Posted on 01/21/2014 12:12:51 PM PST by Laissez-faire capitalist
While Calvisnism looks good on paper --- in real time and in the here and now it comes up short:
A person can be heard accepting Christ as savior, can be seen bearing good fruit, living for the Lord for years, etc, and then later on they start acting in such a way that causes some to think that they were either "falsely saved" (and thus seemingly somehow duped those around them for some time) or at best they are "out of fellowship" with Christ, but nonetheless still saved.
A.) Two people can be bearing bad fruit, committing sin, etc, and one (to others around him) is said to be "falsely saved" according to Calvinism, and the other is said to be "fallen out of fellowship" with Christ according to Calvinism. And, ironically, they are committing similar sins --- and we don't know to what degree one is worse (than the other) in committing bad fruit, as we cannot see the totality of both of their lives 24/7, 365. Ergo: We can't tell them apart (the one who was falsely saved, and the other who is out of fellowship with Christ).
B.) So... we go by the book of Matthew and confront them as Jesus said. Both (at seperate times) refuse the exortation from one Christian to repent, then two Christians, and finally the church at large where they attend. Thus, the church treats them as an heathen... but fails to see that one is throwing a spiritual temper tantrum, is still saved (as God sees this in their heart,) and will within a year repents and is back in fellowship with Christ. But both were deemed to have been "falsely saved." Thus, the local church erred. You see... the one who is "out of fellowship" with Christ refused at that time to repent, just as the one who is falsely saved. Ergo: no way to tell them apart.
C.) John MacArthur says in his Study Bible that their departure is their unmasking. Problerm is, is that we don't know if they will or won't return. They may indeed return 5 years later, and thus the church had hastily said that they were "falsely saved" when they were actually "out of fellowship with Christ." Ergo: no way to tell the two (1.) falsely saved, 2.) out of fellowship with Christ) apart.
D.) Paul the Apostle apparently could tell that the Thessalonians were saved, as the scriptures declare such. But he was an Apsotle. None of those around anymore, right? And he was writing scripture, and thus the HOLY SPIRIT moving upon him was telling him that the Thessalonians were saved. The aformentioned in D.) held true for John, too. No scriptures is being written, and no Apostles anymore... Ergo: no way to tell...
E.) Saying that "those that endure to the end shall be saved" works in the eternal future when all things are made new, but it does not tell us who is "falsely saved" or who is "out of fellowship with Christ" right now in real time.
F.) We cannot see the totality of a person's fruit 24/7, 365, so "by their fruit shall ye know them" works in showing us the really hard core cases, andf showing us eventually, but it does not say if and when they will stop committing bad fruit and thus show that (for a time) they were "out of fellowship" with Christ, or if they were "falsely saved." It does tell us that something is wrong with their lives, though.
G.) Looking for "God's blessing" on their lives as evidence of who are the "Elect" is using anecdotal evidence and is dangerous to rely upon - even though Calvin said as much about looking for things to see just who might be the elect. All of this in G.) is dangerosuly close to WOF (Word of Faith) doctrine.
Ergo Sum: Good luck in differentiating between who is "falsely saved" and the one who is truly saved, but nonetheless "out of fellowship" with Christ. ;).
This thread is the end of the line in this sphere and arena...
Maybe Todd Friel can tell us?
There is no way to know.
Calvinists never claimed to be able to make that determination.
Yes, we can.
The bible says that for Christians, “His Spirit testifies with our spirits that we are children of God.”
“Romans 8: 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “”Abba,” Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. “
Judge Me Not Ye Saints
For My History May Be Tainted
But I’m Sober Enough To Know Blood When I See It
I’ve Borne My Share Of Stones
Most Of Them Easily Thrown
But Who’s To Deny
Your Water-Shed Side
Leading Me Home?
CHORUS:
What Am I Supposed To Do About It Now?
Past Regrets And Long Laments, They Find Me Somehow
O, What Am I Supposed To Do About It Now?
What Have I To Do But Fall Down?
To Spy From Far Away
May Seem That I’m One To Betray
But O, How I Try
The Spirit To Guide
The Promise You Made
CHORUS
Hold Me Up
Never Let Me Go
Love Me When I Am Broken
And Speak To Me
CHORUS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5zjOl3DpZA
So, if Calvinists cannot know may we assume that you know?
Look at the parable of the wheat and the tares. Until the harvest, it is nearly impossible to tell the two apart.
If we don’t individually know of our own salvation, then we’re to be pitied.
I’m not talking about our own salvation, I’m talking about the ability to know if others are saved. I think that was the questioned being asked.
Why spend a nano second worrying about somebody’s satus. I don’t get it. A person is saved or not saved and God is not asking my opinion.
Only God knows who is going to be saved. So what does your thread have to do with Calvinism? Nobody can ever know the fate of another Man's soul. Neither Calvinists nor.... whatever the heck you are.
Well, are you saved?
I keep getting a robocall from some tele(phone)evangelist minister who tells me I will be saved if I push #1.
That doesn’t work for me. There are pastors to choose, deacons to choose, and all the other functions of the body to care for.
If you tell me you’re saved, if you give evidence of by word and by deed, then I can know that you are saved.
As you’ve said, YOU can know if you’re saved. It doesn’t hurt to tell someone.
You can know to a high probability, but not 100%. Again, look at the parable of the wheat and the tares, and the sower and the seed.
That’s not the proper interpretation.
They don’t take the tares out because they can’t tell weeds from the wheat.
They don’t take the tares out because if they pull them out of the ground they’re going to pull the wheat out too. And it’s not done growing yet.
That’s why they wait until the end. They can clearly see the wheat and the weeds and know which is which.
so......did you push 1?
I agree with Gamecock. I don’t subscribe to the form of Calvinism that makes those distinctions you mention. There’s either brothers and sisters we’re in fellowship with, or there’s heathen. Until and unless they repent, that’s how we’re to treat them.
Matthew 7 also plays into this:
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
These are people who deluded at least themselves. They prophesy in Christ’s name, cast out demons in Christ’s name, and do wonderful works in Christ’s name. But, as Christ says in verse 21, they left out the one essential fruit: Obedience. Or as the verse says, doing the will of Christ’s Father in heaven. And where may His will be found? Sola Scriptura.
That Matthew 7 passage should be terrifying to any “Christian” who is in the habit of calling God a liar. About anything.
I’ve seen wheat fields myself. They are mostly wheat.
If the field is 99% wheat what is my chance of pulling a weed if I randomly, blind pull up 5 plants?
Only 1 out of 20 times will I pull up a weed.
Using just one plant, only one out of a hundred.
I believe we’re way too focused on the negative and on distrust of our brothers and sisters in our church.
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