I just wanted to share why I became a Calvinist (Feel free to share!)

[A New Dawn]

I didn't say anything about icons. I said that if you hold to a doctrine which is generally unpopular amongst Christians, then there is a temptation towards the "We are the only true Christians" mentality. I do not say that all people wearing the Calvinist label must tread that path, but the temptation is there.

When you said you weren't comfortable with the label "Calvinist", I assumed that that was one of the reasons you did not choose a Calvinist icon here on CF.

I, personally, don't know of any Calvinists who believe that we (Calvinists) are the only Christians. Maybe you are aware of some, but that is generally an accusation made against us by people who don't understand our beliefs.

 

[crimsonleaf]

I dont' carry the CF Calvinist symbol either. A Reformed icon would be better, all around, IMHO. My conscience is just fine as a Protestant Christian...... along with a carefully crafted custom user title. To each their own, I suppose.

I would agree. I use the Calvinist icon following an experiment where I used only the Christian icon. During that period I was greeted with much more respect than when I re-took the Calvinist icon. On that basis alone I choose to declare what I believe with greater accuracy, because I want those with whom I debate to be clear about the fact that I believe God's will is sovereign and my salvation isn't down to my allowing God to make it so.

I feel that loving God with the desperate thanks of one rescued is a better position than "Nice offer, I think I'll take it".

 

[twin1954]

When you said you weren't comfortable with the label "Calvinist", I assumed that that was one of the reasons you did not choose a Calvinist icon here on CF.

I, personally, don't know of any Calvinists who believe that we (Calvinists) are the only Christians. Maybe you are aware of some, but that is generally an accusation made against us by people who don't understand our beliefs.

I wouldn't say that you have to be a Calvinist to be saved but there are some essential things that must be known in order to have true saving faith. You must know who God is. An idea of God, no matter how many tell you about it, is still a false god and damning to your soul. And you must know what you are. Only those who need mercy seek mercy. There is only one truth and there is no salvation apart from it.

Having said that I never set myself up as the judge of another. You and I and all others stand of fall before Him alone who is the Judge of all the Earth.

 

[A New Dawn]

Admin Hat

This is not a discussion thread, it is a testimony thread. Let's preserve the purpose of the thread and if you want to continue this discussion, you can start another thread.

Thanks.

 

[The Conductor]

I come from a Baptist Convention where little distinction is made between Calvinism and Arminianism. I'm not extremely familiar with the history of the Convention, but cooperation seems to be a common goal. This resulted in a bit of confusion for me growing up, and I never really understood the difference. After taking a class on Romans in university and finding James White on Youtube, and comparing not only the two sets of doctrines but also those who followed them, I concluded that Calvinism seemed to be more reliably based on sober reflection. This part of the forum, for example, seems to have little to no 'crazies'. (that is, people who hold to legalism, conspiracy theorists, those who have a faulty understanding of basic issues, etc.) I thank you for your part in for helping me discover the truth.

 

[ronathanedwards]

I always held to more of a Calvinist position when I was young, but didn't understand the weight of the issue. I was in the Navy in California and attended a Calvary Chapel. When I moved back to Minnesota, I helped start a Calvary in St. Paul. I was the assisting Pastor for 9 years. We were told "not to get into theology, because it divides" and that was the spirit of the place... I started an apologetics ministry that dealt with the cults. We had many former Roman Catholics coming to our church, so the pastor asked me to do a class on the differences between Protestantism and the RC's.... At the same time, I just started doing an inductive study on the book of Romans (what a coincidence!) When I started studying what REALLY was the reason for the reformation, and along comes Romans 8! ... BOOM, it hit me like a ton of bricks, the weight of the matter could not be over emphasized, I repented and changed my theological view and the importance of it... I taught the class, and many of the people started saying that what we (Calvary) believe concerning free will in salvation sounds like the Roman Catholic view!

I was brought to the elders board and basically had a "Diet of Worms" and I left the church, they shunned me. I found Bethlehem Baptist (John Piper's Church) and we visited. His message that morning? Romans 8:28.. I've been (and my family) blessed ever since.

I'm now teaching Systematic theology class at Christ Redeemer Church (Bethlehem plant) and am hoping to be a vocational elder there someday!

5 sola's !

 

[Kirkstaller]

I had been brought up in a kind of gentle Methodism/Anglicanism and went to Sunday school at a local Methodist church for several years. However I never considered myself a Christian and, knowing what I know now, I definitely wasn't one. That's as far as it went until relatively recently.

I was called by the Lord in 2010 shortly after my wife and I lost a baby girl at 24 weeks. I'm not ashamed to say that I sought comfort in Jesus, because I did. I was the saddest I had ever been and I needed him. However, as I became reacquainted with the Bible, I began to find truth and this in turn led to an immense feeling of joy.

For a long time I spent my days debating religion online, extremely proud of my newfound faith. I've always been outspoken on moral, social and political issues and now I had God's Word behind me. I was cocky, arrogant too. Also I always seemed to fall back on free will arguments when debating with atheists and I found myself lording it over non-believers, often saying "I am humble enough to admit my wrongdoing and choose God, why aren't you?" I now see that there was absolutely no humility in this approach.

