Transcript CALVINISM - Add To Your Learning

Calvinism
John Calvin 1508-1564
Introduction
Calvin 1508 – 1564.
 One of the leading reformation thinkers.
 Re-taught Augustinian ideas. Augustine was
Bishop of Hippo (north Africa) and lived 354 –
430 AD.
 Calvin has been very influential on Baptist,
Presbyterian, Reformed, Anglican and many other
groups.
 Sometimes called “reformed theology.”
 John
“T.U.L.I.P.”
Total
depravity
Unconditional election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints
1. Total Depravity
Doctrine
 No good in fallen man
 All actions before conversion are sinful and selfish
 Salvation is completely from God – man has no
part in the conversion process
 Only when God’s Spirit “quickens” a man and
enables him can he be saved
Total Depravity
Supporting passages
 Eph 2.1
 Rom 3.12
Biblical emphasis
 Sinfulness and lostness of man
 This lacking in religious world today
Total Depravity
Weaknesses
 Man is sinful, but to say there is no good in an
unsaved person is going too far.
 Rom 5.7
 Cornelius (Acts 10.2,35).
 Drowning man must grab the lifebelt!
 Seems to miss the reality that man has free will.
2. Unconditional Election
Doctrine
 Decision about who saved is 100% God’s
 We cannot change God’s mind
Supporting passages
 Eph 2.8-9
Grace saves, faith is a gift
 Acts 13.48
Appointed for eternal life
 Rev 20.15
Book of life
 Rom 8.29
Predestination
Unconditional Election
Biblical emphasis
 Emphasis on God’s sovereignty
 All races, classes etc. Can be saved – salvation
unconditional in this sense
Unconditional Election
Weaknesses:
 Eph 2.8-9
Faith not the gift, salvation is.
 Acts 13.46, 48 Man is justly responsible for accepting or
rejecting the gospel.
 Rev 20.15
See passages in Rev 3.5, Psalm 69.27-28
shows that the names can be erased.
 Rom 8.29
Christians are predestined to become like
Christ, not the same as being predestined
to salvation.
 Free will:
Under-appreciated
Weaknesses – continued.
Issue of predestination is complex and yet a biblical doctrine. Illustrations may
help:
I. A train destination.
You board a London train, and the destination is clearly marked “Heathrow
airport”. This destination has been decided in advance. Heathrow airport is its
“predestination”. As long as you stay on the train, you are fine. If however
you choose to leave the train, you forfeit your “predestination.” The train still
goes to the airport, but you will miss it – unless of course you manage to get
back on the train.
Ii. An aerial view.
From the top of a tall building, you are able to view two intersecting streets.
Down the first street a speeding sports car approaches the deadly intersection,
while down the other street zooms a motorcycle. From your vantage point,
you can “see” the accident before it happens. But are you responsible for the
collision? Foreknowledge does not imply predestination.
Unconditional Election
Weaknesses - continued.
 God does call us (2 Thess 2.14), but this is through the
gospel. There is an inseparable link between the gospel
and the “sanctifying work of the spirit” – 2 Thess 2.13, 1
Peter 1.2. No one is saved in a vacuum (see also Rom 10.
13-17).
 Unconditional election is unfair! If, despite all your
sincere attempts to be saved God has already decided that
you are to be damned, this seems to goe against all the
Bible teaches regarding God’s just and compassionate
nature.
3. Limited Atonement
Doctrine
 The cross is only for the saved
 Christ bore the sins of the elect, not all mankind
Supporting passages
 Matt 26.28
Forgiveness for “many”
 Eph 5.25
Christ gave self for the church
 Acts 20.28
God bought the church with his blood
Limited Atonement
Biblical emphasis
 Enhances the success and victory of the crucifixion
 Affirms that God does nothing in vain
 Shows that salvation is bought at a price
Limited Atonement
Weaknesses:
 Rom 5.18
1 Tim 2.4
 Matt 26.28
 Eph 5.25

All men are potentially saved - through
the cross.
God wants all men to be saved.
“Many” does not imply a set number.
Does not imply that Jesus’ blood
could only save a few. 1 Tim 4.10 –
anyone willing to believe and repent can
be saved.
4. Irresistible Grace
Doctrine
 Spirit of God draws men to Christ and it is impossible to
resist this
Supporting passages
 John 6.44
God draws men to Christ
 Acts 16.14
Lydia
Biblical emphasis
 The Spirit’s power
Irresistible Grace
Weaknesses:
 John 6.44 God draws men, but this passage does not state
the basis of that calling. God draws people
who will accept him on his terms (John 1.11-13,
8.31 etc.).
 Lydia
God opened her heart through the message
(Acts 16.13, c.f. also Rom 10.17)
 Grace
Can be resisted (Acts 7.51, Gal 5.4, Heb 10.2930, 12.15)
 Free will exists.
5. Perseverance of the Saints
Doctrine.
 Once saved we cannot become “unsaved”. Someone
leaving God shows they were not really saved in the first
place.
Supporting passages.
 John 10.29
No one can steal the sheep.
 Rom 8.38-39
Nothing can separate us from Christ’s.
Love.
Biblical emphasis.
 Security of salvation.
Perseverance of the Saints
Weaknesses
 Jn 10.29
 Rom 8.38
 James 5.19
 John 15.6
 2 Pet 2.20
 Matt 28.19
We can still choose to walk away
Still need to do our part (Jude 21)
Can wander from the truth
Obedience essential
Can leave God
Evangelism is irrelevant if this is
true
Calvinism’s Correct Concepts
 Sinfulness
of man
 Sovereignty of God
 Success of the crucifixion
 Spirit’s power
 Security of grace
Calvinism’s Clear Contradictions
 Maintains
too negative a view of man
 Denies effective free will
 Provides little incentive for evangelism
 Creates an unjust God
 Runs contrary to experience
 Breeds lukewarm commitment
 Can be refuted by many verses
Conclusion to Calvinism
 Calvin
had a tremendous impact on the religious
world of his day and his influence continues down
the ages.
 His stand for what he saw as the truth was
courageous.
 Many doctrines of Calvin are contradicted by
many scriptures.
 Make up your own mind by studying for yourself!
Calvinism
John Calvin 1508-1564