John Calvin: Not a Calvinist

Humble_Disciple

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It's perhaps no secret to anyone that I'm a great admirer of John Calvin who, like Martin Luther, risked his own life to promote the great scriptural truth of salvation by faith alone through grace alone.

I'm going to demonstrate, based on John Calvin's own words, that John Calvin was not a Calvinist.

According to modern-day Calvinists, the five points of Calvinism are an unbroken chain, and if one link is proven to be untrue, then the entire system fails.

As we can see, based on Calvin's own words, he, in the very least, rejected the doctrine of limited atonement:

How Calvinistic was John Calvin? What did he teach concerning the extent of the atonement? Let us ponder his own words:

Isaiah 53:12- "I approve of the ordinary reading, that He alone bore the punishment of many, because on Him was laid the guilt of the whole world. It is evident from other passages, and especially from the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, that manysometimes denotes all."
Mark 14:24- "The word many does not mean a part of the world only, but the whole human race." In other words, Christ’s blood was shed for the whole human race.
Matthew 20:28- "‘Many’ is used, not for a definite number, but for a large number, in that He sets Himself over against all others. And this is its meaning also in Rom. 5:15, where Paul is not talking of a part of mankind but of the whole human race."
John 1:29- "And when he says the sin OF THE WORLD, He extends this favour indiscriminately to the whole human race....all men without exception are guilty of unrighteousness before God and need to be reconciled to Him....Now our duty is, to embrace the benefit which is offered to all, that each of us may be convinced that there is nothing to hinder him from obtaining reconciliation in Christ, provided that he comes to him by...faith."
John 3:16- "He has employed the universal term whosoever, both to invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers....He shows Himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when He invites all men without exception to the faith of Christ."
Romans 5:18- "He makes this favor common to all, because it is propoundable to all, and not because it is in reality extended to all (i.e. in the experience); for though Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world, and is offered through God’s benignity indiscriminately to all, yet all do not receive Him."
2 Corinthians 5:19- God "shows Himself to be reconciled to the whole world" and Calvin goes on to say that the "whole world" means "all men without exception."
Galatians 5:12- "It is the will of God that we should seek the salvation of all men without exception, as Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world."
Colossians 1:15- "This redemption was procured by the blood of Christ, for by the sacrifice of His death all the sins of the world have been expiated."
Hebrews 5:9- "He (the writer of Hebrews) has inserted the universal term ‘to all’ to show that no one is excluded from this salvation who proves to be attentive and obedient to the Gospel of Christ."
Calvin even taught that the lost were purchased by Christ's blood: "It is no small matter to have the souls perish who were bought by the blood of Christ" (The Myster of Godliness, p. 83).
http://skipslighthouse.blogspot.com/2014/11/calvins-favorite-flower-was-not-tulip.html
My intent on this forum has not been to convince others that Calvinism is true, but only that they should be more tolerant of Calvinists, especially since some of history's greatest missionaries and evangelists have been Calvinists.

Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

1 Corinthians 8:2-3
Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

 
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Humble_Disciple

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I accomplished everything I intended to accomplish in removing the blinders of anti-Calvinists, and now I'm doing the same for the other side, to the glory of God alone. Are we not all brothers and sisters in Christ?
 
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Gregory Thompson

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My intent on this forum has not been to convince others that Calvinism is true, but only that they should be more tolerant of Calvinists, especially since some of history's greatest missionaries and evangelists have been Calvinists.
I get the sense that the intolerance of Calvinists is generated when people who believe differently, attend a Calvinist church and stay too long.

After the royal treatment and the grand adieu .. it is no wonder really.
 
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BobRyan

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It's perhaps no secret to anyone that I'm a great admirer of John Calvin who, like Martin Luther, risked his own life to promote the great scriptural truth of salvation by faith alone through grace alone.

I'm going to demonstrate, based on John Calvin's own words, that John Calvin was not a Calvinist.

According to modern-day Calvinists, the five points of Calvinism are an unbroken chain, and if one link is proven to be untrue, then the entire system fails.