Calvinism caught me by surprise. After a difficult day at work, for no reason in particular I sat down and read Romans from beginning to end in one go. The truth literally jumped at me off the page. How could I have been blind for so long? I now know that anything good I do, including my belief, is not my work but God's doing. I owe everything to God.

I still worry about assurance and my own perseverance, but I suppose that's natural and I'd rather be thinking about it than be apathetic. I'm still pretty young in this walk and I'm listening to a lot of John Macarthur and John Piper at the moment. I pray that I grow in wisdom and can share my high view of God's sovereignty with my wife and children (who are all Anglican!)

Sorry if I've bored anyone!

 

[RINO 72]

I was 37 when I came to faith in Christ. My friend became a believer and kept sharing the gospel with me over a short period of time. What had never made any sense to me suddenly would not leave my thoughts soon I began begging God to reveal His Son to me ( which was already happening). Fast forward a couple of months and after reading the four gospels, I was taking my kid somewhere in the car and I had a Christian radio station on. It was Sproul's RYM, and he was going through John 6. I had just read it a week or so earlier and was yelling at the radio "There's no way it says that!!." Well, much to my confusion and awe it said that. Like I assume most of you believed at one point, I believed in order to be "fair", God must allow man his "free will." However, what I did not see, but would later find out is that if God did that we would all be going to hell.

 

[Pteriax]

Over the course of my studies on the Word of God I gradually became a Calvinist over the past few years, without even realizing it. Doing so online research one night, I discovered a site explaining Calvinism and to my surprise, it was describing doctrines I already believed and held dear to me from my studies! I actually went to the site because in a friendly discussion a friend told me I sounded like a Calvinist... I had to look it up to see what it was. I did a lot of my study either in books or on the Cristian answers youtube channel canswerstv and of course the Bible.

 

[DanielRB]

I was raised in an Arminian Church (Independent Christian Church/"Restoration" movement) and was pretty anti-Calvinist for most of my Christian walk. During periods if intense doubt, I explored Zoroastrian belief (cosmic dualism, just about the polar opposite of the absolute Sovereignty of God) and eventually concluded that a "god" who was limited had more in common with paganism than with true monotheism.) After doubt and wandering for many years (some of which is memorialized on these boards), I started going to a Church that is strongly Reformed (though in a denomination that does not hold the Reformed faith as one of its distinctives), and I finally decided to accept what I rejected for so long: God is in control. I came to the conclusion that no other view could square with the Scriptures, nor give glory to God, more than the Reformed faith.

 

[Don Maurer]

I was brought to the elders board and basically had a "Diet of Worms" and I left the church, they shunned me.

ronathan, I must admit I watch for your post and enjoy them. I noticed especially what you said here.

Regarding the Diet of Worms" I've been there, done that, and got the tee shirt. I hesitate to put in writing some of my past. Somehow, I still have feelings of astonishment at what happened. I think the men who did the things I am going to talk about are Christians, but I have come to the conclusion, that when men think that they are serving God by doing evil, there is little to restrain even Christian men. Here is my story.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I was a frequent speaker where I fellowshiped. I was not really Arminian, but I was something far less then a Calvinist. I hesitate to use the word "Pelagian" but I might have been at least semi-Pelagian in my view of free will and the gospel. I am sorry to admit this. I wish it were not true. I am ashamed that I was not a Calvinist all along. It was only ignorance in that I was unaware of what Calvinism actually taught. I knew the TULIP acrostic, but had no knowledge of the depths of what it spoke of. I use to refer to myself as a 4 point Calvinists. Now, looking back, I rejected one point, and held 4 points in a very inaccurate way. I did not see the unity of the 5 points. I would not have accepted regeneration as the cause of faith.

Now I was accused of being a Calvinist because I had used terms like "election" when I spoke on very infrequent occasions. I mentioned the term maybe 3 or 4 times in 7 years. I usually spoke monthly, or slightly more. I used the term "election" only in passing. This caused one of the elders to try to persuade the other elders to excommunicate me because I was a Calvinist. Of course I was completely unaware that this discussion was going on among the elders. Actually, at that point, one of the elders was closer to reformed theology that I was. Now anyone can use the term "election." That does not make you a Calvinist. If someone had asked me if election was "unconditional" I would have said yes. If you had asked me if election was on the basis of foreseen faith, I do not know how I would have answered. I was certainly not fully an Arminian, and definitely not Pelagian either. However, I was by no means a Calvinist. I was barely aware of the issue. When I used the term "election" I was just using the language of the New Testament. This was what caused the one elder to suspect me of being Calvinistic. And he was on a witch hunt.

The crisis came one evening when I chose to speak from Romans 9. Looking back, I cannot believe how little I understood the later part of Romans 9. Now all I have to do is mention Romans 9 and most people will think of the part from verse 14 and following. That was not the part I was focused on. I was speaking mainly from Romans 9:6 to 13. I was focused on the escatological implications, and not the last part of the chapter on the sovereign will of God. I did mention and read through the section from verse 14 to 24, but it took me only about two minutes of reading and commenting and I was done with that section. I really did not say much about those verse because I did not yet understand them. I just kind of brushed past it. Of course, during the sermon, I again used the term election several times, and spoke of elect Israel and elect people. I never mentioned foreseen faith, or unconditional election. I certainly did not even mention regeneration as the cause of faith. I did not believe that until far later. After I closed, the elder on the witch hunt disrupted the service. Right after the closing prayer, he left his pew, marched forward and began shaking his finger at me scolding me. I asked him to take the conversation into private, but he refused. So I got scolded in front of the congregation. He did not accuse me of heresy at that point, but during later events, the charge that I was a false teach came out. About 1 month after that evening, the elder making the accusations left the fellowship, but it did not end there. In another month a group of 5 men requested a meeting to "resolve problems." I cannot believe they told the other elders that they wanted to "resolve problems." When I came to the meeting, they were standing up front and simply read a letter of excommunication. I I was "put out from among them." I was completely ambushed and never saw this coming. My whole family was in shock. I had children at home at that time. One of them ran out of Church crying.

