Mean Calvinism

saintboniface said:

No bud, I'm trying to get a simple answer and I didn't realize it would be this difficult. All I am asking is who, from a Calvinist perspective, goes to heaven? If you say the elect go to heaven then my follow up question (to save an additional post) is "can the elect come from any Christian faith (baptists, Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, non-denominational, etc) or even non-Christian faiths?

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AMR said:

I believe the Gospel is most clearly and completely understood, while being most beautifully expressed within the framework of Calvinism.

Clearly anyone, including Arminians and Catholics, who believe the essentials of the faith (The cardinal truths that the church has diligently, faithfully defended and codified. To deny the essentials is a clear mark of obstinacy to the Holy Spirit of God.) can be considered a saved brother or sister, even if we view them as "just barely" saved because of their confusion.

I am convinced the true believer's walk of faith will be towards the full truths of Scripture, including the wonderful doctrines of grace. I am also convinced that their walk of faith, if it be the will of God that they live so long, will eventually also lead them away from their earthly church communions wherein such essentials are denied or diluted. That said, some persons may not approach the full understanding of these things on this side of the grave and therefore deny themselves the full measures of grace due them beforehand.

In the end at our final glory it will matter not, for all persons in heaven will have full cups--but some cups will just be larger than others', yet everyone will be as blessed as they are so capable.

I become very concerned when I read the Reformed or Calvinist declaring those that do not strictly adhere to our tenets of doctrine as lost, hell-bound, and sin-bent. Note that here I speak of broad statements and generalizations, not in matters of specifics of this or that person whose views and their openness to correction are made available for examination and discerning judgment.

We Reformed are well within our rights to declare the boundaries of our communion of faith, but we overstep our bounds when we set about to declaring those that disagree with us on all the finer points are indeed on the rocky road to being sons or daughters of perdition. Yes, perhaps this one or that one will be so, but we certainly cannot know this and it is an egregious sin to dogmatically proceed along these lines.

Lest I have not been clear, it is my view that there are many outside the Reformed communion with whom I will be shaking hands in our glory.

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JM said:

Calvinists often get labeled as being mean and nasty because we do not promote the promiscuous love of God but have you guys noticed an increase of nasty, hateful Arminians?

I have.

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JM said:

Calvinists often get labeled as being mean and nasty because we do not promote the promiscuous love of God but have you guys noticed an increase of nasty, hateful Arminians?

I have.

Click to expand...

saintboniface said:

No bud, I'm trying to get a simple answer and I didn't realize it would be this difficult. All I am asking is who, from a Calvinist perspective, goes to heaven? If you say the elect go to heaven then my follow up question (to save an additional post) is "can the elect come from any Christian faith (baptists, Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, non-denominational, etc) or even non-Christian faiths?

Click to expand...

AMR said:

I believe the Gospel is most clearly and completely understood, while being most beautifully expressed within the framework of Calvinism.

Clearly anyone, including Arminians and Catholics, who believe the essentials of the faith (The cardinal truths that the church has diligently, faithfully defended and codified. To deny the essentials is a clear mark of obstinacy to the Holy Spirit of God.) can be considered a saved brother or sister, even if we view them as "just barely" saved because of their confusion.

I am convinced the true believer's walk of faith will be towards the full truths of Scripture, including the wonderful doctrines of grace. I am also convinced that their walk of faith, if it be the will of God that they live so long, will eventually also lead them away from their earthly church communions wherein such essentials are denied or diluted. That said, some persons may not approach the full understanding of these things on this side of the grave and therefore deny themselves the full measures of grace due them beforehand.

In the end at our final glory it will matter not, for all persons in heaven will have full cups--but some cups will just be larger than others', yet everyone will be as blessed as they are so capable.

I become very concerned when I read the Reformed or Calvinist declaring those that do not strictly adhere to our tenets of doctrine as lost, hell-bound, and sin-bent. Note that here I speak of broad statements and generalizations, not in matters of specifics of this or that person whose views and their openness to correction are made available for examination and discerning judgment.

We Reformed are well within our rights to declare the boundaries of our communion of faith, but we overstep our bounds when we set about to declaring those that disagree with us on all the finer points are indeed on the rocky road to being sons or daughters of perdition. Yes, perhaps this one or that one will be so, but we certainly cannot know this and it is an egregious sin to dogmatically proceed along these lines.

Lest I have not been clear, it is my view that there are many outside the Reformed communion with whom I will be shaking hands in our glory.

Click to expand...