WHY I'M NOT A CALVINIST
Notes
Transcript
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Hermeneutic Principles:
Context is king.
Let scripture interpret scripture.
Start with a basic understanding first.
Reformed theology is a large umbrella of various views of God, scripture, the local church, etc..
Calvinism is a set of beliefs formed based on some specific teaching made popular by John Calvin.
T.U.L.I.P.
Total Depravity - Man is spiritually dead. Because of the fall, man has become spiritually dead, blind and deaf to the things of God and is therefore unable of himself to choose spiritual good and determine his own destiny.
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Unconditional Election - God’s election is unconditional. God’s choice of certain individuals for salvation was not based on any foreseen response of obedience on their part, but was based solely in His good and sovereign will.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Limited Atonement - Christ’s death was designed to actually secure the salvation of all of God’s chosen people. Christ’s death secured and actually accomplished the salvation of all of God’s chosen people. God has determined that all for whom Christ sacrificed Himself will be saved.
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Irresistible Grace - The Holy Spirit regenerates every one of God’s chosen people, enabling them to believe. The Holy Spirit graciously regenerates every one of God’s chosen people, creating within them a new heart and enabling them to freely and willingly believe in Christ as Savior and Lord. The New Birth precedes and makes possible Saving Faith. Life gives Faith.
All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
Perseverance of the Saints - All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit are eternally saved. They are kept in Faith by the Power of Almighty God and therefore continue to persevere in faith.
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Biblical Views:
The flaw with Total Depravity - Man is completely and totally lost without Christ. However, Calvinist hold such a strong position that it makes it where a work of salvation must take place prior to regeneration.
I believe there is an act of illumination from the Spirit of God, but nothing more.
Illumination
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
The flaw with Unconditional Election - God did not choose to save some and choose to send some to hell.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The flaw with Limited Atonement - Jesus did not die only for the sake of the “elect”.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
The flaw with Irresistible Grace - God does not force Himself on anyone. He gives man free will to choose.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
The flaw of Perseverance of the Saints - It is not the saint who perseveres. It is the Savior.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
Hyper Calvinism - 6. Double Predestination 7. Best of all worlds.
Difficult Texts
But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,