“You are hopeless in your following and dogmatic quoting of a leader who drew many away from the faith while he smoked his large stogie.”
My point in the quotes was to show you that Baptists can be Calvinists, too. You seemed to be assuming all Calvinists baptize their infants.
Your insults of great Christians is disturbing. To call Spurgeon someone who drew many away from the faith is beyond despicable, really. What a terrible thing to say.
There have been many great Calvinist missionaries and evangelists, David Livingstone and George Whitefield come to mind, I hesitate to bring them up for fear you will insult them. It is neither Godly nor Christian to do so.
There have been many great Arminian missionaries and evangelists, too, I think of Billy Graham, I would never say a word against him.
Spurgeon would be appalled at some of the stuff that is passed off as Calvinism today.
You said you followed Sola Scritura, but none of your arguments are based in scripture, rather they quote lectures and statements of “great Christians”.
Did you know there is equality of believers in Christ? (i.e. the newest, poorest, less educated believer should have his/her words taken as seriously as the richest, most famous, most educated?). Were not the disciples “unlearned men”?
The respected “experts” of the time RE:Spiritual matters missed the boat! Matt 23:8-12.
Denominationalism is nothing. (so any points about who is what denomination are useless). Denominationalism and systematic theology such as Calvinism (rather than the priesthood of the believer) do nothing to add to the church.
They preach to the converted. You can make the point they might encourage (in biblical terms water what others have planted).
I find it telling your examples of great Calvinists (involved in missions) are all dead by over 100 years. But again, this is a specious argument too. Mormons are very efficient missionaries for their beliefs, too.
Also regardless of the fact that Graham was an avowed non-believer in Calvinism, let me state that pointing out individuals on either side of the argument is useless. There are good people on both sides. So what! As I said, these issues DO NOT RELATE TO ONE’S SALVATION. This is why it’s a distraction, and one deadly to those in the world in desperate need of the message that GOD loves THEM.
Do we go to the mission field with this message? “God MAY love you or MAY NOT, depending on if you are predestined, so therefore we don’t know who is saved, and we just showed up here to let those who are predestined know they are safe. There’s no way they can ignore/avoid God’s grace”. NO!! HEAVENS NO! We show up and say John 3:16!!!! and that God is not willing that ANY should perish but all come to the knowledge of God.
Can we reason from the scriptures? Men fail. God’s word does not.
If one cannot support one’s beliefs from scripture, what foundation are they built on?