Here is the first of the series of self explanation, on why I call myself a confused Calvinist
Ok, so here is some of what I gather form the many blogs out there and some books and some of pastor John Piper’s audio sermons (mind you, I LOVE his expository preaching).
God in his soverignity decided that some of his creation created in his image would be condemned to eternal damnation.
This decision was taken in eternity, before creation.
This was done for his glory to be revealed to these selected ones.
Christ was slain in eternity so that the selected ones be elected and the non selected ones be damned
As long as one sticks to definitions I guess one cannot argue that a sovereign God can jolly well do what he wants to do but if I assume the above to be true I come across the following difficulties.
Does this mean that the whole purpose of this creation was Gods desire to show his glory to a minuscule part of his creation?
Does this mean that Eve was given a loaded dice when she was tempted? i.e. Was is already decided in eternity that she would sin.
So, God rigged the whole universe, created sin (Sovereignty, remember?), allowed genocide (refer old testament), war, sickness pain and suffering so that a couple of million human beings would be forced to be amazed at Christ’s death on the cross and be saved (because they were selected)?.
So, in essence that whole idea behind creation is that God desires the worship of the selected ones, or that he wants them to worship him even though he doesn’t need or desire their worship, and staged this cosmic drama just so that he would be glorified… how?
Alternately the whole idea behind creation is that God decided that a couple of million or more of his creation should have the pleasure of worshipping him and to get them to do that, he staged this cosmic drama.
And this is supposed to fill me with awe?
I don’t get it, do you?
If I have understood these concepts of the reformed/Calvinist faith wrongly please forgive me but please do not ask me to read a book that is not available in India at a cost I can afford to understand it better, that would be very insensitive. I am saying this bec I have been told more than once to “go read this book and that book and that one, then you will understand the reformed faith and then ask questions”.
I do not write this because I have made up my mind and will not be confused by facts but because I honestly don’t get it.
Please refrain from commenting that goes ” I agree, these calvinists are all heretics and totally away form the bible, so listen to what I have to say”
In fact the idea behind this post is not to gather a lot of comments but self expression, that’s all, perhaps in the days to come the Lord will open to me the scripture and show me the truth , as much as he deems necessary.
Now Back to my blogging hiatus.
Technorati tags Calvinism Bible Theology Reformed Apologetics My Faith Christianity
4 responses so far ↓
1 Rey // Jun 27, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Reading acknowledgement.
2 bill // Jun 27, 2006 at 5:28 pm
Confusing theology, I agree. If elect goto heaven; else goto hell.
But the standard Augustinian fare adopted my most all Christendom is equally unprofound: Jesus came into the world to be a sin sacrifice. Hence: believe the right things (orthodoxy) goto heaven; else goto hell.
Either way, there’s no need to listen to Jesus’ teaching, well except to know what to repent of. While not dying sin and repent. If dying repent before it’s too late.
None of these looks like Jesus’ teaching to me. Therefore, I’ve determined to take all theologies (and theologians) with a grain of salt and try instead to figure out “the Way” that Jesus modeled.
Good luck with Calvinism.
3 Schizo Phrenic // Jun 27, 2006 at 5:55 pm
shukriya
4 Preston Stell // Jul 25, 2006 at 8:47 pm
All people are “children of wrath” as it says in Ephesians 2:3. This means that we are truly depraved and are lost in our sin. We are blind to see who God is unless He reveals Himself to us. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not you own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” We are lost in our sin, or blinded and it is because of God’s work that we are saved from it, leaving us no room to boast. I have found in my own personal testimony that Calvinism is easier to understand when you realize that you are depraved and so sinful. That it is God who does all the work of salvation! It’s amazing.
One of the hardest passages in the Bible that I wrestled with was Romans 9 as I started studying the “doctrines of Grace” which can be called Calvinism. Romans 9 hits hard on the “doctrine of Election.” One verse that says it in plain text is Romans 9:16, “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy.” This is speaking of who God will grant mercy, and how there is no injustice on God’s part.
God is so amazing, in the fact that He sent His Son to die on the Cross so that all my sins would be payed for. In John 17:1-9, Jesus prays for those whom the Lord has given Him (verse 9) and He is praying for those that He will be crucified for their sins. Not all will go to Heaven, which is sad, but we have a just God and who He condemns to Hell, they have earned Hell. We have all earned Hell, but could never earn Heaven, it is not in our grasp, as evil beings.
Another thing about Calvinism is “irresistable Grace” and the common misconception of this doctrine of grace is that people cannot resist God. This is simply not true because people do resist or turn away from God in the Bible, but this is simply sinning against God. The truth of irrestistable grace is that if God wanted to pour His grace upon us, we could not resist the work of His Holy Spirit. It is preposterous to think that someone as infantile as a human being could ever resist the will of God. Again in Romans 9:19-20 it says, “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?”" I’ll tell you one thing, when I first read this I praised God because it was as if He was talking to me. I would never want God to say, “Who are you, O man to answer back to me?” That makes me tremble!
The final point and most reassuring is that God will Hold us until the end, often called “Perserverance of the Saints.” This means that if you have truly inherited salvation, that God will never let you go. People often misuse this doctrine to say, “once saved always saved” and go on living a life that is not Christ-like, and assume that they are saved. This is sad, and very sinful. I have two verses that warm my heart when I read them. One is Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” That is such an amazing and powerful truth about God’s awesome power and work through us. Another verse is 1 Peter 1:3-5, which says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” The words used: “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” are so hopeful to me because they express the grasp that the Lord has on our salvation and that to me is truly amazing. The fact that it says that our inheritance is “kept in heaven for you” and not only that but by God’s power. This is the same power that created all things, the heavens, the earth, the trillions of stars in the visible sky to us. Amazing Power!
I will suggest a reading for you to look at, just study the book of Romans! It’s so good, it turned me into a Calvinist. I really hope you take the time to read this, because you seem like you are searching for more truth about God, and I believe you will be affected greatly by these truths. God is so powerful and the sad thing about Calvinism is the way that it is expressed and revealed to others. We must be humble to one another when dealing with the doctrines, expressing them the way our best example would have, who is Jesus Christ. People get hung up on the fact that Calvinism claims that God predestines people into Hell, but when you think of it and how evil we are, we deserve nothing but Hell. Therefore, if we deserve Hell, and God grants us salvation, we should be amazed instead by His great love. How amazing it is that God would save us Hell-deserving sinners from the pit of destruction, and bring us into eternal glory with God. That is what is amazing! I hope you agree.
I want to encourage you for your humility in writing this blog up. If you had written it, simply looking for an argument I might have passed it up, but I believe the Lord showed this to me for a reason. I appreciate your attitude and hope that the Lord would assist you in your furtherance of knowledge in Him. I also hope that the Lord would use some of my words to affect you. Thank you brother for your humility and honesty!
Grace Be With You!
Preston Stell
PrestonStell@Hotmail.com
P.S. I will pray for you!
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