What is Calvinism

[Brady Dawson]

New here went to the thing on Easter....

I thought I would ask a question that I've been hearing a lot about... What is Calvinism? I'm going to look around online too but I thought I'd ask.

[David Velasquez]

Arminianism-Free-Will or Human Ability

Although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness. God graciously enables sinners to repent and believe, but He does not interfere with man's freedom. Each person possesses a free will, and his eternal destiny depends on how he uses it. Man's freedom consists of his ability to choose good over evil in spiritual matters; (aided by the Holy Spirit) his will is not enslaved to his sinful nature. The sinner has the power to either cooperate with God's Spirit and be regenerated or resist God's grace and perish. The lost sinner needs the Spirit's assistance, but he does not have to be regenerated by the Spirit before he can believe, for faith is man's act and precedes the new birth. Faith is the sinner's gift to God; it is man's contribution to salvation.

Calvinism-Total Inability or Total Depravity

Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature, therefore, he will not - indeed he cannot - choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit's assistance to bring a sinner to Christ - it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God's gift of salvation - it is God's gift to the sinner, not the sinner's gift to God.

[Robert Jimenez]

Classical Arminians does not teach human ability, if by human ability you mean that a person is able to save him self. It does teach free-will. I would not state that Faith...is man's contribution to salvation. Our faith contributes nothing to salvation. It is all the work of God. Our faith is part of our response to the message of salvation.

Classical Arminianism also teaches Total Depravity.

[David Velasquez]

That is correct Robert. I believe that Reformed theologians mean by "although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness," due to preveniant Grace, which initiates the process of salvation in a persons life, simultaneously and/or previous to the person's faith increasing by hearing/reading etc... God's word. At which time the individual is enable to make a choice to receive or reject God. When you read their honest assessment of Arminianism, this is pretty much what they are saying. Of course there are those who do misrepresent Arminisanism by associating it with Pelagius (Pelagius (ca. AD 354 – ca. AD 420 / 440) was an ascetic who denied the doctrine of original sin, later developed by Augustine of Hippo, and was declared a heretic).

and yes, Classical Arminianism also teaches Total Depravity.

[Robert Jimenez]

Yup. That is part of what Augustine was reacting too.

[David Velasquez]

Arminianism-Conditional Election

God's choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world was based upon His foreseeing that they would respond to His call. He selected only those whom He knew would of themselves freely believe the gospel. Election therefore was determined by or conditioned upon what man would do. The faith which God foresaw and upon which He based His choice was not given to the sinner by God (it was not created by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit) but resulted solely from man's will. It was left entirely up to man as to who would believe and therefore as to who would be elected unto salvation. God chose those whom He knew would, of their own free will, choose Christ. Thus the sinner's choice of Christ, not God's choice of the sinner, is the ultimate cause of salvation.

Calvinism- Unconditional Election

God's choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response of obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause of God's choice. Election therefore was not determined by or conditioned upon any virtuous quality or act foreseen in man. Those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Thus God's choice of the sinner, not the sinner's choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation.
Arminianism-Universal Redemption or General Atonement
Christ's redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved but did not actually secure the salvation of anyone. Although Christ died for all men and for every man, only those who believe on Him are saved. His death enabled God to pardon sinners on the condition that they believe, but it did not actually put away anyone's sins. Christ's redemption becomes effective only if man chooses to accept it.

[David Velasquez]

Arminianism-Universal Redemption or General Atonement

Christ's redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved but did not actually secure the salvation of anyone. Although Christ died for all men and for every man, only those who believe on Him are saved. His death enabled God to pardon sinners on the condition that they believe, but it did not actually put away anyone's sins. Christ's redemption becomes effective only if man chooses to accept it.

