Calvinism Video
Disclaimer
Sharing ideas maybe friends didn't know I embraced.
Famous pastor on the radio once said about Calvinism that it, "made men to be like zombies and is a frightful view of God."
I will be talking about Calvinism today. Please don't think harshly of me. I wanted to share some things I've come to believe. If I am wrong, I would like to be corrected. I don't want to misrepresent God's Word. I consider this a topic that isn't for everyone in that you might not find it important to even think about. For some reason I find it very interesting.
"Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Corinthians 1:10
"If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1
Role of the Bible
The Bible is the ultimate source of truth. Need to be aware of presuppositions, of wanting the Bible to be a certain way according to my interpretation or worldview.
When it comes to interpretation, be mindful that man's heart is wicked
"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9
When it comes to interpretation, look to Him for understanding
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Every verse in the Bible is important. You should not just read and believe in particular verses but consider all.
"Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God" Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3
"All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness" 2 Timothy 3:16
Test
What does God say about when we are born and die?
"The Lord puts to death and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and brings up. The Lord makes poor and rich; He humbles, He also exalts." 1 Samuel 2:6-7
"See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can save anyone from My hand." Deuteronomy 32:39
"in Your book were written All the days that were ordained for me" Psalm 139:16
Not just saying "He knows when we will be alive".
Calvinism Video
Recording some thoughts, my history with Calvinism. Not going to argue all points. I wanted to make a recording so maybe later I can look back and see what I believed.
My History
Became a believer when I was around seven years old. Grew up in Christian home. Was surrounded by Christians. When it came to Calvinism, my first memory of it was having a friend ask me about if I believed man had free will and also if God was sovereign. We tried to work out how the two worked together. We came to the conclusion that God was in control of all things, but that He allowed man to make decisions, and because of this, He was still technically in control. We were just reasoning with our head.
Prominent Verses
Later, as a teenager, after reading these verses at various times, I somehow became a Calvinist.
"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will" Ephesians 1:4-5
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
"There is no righteous person, not even one; There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God;" Romans 3:10-11, Psalm 14:2-3
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6:44
"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day." John 6:39
COVID and Discord
Lonely during COVID, got on Discord to talk with people. Eventually that became talking about faith and religion with people from all over. Eventually the topic of Calvinism came up and I was surprised. Some people were strongly opposed to it.
"That is a different gospel." "Your presuppositions have convinced you that particular verses in the Bible mean certain things." "Because you've been 'in it' for so long, you can't reprogram your mind. You can't even see the truth anymore."
"God is love. In order to love you must have free will. God created man with free will. Because of this free will, sin came into the world. This is why evil is happening."
The Quest - Reevaluation
Went on a quest for about a year to listen to every podcast I could find about Calvinism and anti-Calvinism and what other worldview positions there were.
Positions other than Calvinism
Asking the question: what do these five Prominent Verses mean... if they didn't mean what I thought they said. What other answers are there?
Open Theism
Because God loves us, He allows us to decide the future. He does not know what we will freely do.
Nonsense
"Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'" Isaiah 46:9-10
Arminianism (not Armenian)
God foreknew those He would choose
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters" Romans 8:29
Problem: Why say "No one seeks". This system would allow us to still boast, that God looked in future and saw something special or different about us.
Molenism
The idea that there are all these different ways the day could happen, that a man could decide to rob the liquor store, but God ultimately decides if He will allow that man to do that.
"Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.'" James 4:15
Problem: Same issue w/ "No one seeks".
Provisionism
God set up a club at the beginning of all things. If anyone were to believe "in Christ" then they would be saved. God therefore "chose" those people.
Problem: Salvation is seen as a process: you chose to believe in God and God recognizes you have done so, so then He "chooses you" "in Christ".
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves..." Is the "not of yourselves" related to the choosing God part, or the saving part? Calvinists like to see "it is the gift of God" as one thing: God chooses you, God saves you.
Hybrid-Calvinist Beliefs
Catholics believe God must draw you. "Yes it is true none seek after Him. Through Christ, God drew the whole world to Him. He opened their eyes to seek Him if they wanted."
