1. Most of its subscribers I have encountered on a discussion basis have been pompous, arrogant, jerks who think they have God figured out. I have no doubt that there are fine Calvinists out there who do not take such an approach -— and most certainly those on FR would be some of the finest.
2. Calvinism is a man-developed system of beliefs that Calvinists use as a filter or mold into which scripture is to fit.
3. I have a very hard time believing that a significant portion of the earth’s population from the beginning of time to the end of time will have been born, lived their lives, and died into eternal damnation NEVER HAVING ANY CHANCE WHATSOEVER because they were not part of the pre-determined, elected, privileged class.
I’d much rather see Christians take a “let Sciprture speak for Scripture by the power of the Holy Spirit” approach to the Living Word, rather than parsing, dicing, slicing, twisting, and weaving God’s Word into a set of beliefs that are, in reality, a component of the mysteries that our Heavenly Father has not revealed to us.
I have many of the same concerns with hard core Arminians.
Here’s the reality: when it all ends and you, I, or any other person who has been washed by the sacrificial blood of the Lamb and are standing in God’s presence in Paradise, the absolute LAST thing on our mind will be whether Calvinism or Arminianism or any other man-made theological theory was right or wrong.
The same could be said of Arminians, Catholics, Mormons, atheists, etc. Many who respond to these threads think they have "God figured out".
2. Calvinism is a man-developed system of beliefs that Calvinists use as a filter or mold into which scripture is to fit.
And so are the Five Articles of Remonstrance that Calvinism attempts to refute. In fact, any discussion short of reading the Bible and not saying anything else is man-developed. Does it mean that it is right? Only as far as it faithfully represents the Word of God.
3. I have a very hard time believing that a significant portion of the earth’s population from the beginning of time to the end of time will have been born, lived their lives, and died into eternal damnation NEVER HAVING ANY CHANCE WHATSOEVER because they were not part of the pre-determined, elected, privileged class.
As a Calvinist, I have trouble with that as well, but Romans 9 clearly points out that some vessels were made for honor and some for dishonor. I can not argue with the Potter.
Here’s the reality: when it all ends and you, I, or any other person who has been washed by the sacrificial blood of the Lamb and are standing in God’s presence in Paradise, the absolute LAST thing on our mind will be whether Calvinism or Arminianism or any other man-made theological theory was right or wrong.
Amen. Grace and peace.
Man-developed? Guilty.
Mold into which scripture is to fit? Not guilty... in fact, it's an attempt to explain a bunch of scriptures that the opposing views tend to ignore (post #46 included, btw). With that, I mean the passages - a lot of them in context, not just a single word or phrase - that identify words such as 'elect' and 'predestination'.
Point #3? Already covered above.
You are free to allow this to pass - nothing said in this thread should be any threat to salvation... I believe there's agreement on that. I subscribe to this Reformed tradition for one reason: I believe it gives God the most credit for the work he's done - and continues to do - with His creation. It means He's firmly in control - which is exactly the way it should be. But I do believe it allows scripture to hang together better than other philosophies I've investigated (I was originally an arminian baptist)...and that enriches my owbn study and worship.
But you're right: when we stand before the Judgment Seat, we aren't gonna be asked if we're Baptist, Methodist, Calvinist, Lutheran, Catholic, or whatever. Fortunately, Christ will claim that I'm covered by Him so that I won't have to say a word.
I think that when we get to heaven there will be a door that on the outside the sign says, "Whosoever will.", and on the inside it will say, "Chosen from before the foundation of the world."