Flaws of Calvinism

[Charlie24]

That is what I meant. I know Abraham, Moses, Jacob, etc. were elected for specific purposes.

Sorry I wasn't more clear.

In the context of the word "elect" concerning salvation you were both clear and correct, as I see it.

I was pointing out the different context of the word "elect." I think that's important.

 

[Charlie24]

In the context of the word "elect" concerning salvation you were both clear and correct, as I see it.

I was pointing out the different context of the word "elect." I think that's important.

This brings up another thread that should be started on the word "election" and its use concerning Reformed Theology.

But I don't have time for all of this, not at the present.

 

[Van]

1. Calvinism is Fatalistic.​

Calvinism promotes fatalism and resignation. In reality, Calvinists believe everything has been predestined, you were either saved or damned from eternity for eternity, and there is nothing you can do to alter that outcome for yourself or your loved ones.

2. Calvinists do not think Evangelism helps save souls, as those to be saved were predestined before creation.
However, many Calvinists are deeply committed to sharing their faith, understanding it as a command from God.

3. Calvinism is Out of Touch With Modern Biblical Study
Calvinist theology is outdated, a relic of the "dark ages." It blames God for those who reject the gospel, since their choice was supposedly predestined, rather than looking to improve the efficacy of their evangelism. Calvinism is not based on what the Bible actually says, but on what can be read into vague or poorly translated passages of scripture.


But the true Doctrines of Grace, taken directly from what scripture actually says, are these:

General Offer of Reconciliation - Christ died for all people, those to be saved and those never to be saved, 1 Timothy 2:6 and 2 Peter 2:1
Resistible Grace - Many of the Lost are able to understand God's revelation, but are also able to reject it in whole or in part, as well as fully accept it. When and only if God credits the person's faith as righteousness, does God put the person into Christ.
Ability to Believe - the Lost can understand Spiritual Milk, the Fundamentals of the Gospel, and thus can seek God and trust in Christ based on His revelation without supernatural "Enablement."
Conditional Election - God chooses individuals for salvation based on crediting their faith as righteousness, and then transferring the individual spiritually into Christ. This transfer is also referred to as being given to Christ, being called into His kingdom, being sanctified, being baptized into Christ, and believing into Christ, even His name.
Eternal Security - Once a person has been transferred into Christ, they undergo spiritual rebirth, with their faith protected by the power of God, and then sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit forever, thus salvation cannot be lost.

 

[Van]

This is an interesting fact of Scripture. In the Bible being "elect" is positional to being "in" the Elect (in "God's Ekect", "in Christ").

Calvinists often lift parts of Romans 8 to defend their theories, but they ignore that this "foreknowledge" is based on the Elect (Christ) and these predestined to be conformed into the image of Christ.

Nowhere in the Bible are "the elect" lost.

Yes, if individuals were in fact "elected (chosen individually for salvation) before creation, they would not be condemned for unbelief, and would never have been children of wrath,

 

[JonC]

Yes, if individuals were in fact "elected (chosen individually for salvation) before creation, they would not be condemned for unbelief, and would never have been children of wrath,

Yep. It kinda minimizes Christ dying for us while we were yet sinners, while we were enemies of God.

Calvinism is a form (perhaps the ultimate form) of"easy believism" and is very much a humanistic soteriology (it focuses on man rather than Christ, and when it concerns God in redemption the focus is on the Father and man rather than Christ).

But in the Bible election (in regards to Salvation) always starts with Christ and the elect a descriptive of those ekect in Him.

 

[Van]

Yep. It kinda minimizes Christ dying for us while we were yet sinners, while we were enemies of God.

Calvinism is a form (perhaps the ultimate form) of"easy believism" and is very much a humanistic soteriology (it focuses on man rather than Christ, and when it concerns God in refemption the focus is on the Father and man rather than Christ).

But in the Bible election (in regards to Salvation) always starts with Christ and the elect a descriptive of those ekect in Him.

Yes, just how could Christ die for us, while we were yet sinners, if no charge can be brought against the elect, those of us in Christ? Answer - we were not yet "Elect" when Christ died for us, we only became elect when God transferred us spiritually into Christ, Colossians 1:13.

Calvinism cannot be defended from scripture, that is why we see the change of subject against the person arguments.