Calvinism, explained.

[Thursday]

You are understanding election (according to Calvinism) wrong.

Election puts nobody in hell. Instead, hell is the default destination of everyone, due to the fall and our sin.

Election's only job is to rescue men who would go to hell otherwise.

In other words, without election, nobody would be saved.

This is meaningless semantics.

According to Calvinist dogma, God decides who is going to Hell with no regard for their actions or beliefs. Nothing a non elect person could do would matter.

So, according to Calvinist dogma, it is God's fault that any person goes to Hell.

 

[Thursday]

The flesh, the natural mind, does not like that God chooses to save some while leaving others to die in their sins in unbelief.

Scripture gives us a record of how God establishes us in a relationship to Him, Abraham is a good example. And Paul models our faith as believers in Christ by teaching how Abraham was chosen and called of God, as we are in like manner become promised children of Abraham, who are children of God.

James says that Abraham was chosen for his obedience.

Noah was chosen for his righteousness.

God saves those who cooperate with his will.

We will all be judged for our actions.

 

[sdowney717]

Gen 11 marks where Terah took the family out from Ur to go to Canaan in v31.
This because God was at work in their family to do His purposes in Abraham.

Terah’s Descendants
27 This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife wasSarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

31 And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32 So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.

Then in Gen 12, God tells Abraham what He will do for Abraham. This is God's choice, not Abraham's choice to go to Canaan, neither was it Terah's choice. God works all things to do His pleasure according to His own purpose and will.
12 Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

4 So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

That Abraham choses to be obedient to God just proves God's elect will be obedient to God. God would not have chosen Abraham, if Abraham would be unwilling to follow what God told Him to do, in fact God's people will be willing in the day of God's power, because God rules in the affairs of men, turning the hearts to obey his will.

Notice Peter teaches God's elect pilgrims are elect for obedience to the message of Christ. They will believe because God is doing His work inside of them so that they do believe, that is the work God does, that you believe in Christ whom He has sent.
1 Peter 1New King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting to the Elect Pilgrims
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

 

[Thursday]

That Abraham choses to be obedient to God just proves God's elect will be obedient to God.

Obedience is a choice.

Those who obey God are the elect.

We choose obedience or rebellion.

God has given us clear instructions regarding what is expected of us, both in his written word and through his Spirit.

Those who ignore these instructions will face consequences.

But...

Acts 10:34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,35but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.

 

[sdowney717]

Obedience is a choice.

Those who obey God are the elect.

We choose obedience or rebellion.

God has given us clear instructions regarding what is expected of us, both in his written word and through his Spirit.

Those who ignore these instructions will face consequences.

But...

Acts 10:34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,35but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.

The difference between us is in the measure of the ability of man to be obedient to God's commands.
Scripture overwhelmingly points out man's natural inability to obey God. That is what the OT shows over and over.
In the NC, for those who truly are saved, that is changed because they are changed. This NC works differently.
Hebrews 8
A New Covenant, note v10 and 11 and 12

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

People who obey from the heart in the NC do so because God has done this
"I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people"

Abraham believed by faith prior to the LAW, so Abraham was the father of this great nation of Christian believers, Jesus said Abraham rejoiced that he was to see Christ's day, he saw it and was glad. As Abraham was also justified by the faith which God provides. that faith which comes through HIM.

Acts 3:16
And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

 

[tulipbee]

Obedience is a choice.

Those who obey God are the elect.

We choose obedience or rebellion.

God has given us clear instructions regarding what is expected of us, both in his written word and through his Spirit.

Those who ignore these instructions will face consequences.

But...

Acts 10:34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,35but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.

What are you going to obey?

 

[tulipbee]

Now we know that [Christ] is of no avail save only to those to whom he is a head and the first-born among the brethren, to those, in fine, who are clothed with him. To this union alone it is owing that, in regard to us, the Savior has not come in vain. To this is to be referred that sacred marriage, by which we become bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, and so one with him (Eph. 5:30)....