Calvinism-Particular Redemption or Limited Atonement

Christ's redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to putting away the sins of His people, Christ's redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, therefore guaranteeing their salvation

[David Velasquez]

Arminianism-The Holy Spirit Can Be Effectually Resisted

The Spirit calls inwardly all those who are called outwardly by the gospel invitation; He does all that He can to bring every sinner to salvation. But inasmuch as man is free, he can successfully resist the Spirit's call. The Spirit cannot regenerate the sinner until he believes; faith (which is man's contribution) proceeds and makes possible the new birth. Thus, man's free will limits the Spirit in the application of Christ's saving work. The Holy Spirit can only draw to Christ those who allow Him to have His way with them. Until the sinner responds, the Spirit cannot give life. God's grace, therefore, is not invincible; it can be, and often is, resisted and thwarted by man.

Calvinism- The Efficacious Call of the Spirit or Irresistible Grace

In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man's will, nor is He dependent upon man's cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God's grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.

[David Velasquez]

Arminianism-Falling from Grace

Those who believe and are truly saved can lose their salvation by failing to keep up their faith, etc. All Arminians have not been agreed on this point; some have held that believers are eternally secure in Christ - that once a sinner is regenerated, he can never be lost.

Calvinism- Perseverance of the Saints
All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end.

According to Arminianism:

Salvation is accomplished through the combined efforts of God (who takes the initiative) and man (who must respond) - man's response being the determining factor. God has provided salvation for everyone, but His provision becomes effective only for those who, of their own free will, "choose" to cooperate with Him and accept His offer of grace. At the crucial point, man's will plays a decisive role; thus man, not God, determines who will be recipients of the gift of salvation.


According to Calvinism:

Salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the Triune God. The Father chose a people, the Son died for them, the Holy Spirit makes Christ's death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance, thereby causing them to willingly obey the gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and is by grace alone. Thus God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.

David N. Steele and Curtis Thomas, are Baptist ministers in Little Rock, Arkansas. Their contrast of the Five Points of Calvinism with the Five Points of Arminianism is one of the clearest and most concise.

[David Velasquez]

Calvinism is simply another school of thought in theology. This theological system is name after John Calvin who was a student (not directly but throught his wirtting) of St. Augustin, who lived in 500 AD.
Calvin came up with the TULIP which is what I cut and paste up above for you.

Calvinism and Arminianism are the prominent schools of theology. Most Christians are either Reformed theologians (Calvinist) or Arminian.

[Rodger Tutt]

CALVINISM VERSUS ARMINIANISM

Calvinism, Arminianism, or Christian Biblical Universalism

Which view of salvation is true?

These two links respond to that question.

ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE IN JESUS CHRIST – Charles Slagle
http://www.sigler.org/slagle/absolute.htm

THE LAW OF CIRCULARITY – J.Preston Eby
http://www.godfire.net/eby/circularity.html

Calvinism is a cruel and unloving profanity.

Arminianism is a proud and self-righteous profanity.

Calvinism is cruel and unloving because it claims that God allows beings to come into existence that deserve to suffer endlessly, and will suffer endlessly, except for a few that God will rescue from such a fate by His irresistible grace.

Aminianism is proud and self-righteous because it claims that only those who receive the proper information, and act on it properly before they die, will avoid suffering endlessly. They claim that God is unable to successfully influence anyone's will, unless they let Him.

The Calvinist's god allows millions of beings to come into existence and either cannot, or will not, do anything to stop them from suffering forever.

The Arminian's god lets us down just when we need Him the most. Our greatest need is a change in our stubborn will. The Arminian god either cannot, or will not meet us, on this, the level of our greatest need.

A profanity is an idea conceived by our sinful hearts. Both Calvinism and Arminianism are profanities. Against the black background of these profanities God will paint the glorious masterpiece of universal transformation.

The truth of universal transformation solves all of the irreconcilable differences between Calvinism and Arminianism. It recognizes that our "free will" is the freedom to choose only in the direction of the strongest influence, and that God is in intimate sovereign control over all influences.

Each person is being fitted into God's master-plan in God's own special way for them. Each person responds to their own unique set of "strongest influences." And ultimately, when the time period of the ages has ended, God will have transformed the consequences of everyone's choices into something glorifying to Himself, and beneficial to the chooser.