The elders (minus the one that left) called me the next day and said they had no idea these 5 men had excommunication in mind. These remaining elders claimed that "the document was created in secrete without their knowledge." The remaining elders were honest men and I know they told the truth. They had no knowledge of the previous secrete meetings or the document. They also said to me that the excommunication does not mean anything and was invalid because the document was not made by the congregation or the elders, but only 5 men within the congregation. They said that communion will be held Sunday and they expected me to be present and breaking bread with the rest of the fellowship. While they called me and said this, I was not protected in any way. Two of the 5 men remained in the congregation.

Now understand, the whole time so far, all this happened because I used the term "election" a few times. I am no more a Calvinist then Mr. Jacob Arminius himself. I knew I had experienced a witch hunt (or Calvinist hunt... same thing to Arminians). Well, I stayed in the fellowship for about 5 or 6 more months, but so did 2 of those 5 men who attempted excommunication. Of course during those 5 or 6 months, life in the fellowship was not easy for me, or my children. After 6 months, I was convinced that I could not stay without getting beat up on the rest of my life. The remaining elders were good men, but I do not think they knew what to do. My children were adults and soon leaving college and were beginning to live in a different community. Their Church wrote me a letter and said the kids could come, but that I was not permitted to visit their Church. At this point, most readers would think I was a part of a cult. It was the Plymouth Brethren. I do want to mention that not all Brethren meetings are this bad.

Of course when I left, I began purchasing books on the Calvinist debate. Oddly enough, I remember people in the Church carrying books by Dave Hunt. Dave Hunt was Plymouth Brethren. I googled "Dave Hunt and Calvinism" and came up with a debate book by Dave Hunt and some guy named James White. At that point, I had never heard of James White. I read the book, and felt Hunt was not a good debater. He did not address the question exegetically. I began looking for a different group of books. I read RCSproul, and then a book by Norman Geisler (chosen but free), and this took me to a 2nd book by James White (potters freedom). It was after the last book, Potters Freedom, I began to see the biblical issues clearly for the first time. By this time, I understood Romans 9 and John 6. I recognized the issues in the terms "all" (pas) and "world" (Kosmos). I had seen White speak of Geistlers "Big 3" and knew the rebuttal. I had no answer yet, but now I knew the issues. I kept reading and looking for answeres to reformed argumentation, but I never found any that had good solid exegesis. I was being crushed by the weight and strength of the reformed biblical presentation.

I had been excommunicated for being a Calvinist, but had been closer to an Arminian when excommunicated. Because of this, I felt bound not to admit to Calvinism. That may sound confusing. In any case, I did not want to be reformed in soteriology, but felt crushed by the weight of Reformed Biblical argumentation. All this reading happened over about a 2 year time period of time, maybe a little more. I was still attending an Arminian Bible Church. I hit a certain point where I knew I had two choices. I could be intellectually dishonest and think there were answers to Calvinism and continue to search for them, or I could make a statement to my family that I think Reformed theology was actually biblically correct. I chose the 2nd path. When I told my family, mouths gaped open in astonishment. There was some puzzled looks. My children listed in silence. I told them what had been going on the last two years and asked them to read some of the books I had been reading. I was very nervous about admitting to Calvinism. I felt like I was admitting to heresy of the darkest sort. I felt alone because my family was also closer to Arminianism. My wife was being taken through the process of the last 2 years with me and was softened up, but my adult children never say it coming and were astonished. The read the books I had been reading and the children quickly shifted to Reformed Churches and theology. They passed the books to their friends and some of the friends were drew (excuse pun- irresistibly) into reformed theology. In the end, the whole thing seemed to sweep a small group of people into reformed theology. It had quite a rippling effect.

I know now, that God can take something that men intend for evil, and bring something wonderful from it (see Gen 50:20).

It is now good to be a Calvinist. I fully intend to display a Calvinist icon. This is --very --very intentional. Experiencing those who have an evil hatred of Calvinists and view Calvinists as dangerous heretics who lurk in their congregations. They seek out secrete Calvinists and look to burn them (not literally), because their service to God is one of burning Calvinists (or as they might think--- rescuing us from the pit of hell). All that is OK. Let them continue acting in such ways for I know the wonder and full grace of God, and how God will take events like this and use it for good. The more anger and hatred shown to Calvinists, maybe the more Calvinists there will be.

