I have been a Classical Calvinist longer than you, right? So, insinuating that I have not done my homework is a shot the dark, my friend.
Catholics can say the same thing, and do you believe they are correct?
Granted, I consider Catholicism, and Orthodox, etcetera to be unbiblical.
I tested Calvinism against Scripture and all five points of TULIP are unbiblical big time.
Calvinist’s claims that God ordains evil is also seriously unbiblical and immoral.
Side Note:
Also, if you have all this experience as a Calvinist, and you know you are correct, then you should have easily answered the few verses I put forth to you that demolishes your Calvinistic belief. Then again, this is not my first rodeo or discussion with Calvinists before. In my many years of discussion with Calvinists, generally they do not explain the verses that refutes their belief. But you can break the trend if you like.
Doctrines of Grace is the topics of Salvation. So I will ask you, is a sinner justified by Faith Alone, by Works alone or both?
The Bible teaches we are justified by faith.
Romans 5:1
”Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
This faith is how we access God’s grace.
Romans 5:2
”By whom also
we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
This is Initial Salvation.
We see this Initial Salvation again in Ephesians 2:8-9.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 ”For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.“
How many times you receive a gift?
Just one time.
So this is talking about how we first get saved (i.e., Initial Salvation).
Ephesians 2:1 says you have been quickened (made alive).
When does that happen?
In your Initial Salvation.
The same is true for Romans 4:3-5, Romans 11:6, and Titus 3:5.
These parts of Scripture are all talking about Initial Salvation.
Paul was fighting against the heresy of “Circumcision Salvationism” (Galatians 5:2, Galatians 2:3, Romans 2:25-29, Romans 3:1).
This is the false belief that said you had to first be circumcised in order to be Initially Saved.
We see this heresy described to us in Acts 15 (See Acts 15:1, Acts 15:5, Acts 15:24).
In other words, when you read Paul, read it from the viewpoint that he was addressing the heresy of “Circumcision Salvationism” and it will become clear on what he was talking about. Paul was referring to Temporal Belief Alone Salvationism in our Initial Salvation. Paul is not talking about Perpetual Belief Alone Salvationism. Paul says shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? He says, God forbid (Romans 6:1-2).
The Bible also teaches we are justified by works.
James says.
”
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (James 2:24).
Paul also taught the same thing:
Titus 1:16
"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
So according to the above verse, Paul taught also that a person can deny God by a lack of works.
Galatians 6:8-9
8 “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Notice carefully this passage above. You probably never noticed it before. Verse 8 says if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap everlasting life. Verse 9 defines what this “sowing to the Spirit” actually is. It is “well doing” (good works). For verse 9 says for us not be tired in well doing (good works), for we will reap if we faint not. Reap what? Eternal life as verse 8 in context says. Most Protestants are blind to this passage. Those few who are aware of it would naturally seek to do backflip twists with this text, and they do not accept the plain reading of God’s Word in this instance.
1 Timothy 5:8
“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
Now, you cannot use the false excuse as other Christians use on this verse and say it is in reference to only false believers. This excuse does not work because this believer who does not provide for his own household is worse than an infidel. An infidel is an unbeliever. In other words, an unbeliever cannot be worse than an unbeliever. That doesn’t make any sense. Paul says this believer who does not provide for their own has also denied the faith. Providing for your household is a good work. So this is a part of salvation.
I am aware of Philippians 2:13 in that God does the good work ultimately through us, but this is a walk with God, and it is not the Lord forcing us against our will. You did not black out and wonder how you helped the poor, and preached the gospel to others.
Also, in James 2:21, it says,
”Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?”
Notice a similar saying.
Hebrews 11:17
”By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac:…”
So in James 2:21, Abraham was justified by works by offering Isaac.
Yet, in Hebrews 11:17 it says that BY FAITH Abraham offered up Isaac.
So they are one and the same thing. Works is a part of the faith.
However, works is just a part of our Sanctification (Which is in the secondary washing or aspect of salvation).
Sanctification is living a holy life, putting away sin, and doing good works, etcetera (By the working of the Spirit).
“God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
So believers are saved by God’s grace through faith (Belief Alone) in their Initial Salvation.
Believers are saved by the Sanctification Process to Live a Holy Life (as a part of second washing to be clean -See Leviticus 13:58 as a symbolic picture of this Sanctification).
LoL, really??? Google is the final authority? Just grab your pick forks and torches and hunt down all ugly Calvinists? How is this edifying or spiritual food?
How many times do you use Google or an internet search for every day ordinary things?
Be a detective now. As a part of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) people doing a particular search factors in to the Google algorithm.
Check out the top part of this article here to see what I am talking about.
Typing why are Calvinists in Google is one clue into a serious debate among Christian denominations over whether Reformed Theology, also called Calvinism, actually pushes seekers away from
I beg to differ. Because when one reads these debates it should highlight why the other side has made a mistake. Didn't Paul admonish and curse those false apostles in Galatians? When one is misleading others into heresies like Servetus, would you just stand by and allow it?
Jesus teaches His followers Non-Violence while they are alive (Which will obviously change after they lived out their faith because faithful believers will return to follow Christ into battle at His second coming). But while Christians are here on this Earth living out their faith, their orders are to do no violence to any man.
Non-Violence as Taught in the New Testament is Moral and Good: Christians are to walk by faith and not by sight. For without faith, it is impossible to please God. Trusting in the verses or passages in the Bible on non-violence takes faith. You have to first believe these words in the Bible...
Paul even admonish the Galatians were listening to these false apostles. Growing in the knowledge of the Lord is commanded by God so we are not deceived by false teachers. So being able to distinguished between Law & Gospel in relation to Justification by Faith Alone in the eschatological consummation of the Cross is crucial for all Christians to learn, protect and defend.
When Paul condemned Law and works, he was referring to the 613 laws of Moses as a whole or package deal and “Works ALONE Salvationism” (that did not include God’s grace). Yes, certain Laws in the 613 have carried over into the New Testament, but that does not mean we are not to obey the Laws or commands of Jesus.
Paul taught,
“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words,
even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing,…” (1 Timothy 6:3-4). According to James 4:6, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.