Why Calvinism?

[ghs1994]

I'm curious of something.

Do all Calvinists hold to all doctrines held by John Calvin?

If not, why call yourself a Calvinist?

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say you are an Electionist?

I'm only asking...not trying to debate.

Thanks.

 

[JimfromOhio]

I used to be an Arminianism but over the years, the more I studied, the more I understand God's plan of Salvation and the works of the Holy Spirit, I tend to agree with Calvinism. When I read great Christian theologians, I realized that they were (or are) adopting Reformed Theology. Reformed/Calvinism is theology of John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, James Montgomery Boice, R. C. Sproul, and John MacArthur (somewhat) and many more.

Often people "dislike" Calvinism Doctrine because God's Authority regarding Salvation. I am not going through step-by-step of TULIP or 5 Points of Calvinism. I am going to point out what have impacted me the most.

As a calvinist, I do believe we have "free will" but only according to God's will. God will direct our lives as He sees fit. Bible clearly pointed out that God have directed our lives. In Ephesians 1:11, "He works all things according to the purpose of His own will." 'Providence" means God’s faithful, moment-by-moment control over everything He has made to ensure that everything He has created are going according to His will. He is active in every detail of it. He’s active at every moment. He doesn’t stand back and let things happen because He decides to intervene if something or someone is not going according to His will. He governs the world moment-by-moment through providence, so that everything that happens, every detail of our life occurs by God's divine providence or by God’s express permission. He is in control of everything. God constantly intervenes in our lives through His Providence. This also include the election of salvation. In my position, God will not hold me responsible to understand the mysteries of election, predestination, and the divine sovereignty. The best and safest way to deal with these is to look to God in deepest respect say, "0 Lord, You know all." These issues belong to God's omniscience. Romans 8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Ephesians 1:5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— Ephesians 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.

Another issue why I like Calvinism is this: You are either Spirit-Filled by acknowledging the conviction of Holy Spirit or don't acknowledge the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, we NOT do have the "inability" to get saved. Without the Holy Spirit is TOTAL DEPRAVITY. The Holy Spirit is the only person that can quicken people to be saved. 1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. God has given the Holy Spirit to enable us to have a holy relationship with our Father. The key to holiness is submitting to the Spirit's control in daily life that will enable us to overcome the human nature and live through grace's sufficiency.

Another reason is this: I always believed that Infants, dying in infancy, including those who are mentally disabled are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit, (Luke 18:15-17) who works when, and where, and how He pleases: so also are all others who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word. I have to remember that God is in control and He KNOWS every heart and knows all of us before we were born. Sovereign God is the absolute, infinite, unqualified ruler in all realms in heaven, earth and sea. God is to be Lord over all the creation, He is omnipotent, He is omniscient, He is omnipresent. He knows every little details and He has already planned out our tomorrows and He is holding the world in the palm of His hand. Sovereignty and omnipotence are together that one cannot exist without the other. Luke 18:15-17 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!” (Rom 11:33)

“God knows instantly and effortlessly all matters, all mind and every mind, all spirits, all being and every being, all creaturehood and all creatures, every plurality and all pluralities, all law and every law, all relations, all causes, all thoughts, all mysteries, all enigmas, all feeling, all desires, every uttered secret, all thrones and dominions, all personalities, all things visible and invisible in heaven and in earth, motion, space, time, life, death, good, evil, heaven, and hell…” A. W. Tozer (By the way, Dr Tozer was not a Reformed preacher but he sounded like one).

The Bible clearly teaches that God knows beforehand what everyone will need and He will provide beforehand according to His will. Wisdom sees everything in focus and be able to trust God no matter what happens. All God's acts are done in perfect wisdom for His own glory.

Finally, I want to add that Calvinism believe in the Great Commission. We don't know who are elected to be saved. We just preach the Gospel to ALL and allow God handle the election part. Even though God is in control and He KNOWS who will accept and reject before the earth was even created. Jesus did die for ALL but the atonement is only for the elected (in other words, those who are convicted by the Holy Spirit to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, repented and etc).

 

[JimfromOhio]

I hoped my explanations helped.

 

[ghs1994]

I guess I'm not really referring to the doctrine of election as much as I've seen some on here with Calvinist symbols who are not amillennial. So I question why they would call themselves Calvinists.

 

[JimfromOhio]

I guess I'm not really referring to the doctrine of election as much as I've seen some on here with Calvinist symbols who are not amillennial. So I question why they would call themselves Calvinists.