There is one thing of concern. My story is not a nice one. It is not told so that we learn to hate Arminians. If that is the result of my story, then I have failed. Calvinism is a doctrine of a greater, higher, more abundant grace then non-Calvinist doctrine. It calls us to behavior that is more full of grace toward those who oppose us, misrepresent us, and even abuse us. We were once rebels, sinners, and God showed grace to us, so we should show grace toward them. Yes, correct them. Do not expect of them the grace toward you, for that is not their theology. We need to show grace to them. I need encouragement with this as well as you do. It is wonderful to know Gods grace more fully, but knowledge can puff up. Love edifies. Let us trust to the grace of God to make more Calvinists, and show grace to others as God showed grace to us.

Sola Gratia,
Don

 

[Skala]

I became a Calvinist in 5 easy steps:

Step 1) Was an unsaved Pelagian
Step 2) Got saved, became a Semi-Pelagian
Step 3) Discovered the doctrine of election, became an Arminian
Step 4) Started reading the Bible, became a Calvinist

 

[guuila]

ronathan, I must admit I watch for your post and enjoy them. I noticed especially what you said here.

Regarding the Diet of Worms" I've been there, done that, and got the tee shirt. I hesitate to put in writing some of my past. Somehow, I still have feelings of astonishment at what happened. I think the men who did the things I am going to talk about are Christians, but I have come to the conclusion, that when men think that they are serving God by doing evil, there is little to restrain even Christian men. Here is my story.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I was a frequent speaker where I fellowshiped. I was not really Arminian, but I was something far less then a Calvinist. I hesitate to use the word "Pelagian" but I might have been at least semi-Pelagian in my view of free will and the gospel. I am sorry to admit this. I wish it were not true. I am ashamed that I was not a Calvinist all along. It was only ignorance in that I was unaware of what Calvinism actually taught. I knew the TULIP acrostic, but had no knowledge of the depths of what it spoke of. I use to refer to myself as a 4 point Calvinists. Now, looking back, I rejected one point, and held 4 points in a very inaccurate way. I did not see the unity of the 5 points. I would not have accepted regeneration as the cause of faith.

Now I was accused of being a Calvinist because I had used terms like "election" when I spoke on very infrequent occasions. I mentioned the term maybe 3 or 4 times in 7 years. I usually spoke monthly, or slightly more. I used the term "election" only in passing. This caused one of the elders to try to persuade the other elders to excommunicate me because I was a Calvinist. Of course I was completely unaware that this discussion was going on among the elders. Actually, at that point, one of the elders was closer to reformed theology that I was. Now anyone can use the term "election." That does not make you a Calvinist. If someone had asked me if election was "unconditional" I would have said yes. If you had asked me if election was on the basis of foreseen faith, I do not know how I would have answered. I was certainly not fully an Arminian, and definitely not Pelagian either. However, I was by no means a Calvinist. I was barely aware of the issue. When I used the term "election" I was just using the language of the New Testament. This was what caused the one elder to suspect me of being Calvinistic. And he was on a witch hunt.

The crisis came one evening when I chose to speak from Romans 9. Looking back, I cannot believe how little I understood the later part of Romans 9. Now all I have to do is mention Romans 9 and most people will think of the part from verse 14 and following. That was not the part I was focused on. I was speaking mainly from Romans 9:6 to 13. I was focused on the escatological implications, and not the last part of the chapter on the sovereign will of God. I did mention and read through the section from verse 14 to 24, but it took me only about two minutes of reading and commenting and I was done with that section. I really did not say much about those verse because I did not yet understand them. I just kind of brushed past it. Of course, during the sermon, I again used the term election several times, and spoke of elect Israel and elect people. I never mentioned foreseen faith, or unconditional election. I certainly did not even mention regeneration as the cause of faith. I did not believe that until far later. After I closed, the elder on the witch hunt disrupted the service. Right after the closing prayer, he left his pew, marched forward and began shaking his finger at me scolding me. I asked him to take the conversation into private, but he refused. So I got scolded in front of the congregation. He did not accuse me of heresy at that point, but during later events, the charge that I was a false teach came out. About 1 month after that evening, the elder making the accusations left the fellowship, but it did not end there. In another month a group of 5 men requested a meeting to "resolve problems." I cannot believe they told the other elders that they wanted to "resolve problems." When I came to the meeting, they were standing up front and simply read a letter of excommunication. I I was "put out from among them." I was completely ambushed and never saw this coming. My whole family was in shock. I had children at home at that time. One of them ran out of Church crying.

The elders (minus the one that left) called me the next day and said they had no idea these 5 men had excommunication in mind. These remaining elders claimed that "the document was created in secrete without their knowledge." The remaining elders were honest men and I know they told the truth. They had no knowledge of the previous secrete meetings or the document. They also said to me that the excommunication does not mean anything and was invalid because the document was not made by the congregation or the elders, but only 5 men within the congregation. They said that communion will be held Sunday and they expected me to be present and breaking bread with the rest of the fellowship. While they called me and said this, I was not protected in any way. Two of the 5 men remained in the congregation.

Now understand, the whole time so far, all this happened because I used the term "election" a few times. I am no more a Calvinist then Mr. Jacob Arminius himself. I knew I had experienced a witch hunt (or Calvinist hunt... same thing to Arminians). Well, I stayed in the fellowship for about 5 or 6 more months, but so did 2 of those 5 men who attempted excommunication. Of course during those 5 or 6 months, life in the fellowship was not easy for me, or my children. After 6 months, I was convinced that I could not stay without getting beat up on the rest of my life. The remaining elders were good men, but I do not think they knew what to do. My children were adults and soon leaving college and were beginning to live in a different community. Their Church wrote me a letter and said the kids could come, but that I was not permitted to visit their Church. At this point, most readers would think I was a part of a cult. It was the Plymouth Brethren. I do want to mention that not all Brethren meetings are this bad.

