The calvinism chart

Thanks bro. This info has been very helpful!

I'd be a moderate Calvinist, as I believe that's what the bible most plainly teaches. I hold to all 5 points, and my views are closest to those of John MacArthur and RC Sproul. Not extreme, just biblical.

I went with hyper after much thought and prayer recently, although I don't really agree with the description used in the first post. I suppose that's why I might say while I affirm the 5 points, I may not even consider myself a Calvinist. I find I agree with a lot of the primitive baptist beliefs, both after diving head first into scripture and listening to many sermons the last week and from personal experience.

Overall this thread has been a real blessing on and has lead me to examine my past and present relationship with God in a way I haven't before.

haha.

Thanks JM. Looks interesting! Will bookmark!

Moderate, here. I consider myself a five-pointer, also. The single greatest accusation against Calvinists is that they rest on predestination so heavily that they do not attempt to spread the gospel, and that they assume that prosperity is a sign of election. Assuming that God only loves the elect, and the elect always are saved, there is, therefore, no need for human intervention in the matter, as some see it. My rebuttal is best expressed in story form:

nonaeroterraqueous.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/the-supralapsarian-dilemma/

In the same way that Charismatics over-simplify their doctrines and substitute enthusiasm for understanding, I think that Calvinism has, at times, led to a sort of over-simplification that would take a very complex idea like predestination, which is necessarily a paradox, and turn it into something more easily understood and not nearly as true. I grew up in an Assemblies of God household, and my brother is an Assemblies of God minister; therefore, I must say that I've done my share of defense of Calvinism to people who consider it a dirty word. I also must say that I came to a belief in Calvinism against every influence, apart from the Bible. I had never heard of the idea until it was mocked by an ex-Catholic atheist teacher, who taught me many of the doctrines under the assumption that no one in the class could possibly believe such a thing. Even so, I was an avid (though very untalented) writer of fiction at the time, and I had a sudden epiphany that predestination must necessarily be true, and I found that I could relate to the concept quite well.

I say all of this, because I feel that my coming upon Calvinism at all was an answer to prayer, and that it went against all odds. In my childhood, I agonized badly about the possibility of losing my salvation. I had been taught that I could simply change my mind and walk away from the faith, to burn in Hell forever. They told me that my salvation was assured, so long as I didn't change my mind, but I knew better than to trust in myself. Their doctrine made damnation for all seem like an inevitability. Learning about Calvinism saved me from a great deal of despair.

nonaeroterraqueous said:

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I say all of this, because I feel that my coming upon Calvinism at all was an answer to prayer, and that it went against all odds. In my childhood, I agonized badly about the possibility of losing my salvation. I had been taught that I could simply change my mind and walk away from the faith, to burn in Hell forever. They told me that my salvation was assured, so long as I didn't change my mind, but I knew better than to trust in myself. Their doctrine made damnation for all seem like an inevitability. Learning about Calvinism saved me from a great deal of despair.

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I feel like coming to a proper understanding of the doctrines of grace saved me from despair as well.

I walked away from Christianity as a young man precisely because I couldn't stand the despair of thinking I was saved for a while and then thinking that I was lost again after succumbing to a lustful temptation.

I remained an agnostic for almost 15 years until the Lord brought me back into fellowship. It's been almost 30 years now since I found my way back. I haven't doubted my salvation for an instant since the time I studied and understood the doctrines of salvation by grace.

Knowing I was His child and that I would never again come into condemnation kept me close and open to His fellowship. It has made all the difference.

Marvin Knox said:

I feel like coming to a proper understanding of the doctrines of grace saved me from despair as well.

I walked away from Christianity as a young man precisely because I couldn't stand the despair of thinking I was saved for a while and then thinking that I was lost again after succumbing to a lustful temptation.

I remained an agnostic for almost 15 years until the Lord brought me back into fellowship. It's been almost 30 years now since I found my way back. I haven't doubted my salvation for an instant since the time I studied and understood the doctrines of salvation by grace.

Knowing I was His child and that I would never again come into condemnation kept me close and open to His fellowship. It has made all the difference.

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My story is similar; although, my time was spent in the pig pen for about 7 years.

The type of Christianity that is found in the majority of churches is the root cause of the despair of many. The "gospel" they proclaim is only half a gospel, and it is only reserved for the lost but never the Christian.

Coming to understand double imputation as well as God's sovereignty in election brought me out of my church-induced despair. Tim Keller, RC Sproul, and the crew of at the White Horse Inn were among those who helped save my life.

jimmyjimmy said:

Tim Keller, RC Sproul, and the crew of at the White Horse Inn were among those who helped save my life.

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How about this instead: The Holy Spirit, Tim Keller, RC Sproul, and the crew of at the White Horse Inn were among those who helped save my life.

Regeneration did wonders for my reading comprehension.

RC1970 said:

How about this instead: The Holy Spirit, Tim Keller, RC Sproul, and the crew of at the White Horse Inn were among those who helped save my life.

Regeneration did wonders for my reading comprehension.

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For you not to see my comment for what it was, and not be able to restrain yourself from your nit-pickly comment shows either a lack of maturity or character.

Christ gave us teachers. The Holy Spirit gifted them. The Church cannot move forward without them, so to name some of those who have been faithful to His word and their calling is a good thing.

Secondly, I was already a regenerated Christian for over 20 years before I even knew of the men I've named above. Being a Christian with both the Spirit and a Bible was not enough, especially when I was in a church, like most modern US churches, which treated books such as, 40 Days of Purpose as if they were the gospel.

Moderate

Arminianism

I'm a High Calvinist.