Calvin, Institutes, Book 3, 1.3

 

[sdowney717]

Now we know that [Christ] is of no avail save only to those to whom he is a head and the first-born among the brethren, to those, in fine, who are clothed with him. To this union alone it is owing that, in regard to us, the Savior has not come in vain. To this is to be referred that sacred marriage, by which we become bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, and so one with him (Eph. 5:30)....

Calvin, Institutes, Book 3, 1.3

There is no benefit of salvation to unbelievers.
And further along that line of thinking, Christ only aids to salvation those who are Abraham's seed who are the children of God's promise, so they they are elect of God to be the saved.

Hebrews 2
Bringing Many Sons to Glory
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:

“I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

13 And again:

“I will put My trust in Him.”

And again:

“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

 

[tulipbee]

There is no benefit of salvation to unbelievers.
And further along that line of thinking, Christ only aids to salvation those who are Abraham's seed who are the children of God's promise, so they they are elect of God to be the saved.

Hebrews 2
Bringing Many Sons to Glory
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:

“I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

13 And again:

“I will put My trust in Him.”

And again:

“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Unbelievers don't want to be saved

 

[EmSw]

Unbelievers don't want to be saved

You were once an unbeliever, weren't you?

 

[sdowney717]

Unbelievers don't want to be saved

That is for sure, they tend to shy away from Christ, sometimes talking with unbelievers you will notice they don't want to talk, they think your strange if you do. They also think they are good, better than some 'evil person' and God will love them into His heaven because they are not that bad, their good outweighs their bad. All sorts of reactions I have gotten from people, everyone is somewhat different.

 

[tulipbee]

You were once an unbeliever, weren't you?

Never !

 

[Thursday]

The difference between us is in the measure of the ability of man to be obedient to God's commands.

Wrong. To whom much is given much is expected. The servant who knows his master's will but doesn't do it will be judged more harshly than the servant who doesn't know his master's will.

Calvinism is wrong to blame God when a man goes to Hell.

 

[Thursday]

Now we know that [Christ] is of no avail save only to those to whom he is a head and the first-born among the brethren, t

So you say.

What does the bible say?

1 Tim 4:10
That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

1 Tim 2
3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 Cor 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

 

[tulipbee]

So you say.

What does the bible say?

1 Tim 4:10
That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

1 Tim 2
3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 Cor 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

You must understrasnd the 4th demension. If you don't understand what God being past, present and future at the same time mean then you're not effectually called. You're only hearing the general call made to every single man on Earth. You haven't responded based on God's will, not man's. Your boasting is proof you're still in that state. Maybe you'll be convicted by the holy spirit tommorow but if, tommorow, you post the same boastings then we'll need to pray for you.

 

[tulipbee]

Wrong. To whom much is given much is expected. The servant who knows his master's will but doesn't do it will be judged more harshly than the servant who doesn't know his master's will.

Calvinism is wrong to blame God when a man goes to Hell.

All mankind don't care about blaming God cause they didnt know Him in the first place. Why blame something you don't see or hear? Why are you mad at a point in empty space?

 

[Patmos]

Unbelievers don't want to be saved

But the Bible says different...

"30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?”

An unbeliever wanting to believe and asking for guidence.

 

[Patmos]

You must understrasnd the 4th demension. If you don't understand what God being past, present and future at the same time mean then you're not effectually called. You're only hearing the general call made to every single man on Earth. You haven't responded based on God's will, not man's. Your boasting is proof you're still in that state. Maybe you'll be convicted by the holy spirit tommorow but if, tommorow, you post the same boastings then we'll need to pray for you.

Please show me where the Bible teaches about the 4th dimension and not understanding it meaning one is not saved. I have read the Bible several times but missed it completely.

Please put me right.

I am staggered that you know the mind of God and can determine if one is convicted and saved, or not.

The Bible I have must be a very poor imitation as it says this...

Matthew 7:1-3King James Version (KJV)
7 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

An unbeliever wanting to believe and asking for guidence.

You are reading things into the text that aren't there. It's never says that he was an unbeliever (I'm not saying he was), wanted to believe, or that he asked for guidance. Philip sought him out! Philip, on God's behalf, sought him.

 

[Patmos]

He was still an unbeliever wanting to believe. Here are some more-

"22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you...........
34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others."