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To: BellaBlackLab

I think if Calvinism becomes merely a dry logical construct...and you simply follow that construct—without the Holy Spirit through the Bible being integral to daily life...one can become calloused (just as Hindu’s in India are calloused, when they think reincarnation is a caste system of penalties and rewards—as the poor in such a system, deserve it). However, a real life of Christian & Calvinist faith is much more than a logical construct.

Integral to Calvinism itself—is Holy Spirit led love, and biblical instruction...and historically, Calvinists HAVE cared for the poor, HAVE sent out MANY missionaries (most of the pioneering missionaries of 150+ years ago were Calvinist), as also logically, God determines the end....AND the MEANS of His love, that is through the loving lives of His people.

So Christians are called to love everyone, AND since we are not God, we have no idea now—who all the elect are—therefore we must preach the good news of Jesus indiscriminantly, and actively do acts of charity to everyone we can, as much as possible.

To take a logical construct from Calvinism—outside a dynamic bible-loving walk of faith—is to entirely pervert it, and misunderstand Calvin and Calvinism completely.


25 posted on 07/04/2013 1:52:55 PM PDT by AnalogReigns (because the real world is not digital...)
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To: AnalogReigns
Our country was formed giving each of us freedom of religion and the right to agree to disagree.

I have studied Calvin and Luther and Augustin - and I reject the premise that we do not have free will and in my view the cynical view that some of us are elect and some are not irrespective of our actions and thoughts, principles and heart - G-d is not the head of a lottery - God put us on this earth with a virtuous soul and the ability to choose good over bad and He asks and encourages us to choose good and when we don't he asks us to return to him - and to repent - He is both merciful and judges us - and loves us all - we are not pawns in some random game.

God Bless

27 posted on 07/04/2013 2:32:28 PM PDT by BellaBlackLab (BellaBlackLab)
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