It is unavoidable that how we think about God will affect our state of being. We tend to become like the god we worship. The one who puts their faith in Calvinism, tends to become cruel and unloving. The one who puts their faith in Arminianism, tends to become proud and self-righteous. If a Calvinist is not cruel and unloving, or, if an Arminian is not proud and self-righteous, it is entirely due to the intervention of God's undefeatable grace through Christ. God often operates through people in spite of what they believe.

God's grace can only be resisted if God wants to teach us lessons that could be learned no other way. But ultimately, God's grace is undefeatable.

Both Calvinism and Arminianism are built upon the false foundation of "endless hell." When this foundation has been replaced, the differences between them become irrelevant.

The profanity of the doctrine of "endless suffering in hell" is also part of the black background upon which God will paint His glorious masterpiece. Without fail, God will, in due time, transform all deceptions, delusions, and false doctrines, into something better that they temporarily prevailed than if they had not. And He will do this for everyone, without exception.

Calvinism, Arminianism, or Christian Biblical Universalism
WHICH VIEW OF SALVATION IS TRUE?

These two links respond to that question.

ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE IN JESUS CHRIST – Charles Slagle
http://www.sigler.org/slagle/absolute.htm

THE LAW OF CIRCULARITY – J.Preston Eby
http://www.godfire.net/eby/circularity.html

Copy And paste into Google
ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE IN JESUS CHRIST
or
THE LAW OF CIRCULARITY

[Rodger Tutt]

THE WORLD’S MOST EVIL BELIEFS – IMHO
http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/savior-of-the-world/circularity.htm

The world’s most evil beliefs & the most important issue

The eternal torment theology of the Arminian Christian relies on so-called “free will” and luck.

The god that Arminian Christian eternal tormentors profess to love says to his fallen creatures

“Unless you are lucky enough to find out about my son during this lifetime, and even if you are that lucky, if you don’t have the good sense to cooperate with my son properly before you die, then I am going to raise you from the dead and I will sustain you alive in an inescapable state of eternal torment forever.”

The eternal torment theology of the Calvinist Christian relies on God alone, not “free will” at all. It is summed up by the word TULIP: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and the Perseverance of the elect.

The god that Calvinistic Christian eternal tormentors profess to love says to his fallen creatures

"I created most of you for the purpose of torturing you forever. However, I am going to choose a few of you undeserving ones to go to heaven where you will be happy forever." John Calvin said there will be infants a span long in hell because they were not among the elect. (A span is the distance between the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger.)

And then both the Arminian and Calvinistic eternal tormentors say that the feelings that they have for this god of theirs is “love.”

Without God’s sustaining power everyone would cease to exist. So if anyone were to suffer forever, our all-powerful God (Who is Love in essence, not just loving) would be fully 100% responsible for it. We would have to conclude that any definition of the manifestation of “love-in-essence” includes eternally sustaining people alive in an inescapable state of suffering.

http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/savior-of-the-world/circularity.htm

What a travesty; what a revolting definition of love it is that God, Who is love personified, would grant any creature a will so strong that they can choose themselves into an irreversible state of never ending suffering (Arminian) or deserve to suffer forever just by being born into the human race (Calvinist)!!

Thank God the Bible does not teach such insane ideas!
http://www.godfire.net/eby/saviour_of_the_world.html
http://www.sigler.org/slagle/absolute.htm
http://richardwaynegarganta.com/universalsalvation.htm

Copy and paste one of the following titles into Google
SAVIOR OF THE WORLD SERIES EBY
Or
ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE IN JESUS CHRIST
Or
UNIVERSAL SALVATION UNIVERSITY

Anyone is welcome to believe anything they want to about what the Bible teaches.

I'm just so glad I learned about the following information.
It enabled me to recover from a twelve year nervous breakdown 1966-78.
I'm 70 now.
I, and many others with whom I have become acquainted, simply could not successfully emotionally cope with the idea that God would let anyone suffer forever. Here is the testimony of Charles Slagle who went insane for the same reasons that I did.
Copy and paste the following title into Google
ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE IN JESUS CHRIST or click on
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/Absolute-Assurance-in-Jesus-Christ.html
http://www.sigler.org/slagle/absolute.htm

Eternal Torment Calvinism, Eternal Torment Arminianism, Annihilation, or Christian Biblical Universalism.

