Posted on 05/07/2009 9:08:21 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
Do you believe in bringing children up with a strict education, in avoiding sumptuous food and unnecessary expense, and in holding to the values of hard work? If so, you have a good chance of being a Calvinist, according to an online quiz offered by a Dutch newspaper.
The 25-question test on the Web site of Trouw was first launched in Dutch in January. It is now available in English and German and is one of the numerous projects and activities in the Netherlands and beyond to mark the 500th anniversary in 2009 of the birth of French-born Protestant leader Jean Calvin.
Born on 10 July 1509 in Noyon in northern France, Calvin is known worldwide for his role in the Protestant Reformation in Geneva, a once independent city-state which became part of Switzerland in 1815. The religious movement he inspired is often associated with the traits of hard work, discipline and frugality.
Those taking part in the quiz are asked to respond to a statement with an "agree" or "disagree" answer. Each response to a statement leads to more information about Calvinism.
The last question raises what many people would see as a typically Calvinist issue - whether the time used in taking the test could not have been spent more usefully doing other things.
About 2.3 million of the Netherlands' 16 million people are members of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, formed by a union in 2004 of two Calvinist denominations and a small Lutheran church.
More than 70 000 people have taken part in the original Dutch-language test, Trouw reported on its Web site.
Calvinist Quiz: www.trouw.nl/nieuws/religie-filosofie/article2050113.ece
If the author’s name is Havinga, I think I flunked.
“Initially, it was more of a struggle with Original Sin after my son was born. I could not accept that any newborn was stained with sin just because some cultural myth said so.”
Looking at a little newborn, yes I see that would be hard to believe. I have three little ones also. I noticed something strange as they got just a little older. I had to teach them to tell the truth, but I never had to teach them to lie... it just sort of came naturally.
++++++++++++++
“As far as the Messiah, I can’t accept the resurrection.”
I think you’re right in focusing on this. The resurrection is, of course, the linchpin of Christian faith. Paul himself said that if Christ didn’t rise from the dead then the Christian faith would be worthless.
If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, his apostles would have surely known it - regardless of what they may have taught or written. But that begs the question, seeing that most all of them were put to death for preaching a resurrected Christ, would they all have died for what they knew to be a lie?
“I fail to see the rational behind evangelizing people to Calvinist anyway. I mean, if your “predestined” to be one its going to happen — regardless.” - Petronius Maximus
What is “evangelizing people to Calvinist”?
This is the ignorance which I referred to, in both communication ability and thought.
“What is “evangelizing people to Calvinist”?”
Evangelizing people to Calvinism is an attempt on the part of the Calvinist/Reformed to “spread the good news” about Calvinism - in marked contract to spreading the good news about Jesus Christ.
Evangelizing people to Calvinism is an attempt to convince other Christians of the truths of Calvinism with the intent of bringing them into fold of Reformation theology. It is, essentially, a form of “sheep stealing” - in other words, it is interested in growing the Calvinist “kingdom” by siphoning off Christian from other denomination.
I have found a few exceptions, but in general it has been my experience that Calvinist are more interested in convincing other Christians of their “higher truths” (i.e. predestination, post or amillennialism, theonomism, etc) then they are of convincing nonchristians of the truth of Jesus Christ.
This attempt on the part of Calvinists, is divisive, hurtful and wastes the time that could better be spent fulfilling the command of Christ to evangelize the world.
That, my friend, is what I mean by, “evangelizing people to Calvinist”.
Please let me know if there was anything else in my post that requires further clarification.
I must respectfully disagree, my FRiend. I'm a Calvinist - and I evangelize because, quite simply, my Lord and Savior gave us that as His last commandment to us. I obey Him because I love Him...and I love Him because He first loved me.
I honestly don't care if other Christians are Calvinists are not. I see that as a discussion among family members. You and I can disagree on the mechanics of our shared salvation, but it need go no further than "I belive you are in error, my brother... but you're still my brother and I love you as such."
