5 Reasons Why I'm a Calvinist
Jehovah's
Election
Saved
Us
Sinners
Brother Glen
Jehovah's
Election
Saved
Us
Sinners
Brother Glen
Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
5 Reasons Why I'm a Calvinist
Jehovah's
Election
Saved
Us
Sinners
Brother Glen
hI was born into a Roman Catholic family, and then joined an Evangelical Free Church as a teenager, after the Lord graciously saved me, Spending 20 years there, there wan't much chance of me coming across a Calvinist, and although I was in the church every Wednesday, and twice on Sunday, not much church history was taught, so I remained ignorant of any ideas outside of the default Pelagian views of the average congregant and the semi-Pelagian views of the Pastor because no other views were offered or even named.
Many things about the theology of the EFC bothered me, but I couldn't put my finger on exactly what the problems were. I felt the (implicit) legalism which is inevitable in these worldviews, and I felt the discomfort of a Christian life which didn't make much sense of the first 39 books of the Bible.
I was thankful freed from my ignorance, and these are the 5 reasons I'm a Calvinist today.
1) BECAUSE THESE IDEAS RUN THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE
2) BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY WAY IN WHICH GOD GETS ALL THE GLORY
3) BECAUSE IT EXPLAINS THE WORLD AND MANKIND PERFECTLY
4) BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE CHOSEN GOD
5) BECAUSE THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE GRANT ME REST IN CHRIST THAT ALL ELSE COULD NOT
God Himself choose to save me, and since the Lord started and will finish my salvation fully, how could I not be a Calvinist than?
A few thoughts.
Firstly, you've assumed that I am incapable of a thoughtful reply to your very simple statement without hours and days of "meditation". It's not that profound a statement. . .
Secondly, you've presented a false dilemma. I ask you, how fully can one know (and love) Christ without knowing about Him and His work?
I've heard countless times, from anti-intellectual types (I'm not saying that you are one) "I don't need doctrine. I just love Jesus". In reply, I immediately ask them, who is Jesus. Their answer is of course: doctrine. They might say, "He is the Son of God". To which I ask a followup question, what is the significance of that? And, I will keep at it until they come to understand what hopefully you do at this moment, which is you cannot know God without knowing about God.
To further make my point, if you asked me, "when is your wife's birthday?", and I replied, I don't know. I just love her. The you ask further, "What's her favorite restaurant, book, desert? Where does she work?. . ." And I again reply, I don't know. I just love her. You would rightful doubt my words because to know is to love and to love is to know.
Thirdly, did God reveal Himself in creation in ways that scientists could categorize and for frameworks of understanding His work? In the same way, God revealed Himself through His Word in such a way that theologians (all of us) could find connections of related ideas and see the framework on which truths regarding God, man, sin, redemption. . . rest. God works in "systems". That reveals something about Him: He is not a God of chaos.
All men are theologians, Jon. Some are just poor ones, and we ought not make our aim to have a minimal knowledge of our Lord and His Word. We ought to aim for the fullest understanding of both.
BTW, Calvin does a great job of explaining the knowledge of God and self in the beginning of his Institutes. If you really want to be anti-Calvin, you should read the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can get it for free online and I'll try to cut and paste that section below for you.
My comment a few days ago was that one holds all 5 points or none. Since perseverance of the saints is so clearly not found in the Scripture the system falls. To make it work then the Calvinist must "make" verses written to saved people be about "never really saved people". That group exits only in the minds of commentators. In all fairness I understand "perseverance" was added later but it is a part of the system we know today.5 Reasons Why I'm a Calvinist
Jehovah's
Election
Saved
Us
Sinners
Brother Glen
He is the Author and perfecter of our faith. That alone should be enough to make everyone a "Calvinist".
That God will "finish" it is of little consolation to those who came out of Egypt and died short of the goal of their salvation. And since Paul says those events recorded for us are exactly like our walk today I Cor 9:24-10:14 we should take heed lest we fall ( written to saved people ) . The man who hid his talent in the ground the same kind of warning
Which are you, a Roman Catholic or SDA?
thatbrian said:Which are you, a Roman Catholic or SDA?
Just a sound fundamental Bible believer. Why the sarcasm ?
Just a sound fundamental Bible believer. Why the sarcasm ?
No sarcasm. I just want to understand who is criticizing my posts. Now I know.
Faith gets you started but your works keep you going and ultimately are your justification. Christ cleans the slate, but you must keep it clean - or else. . . I understand.
Since perseverance of the saints is so clearly not found in the Scripture the system falls.
No...they do not have to make anything, they just read the bible with understanding...like here in 1 jn2;To make it work then the Calvinist must "make" verses written to saved people be about "never really saved people".
That group exits only in the minds of commentators.
Chapter 17: Of The Perseverance of the SaintsIn all fairness I understand "perseverance" was added later but it is a part of the system we know today.
The bible reveals a covenantal soteriology. This salvation works....Sadly you do not understand. As a Calvinist you are forced to adopt a covenantal soteriology. Which is Reading all texts dealing with salvation as past tense justification. i believe in salvation by grace. Through faith. No works. That matter is finished, done forever. However where Reformed / Lordship / Calvinists err is by failing to see that the vast vast majority of texts dealing with salvation are speaking of the present and future aspects of salvation. By reading justification by faith / salvation by grace into these passages the confusion grows. That is where you do not "understand". I know because I have many friends who have moved into Calvinism / Reforned thinking and it's dangerous association : Amillennialism
Faith gets you started but your works keep you going and ultimately are your justification. Christ cleans the slate, but you must keep it clean - or else. . . I understand.
So the ending of Jude was not inspired?My comment a few days ago was that one holds all 5 points or none. Since perseverance of the saints is so clearly not found in the Scripture the system falls. To make it work then the Calvinist must "make" verses written to saved people be about "never really saved people". That group exits only in the minds of commentators. In all fairness I understand "perseverance" was added later but it is a part of the system we know today.
The bible reveals a covenantal soteriology. This salvation works....
0 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
antinomian grace is no grace at all.
Amillenial brethren are not going to hurt anyone.
How so?Amillennialism denies the overriding theme of the entire Bible. The 7th day. The future 1000 years. Reformed folks are consistent in how they read the Bible. They read through the Augustinian lense. Sadly. Tragically. They can't just take the Scripture for what it says. It's like James 2. Oh, that proves works prove salvation they say. Well, that is correct Reformed theology. But that is not what 2:14-26 say. James says, writing to saved people (33 times in the latter by the way he says so) your dead faith can't "save" you. Well of course writing to saved people he is not testing their finished eternal destiny but their lives, their souls 1:19-21. Covenant soteriology forces one to ignore such fine clear and and accurate distinctions in the word.