As we can see, based on Calvin's own words, he, in the very least, rejected the doctrine of limited atonement:


My intent on this forum has not been to convince others that Calvinism is true, but only that they should be more tolerant of Calvinists, especially since some of history's greatest missionaries and evangelists have been Calvinists.

Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

1 Corinthians 8:2-3
Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

I really "really" appreciate that quote you included - I have used a tiny example in the past to make a similar point but appreciate having a more complete version.

What is the source reference for Calvin?
 
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Humble_Disciple

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I get the sense that the intolerance of Calvinists is generated when people who believe differently, attend a Calvinist church and stay too long.

After the royal treatment and the grand adieu .. it is no wonder really.

I wouldn't know, since I have never attended a church where Calvinists were the majority.
 
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BobRyan

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Which quote?

This one...

How Calvinistic was John Calvin? What did he teach concerning the extent of the atonement? Let us ponder his own words:

Isaiah 53:12- "I approve of the ordinary reading, that He alone bore the punishment of many, because on Him was laid the guilt of the whole world. It is evident from other passages, and especially from the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, that manysometimes denotes all."
Mark 14:24- "The word many does not mean a part of the world only, but the whole human race." In other words, Christ’s blood was shed for the whole human race.
Matthew 20:28- "‘Many’ is used, not for a definite number, but for a large number, in that He sets Himself over against all others. And this is its meaning also in Rom. 5:15, where Paul is not talking of a part of mankind but of the whole human race."
John 1:29- "And when he says the sin OF THE WORLD, He extends this favour indiscriminately to the whole human race....all men without exception are guilty of unrighteousness before God and need to be reconciled to Him....Now our duty is, to embrace the benefit which is offered to all, that each of us may be convinced that there is nothing to hinder him from obtaining reconciliation in Christ, provided that he comes to him by...faith."
John 3:16- "He has employed the universal term whosoever, both to invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers....He shows Himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when He invites all men without exception to the faith of Christ."
Romans 5:18- "He makes this favor common to all, because it is propoundable to all, and not because it is in reality extended to all (i.e. in the experience); for though Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world, and is offered through God’s benignity indiscriminately to all, yet all do not receive Him."
2 Corinthians 5:19- God "shows Himself to be reconciled to the whole world" and Calvin goes on to say that the "whole world" means "all men without exception."
Galatians 5:12- "It is the will of God that we should seek the salvation of all men without exception, as Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world."
Colossians 1:15- "This redemption was procured by the blood of Christ, for by the sacrifice of His death all the sins of the world have been expiated."
Hebrews 5:9- "He (the writer of Hebrews) has inserted the universal term ‘to all’ to show that no one is excluded from this salvation who proves to be attentive and obedient to the Gospel of Christ."

Calvin even taught that the lost were purchased by Christ's blood: "It is no small matter to have the souls perish who were bought by the blood of Christ" (The Myster of Godliness, p. 83).
http://skipslighthouse.blogspot.com/2014/11/calvins-favorite-flower-was-not-tulip.html

I assume it is not this source document

The Mystery of Godliness (1Timothy 3:16) - John Calvin

What is the document where Calvin is actually
 
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BobRyan

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It's a collection of quotes from various
commentaries of Calvin.

I am pretty sure if I ever post that list to a Calvinist they will want the source where Calvin actually makes those statements.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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I wouldn't know, since I have never attended a church where Calvinists were the majority.
That might explain why you are posting in advocacy, thanks for saying so.
 
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Humble_Disciple

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I posted this to the forum several weeks ago:

I have asked God to not make me a Calvinist if he doesn't want me to be a Calvinist. In the very least, I believe that God wants me to dispel myths about Calvinism, so that people will be relieved of their prejudice against Calvinists.