Which one of the four is the truth?

This debate nearly always ends with the words, "My Greek scholars are more reliable
than your Greek scholars," and the result is a stalemate.

If readers think it glorifies God more to believe that He is going to let some of His
creatures suffer forever or annihilate them, then they should keep believing that.
But if they think it glorifies God more to eventually meet everyone on the level of their
greatest and deepest need, which is a change in their stubborn will, then I would like
them to know that that is exactly what the Bible teaches that God is like.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE

The findings of Greek scholar Louis Abbott and the other Greek scholars quoted in
chapters three and twelve of his online book IMHO renders all other arguments irrelevant.

IMHO these findings effectively close the case on the arguments that eternal tormentors try so hard to uphold.
But of course one has to actually read them to see what I mean.

Just Google up AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF WORDS and enjoy, or click on
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/asw/index.html

• Eternal Death Annihilation
• http://www.tentmaker.org/books/EternalDeath.html
• Bible Threatenings Explained
• http://www.tentmaker.org/books/BibleThreateningsExplained.html
• Universal Salvation University
• http://richardwaynegarganta.com/universalsalvation.htm

[David Velasquez]

Rodger- the literary trick that the theologians are using in the web pages you are sharing with us, in all your post, is one of the cheapest and unfortunately most frequently used by those who lack real ethical values of research and integrity to honest discussion. Calvinism and Arminianism do have their irreconcilable differences, but although there are many secondary and some primary differences between them and others, we remained committed to love one another. For your sources to point out the extremist in both camps and capitalize in the comments and teachings of the extremists in both camps, is just a low blow and it shows how there is malice in their intentions. The opinion of the Hyper-Calvinist or/and the super emotionalist Arminians does not honestly represent the beliefs of the conservative majority of both camps. However the teachers of the doctrine you believe in, before pointing out why what they believe is true, is true, they try to discredit the two oldest and highly respected theological camps, by using arguments and dogmas by the extremist in both camps.

These theologians over and over again decided to fine an alternative view of scripture because of their inability to understand how the biblical God can be the way the bible reveals Him to be.
What do you do with the God that says kill every woman and children and all cattle? What do you do with such a God; do you simply skip those verses?

Have you ever study the Calvinistic doctrine personally, apart from the distortions mixed with biases taught in the web pages you recommend? Have you ever study the Arminian theology without outside influence? Have you done Real Research, of a real seeker? Have you? Have you spend hours, days, months, years researchingwhy the Arminian and/or the Calvinist believe as they do? I have, I have spend days now, looking at what your quoted sites teach and as I aligned it with the Arminian and Calvinistic and my own interpretation and understanding of scripture, No, no, no, When I aligned it to the word of God, whether it be the KJ version, which used the Tyndale bible as its source for translation or a bible directly translated from the Hebrew and Greem, it does not aligned to scripture.
I would take the time to discuss and if you so wish I still would invest the time to go through scripture with you, but I do not think from your posts that you are interested in doing that, I think you are sincere about sharing what you believe to be the truth and I am not upset at you for doing that. I just don’t believe what you believe is what the bible teaches. If you ever felt I disrespected you, I apologize for that Sir. I can be a bit rough around the edges at times. I wish you the best, if you have repented of your sins and have faith in the son of God, then you are my brother in Christ. Your doctrine may not be the correct doctrine, but if you confess with your mouth that Christ is your Lord and savior and you love God to the point where your faith is accompany by works, not dead faith, again you are my brother in Christ and the fact that you believe that hell is not eternal or that it is a place of correction or the huge distortion that all people of all time will ultimately will be saved, is something that God will judge accordingly in your life. How much damage you can cause by sharing erroneous teachings, only God knows, but anyone willing to believe a lie is without an excuse, since they choose to not educate themselves in the word of God and are easy prey to false doctrines. You suffered a nervous breakdown, then you came about a doctrine that teaches what you perceive to be a better God. Well, you are free to do so, be blessed and please get in the word. If you are so against the KJ use a different translation, there are plenty of them available.