realities compel me to embrace Calvinism, what C.H. Spurgeon referred to as a “nickname for biblical Christianity.”1

1. Calvinism is rooted in Scripture. The sovereignty of God over all things, including the salvation of his elect is a pervasive theme in the Bible (Jonah 2:9; Isa. 46:9-10; Eph. 1:11).
2. Calvinism upholds the dignity of mankind and his total inability in proper tension (Gen. 1:27; 6:5; Ps. 8:5).
3. Calvinism upholds the sovereignty of God in all things (Ps. 115:3; Dan. 4:34-35).
4. Calvinism upholds the responsibility of mankind and God’s sovereign control over all things.
5. Calvinism upholds the joy of the Creator and the joy of the creature. This God-centered joy is captured in the popular acrostic, TULIP:

Total depravity is not just badness, but blindness to beauty and deadness to joy.

Unconditional electionis how God planned, before we existed, to complete our joy in Christ.

Limited atonement is the assurance that indestructible joy in God in infallibly secured for us by the blood of Jesus.

Irresistible grace is the sovereign commitment of God to make sure we hold on to superior delights instead of the false pleasures that will ultimately destroy us.

Perseverance of the saints is the almighty work of God, to keep us through all affliction and suffering, for an inheritance of pleasures at God’s right hand forever.2

1. Calvinism underscores the five solas of the Reformation:

I believe that sinners are saved by God’s grace alone because apart from his grace we do not have the ability nor the desire to please him or earn his favor – Grace Alone(Eph. 2:1-5).

I believe that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone apart from any human merit, works or ritual. Genuine faith produces Christ-glorifying fruit in the people of God for the glory of God – Faith Alone (Eph. 2:8-10).

I believe that we are saved by Christ alone, who is fully God and fully man. Christ was our substitute who died for our sins on the cross and was raised from the dead on the third day – Christ Alone (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

I believe the Bible is God’s absolute truth for all people, for all times; it is our final authority for discerning truth – Scripture Alone (2 Tim. 3:16).

I believe in the triune God who exists in three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Spirit) who created, sustains and sovereignly rules over all things, and to whom belongs all the glory forever and ever – To the Glory of God Alone (Rom. 11:36).

Calvinism is God-centered. “A Calvinist is someone who has seen God in His majestic glory and has been overwhelmed.”3

The world may mock and the world may scorn. But the truth holds fast: I am a Calvinist.

1. I deny the notion of hyper-Calvinism which minimizes human responsibility, promotes passivity, and fails to proclaim the gospel to all peoples. ↩
2. John Piper, Cited in Tony Reinke, The Joy Project: The True Story of Inescapable Happiness (Minneapolis: Desiring God Ministries, 2015), 6. ↩
3. Ian Hamilton, What is Experiential Calvinsim (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2015), Loc. 202. ↩

 

[zerinus]

My friends blog Pastor David Steele has this and I copied it here.

Do you rely on others to do your thinking for you, or are you able to think for yourself?

I affirm the sovereignty of God in salvation and embrace a Calvinistic worldview where the glory and supremacy of God are the end of all things.

Calvinism is an extremely deceptive and dishonest theology. It hides behind nice and innocent sounding words to obscure its heretical doctrines. After all, who would want to deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation,” or the “supremacy of God” in the “end of all things,” right? But the devil is in the detail. It is when you look under the hood to discover what they really mean by it that the nefarious nature of the theology becomes apparent. I know of no regular, orthodox, believing Christian of any description that would deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation”. I don't know of any Muslim who would deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation”. The real issue is what you mean by it. And the rest of your post point by point follows the same pattern, which would be too tedious to attempt to comment on individually.

 

[Sethproton]

Do you rely on others to do your thinking for you, or are you able to think for yourself?

Calvinism is an extremely deceptive and dishonest theology. It hides behind nice and innocent sounding words to obscure its heretical doctrines. After all, who would want to deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation,” or the . “supremacy of God” in the “end of all things,” right? But the devil is in the detail. It is when you look under the hood to discover what they really mean by it that the nefarious nature of the theology becomes apparent. I know of no regular, orthodox, believing Christian of any description that would deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation”. I don't know of any Muslim who would deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation”. The real issue is what you mean by it. And the rest of your post point by point follows the same pattern, which would be too tedious to attempt to comment on individually.