Since I am a Calvinist who believes in God’s irresistible grace, I accept that God will make me a provisionist, Arminian, or Molinist if He so chooses, according to His own glory and purposes. (Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6)

At the end of the day, your love for God is more important than the rightness of your theology:

1 Corinthians 8:2-3
Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

If you are a Calvinist who believes in irresistible grace, then you must accept that God led me, through the reading of scripture, to ultimately reject the Calvinist understanding of unconditional election.
 
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tdidymas

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It's perhaps no secret to anyone that I'm a great admirer of John Calvin who, like Martin Luther, risked his own life to promote the great scriptural truth of salvation by faith alone through grace alone.

I'm going to demonstrate, based on John Calvin's own words, that John Calvin was not a Calvinist.

According to modern-day Calvinists, the five points of Calvinism are an unbroken chain, and if one link is proven to be untrue, then the entire system fails.

As we can see, based on Calvin's own words, he, in the very least, rejected the doctrine of limited atonement:


My intent on this forum has not been to convince others that Calvinism is true, but only that they should be more tolerant of Calvinists, especially since some of history's greatest missionaries and evangelists have been Calvinists.

Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

1 Corinthians 8:2-3
Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.
It was actually the Remonstrants who came up with the 5 points, so the title to each point was theirs. So then, how did they object to limited atonement, if Calvin didn't teach it?
 
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Mark Quayle

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It's perhaps no secret to anyone that I'm a great admirer of John Calvin who, like Martin Luther, risked his own life to promote the great scriptural truth of salvation by faith alone through grace alone.

I'm going to demonstrate, based on John Calvin's own words, that John Calvin was not a Calvinist.

According to modern-day Calvinists, the five points of Calvinism are an unbroken chain, and if one link is proven to be untrue, then the entire system fails.

As we can see, based on Calvin's own words, he, in the very least, rejected the doctrine of limited atonement:


My intent on this forum has not been to convince others that Calvinism is true, but only that they should be more tolerant of Calvinists, especially since some of history's greatest missionaries and evangelists have been Calvinists.

Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

1 Corinthians 8:2-3
Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.
Calvin: "He makes this favor common to all, because it is propoundable to all, and not because it is in reality extended to all..." as shown by the fact that not all actually are saved. <my paraphrase of the rest of his sentence not shown in quotes.
 
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Humble_Disciple

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56421574.jpg
 
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tdidymas

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It might mean not just the Jews. Also, Jesus prayed for the world (gentiles also), but not the whole world in John 17, only those who would believe (i.e. the elect).

Every word has specific meaning according to how it is used in its context. When a person says they want to travel and "see the world," they are talking about only specific places, with the exclusion of everywhere else. Contextual meaning is common to all languages, including the Bible.
 
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Mark Quayle

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"The whole world" —a quote out of context. Is EVERYBODY in the car?

To say, "The whole world, both Jew and Gentile, will come to repentance" does not mean nobody will go the Hell. In another place in Scripture it says "all nations"— does that mean everybody of all nations? Or maybe it means people from all nations.

A mocking meme doesn't prove anything. But it does tend to engender animis.
 
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Humble_Disciple

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"The freedom of the Christian is not freedom to do what he or she wants but freedom to obey God—willingly, joyfully, naturally," John MacArthur.

Also, in the words of Calvinist apologist Cornelius Van Til, "Sin did not take away from man any of the natural powers that God had given him."

Calvinists are incredibly inconsistent, especially since Calvin himself never taught limited atonement. Nonetheless, they are still our brothers and sisters in Christ.

64de6589db173c47b94a2aebf91dc1b66433e1db.png
 
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tdidymas

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"The freedom of the Christian is not freedom to do what he or she wants but freedom to obey God—willingly, joyfully, naturally," John MacArthur.

Also, in the words of Calvinist apologist Cornelius Van Til, "Sin did not take away from man any of the natural powers that God had given him."

Calvinists are incredibly inconsistent, especially since Calvin himself never taught limited atonement. Nonetheless, they are still our brothers and sisters in Christ.
You didn't answer my question. If Calvin never taught "limited atonement," then how could the Remonstrants object to it?
 
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