Calvinism and Deathbed Conversions

[InTheLight]

How would a Calvinist handle the situation of a friend or family member being on their deathbed and having them ask "What must I do to get right with God?" or "What should I do to be saved from Hell?" or "How can I be sure I'm going to Heaven?"

What is the Calvinist answer to these questions?

 

[Martin Marprelate]

How would a Calvinist handle the situation of a friend or family member being on their deathbed and having them ask "What must I do to get right with God?" or "What should I do to be saved from Hell?" or "How can I be sure I'm going to Heaven?"

What is the Calvinist answer to these questions?

I would say, since God hasn't saved you so far, you are obviously not one of the elect. Therefore I cannot possibly advise you in case you should sneak into heaven while God isn't looking.

 

[Ran the Man]

I don't know what Calvinists would say, but I would say better late than never.
I don't know why people think deathbed conversions are invalid. We cannot know a person's heart, so we should proceed with prayer and some form of baptism,even if it's just christening.

 

[MB]

I would say, since God hasn't saved you so far, you are obviously not one of the elect. Therefore I cannot possibly advise you in case you should sneak into heaven while God isn't looking.

I'm surprised that your answer is so cold and uncaring. This definitely is not loving your neighbor is it?. It's not loving your enemies either. I'm sure Calvinism it self is not good news to anyone is it? You don't know you're elect either.
MB

 

[InTheLight]

I would say, since God hasn't saved you so far, you are obviously not one of the elect. Therefore I cannot possibly advise you in case you should sneak into heaven while God isn't looking.

Don't be so sarcastic. I'm genuinely curious.

 

[MB]

Don't be so sarcastic. I'm genuinely curious.

He sounds serious to me.
MB

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Don't be so sarcastic. I'm genuinely curious.

I didn't want to disappoint your presuppositions.
From your question I assumed you knew that Calvinists cut Romans 10:13-15 out of their Bibles as soon as they buy them.

 

[InTheLight]

I didn't want to disappoint your presuppositions.

I don't have any presuppositions, except perhaps that Calvinists don't have an answer to these questions. In this regard, you are not disappointing me.

 

[loDebar]

to the Calvinist, the unelect would never desire to be saved

 

[tyndale1946]

How would a Calvinist handle the situation of a friend or family member being on their deathbed and having them ask "What must I do to get right with God?" or "What should I do to be saved from Hell?" or "How can I be sure I'm going to Heaven?"

What is the Calvinist answer to these questions?

Well I will give you another scenario... There was a man who had been a criminal all his life, had profane and uncouth language, and as far as we know he had never been to church, never been baptized, never heard the word of God and soon to meet his maker... All those that looked on him thought well we know where your headed... He was going to die, no doubt about it... But suddenly he was changed... On A Cross!... Election is according to the foreknowledge of God and some want to mark those who are elected and those who are not, I don't because I don't know... Because I believe that Gods election umbrella cover more than any of us can comprehend or even imagine... It covered one thief on a cross and even covered you and I, who didn't deserve it... Brother Glen

 

[Pastor_Bob]

Excellent, Brother Glen!

 

[Pastor_Bob]

...we should proceed with prayer and some form of baptism,even if it's just christening.

What good would that do? Is the goal to give them false hope?

 

[tyndale1946]

Excellent, Brother Glen!

God knows who his elect are and I am satisfied because I believe God knows what he is doing... The scriptures never limit election... ALL THE FATHER HAS GIVEN ME!... Covers it all... Only men limit the election of Gods elected... Brother Glen

 

[canadyjd]

How would a Calvinist handle the situation of a friend or family member being on their deathbed and having them ask "What must I do to get right with God?" or "What should I do to be saved from Hell?" or "How can I be sure I'm going to Heaven?"

What is the Calvinist answer to these questions?

I would present the truth of the gospel just like I would with any other person at any other point in their life.

 

[InTheLight]

So, one would read Romans 10:13-15, one would read the story of the thief on the cross, and one would present the "truth of the gospel."

So, a person on his deathbed should read some scripture and that's going to save them?

 

[Reynolds]

How would a Calvinist handle the situation of a friend or family member being on their deathbed and having them ask "What must I do to get right with God?" or "What should I do to be saved from Hell?" or "How can I be sure I'm going to Heaven?"

What is the Calvinist answer to these questions?

I can bet either "You don't understand Calvinism." Or "ignorance" will be in the answer. That seems to be the standard Calvinist response.

 

[Reformed1689]

How would a Calvinist handle the situation of a friend or family member being on their deathbed and having them ask "What must I do to get right with God?" or "What should I do to be saved from Hell?" or "How can I be sure I'm going to Heaven?"

What is the Calvinist answer to these questions?

No different than the response given to someone not on their deathbed. Preach the Gospel.

 

[Reynolds]

No different than the response given to someone not on their deathbed. Preach the Gospel.

How do you preach it? (You personally) If a person asks "Can I be saved?". Do you tell the person they can be saved? Do you tell them if they are elect they can be saved?

 

[Reformed1689]

How do you preach it? (You personally) If a person asks "Can I be saved?". Do you tell the person they can be saved? Do you tell them if they are elect they can be saved?

Do you know how absurd that question is? What Calvinist (other than maybe hyper-calvinists) woud say to someone, "If you are elect you can be saved"? Nobody I know, nor any major calvinist theologian I know of does this.

We preach the Gospel. Grace alone, Faith alone, through Christ alone. Plain and simple.

What Calvinists believe is that if that person is of the elect their ears will be open to hear.

 

[InTheLight]

No different than the response given to someone not on their deathbed. Preach the Gospel.

Remember the questions are:
"What must I do to get right with God?" or "What should I do to be saved from Hell?" or "How can I be sure I'm going to Heaven?"

And your answer is to go into 1 Cor 15:1-8 and give him the gospel. I'm going to stipulate that the person on their deathbed is well aware of the facts of the gospel, how Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified on a cross, died for our sins, was buried and rose back to life again.

How does repeating these Bible facts help to answer the personal pleas this person gave you?