It is true that there are issues with the way calvinists read the Bible. You point out sovereignty. That word means the right to authority. .It does not mean to micromanage. Calvinists have turned sovereignty into something the word does not mean: minute control of every detail. A king is sovereign over his land, but that does not mean he controls every detail, only that he has the right to do so if he chooses.
It's just one of the redefined words in Calvinism.

 

[zerinus]

It is true that there are issues with the way calvinists read the Bible. You point out sovereignty. That word means the right to authority. .It does not mean to micromanage. Calvinists have turned sovereignty into something the word does not mean: minute control of every detail. A king is sovereign over his land, but that does not mean he controls every detail, only that he has the right to do so if he chooses.
It's just one of the redefined words in Calvinism.

Agreed. The most objectionable part of the Calvinistic definition of “divine sovereignty,” however, is predestination, and the denial of libertarian freewill. You have no control over your destiny or what happens to you in the end. All has been predetermined by God, and there is nothing you can do to change it; which is a complete rejection and denial of everything that is taught in the Bible from start to finish, from the beginning to the end, from Genesis to Revelation.

 

[Septextura]

Calvinism upholds the dignity of mankind and his total inability in proper tension (Gen. 1:27; 6:5; Ps. 8:5).

But how do we explain that Noah was just, righteous and walked with the Lord? His generations were perfect.

Checkmate, Calvinists. 💐

 

[Reformedguy]

Do you rely on others to do your thinking for you, or are you able to think for yourself?

Calvinism is an extremely deceptive and dishonest theology. It hides behind nice and innocent sounding words to obscure its heretical doctrines. After all, who would want to deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation,” or the “supremacy of God” in the “end of all things,” right? But the devil is in the detail. It is when you look under the hood to discover what they really mean by it that the nefarious nature of the theology becomes apparent. I know of no regular, orthodox, believing Christian of any description that would deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation”. I don't know of any Muslim who would deny the “sovereignty of God in salvation”. The real issue is what you mean by it. And the rest of your post point by point follows the same pattern, which would be too tedious to attempt to comment on individually.

A Mormon calling someone out for heresy is funny.

So explain to us how God is sovereign in salvation? What do you mean when you say that?

 

[zerinus]

A Mormon calling someone out for heresy is funny.

When you can't defeat the doctrine, go after the man.

So explain to us how God is sovereign in salvation? What do you when you say that?

God is sovereign over everything, not just salvation. What it does not mean, however, is that he predetermines and predestines your fate over which you have no control. You determine your own fate by the choices and decisions that you freely make. And nobody is “predestined” to salvation or damnation.

 

[Reformedguy]

When you can't defeat the doctrine, go after the man.

God is sovereign over everything, not just salvation. What it does not mean, however, is that he predetermines and predestines your fate over which you have no control. You determine your own fate by the choices and decisions that you freely make. And nobody is “predestined” to salvation or damnation.

Didn't you call Calvinism heresy?

If God is omniscient then your fate is known and sealed. Logically. You do affirm Gods omniscience right?

 

[TomFL]

Didn't you call Calvinism heresy?

If God is omniscient then your fate is known and sealed. Logically. You do affirm Gods omniscience right?

It would be certain but not necessary

Knowledge is not determination

 

[Reformedguy]

It would be certain but not necessary

Knowledge is not determination

It is certain to occur or come to pass.. So it is necessary

It is for God work out All things according to Will.

 

[zerinus]

Didn't you call Calvinism heresy?

Absolutely, it is a heresy.

If God is omniscient then your fate is known and sealed. Logically.

Known, but not “sealed”. That is where Calvinism derives its theological error of predestination from. It (falsely) assumes that in order for the future to be known, it must have been “sealed” (predetermined, predestined), which is not a logical requirement. God's omnipotence is such that he is able to see and know what the future freewill choices and decisions of mankind will be, without it being in any way “sealed,” “predestined,” or “predetermined”.

You do affirm Gods omniscience right?