Of course when I left, I began purchasing books on the Calvinist debate. Oddly enough, I remember people in the Church carrying books by Dave Hunt. Dave Hunt was Plymouth Brethren. I googled "Dave Hunt and Calvinism" and came up with a debate book by Dave Hunt and some guy named James White. At that point, I had never heard of James White. I read the book, and felt Hunt was not a good debater. He did not address the question exegetically. I began looking for a different group of books. I read RCSproul, and then a book by Norman Geisler (chosen but free), and this took me to a 2nd book by James White (potters freedom). It was after the last book, Potters Freedom, I began to see the biblical issues clearly for the first time. By this time, I understood Romans 9 and John 6. I recognized the issues in the terms "all" (pas) and "world" (Kosmos). I had seen White speak of Geistlers "Big 3" and knew the rebuttal. I had no answer yet, but now I knew the issues. I kept reading and looking for answeres to reformed argumentation, but I never found any that had good solid exegesis. I was being crushed by the weight and strength of the reformed biblical presentation.

I had been excommunicated for being a Calvinist, but had been closer to an Arminian when excommunicated. Because of this, I felt bound not to admit to Calvinism. That may sound confusing. In any case, I did not want to be reformed in soteriology, but felt crushed by the weight of Reformed Biblical argumentation. All this reading happened over about a 2 year time period of time, maybe a little more. I was still attending an Arminian Bible Church. I hit a certain point where I knew I had two choices. I could be intellectually dishonest and think there were answers to Calvinism and continue to search for them, or I could make a statement to my family that I think Reformed theology was actually biblically correct. I chose the 2nd path. When I told my family, mouths gaped open in astonishment. There was some puzzled looks. My children listed in silence. I told them what had been going on the last two years and asked them to read some of the books I had been reading. I was very nervous about admitting to Calvinism. I felt like I was admitting to heresy of the darkest sort. I felt alone because my family was also closer to Arminianism. My wife was being taken through the process of the last 2 years with me and was softened up, but my adult children never say it coming and were astonished. The read the books I had been reading and the children quickly shifted to Reformed Churches and theology. They passed the books to their friends and some of the friends were drew (excuse pun- irresistibly) into reformed theology. In the end, the whole thing seemed to sweep a small group of people into reformed theology. It had quite a rippling effect.

I know now, that God can take something that men intend for evil, and bring something wonderful from it (see Gen 50:20).

It is now good to be a Calvinist. I fully intend to display a Calvinist icon. This is --very --very intentional. Experiencing those who have an evil hatred of Calvinists and view Calvinists as dangerous heretics who lurk in their congregations. They seek out secrete Calvinists and look to burn them (not literally), because their service to God is one of burning Calvinists (or as they might think--- rescuing us from the pit of hell). All that is OK. Let them continue acting in such ways for I know the wonder and full grace of God, and how God will take events like this and use it for good. The more anger and hatred shown to Calvinists, maybe the more Calvinists there will be.

There is one thing of concern. My story is not a nice one. It is not told so that we learn to hate Arminians. If that is the result of my story, then I have failed. Calvinism is a doctrine of a greater, higher, more abundant grace then non-Calvinist doctrine. It calls us to behavior that is more full of grace toward those who oppose us, misrepresent us, and even abuse us. We were once rebels, sinners, and God showed grace to us, so we should show grace toward them. Yes, correct them. Do not expect of them the grace toward you, for that is not their theology. We need to show grace to them. I need encouragement with this as well as you do. It is wonderful to know Gods grace more fully, but knowledge can puff up. Love edifies. Let us trust to the grace of God to make more Calvinists, and show grace to others as God showed grace to us.

Sola Gratia,
Don

Awesome story. Thanks for sharing!

 

[jamantc]