From TULIP (#2 of 5-point Calvinism).
Unconditional Election Predestination and election by God is what brings about salvation. By this we mean the eternal choice by God of certain definite individuals in Jesus Christ into salvation.

Scripture Proofs Matt 23:14 Eph 1:4-5 Rom 9:11-13 Rom 8:29-30 Jn 6:40 2 Tim 1:9 Jn 17:9 Rom 9:23 Rev 17:8 Rom 9:21-23 Eph 2:8-19 Rom 11:5 Deut 7:6 Eph 1:11 James 1:18 Acts 13:48 Jn 1:13 2 Thess 2:13 Jude 4 Acts 5:31 1 Pet 5:31 Jn 5:21 Rev 13:8 Jn 13:18 Jn 15:16 Acts 15:18 Mal 1:3 Prov 16:4 1 Pet 2:8-9 Conclusion: Eph 2:8-9, Rom 9:16, Rom 11:33-35.

God is sovereign over our salvation. This causes total humility in us and gratitude towards Him for choosing us. Motivating us to give God all the glory.

I like John Piper's definition of Calvinism:
What We Believe About the Five Points of Calvinism


What does it mean that we are Reformed?

 

[PETE_]

It is kind of like calling youself a Baptist. It identifys a certain group that hold many of the same beliefs. Not all Baptists agree on every point, but their are a certain set of beliefs that they identify with.

 

[JimfromOhio]

It is kind of like calling youself a Baptist. It identifys a certain group that hold many of the same beliefs. Not all Baptists agree on every point, but their are a certain set of beliefs that they identify with.

I get it.

For a long time, I was a Anabapist (Reformed view).

I have been a baptist follower most of my young life (with my parents) between 8 and 19 years old.

 

[ghs1994]

It is kind of like calling youself a Baptist. It identifys a certain group that hold many of the same beliefs. Not all Baptists agree on every point, but their are a certain set of beliefs that they identify with.

But isn't it strange to call yourself a Calvinist and hold to a pretrib/premillenial doctrine?

I understand that there are those who hold to the doctrine of election, but why not call yourself an electionist rather than a Calvinist?

Calvin was a believer of amilleniallism if I remember right.

If Reformed Theology is always reforming, why not strike to the fact that there are those who are electionists and not necessarily Calvinists?

Again, I only ask for understanding and not to provoke ya.

 

[PETE_]

From a fellow Baptist

The word Calvinism, is frequently used here as the short word which embraces that part of divine truth which teaches that salvation is by grace alone, but it is not hence to be imagined that we attach any authority to the opinion of John Calvin, other than that which is due to every holy man who is ordained of God to proclaim his truth. We use the word simply for shortness of expression, and because the enemies of free grace will then be quite sure of what we mean. It is our firm belief, that what is commonly called Calvinism, is neither more nor less than the good old gospel of the Puritans, the Martyrs, the Apostles, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=29404332#_ftn1
http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=29404332#_ftnref1Spurgeon, C. H. 1998. Vol. 1:

 

[heymikey80]

I'm curious of something.

Do all Calvinists hold to all doctrines held by John Calvin?

If not, why call yourself a Calvinist?

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say you are an Electionist?

I'm only asking...not trying to debate.

Thanks.

Sure. Calvin not only held certain ideas, he and Bucer and others in the Reformed church also held ideas about the allowable variations on those ideas: which principles require agreement, which are longstanding issues that uniquely identify the Reformed church, and which are a matter of preference that don't identify the Reformed church.

One can pretty readily point out that Calvin would object strongly to anything Calvinists were wearing out to the beach nowadays. But that's not an identifying feature of Calvinists (at least not today).

You can generally see the boundaries in "Institutes of the Christian Religion", Calvin's life-work on such issues.

Calvin's main objection was to a limit on Christ's reign. Those who would limit Christ's reign and reject His reign in eternity, Calvin rejects. Premillenial views with Christ's eternal reign aren't in view.

This doesn't mean that every premillenial view is generally accepted in all Calvinistic circles. Clearly some premillenial views are rejected. But it does mean that a view isn't rejected solely because it's premillenial.

In truth we'd have to say we were "5 Pointers". And then someone would ask, "Well, where'd the 5 Points come from?" "Um, they're the 5 Points of Calvinism." "So, uh, why didn't you just call yourselves Calvinists?"

 

[Iosias]

I'm curious of something.

Do all Calvinists hold to all doctrines held by John Calvin?