Yes, except that it doesn't mean what you think it does.

 

[Reformedguy]

Absolutely, it is a heresy.

Known, but not “sealed”. That is where Calvinism derives its theological error of predestination from. It (falsely) assumes that in order for the future to be known, it must have been “sealed” (predetermined, predestined), which is not a logical requirement. God's omnipotence is such that he is able to see and know what the future freewill choices and decisions of mankind will be, without it being in any way “sealed,” “predestined,” or “predetermined”.

Yes, except that it doesn't mean what you think it does.

How can their fate be other than what God foreknows?

God does not see the future. He exists outside of time and space. That also violates Gods aseity.

 

[JDS]

My friends blog Pastor David Steele has this and I copied it here .


I affirm the sovereignty of God in salvation and embrace a Calvinistic worldview where the glory and supremacy of God are the end of all things. Seven fundamental realities compel me to embrace Calvinism, what C.H. Spurgeon referred to as a “nickname for biblical Christianity.”1

1. Calvinism is rooted in Scripture. The sovereignty of God over all things, including the salvation of his elect is a pervasive theme in the Bible (Jonah 2:9; Isa. 46:9-10; Eph. 1:11).
2. Calvinism upholds the dignity of mankind and his total inability in proper tension (Gen. 1:27; 6:5; Ps. 8:5).
3. Calvinism upholds the sovereignty of God in all things (Ps. 115:3; Dan. 4:34-35).
4. Calvinism upholds the responsibility of mankind and God’s sovereign control over all things.
5. Calvinism upholds the joy of the Creator and the joy of the creature. This God-centered joy is captured in the popular acrostic, TULIP:

1. Calvinism underscores the five solas of the Reformation:

I believe that sinners are saved by God’s grace alone because apart from his grace we do not have the ability nor the desire to please him or earn his favor – Grace Alone(Eph. 2:1-5).

I believe that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone apart from any human merit, works or ritual. Genuine faith produces Christ-glorifying fruit in the people of God for the glory of God – Faith Alone (Eph. 2:8-10).

I believe that we are saved by Christ alone, who is fully God and fully man. Christ was our substitute who died for our sins on the cross and was raised from the dead on the third day – Christ Alone (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

I believe the Bible is God’s absolute truth for all people, for all times; it is our final authority for discerning truth – Scripture Alone (2 Tim. 3:16).

I believe in the triune God who exists in three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Spirit) who created, sustains and sovereignly rules over all things, and to whom belongs all the glory forever and ever – To the Glory of God Alone (Rom. 11:36).

Calvinism is God-centered. “A Calvinist is someone who has seen God in His majestic glory and has been overwhelmed.”3

The world may mock and the world may scorn. But the truth holds fast: I am a Calvinist.

1. I deny the notion of hyper-Calvinism which minimizes human responsibility, promotes passivity, and fails to proclaim the gospel to all peoples. ↩
2. John Piper, Cited in Tony Reinke, The Joy Project: The True Story of Inescapable Happiness (Minneapolis: Desiring God Ministries, 2015), 6. ↩
3. Ian Hamilton, What is Experiential Calvinsim (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2015), Loc. 202. ↩

David Steele, whoever he is, does not know what he is talking about.

One cannot be saved by "faith" alone and "grace" alone at the same time. What gives with this double speak? The fact that men can desire to please God in an unsaved state is proven by 4000 years of people who were justified by their faith in what God said. That would include men like , Noah, Abraham, Shem, David, John the Baptist, to name a few.

God is not glorified by you guys.

I believe the Bible is God’s absolute truth for all people, for all times; it is our final authority for discerning truth – Scripture Alone (2 Tim. 3:16).

He believes adding to scripture in the TULIP with these five things the scriptures do not teach.

1) Total depravity
2) unconditional election
3) Limited Atonement (this one is the most dangerous)
4) Irresistible grace
5) Perseverance of the saints

None of those things are true. God's glory is very important to him but he does not need Calvinists to make up stuff about him and then say it glorifies him. He knows how to get glory without any help from David Steele.

These things are some of the reasons I think Calvinism is better suited to be labeled as a cult and as the end time apostasy.

