Calvinism
A critique on a bit of post-Biblical theology. Just for readers to be aware, those of a Calvinistic theology, a theology largely associated with Reformed Theology, have a significantly different view of much of scripture than what I've been teaching, this chapter being an example, though many a so-called "Calvinist" today doesn't accept every aspect of Calvinism.
Calvinistic Misconception: God holds people accountable for things over which they have no control. Example: God imputes the guilt of Adam's sin to those who didn't actually commit the sin. And He imputes such guilt before they are even born, thus condemning the innocent. But they go on to reason that God's justice cannot be scrutinized as God is just by definition and not because he does or fails to do things which are inherently just by human standards. Indeed many a Calvinist I've talked with will often say, "God is not just in human terms". (Or to say it another way, "In human terms, Calvinistic theology teaches that God is not just.")
Calvinism holds a fatalistic view both of salvation and condemnation. For in both cases man's free will has no part in determining their fate. Indeed Calvinism goes so far as to deny the free will altogether, opting rather for a puppet theology. Thus under Calvinism people are condemned not because of any decision on their part, but simply because God arbitrarily wills it. And likewise with regards to salvation.
There are a number of ideas that logically follow from this. One is that God doesn't want everyone to be saved. This in contrast to 1Tim 2:4 which says that God "wants all men to be saved". In fact Calvin writes that God takes pleasure in the destruction of the unelect. (Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 21, Section 7) In contrast God says, "I take no pleasure in the death of anyone." Eze 18:32 And this also impinges on the concept of God's love. For what is it to say that "God is love" if he holds people accountable for things over which they have not control, and takes pleasure in their eternal condemnation, while having the ability to save them? How can the Calvinist say, as the Bible says, "God so loved the world"?
According to John 1:12 faith qualifies one to be born of God. Calvinism gets that backwards claming that being born of God must precede faith. In fact Calvin tells us that faith is not a necessary requirement, but rather that salvation can be inherited by simply being born of Christian parents. Furthermore under Calvinism one has no control over one's fate, one's faith or one's behavior. People are viewed as merely puppets. There's no free will. All which is contrary to the way the Bible speaks of such things. Not likely to hear a Calvinist preach the gospel as Peter did. For With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Acts 2:40
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
A critique on a bit of post-Biblical theology. Just for readers to be aware, those of a Calvinistic theology, a theology largely associated with Reformed Theology, have a significantly different view of much of scripture than what I've been teaching, this chapter being an example, though many a so-called "Calvinist" today doesn't accept every aspect of Calvinism.
Calvinistic Misconception: God holds people accountable for things over which they have no control. Example: God imputes the guilt of Adam's sin to those who didn't actually commit the sin. And He imputes such guilt before they are even born, thus condemning the innocent. But they go on to reason that God's justice cannot be scrutinized as God is just by definition and not because he does or fails to do things which are inherently just by human standards. Indeed many a Calvinist I've talked with will often say, "God is not just in human terms". (Or to say it another way, "In human terms, Calvinistic theology teaches that God is not just.")
Calvinism holds a fatalistic view both of salvation and condemnation. For in both cases man's free will has no part in determining their fate. Indeed Calvinism goes so far as to deny the free will altogether, opting rather for a puppet theology. Thus under Calvinism people are condemned not because of any decision on their part, but simply because God arbitrarily wills it. And likewise with regards to salvation.
There are a number of ideas that logically follow from this. One is that God doesn't want everyone to be saved. This in contrast to 1Tim 2:4 which says that God "wants all men to be saved". In fact Calvin writes that God takes pleasure in the destruction of the unelect. (Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 21, Section 7) In contrast God says, "I take no pleasure in the death of anyone." Eze 18:32 And this also impinges on the concept of God's love. For what is it to say that "God is love" if he holds people accountable for things over which they have not control, and takes pleasure in their eternal condemnation, while having the ability to save them? How can the Calvinist say, as the Bible says, "God so loved the world"?
According to John 1:12 faith qualifies one to be born of God. Calvinism gets that backwards claming that being born of God must precede faith. In fact Calvin tells us that faith is not a necessary requirement, but rather that salvation can be inherited by simply being born of Christian parents. Furthermore under Calvinism one has no control over one's fate, one's faith or one's behavior. People are viewed as merely puppets. There's no free will. All which is contrary to the way the Bible speaks of such things. Not likely to hear a Calvinist preach the gospel as Peter did. For With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Acts 2:40
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
