Post
by _loaves » Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:09 pm
<b>A QUESTION FOR OUR CALVINIST BRETHREN</b>
Hi, this is loaves.
If you are a Calvinist, let me ask you a question: <b>If you somehow found out that you weren’t one of the elect, would you still be a Calvinist?</b>
If you are unable to have the “final say” about our eternal destiny, don’t you think that that is limiting God? If Calvinism is correct, then God “chooses” us to sin and to go to hell. Am I right? And if he does, then that god is the worst demon I could ever imagine.
And if we are not “able” to “respond” to God’s call, then we are not “response-able”, for our actions. Am I right? And if we are “responsible” for our actions, then how in the world is God glorified by sin, which he “chooses” to have us commit?
You know, there is not a <i><b>single</b></i> verse in the entire Bible that says God has the “final say” about our eternal destiny. Not one. God <i><b>never</b></i> says that he has predestined us to heaven or to hell. Never.
If I remember correctly, “ … he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29, KJV).
So from that verse God is simply saying that he wishes for every soul to be “conformed to the image of His Son.” But observably not everyone does. God does not wish for one soul to go to hell and another to heaven. But when you are “conformed to the image of His Son,” heaven is a mere “side-benefit”—not the main focus.
WHO CALVIN <b>REALLY</b> WAS
For our Calvinist friends, let me state some thing about who John Calvin really was. Now I know no one is perfect—I certainly am not. And I don’t wish to judge Calvin. But the truth must be told. He did some pretty questionable things.
Calvin was baptized as an infant in a Roman Catholic church. He then was influenced by Luther and Zwingli, and began the “Reformed” churches. Now listen up everyone! <b>John Calvin never made a public profession of Jesus Christ dwelling within him.</b> Instead, he martyred and imprisoned myriads of Anabaptists and other Protestants that didn’t believe <b>exactly</b> the way he believed. Michael Servetus, a gifted scientist, criticized Calvin’s views on infant baptism and predestination. In reply, Calvin remarked that if Servetus ever came to Geneva, Switzerland (where Calvin lived), Servetus would never leave the city alive. And sure enough, when Servetus came to Geneva on friendly terms with Calvin, Calvin spotted him and burned him to death without a fair trial. Since they burned Servetus, intentionally, with green wood, he died an agonizingly slow death; all to the amusement of Calvin and the citizens of Geneva. Calvin and Zwingli burned dozens of people just like Servetus. And then, later in his life, <b>John Calvin began doubting that he was even one of the “elect”</b>.
So there you have it; for what it’s worth.
“[God] … with whom is no variableness” (James 1:17)
“For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Rom. 2:11)
So, dear Calvinist friends, I as another question: <b>How do you know that you are one of the elect?</b> And not only <b>how</b> do you know, but <b>why</b> would God choose you out of billions?
Have fun answering these questions, agape,
loaves
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