 

[zerinus]

How can their fate be other than what God foreknows?

You are asking the wrong question. The real question you want to ask is, How can God know their fate, if their future choices and decisions are freely made, with complete libertarian freewill? The answer is that we don't know. But just because we don't know how he does it, it does not logically follow that he can't.

God does not see the future. He exists outside of time and space. That also violates Gods aseity.

That is immaterial to the discussion we are having.

 

[preacher4truth]

You are asking the wrong question. The real question you want to ask is, How can God know their fate, if their future choices and decisions are freely made, with complete libertarian freewill? The answer is that we don't know. But just because we don't know how he does it, it does not logically follow that he can't.

That is immaterial to the discussion we are having.

The above shows one has no biblical concept of either God or man. Haven't you touted yourself as the greatest theologian on here? You have not even begun to understand the God of Scripture, stop praising and exalting yourself while domesticating God, it's asinine on your part.

 

[guest1]

David Steele, whoever he is, does not know what he is talking about.

One cannot be saved by "faith" alone and "grace" alone at the same time. What gives with this double speak? The fact that men can desire to please God in an unsaved state is proven by 4000 years of people who were justified by their faith in what God said. That would include men like , Noah, Abraham, Shem, David, John the Baptist, to name a few.

God is not glorified by you guys.

I believe the Bible is God’s absolute truth for all people, for all times; it is our final authority for discerning truth – Scripture Alone (2 Tim. 3:16).

He believes adding to scripture in the TULIP with these five things the scriptures do not teach.

1) Total depravity
2) unconditional election
3) Limited Atonement (this one is the most dangerous)
4) Irresistible grace
5) Perseverance of the saints

None of those things are true. God's glory is very important to him but he does not need Calvinists to make up stuff about him and then say it glorifies him. He knows how to get glory without any help from David Steele.

These things are some of the reasons I think Calvinism is better suited to be labeled as a cult and as the end time apostasy.

I didn't know you were more knowledgeable than Spurgeon.

BTW- you could not even defend your position on the purpose of miracles, signs and wonders. Even after helping you out you still have fallen short for their purpose and ceasing.

FYI- they are all true but as the saying goes " you can't handle the truth"

next.........................

 

[preacher4truth]

David Steele, whoever he is, does not know what he is talking about.

One cannot be saved by "faith" alone and "grace" alone at the same time. What gives with this double speak? The fact that men can desire to please God in an unsaved state is proven by 4000 years of people who were justified by their faith in what God said. That would include men like , Noah, Abraham, Shem, David, John the Baptist, to name a few.

God is not glorified by you guys.

I believe the Bible is God’s absolute truth for all people, for all times; it is our final authority for discerning truth – Scripture Alone (2 Tim. 3:16).

He believes adding to scripture in the TULIP with these five things the scriptures do not teach.

1) Total depravity
2) unconditional election
3) Limited Atonement (this one is the most dangerous)
4) Irresistible grace
5) Perseverance of the saints

None of those things are true. God's glory is very important to him but he does not need Calvinists to make up stuff about him and then say it glorifies him. He knows how to get glory without any help from David Steele.

These things are some of the reasons I think Calvinism is better suited to be labeled as a cult and as the end time apostasy.

You show a vast misunderstanding of gospel truth and the things of the Spirit; 1 Corinthians 2:14 -- wow, almost unbelievable!

 

[preacher4truth]

But how do we explain that Noah was just, righteous and walked with the Lord? His generations were perfect.

Checkmate, Calvinists. 💐

He was born from above.

 

[guest1]

It is true that there are issues with the way calvinists read the Bible. You point out sovereignty. That word means the right to authority. .It does not mean to micromanage. Calvinists have turned sovereignty into something the word does not mean: minute control of every detail. A king is sovereign over his land, but that does not mean he controls every detail, only that he has the right to do so if he chooses.
It's just one of the redefined words in Calvinism.

ask your CALVINIST PASTOR about Gods Sovereignty and why He is a CALVINIST.

still kicking against the pricks eh ?

next..................................................................

 

[SovereignGrace]

He was born from above.

By exercising his free will by making a free will decision. I wonder if Noah built an anxious bench on the Ark? 🤔