"And I [Jesus], if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself." John 12:32
"For many are called, but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14
How does this verse apply? "everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing" John 6:39
Catholics say this "call to draw all" went out at the time of the cross, but what happened to people before the cross?
Verses Against Calvinism (Refuted)
Not Willing for Any to Perish (?)
"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
What does perish mean here? Second coming...
"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief..." 2 Peter 3:10
Not willing for any to perish is 100% the case.
"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day." John 6:39
"patient toward you". Who is the "you"?
"To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours..." 2 Peter 1:1
God Wants All People to Be Saved (?)
"This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4
All "types" of people?
"First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Are Calvinists playing games with "all"?
"He [John] came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him." John 1:7
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people" Titus 2:11
Are "all" saved?
"For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:14
Determinism
Are all events decided by God beforehand?
How Does the Universe Work
Did God create all and then leave? Did God set up rules to follow?
"[He] upholds all things by the word of His power" Hebrews 1:3
"in Him all things hold together" Colossians 1:17
"for in Him we live and move and exist" Acts 17:28
Moving away from mere existence, here we exist "for Him":
"yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him." 1 Corinthians 8:6
Here we have purpose:
"The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil." Proverbs 16:4
Why Does It Matter?
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Do we see this as God reacting to things that happened, or causing them?
Problem of Evil
If someone was being persecuted by someone, would it be appropriate for them to pray, "Lord, I know you planned to have an innocent man murdered. Please protect your servant."
How Does Job Talk of God’s Actions
All of his family was killed, and Job says:
"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21
"Despite all this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God." Job 1:22
Sounds like he is blaming to me. It must mean in his heart he did not hold it against God.
How Does Joseph Talk of God’s Actions
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive." Genesis 50:20
Does Joseph mean God knew of it, or that He made it possible, or that He planned it?
"A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, 'What are you looking for?' He said, 'I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.' Then the man said, 'They have moved from here; for I heard them say, "Let's go to Dothan."' So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan." Genesis 37:15-17
How Should We Talk of God’s Actions
"For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and purpose predestined to occur." Acts 4:27-28
They were not just saying this, they were praying it! They had just been released from jail and this was how they praised God! They were announcing that they knew God was in control of all things, and that He had purpose behind it. This was seen as an encouragement.
"When they [Peter and John] had been released, they went to their own companions and reported everything that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, 'Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them'" Acts 4:23-24
Did God strike them down for speaking false words?
"...they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness" Acts 4:31
Things I Don’t Like About Calvinism
What Justice?
God made billions of people for hell. They are sent to hell because of the way God made them. I have faith that God has a good answer for why He is seemingly "making people for hell". I have tried to understand it and I don't get it.
"You will say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?' On the contrary, who are you, you foolish person, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, 'Why did you make me like this,' will it?" Romans 9:19-20
What Love?
Are we allowed to say to people that God loves them? Do we really know? "For God so loved the world..."
"Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, 'One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.'" Mark 10:21
Why Are You a Calvinist?
After studying various positions I decided to remain a Calvinist.
I know myself and I cannot see how I would turn to follow God as I am a sinner. I know my wicked heart.
Searching the Bible, how do you know God loves you in particular? Yes He loved the world and gave His Son, but how do you know He loves <insert name>? Where can you read that in the Bible. By understanding that I am a believer means He chose me from the beginning of time and drew me to Him, so I know He loves me.
"...so that you may know that you have eternal life" 1 John 5:13
Do we wonder each day if the sun will come up? What if one day I decided to not be a Christian. I am a Calvinist because I have the hope that God will keep and preserve me.
I believe it is how the Bible says things are.
Closing Verse
At the beginning we mentioned a Bible "test", asking who decides how long someone lives.
"For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes." John 5:21
This was the defense Christ gave after healing a paralytic on the Sabbath. But what about...
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." John 5:24
Notice "death into life". Can you hear when you're dead? Could the paralytic walk before Christ healed him?
Thanks for Listening
Please read the Bible with an open mind. Please give feedback. I've been working this out and talking this through with many people for a while now. It is very important for me to "have a right understanding of who God is". I am open to correction!
Final product: https://youtu.be/WVkCaaRD2v0