Protestant
Well-Known Member
Sadly, the thread which I began (A Tale of Two Faiths) deteriorated into character assassination by our Pelagian, Arminian, non-Cal, Synergist contingency.
Rather than prove their ‘free will’ doctrine through the authority of Scriptures they inevitably fall back on their last resort ‘red button’ defense: a rabid, vitriolic, vilification of one man who lived hundreds of years ago.
The question has never been the veracity of the life, legend and teachings of John Calvin.
The question has always been centered on the truthful interpretation of Scriptures: What saith the Lord?
Like all my simpatico brethren on this board, we did not reach our conclusions by idolizing a dead man.
Rather, we reached our conclusions by the teaching of the Scriptures alone.
Had the Scriptures not expressed the total depravity of man through innumerable clearly understood examples, we would be firmly entrenched in the adversaries’ camp.
I cite a few of the accusations by Calvin haters:
Calvin was a demonic monster…..a fanatical, demonic, state-church, persecuting murderer.
Calvin was a thug and understood nothing about the love of Christ and brethren.
He had a religion, and a perverted one at that.
Was Christ the eternal Son of God or not? Not according to Calvin. In fact He was "presented this honor" of being the Son. What heresy! It is a denial of the co-eternal and oneness of the triune Godhead.
CHRIST ACCUSED FREQUENTLY
I cannot help but relate the character assassination attempted by our opponents to the words of our Lord:
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
These types of blind accusations were thrust upon Christ by his enemies.
He was accused of being demon possessed, a drunkard, a bastard, mentally unhinged, a false prophet, to name a few of the unsavory epithets.
When His accusers had nothing left in their arsenal of ‘heresy hunting bag of tricks’ they were forced to kill him.
ATHEISTS' VIEW OF THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
Our Atheist friends use the similar tactic of character assassination when debunking the God of the Old Testament. Below I cite a typical example:
MODERN DAY ANABAPTISTS
Anyone who has investigated the current Anabaptists of our generation – the Amish – is well aware of the fanatical unbiblical nature of what is superficially a humble, peaceful, agrarian society of Bible believers, but in reality is a pretentious, proud, bigoted cult of extraordinary legalism hell bent on receiving salvation by their alleged works of righteousness.
Those outside their closed society are ‘The English.’
Translation: "Devil worshippers on their way to Hell."
CONCLUSION
May we all stay focused on Scriptures and Scriptures alone to prove the intent, mind and heart of our Lord.
And may we actually obey them.
Rather than prove their ‘free will’ doctrine through the authority of Scriptures they inevitably fall back on their last resort ‘red button’ defense: a rabid, vitriolic, vilification of one man who lived hundreds of years ago.
The question has never been the veracity of the life, legend and teachings of John Calvin.
The question has always been centered on the truthful interpretation of Scriptures: What saith the Lord?
Like all my simpatico brethren on this board, we did not reach our conclusions by idolizing a dead man.
Rather, we reached our conclusions by the teaching of the Scriptures alone.
Had the Scriptures not expressed the total depravity of man through innumerable clearly understood examples, we would be firmly entrenched in the adversaries’ camp.
I cite a few of the accusations by Calvin haters:
Calvin was a demonic monster…..a fanatical, demonic, state-church, persecuting murderer.
Calvin was a thug and understood nothing about the love of Christ and brethren.
He had a religion, and a perverted one at that.
Was Christ the eternal Son of God or not? Not according to Calvin. In fact He was "presented this honor" of being the Son. What heresy! It is a denial of the co-eternal and oneness of the triune Godhead.
CHRIST ACCUSED FREQUENTLY
I cannot help but relate the character assassination attempted by our opponents to the words of our Lord:
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
These types of blind accusations were thrust upon Christ by his enemies.
He was accused of being demon possessed, a drunkard, a bastard, mentally unhinged, a false prophet, to name a few of the unsavory epithets.
When His accusers had nothing left in their arsenal of ‘heresy hunting bag of tricks’ they were forced to kill him.
ATHEISTS' VIEW OF THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
Our Atheist friends use the similar tactic of character assassination when debunking the God of the Old Testament. Below I cite a typical example:
MODERN DAY ANABAPTISTS
Anyone who has investigated the current Anabaptists of our generation – the Amish – is well aware of the fanatical unbiblical nature of what is superficially a humble, peaceful, agrarian society of Bible believers, but in reality is a pretentious, proud, bigoted cult of extraordinary legalism hell bent on receiving salvation by their alleged works of righteousness.
Those outside their closed society are ‘The English.’
Translation: "Devil worshippers on their way to Hell."
CONCLUSION
May we all stay focused on Scriptures and Scriptures alone to prove the intent, mind and heart of our Lord.
And may we actually obey them.
