Featured A question for my fellow Calvinists

The problem is that in most cases a sect of Calvinists Calvinists do believe just like what that "some non-Calvinist" says. TC was the resident expert here. When asked certain questions by me about some of his beliefs, I found he and John Macarthur were in total disagreement.

 

I define the "high" as a Strict/Hard Determinist whose logic unavoidably brings him to Fatalistic Theology, but at least his logic is consistent, and the "low" as a Compatibilist/Soft Determinist who is at least smart to recognize the need to maintain Free Will and avoid Theistic Fatalism but whose logic always fallaciously amounts to trying to have volition both true and not true.

 

Well, my initial understanding of what you've just posted, tells me that you do not believe in "Particular Redemption" , at least in the detailed sense.
That Christ's death was for the elect, that His blood cleansed them and redeemed them, and that His resurrection was for them...not the unbeliever.

Please keep in mind that it wasn't all that long ago that I believed very similar to what you seem to be stating, Jon...so far be it from me to slam you.
Any time you'd like to discuss it, I can tell you how I believe the Lord got me there...but I'm finding, even in my personal interactions among my small fellowship, that showing someone and letting God show someone, are two entirely different things with different approaches.

 

I do.

To me, it's a Scriptural fact.

God reveals Himself, and hides Himself.
From whomsoever He wishes.

 

I have a feeling that Willis ( @SovereignGrace ) is another.

I don't much care for "what's in style".
If I see something in God's word, the likelihood is, I'm going to state it... and then suffer for it.

There are people on this forum that hate me for it, as well.
...and that's after they cool off for hating me for being a "Calvinist".

Most of them I have on "ignore", because I figure if they don't have anything edifying to say, then I don't need to listen to them or read what they slam me with.
That said, I will always try to edify them, given the chance.

 

I see no reason to discuss Edwards, because if he was even close to Fuller in his reasoning, then I have a feeling that I would disagree with him, too...as much as I like some of his sermons.
But, perhaps consulting threads like these will give you some idea of what Jonathan Edwards may have taught:

The Call to Believe is Not Without a Promise
The Missing Balance in Calvinism
Inability of the Will is Never Literal

I've also read his, "Freedom of the Will" to some extent, and I firmly disagree with his conclusions.
Not only did I not see any Scripture quoted or even used in reference, I saw no reason to agree with what I believe to be material that is purely philosophical in nature.

To me, Edwards was writing a treatise...not an exposition of Scripture.

 

Exactly.
Sometimes Amillennialism and Cessationism get thrown in there, too.

 

So God is a monster who delights in creating people and forcing them to be reprobate robots just as God forces the elect to be obedient worshiping robots?
... And of course, all of this is just the 400 year old invention of John Calvin, the man who murdered Servetus, and none of it is found in scripture.

On a serious note:
Hypercalvinism exists, but that is not traditional Calvinist Theology nor is it a position generally held by most modern Calvinists. A far more typical misinformation is that Total Depravity means that everyone is as evil as they can be and no person is capable of any act of kindness. That is NOT my understanding of Total Depravity. That is not the explanation presented in the WCF or the writing of R.C. Sproul or the definition in the Theopedia or how C.A.R.M. explains it. That is not the definition in any Calvinist source that I am familiar with. However, it appears to be a popular anti-Calvinist definition of what Calvinists believe among the internet at large.

 

I have no objection to the term.

 

Are you referring to the fact that some must necessarily be predestined for destruction if they are not predestined to salvation? YUP.