Calvinism does not=fatalism...
Christ was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world...(Rev 13:8)
The sheep's names were written in the Lambs Book of Life from the foundation of the world...(Rev 17:8)
We were chosen in Christ from the foundation of the world...(Eph 1:4)
God's work was finished from the foundation of the world...(Heb 4:3)
God's Kingdom was prepared for His sheep from the foundation of the world...(Matt 25:34)
All of God's redemptive works were finished, were accomplished from the foundation of the world. He sees them as already finished, being outside of time, yet they' re fulfilled in time. Christ was slain from the foundation of the world from God's perspective, yet His crucifixion(sp?), took place in time. We were saved from the foundation of the world from God's perspective, yet our conversion took place in time. All of what has happened, is happening, and will happen, all of it was from the foundation of the world from God's perspective, but had to happen, is happening now, and will happen in time...
Preparing a Truthful, Calvinistic Sermon (by a Calvinist)
Discussion in 'Calvinism & Arminianism Debate' started by Reformed, Jan 26, 2015.
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Jesus said "let him that hath ears" (Matthew 11:15, 13:9, & 13:43) (Mark 4:9) (Luke 8:8 & 14:35).
Now, why did Christ say that? -
Genesis 6:8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. -
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I asked this question of others and really got no answer. How do you know that you were not unconditionally chosen by God before the foundation of the world to Salvation in Jesus Christ? -
I asked this question of others and really got no answer. How do you know that you were not unconditionally chosen by God before the foundation of the world to Salvation in Jesus Christ? -
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."(Romans 8:29,30)
Now, God knows everyone who will have ever lived, from the oldest in Methuselah, to the youngest baby ever aborted. Yet, God didn't forknow all in a saving manner. Jesus will tell them on the left, "I never knew you"… -
Abraham was a pagan when he was chosen. God tells us of Israel:
Exodus 32:9. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Exodus 33:3. Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
Exodus 33:5. For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
Exodus 34:9. And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
Deuteronomy 9:6. Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.
Deuteronomy 9:13. Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Deuteronomy 10:16. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
2 Chronicles 30:8. Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
Act 7:51. Ye sstiffneckedand uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. -
Again: Then why is it that not all who hear the Gospel believe? -
But no, in His mercy, He sent Jesus to be our...
--Scapegoat...taking our sins upon Himself
--Sacrificial Lamb...dying in our stead
--High Priest...He offered Himself and now is our Mediator/Intercessor before God
--Resurrection...He lives so that we can live also
--Groom...we're His bride
--Way...I am the way, the Truth, and the Life
--Light...He called us out of darkness into that marvellous Light
--Hope...He is our Hope of Glory
All of these are for the elect, the sheep... -
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
The answer to your question is: because of their own free will they reject the gospel; they reject Christ. Just as this rich young ruler reject the obvious and evident love of Jesus, and attached his love to his riches instead so others reject Christ for various reasons: rebellion, love of riches, love of this world, love of fame, love of family, etc. It is their choice. It has nothing to do with election. They choose to reject Christ, just as this man did.
The fact that God knew aforetime that he would reject him does not alleviate him from his will and choice to reject him. Neither does it mean he was forced to reject him. Neither does it mean he was elected to do so. He had the choice. -
Mk 10:21 doesnt say that !
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What is sad is that would even lump Charles Spurgeon into the same category that you put me in. -
To the apoplectic anti-Calvinists (you know who you are):
As a Calvinist, If I am preaching on Acts 16:31 "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household"; why would I tell my audience that they could only believe this if they are elect and If they are not elect they cannot believe it and they will go to hell? If they do believe and are converted is that not evidence that they are elect? Since election is not in the context of the passage, why would I launch into a polemic on election? Could it simply be that your hatred of Calvinism forces you to see it this way? -
If you think about it you probably believe there are only a few elect as well. Matthew writes:
Matthew 7:14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
Comparatively speaking only a small fraction of people will become Christians and be numbered with the elect.
The reason I can look people in the eye when I preach is because I proclaiming the whole counsel of God to all who are listening. It is my charge to preach the Word. It is not my job to save anyone. I do not convict. I do not regenerate. I do not justify. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Now, why is it that I cannot say to unbelievers that God loves them? The word love, in used to describe God, acts as a verb. God does not love in a vacuum. God's love is effectual. It accomplishes something that God has intended. If we are talking about God's covenantal love it is only directed towards those who are in covenant with God. If God truly loves sinners like He loves His children, then all all sinners will believe.
I charge the Arminian preacher who claims that God loves sinners (whether they believe or not) with cruelty. It would be a cruel God that would love a sinner and yet not save him. it would be an impotent God whose love could only lead the horse to water but not cause it to drink. Free will puts salvation in the hands of the sinner, not God. -
As David testified, He knows every thought, every word, etc. He knows every thing about us (Psalm 139).
We are not the puppets of the "Great Puppeteer". That is to demean God and to demean man who is made in the image of God.
Simply because God knows what choice man is going to make does not mean that He is foreordained, chosen, or forced to make that choice. He does have the choice within God's sovereignty. There is a moral choice to do good and to do evil. If there is a moral choice to do evil, there must be a moral choice to do good. Otherwise there is no choice at all, and to call it a choice to do evil is logically wrong, for it is no choice at all. -
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