Funny you mention that - having three daughters of my own *convinced* me of original sin.
*believe.
One day I’ll learn to use spellcheck.
“I must respectfully disagree, my FRiend. I’m a Calvinist - and I evangelize because, quite simply, my Lord and Savior gave us that as His last commandment to us. I obey Him because I love Him...and I love Him because He first loved me.”
That’s why I put in, “I have found a few exceptions”.
There are notable exceptions.
ROTFLOL!
You know the drill. 8~)
While the question in this quiz is somewhat facetious, it seems to be referencing the fact that moderation in most things is a good idea and that hard work is a joyful event when it is done in the service of Christ as we preach the Gospel to all men.
"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." -- 1 Corinthians 10:31
"Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." -- Galatians 6:6
PM: That’s why I put in, “I have found a few exceptions”. There are notable exceptions.
There are dozens of Calvinists on this site and not one of them has ever spoken against the Scriptural mandate to preach the Gospel to all men which Terabitten has so eloquently reminded us.
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." -- Mark 16:15
As for rejecting original sin, you could have become an Eastern Orthodox chr*stian. They don't believe in it either. And it's called hayetzer hara`, the evil inclination, and it was created by G-d and placed in Adam by Him.
My score too...is that good??
At least you were honest!!
“There are dozens of Calvinists on this site and not one of them has ever spoken against the Scriptural mandate to preach the Gospel to all men which Terabitten has so eloquently reminded us.”
I never said Calvinists “spoken against the Scriptural mandate to preach the Gospel”. I said that a large number of Calvinsts are so preoccupied with converting other Christians to their peculiar Calvinist doctrines that evangelism takes a second place.
I have met MANY Calvinist zealous to convince other denominations of Calvinism. I have met very few exhibiting the same zeal for reaching the lost.
I fully adhere to the doctrines of grace, and greatly admire John Calvin, but I don’t spend my time attempting to “siphon off Christian from other denomination”, and I don’t think that the gospel message includes “higher truths”.
It’s really a simple truth it’s the same for everyone; Christ Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, came to earth, lived a perfect, sinless life and died a horrific death to pay the sin debt of every individual who will repent and believe on Him. That’s it, isn’t it? God commands EVERY individual on the face of the planet to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Those that do, will inherit eternal life, and those who do not will suffer eternal damnation.
The Bible is the final authority on all things, not my feelings and emotions, and the Bible tells us how it is that a man/woman comes to be saved. Romans 9:14-16 (ESV) “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. SO THEN IT DEPENDS NOT ON HUMAN WILL OR EXERTION, BUT ON GOD WHO HAS MERCY.” Couldn’t be clearer could it? Human will has nothing to do with it? God has mercy on whom He chooses to have mercy.
Ephesians 1:3 (ESV) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. IN LOVE HE PREDESTINED US for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”
Fight it all you want, it’s not any easy truth to accept, since it requires us to let go of our pride. I know all of the arguments against the doctrines of grace, and most of them boil down to the “unfairness” of it. And it may surprise you to know that I agree; it is unfair. It’s certainly not fair that God would choose to save a wretched sinner like me, while leaving most of my old friends (so far) to continue in their sinful, Godless ways. Every day of my life I think about the unfairness of it, and I get on my knees and thank God for His grace.
Did I make a decision to follow Christ? Yes, but my choice was predicated upon His choice. I didn’t choose to be born the first time, and I didn’t choose to be born again, but I rejoice every day in the salvation that was given freely to me by the grace of God.
You seem to be the one drawing distinctions. We're all "the lost" without the free, unmerited grace of God given by, for and through Jesus Christ who alone justifies the unGodly (Romans 4:5.)
IMO the difference between our understandings is that you believe you can come to God of your own free will and I believe it is by the supernatural, predestining work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1.)
"For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" -- 1 Corinthians 4:7
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