I grew up in the Methodist denomination. I was saved at the age of 10, but by the age of 12 I knew it was nothing more than a head salvation. I knew at the age of 11 I viewed the bible differently than those in my church, but as that young age I had no clue why. After realizing I was not truly saved at age 12, I began reading the bible further to grasp as much understanding as I could. I had already read the bible through once and was about half way through it a second time when I laid the bible down, not to return for some years. at 16, I felt the desire to read the bible once more from beginning to end, not just where I left off at age 12. So, I started my journey for truth once more. This time, it was with more understanding, for several reasons. I knew the different verb forms, noun forms, and so on. I began to understand that verses couldn't simply mean things I had formerly been taught in my upbringing about election and predestination and when put in context with the entire bible as a whole and the foretelling in the OT of what salvation, redemption, and Christ would do it took a whole different meaning. Unfortunately, I once again got involved with the worries of the world and left my reading to a later time. I got married at 25 and at age 27 started going to church once again. At 27 I realized the meaning of irresistible grace in the TULIP acronym. I could not put down the desire to read and understand more of God's words and truths from scripture. As I was on a long trip and traveling down the interstate listening to the radio, I heard a message by John MacArthur on the doctrines of grace. I ordered the series at when I got it, I listened to them all (already knew what they were and that I believed them, but wasn't sure if my way of thinking was correct since I had no clue what Calvinism was anyway, much less Arminianism). I listened to these messages over and over and over and was amazed at how at 27 I was being taught what I believed at age 11. I went back to my home church with an open mind to both sides and open heart for God to speak to me once again. With this open heart, I could not get past the fact that I still didn't fully believe God left some to their sins and elected others to heaven. Although I knew 11 I believed differently. I moved away and joined a church to my avail was a Calvinist church. The more I listened, the more it resembled the view I held at 11 but still couldn't get past the election part. I came to God in prayer and asked that if the Doctrines of Grace were true, to show me so that if I am not of the elect I can continue with life and enjoy it before going to hell. For several months, I did not get an answer from God, but I continued my search. My mother was the one that took me to church, not my dad who had more important things to do that sit in church, so I learned nothing from my dad but a good set of morals as for as the world goes and how to help others and be a man of my word. I continued to ask God to open my eyes and heart to His truth. Unexpectedly, my dad passed away without ever being sick. What I didn't know is that my dad had a change of life 6 months before he passes away because I didn't live in same town as he did. I reflected back after the preacher said he had been saved by God's grace that had chosen him to be saved before the foundation of the world and at the appropriate time of his calling unto salvation and not before or after that time had been appointed. I was truly saved at age 27, but God answered my prayers to truth through my dad's death, though untimely to me, but on time for God. I embrace everything that grace from God and have yet to lose my zeal for spreading God's word to those who will listen, because one I do not know who the elect are and two, God has commanded me to share the gospel with all so that those who are His will hear His voice and come.

 

[Chris12]

Consider this a fellowship thread if you are do not have the "Calvinist" icon and still want to share your testimony.

However, there will still be no debating in here unless you are graced with the TULIP icon.

You asked, mine is long. I was Shi'i Muslim, who began having dreams and visions back in 2008.

That is where this road began. I don't know much of what the bible says. I have not owned one for very long. But I can tell you about Jesus - and who He is to me. I know, because He came to get me, where I was.

I believed in Islam, which makes this whole thing crazy really.

Now, I will tell you - my grandmother was a Christian. She prayed for me I know. But she died when I was still reasonably young, and I don't remember much if anything she said - other than amazing grace.

I would sing my own children to sleep with that song... it spoke to me somehow and I never forgot a word of it.

But, back to present day. I began having many dreams and visions, in all of them bad things were coming - and I needed to get ready. But.. I couldn't figure out what I needed to do. Only that there was something that life itself seemed to depend on, and it concerned my own spirituality.

Every avenue I took to "get myself ready" somehow, was not what was needed. More prayer, more anything... I was missing something important in my spiritual life and I couldn't figure out what. But everything depended upon getting it figured out.. and I was running out of time.

I asked sheikh after sheikh, anyone who might be able to help me interpret the dreams and help me to reach the state of spiritual readiness I needed to be in, before the really bad stuff started happening.

Because everything, it felt, depended upon me getting myself spiritually ready. Over the course of many years, I would try to set it aside when I felt I had reached a wall - and God would allow me to rest for a time. Then He would begin again, with the dreams and the visions. And back I would be, trying to figure out what I was missing, what "place" wasn't I in.

Then, a couple of years ago I found myself surrounded by Christians. And I would listen, and question, without it being obvious.. I don't know why really - I just did. I thought, maybe someone from them can help me figure out what God is trying to tell me to do, where the sheikhs couldn't.

Well I will be honest, I didn't learn much from them except for one. And he was sworn to me by a different oath between us a short time - and he couldn't answer many questions because of that. I married him, and that was why he swore to me to leave my religion and spirituality absolutely UN-influenced by himself.

So I got a hint here, and a hint there. And in time, I decided Christianity was correct. I still believed in Islam, but now I believed in Christianity too. Weird place. That was a couple months ago. I had prayed to Jesus and told him I believed I understood what He was, and that I accepted Him as my savior.

So okay, we are good. But... we aren't. Still that feeling, but more abated now. This leads me to my last dream. Where Jesus told me, in terms I could understand, what He is - to me... personally.

I didn't understand right after I woke from the dream. It took me a full 24 hours to wake up and say.. THAT was Jesus! That is what it means to be saved, THAT is what He is to me...

I haven't much stopped crying since. The whole thing is crazy...doesn't even seem real. But dream after dream, vision after vision, Jesus led me to HIM. He came and got me.. I didn't go to Him.

But I'm HIS... I belong to HIM... and He wouldn't let me go.

I posted that last dream, here on these forums, and had a perfect stranger tell me that the dream, and its interpretation, is Reformation Theology.

I did not know what Reformation theology was, so I Google'd it... lol.

But... for your information... this is the interpretation which I posted:

"None of us will make it into heaven. We cannot make it. All of us are "late".

BUT - Jesus is there, waiting for His own, to take us by the hand and vouch for us and clear all our obstacles. His Hand, and His word, will get us there.

We did not do it for ourselves. He does it for us. Because, we are HIS people - all who belong to Him.

He is like us, while still being different from us - and thus He calls us, HIS.

But heaven, we don't get alone. So ask HIM if you don't know.. if you belong to Him. But I have a feeling, is you are asking the question - then the resounding answer is Yes."