If not, why call yourself a Calvinist?

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say you are an Electionist?

I'm only asking...not trying to debate.

Thanks.

Calvinism now is used by some merely to denote the five points (TULIP) however we also ought remember that he was a paedobaptist and a presbyterian.

 

[ghs1994]

But don't you think that the 5 points of Calvinism does more damage to the doctrine of election than it does good?

Thanks for your patience and understanding of this bothersome brother....

 

[GrinningDwarf]

But don't you think that the 5 points of Calvinism does more damage to the doctrine of election than it does good?

Nope.

To the contrary, the 5 points succinctly spell out the doctrine of election.

 

[Iosias]

But don't you think that the 5 points of Calvinism does more damage to the doctrine of election than it does good?

Not at all, how would it?

 

[Knight]

But isn't it strange to call yourself a Calvinist and hold to a pretrib/premillenial doctrine?

This is eschatological rather than soiterological. (pardon spelling...)
Beliefs about the end times are not necessarily ties to the doctrine of election.

I understand that there are those who hold to the doctrine of election, but why not call yourself an electionist rather than a Calvinist?

Tradition. Most people in the church have at least heard of Calvinism. Why invent yet another term that you will only have to define a hundred times.

Calvin was a believer of amilleniallism if I remember right.

No idea. As I said I do not see how this is relevant.

If Reformed Theology is always reforming, why not strike to the fact that there are those who are electionists and not necessarily Calvinists?

These hairs have been split enough as it is...

 

[heymikey80]

But don't you think that the 5 points of Calvinism does more damage to the doctrine of election than it does good?

Thanks for your patience and understanding of this bothersome brother....

Not really. I think for me the most Calvinistic picture expressed in the Bible is Paul responding to his own "predictive" questions in Romans 9. Particularly Romans 9:19-21. I constantly wonder how any other kind of election could pose this particular question, and then answer it the way Paul answered it:

You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? Rom 9:19-21
​

Do you have some insight as to why Paul would answer this very question in this very way, that would make him an electionist, but not a Calvinist?

 

[Iosias]

This is eschatological rather than soiterological. (pardon spelling...)

Calvinism became formalised in the Reformed Catechisms and Confessions which condemned Premillennialism as "Jewish Dreams" and Calvin himself dismissed such ideas a so juvenial as to need no refutation.

Calvinism is more than just a soteriology

 

[Knight]

Calvinism became formalised in the Reformed Catechisms and Confessions which condemned Premillennialism as "Jewish Dreams" and Calvin himself dismissed such ideas a so juvenial as to need no refutation.

Calvinism is more than just a soteriology

Only if you include such confessions in the definition and I do not.

In my opinion most people understand this doctrine in the context of salvation rather than the broader context of reformed theology.

In the past there was more "grouping" with eschatology but I do not believe this to be a hard and fast rule any longer.

 

[jer3119]

I'm curious of something.

Do all Calvinists hold to all doctrines held by John Calvin?

If not, why call yourself a Calvinist?

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say you are an Electionist?

I'm only asking...not trying to debate.

Thanks.

While most would probably disagree with me, I personally don't call myself a Calvinist, though I totally embrace the Doctrines of Grace as outlined in the Cannons of Dort and embraced and championed by John Calvin. And I love him as my brother and thank God that He raised up the wonderful and spiritual guide for the church.

Even so, the reason I don't call myself a Calvinist is that Calvin tends to become the issue, not the doctrines and truths of Christ which he believed and which God used him to teach.

I believe this issue is addressed clearly by Paul and like so many things it was because the Holy Spirit knew this would become a problem and warned against it in 1Cor3:4 "For while one say 'I am of Paul', and another 'I am of Apollos', are ye not carnal?"

What Paul was warning against was what happens when we make a man, rather than the doctrine he taught the issue. Please don't take offence anyone, as I know most don't intend to make Calvin the issue when they call themselves Calvinists, and many specifically take pains not to do so. However, it is, because of language inevitable that it will be taken as such, thus the Holy Spirits warning. There is such wisdom in the Word if we could just see and appropriate it all.


Much Christian love to all,
jer3119

 

[GrinningDwarf]

Even so, the reason I don't call myself a Calvinist is that Calvin tends to become the issue, not the doctrines and truths of Christ which he believed and which God used him to teach.

Amen! That's why when people ask, I usually tell them I'm 'Reformed'. That buys time for me to talk about the Doctrines of Grace instead of Servatus.