Have You Changed Your Mind

Armin and Calvin are men. I follow neither.

 

Learning the Bible?

 

Yes, learning the Bible. Like Spurgeon, I believe that Calvinism is just another nickname for what the Bible says on the matter.

 

I've always gotten stuck on that one too. Maybe Ed Edwards will explain it for us.

 

I was saved in and primarily attended a Calvinist church, so that's what I was taught. Most of it sounded intelligent and well thought out, and the free will way seemed so elementary and without much response to the Calvinists. But to me, the Calvinist doctrines seemed to have issues with some scripture, and that bothered me somewhat. When I finally attended school and made the time to dive a bit deeper, I saw how the pieces fit together, and realized the flaws and inconsistencies in traditional Calvinism. I am now a moderate Calvinist, in line with Shedd, Hodge, Chafer, and Geisler. The scriptures teach that God elects some, and we have the ability to accept or reject his gift, and these do not conflict. My current church has no issues with my position, but to be honest, it rarely comes up. When I teach, I try to stick to the passage, and deal with what it says in the specific context.

My eschatology is the same as my current church. mostly Premil, but again, if you just stick with the passage at hand, there's so much more to the scriptures than our pet doctrines.

 

Another thing in common is that we all started off as unregenerate sinners as well.
Then we got saved, then we kept learning from the Bible.
Some seem to get saved and quit learning.

 

Is that a joke?

I was not. but I attend a calvinistic church, just not quite as calvinistic as I am.

 

Changed my views on soteriology from arminian to more calvinistic after 10 or so years in ministry. Mainly studied Baptist history and was convinced that the Doctrines of Grace more closely represented historic Baptist beliefs than what I was hearing in the SBC. I'm still in the SBC and am known as a Calvinist.

Changed my view on eschatology from A-Mil to Pre-trib to historic Pre-Mil to semi-preterist presently.

No problems so far in my denomination or in my church.

 

I grew up IFB. I was taught to be Arminian, KJVO, Dispy, refute the Trinity, no eternal salvation. Before I went to college, I embraced eternal security and the Trinity and jettisoned KJVO and IFB. In college, I got away from Dispy and Arminian views. I am now Reformed in my soteriology and eschatology. I don't make an issue of my soteriology outside chat rooms, either. A lot of people will fight you over their store-bought notions of eschatology, though. I had one gentleman on a pulpit committee get upset with me that I would subscribe to his entire system of eschatology, and it probably cost me the opportunity to pastor that church. However, I'd rather stick to my belief in Biblical teaching than compromise it just to get a pastorate.

All the changes I've ever made in doctrine came through my own study of the Word and rejecting the spoon-fed ideas of man.

 

So upon receiving the Holy Spirit...all believers are then implanted with a false doctrine that only deep, further study can remove? A minority find the truth, while the majority continue in this false doctrine. Some believers, after deeper study never come to the calvinistic conclusion. This means the Holy Spirit must not be working right in them.
Is this some kind of Spiritual board game?

 

It is interesting that This is the consistent testimony of those who grew up as arminians who have learned the truth of calvinism.
I have never met anyone like this that actually read calvin first.
I read the truth of the bible first and then went on to study and read reformed theologians etc.

 

Not at all.
Arminianism is a natural theology. It is only through study of God's word that we grow and learn more about God's grace and sovereignty.
Nothing is "implanted" we are already born with the idea that we can control our destiny.
The more we learn of God and His word, the more we learn of our dependence on Him.

 

I believed in evolution for at least a year after I was saved. Does that mean evolution was from the Holy Spirit and is right? I should go back to that now?

Why did Paul have to work so hard teaching babes in Christ? Why did the (spiritually) young believers get so many things wrong? Why weren't they born from above with a perfect knowledge from the Holy Spirit?

 

"natural" theology? That's an oxymoron, and the natural man knows NOT the things of God!

Sin nature implants the fact we control our own destiny. When we give our lives to Christ, ALL believers succumb to the fact we CANNOT control our own destiny. Your entire post if false.

 

Huge difference between "perfect knowledge" and the simplicity of the Gospel message. John 3:16 means what it means. Only calvinistic theology says different.

 

My point exactly!
It is only when we re saved and grow that we learn the truth of God's sovereignty. WE are not born with it, we must be reborn.
Of course even after rebirth it doesn't come immediately, we need to study and grow.

 

Believers understand the clear message of John 3:16, Eph. 2:8-9, etc. Calvinism has to twist these simple meanings to mean something else. New believers understand the Gopel message, or they wouldn't be believers. It takes an outside source to come to calvinism, as the TULIP is NOT found clearly in Scripture. I have NEVER heard from one person that has become a calvinist without some kind of outside influence. Sure, many say that "foreknow" and "predestine" caused some questions, but for the "answers" an outside source was used.

 

This is simply untrue, as it has been shown to you time after time.