I cried after I realized that was Jesus in the dream, and that was what it meant to be saved... heck I'm still crying! I asked him into my heart as Lord and Savior, as I was guided to do by the Spirit.

That was on the 11th. Just a few days ago...

I received the Holy Spirit in Power in the last 24 hours...Last night...

This is as short as I can make my story! But only one thing I left out!

 

[BryanW92]

You asked, mine is long. I was Shi'i Muslim, who began having dreams and visions back in 2008.

That is where this road began. I don't know much of what the bible says. I have not owned one for very long. But I can tell you about Jesus - and who He is to me. I know, because He came to get me, where I was.

I believed in Islam, which makes this whole thing crazy really.

Now, I will tell you - my grandmother was a Christian. She prayed for me I know. But she died when I was still reasonably young, and I don't remember much if anything she said - other than amazing grace.

I would sing my own children to sleep with that song... it spoke to me somehow and I never forgot a word of it.

But, back to present day. I began having many dreams and visions, in all of them bad things were coming - and I needed to get ready. But.. I couldn't figure out what I needed to do. Only that there was something that life itself seemed to depend on, and it concerned my own spirituality.

Every avenue I took to "get myself ready" somehow, was not what was needed. More prayer, more anything... I was missing something important in my spiritual life and I couldn't figure out what. But everything depended upon getting it figured out.. and I was running out of time.

I asked sheikh after sheikh, anyone who might be able to help me interpret the dreams and help me to reach the state of spiritual readiness I needed to be in, before the really bad stuff started happening.

Because everything, it felt, depended upon me getting myself spiritually ready. Over the course of many years, I would try to set it aside when I felt I had reached a wall - and God would allow me to rest for a time. Then He would begin again, with the dreams and the visions. And back I would be, trying to figure out what I was missing, what "place" wasn't I in.

Then, a couple of years ago I found myself surrounded by Christians. And I would listen, and question, without it being obvious.. I don't know why really - I just did. I thought, maybe someone from them can help me figure out what God is trying to tell me to do, where the sheikhs couldn't.

Well I will be honest, I didn't learn much from them except for one. And he was sworn to me by a different oath between us a short time - and he couldn't answer many questions because of that. I married him, and that was why he swore to me to leave my religion and spirituality absolutely UN-influenced by himself.

So I got a hint here, and a hint there. And in time, I decided Christianity was correct. I still believed in Islam, but now I believed in Christianity too. Weird place. That was a couple months ago. I had prayed to Jesus and told him I believed I understood what He was, and that I accepted Him as my savior.

So okay, we are good. But... we aren't. Still that feeling, but more abated now. This leads me to my last dream. Where Jesus told me, in terms I could understand, what He is - to me... personally.

I didn't understand right after I woke from the dream. It took me a full 24 hours to wake up and say.. THAT was Jesus! That is what it means to be saved, THAT is what He is to me...

I haven't much stopped crying since. The whole thing is crazy...doesn't even seem real. But dream after dream, vision after vision, Jesus led me to HIM. He came and got me.. I didn't go to Him.

But I'm HIS... I belong to HIM... and He wouldn't let me go.

I posted that last dream, here on these forums, and had a perfect stranger tell me that the dream, and its interpretation, is Reformation Theology.

I did not know what Reformation theology was, so I Google'd it... lol.

But... for your information... this is the interpretation which I posted:

"None of us will make it into heaven. We cannot make it. All of us are "late".

BUT - Jesus is there, waiting for His own, to take us by the hand and vouch for us and clear all our obstacles. His Hand, and His word, will get us there.

We did not do it for ourselves. He does it for us. Because, we are HIS people - all who belong to Him.

He is like us, while still being different from us - and thus He calls us, HIS.

But heaven, we don't get alone. So ask HIM if you don't know.. if you belong to Him. But I have a feeling, is you are asking the question - then the resounding answer is Yes."

I cried after I realized that was Jesus in the dream, and that was what it meant to be saved... heck I'm still crying! I asked him into my heart as Lord and Savior, as I was guided to do by the Spirit.

That was on the 11th. Just a few days ago...

I received the Holy Spirit in Power in the last 24 hours...Last night...

This is as short as I can make my story! But only one thing I left out!

I recently converted to Reformed theology from the United Methodist Church and I wish that my friends in the UMC could understand Reformed theology as well as Chris does. I'm going to use your testimony, Chris, to help explain why I left the church of Free Will to move to the one where God is in charge.

 

[Chris12]

God is absolutely sovereign. 100%.

You may share the story with whomever you please. I was led to tell the story... He said tell the people.. so I have.

 

[Reformed Psalmist]

I became a Calvinist about 25 years ago. This issue that I had to resolve was whether I would accept the once for all confidence from Christ completed work or have a small area that pointed to my religious exercises to save myself. Through that work He gifted to me a completed salvation that inevitably will be worked out for my good to be rewarded to me in its completeness when I pass into the next life. I have desired to be translated to heaven instead of dying in memorizing and meditating on His word for 25 years. At times Ive felt like walking to heaven in my meditations in the Psalms. A book that has convinced me of Gods absolute sovereignty and my security in His salvation.

Calvinism to me is bigger than a Theological argument. It is experiencing Christ in me the hope of glory.

 

[pilgrimsong]

HEllo I'm new here... the reason why I joined this site is to talk to fellow Calvinist like you folks. I tried joining the Puritans forum but I my application was declined..

