I can debate Armenians and Calvinists and both at their extremes are in error. Bottom line is that Christ died for all and that the invitation goes to all. The fatalistic attitude that each man’s destiny is completely and totally out of his control is error or their would be no need for the directive to “go into all the world and preach the gospel”.
I don’t need to “study Calvinism” as I was raised in a Calvinist church. I totally understand the dangers of Calvinism. As well I have debated with those who believe that man can seek God which is also counter to scripture.
My view of Calvinism as expressed here on these threads will not “soften” as you say. After 35 years in that environment my view is not “superficial” and I rejected much of it. Thanks for the invite but I’ll pass.
Ya know, CB, that's willfully ignoring the obvious. I always have problems with any focus on "gotchas".
They qualify for the "Gotcha Award". And that qualifies them for a position with the media.
I agree. There are Hyper-Calvinists. Spurgeon, who was the most dynamic evangelist and teacher of the 19th Century was a harsh critic of the extreme elements of Calvinism. I dare say that most, if not all of the Calvinists on this forum would heartily stand by Spurgeon' s condemnation of Hyper-Calvinism.
Arminianism as it is taught today is a bastardization of the teachings of Arminius and most dedicated Arminians today are really Semi-Pelagians and when you challenge them with scripture they tend to get angry and defensive. I believe that is ultimately tied to their egos because their notion that because they were wise enough or somehow good enough that they were able to submit to Christ whereas all those other stupid unwise people rejected Christ.
. I totally understand the dangers of Calvinism
Dangers? In my decades of listening to preachers and studying theology I had always discovered that the best preachers and teachers and even evangelists were all pretty much Calvinist in their teachings. Let me list a few and you can tell me what you believe was "dangerous" about what they taught and what they preached.
Ray Stedman
Charles Spurgeon
John MacArthur
D. James Kennedy
I dare say that most of the Protestant Churches that have fallen into sheer Apostasy are those which are Arminian or Calvinist-rejecting Churches. There are churches founded under Calvinistic doctrine that have drifted into Apostasy but those churches first left their commitment to the Confessions before they left Christianity and joined hands with Satan.
After 35 years in that environment
May I inquire as to what denomination you were affiliated and what about it turned you so sour to what we here refer to as the doctrines of Grace (the five solas so to speak).
I was born a Mormon. I became an atheist for a time after studying Mormonism and determining that it was a Fraud. I was saved through the evangelistic teachings of Calvary Chapel and I am still affiliated with them despite their stated objection to both Calvinism and Arminianism. It is interesting to note that nearly all Calvary Chapel preachers model their evangelical messages utilizing Charles Spurgeon as their template for their messages. Since Charles Spurgeon was the most dedicated defender of Calvinism in the 19th Century and since the preaching which brought me to Christ was derived from his sermons and teachings, I fail to see the danger of which you speak.
John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”