Im a member of a baptist church here in my country and our head pastor was a graduate of Moody Bible and Westminster... he's an american by the way.

My fellow churchmates told me Calvinism point of view was wrong. But then again along the way I met someone who became my best buddy who taught me about Calvinism (Tulip) and introduced me to Ligonier and R.C Sproul's book. Well, Calvinism is really serious stuff to me.. my friend told me you can never disprove Calvinism. Those who try to contest it, usually doesn't win the argument. Because it is in there... in the bible!

 

[St. Helens]

My road to Calvinism was a long bumpy ride starting with the non-denominational church. I was raised in the Stone-Campbell movement. To be honest this was not a nice environment to be raised in as a Christian. In some Sunday services the sermon was about the beast of Revelation and how it was a computer in Brussels that stored the names of every person on Earth. Every one would get a special tattoo that would act like a credit card. This was supposed to have happen before the turn of the century.
There was also talk of the lining up the planets and all the havoc that was supposed to cause. They also preached about God's judgement in the form of California dropping off into the ocean and the tidal waves that would ensue. Imagine filling up the mind of an impressionable youth with this nonsense. I lived in Southern California at the time. A terrible thing to burden a nine year old child with. Often this stuff made atheists out of young people as they turned to adults. I watched my peers reject God or enter a reprobate life when this garbage did not pan out. But in me there stayed a hunger for the things of God even though I was a troubled child that tended to live in a world of fantasy. Fantasy was my retreat from these threats of disaster. I did not deserve to be elected.

Despite this unhealthy environment I was was still credo baptized. My parents still had their Germanic roots, coming from a Reformed type of background. They had dedicated me as a baby then baptized me at the age of 12.

By then I was old enough to start really remembering the sermons. Of particular note where the hell-fire sermons that emphasized working your way to heaven. You couldn't get to heaven of you didn't forgive your neighbor 357 times. Interlaced in between were always these wacky eschatology sermons. I joined the Navy at the age of 25. As soon as I moved from California I got out of that church. These negative experiences make me dislike conspiracy theories and eschatology. I also have the deep buried dislike of dispensationalism because it is interwoven with this unhealthy obsession with eschatology.

Being young I didn't know which way to turn. As a young sailor I was transferred to Washington State. My husband and I spent a few years in the Assemblies of God but soon discovered they were no better than the Stone-Campbell Movement. It was a different brand of weak gruel. All emotion and hype without any biblical foundation. They would blame their members of some kind of secret sin of they had any kind of lingering illness. Of course I had become disabled and was discharged from the Navy. They blamed me for it. They were also hung up on 'prophecies' and other such craziness. Despite this abuse, I still wanted the truth. I didn't blame God.

The Messianic movement and Independent Baptist was no better. The Independents and Messianics did not love me. I have a scalp condition, where I cannot wear my hair long. I have to have short, short hair. So they treated me like an outsider because I cannot have 'a proper head covering'. I moved to an American Baptist church. I didn't particularly like the liberalism in that church, but we were treated decent and didn't run into the problems of the others. I still did not particularly like that church. No nourishment flowed from the pulpit. Still I wasn't appreciated very much by that church because my son ran into trouble in the public schools. He had learning disabilities. There is also something of note about the American Baptist church. It is a free will church that rejects all organized forms of confessions or creeds. It has a lot of striking similarities to Stone-Campbellism with its emphasis on works. I wearied of the weak gruel works sermons.

I studied Open Theism along the way but soundly reject it because it does not line up with scripture. It is a populist sort of Deism. I am adverse to things to do not match scripture.

I have even toyed with agnosticism along that way because I was not loved by Christians I had come across thus far. But I make a sorry agnostic. A world without a Creator defies logic. I have a very logical mind. For something to exist it has to have a Creator. I found I do not have sufficient faith to be an agnostic or an atheist. It does take faith to look at the world though those lenses--to believe that the universe can create itself. Believing the Bible is so much easier. I have discovered as an old Christian that certain things have become hard wired. It may be because of this hard wiring that I am unable to think like an agnostic or atheist.

We finally sunk our roots into CBAA ten years ago at the First Baptist Church in Windom Mn. The sermons are very Calvinist. The pastor speaks often about grace, sovereignty and how God knows us even before we are born. We are still there after ten years. My husband and I are very much loved by that congregation. Calvinism fits like a comfortable pair of shoes.

As you can see my life has been very deterministic. The suspicion had been growing over the years. Now and then friends and family would chew me out when I voiced that suspicion. Nothing has worked for me church wise except reformed style churches. It is as if I have been plopped in the church I am in. I am loved there. I have family that would dearly want me to be Arminian, but God keeps steering me away from anything remotely Arminian.

This journey has made me very Calvinistic. God has climbed into the cockpit and become my pilot and I cannot get rid of Him. Of all the birds on the flight line He picked me, the biggest leakiest Turkey. I didn't deserve to be chosen. I have learned that my life is not my own. I didn't choose God. Rather He chose me. I have learned the hard way, irresistible grace. I have flown through a lot of muck to learn that. I belong to God and I will always be His. I was not chosen because of any merit either. I am now at peace now that I have given in and stopped fighting what my heart has known all along. It is why I wear the Tulip.