neo-Calvinism vs the Bible - worksheet 20
Election and double predestination
Election unto salvation:
Q1 This is the faith statement of Chafer Theological Seminary. Is there a balance between God’s sovereignty and human’s free will to choose God?
Election unto damnation:
Q2 If you question the cruelty of the above Calvin doctrine on election, you will get the answer “Who are you to question God!” Is there no free will?
Q3 If you believe in the Calvinist doctrine, you believe that God is not only sovereign over everything, but God also is causing everything, including humanity’s rebellion against God. Is that biblical? Isn’t there an enemy of God, Satan, who cheers and promotes rebellion?
Neo-Calvinist John Piper dares to say that God caused the Holocaust, the killing by murderers, and the abuse of a yong child.
This is false. Jesus says in Mark 7:20-23 (NASB1995) 20“That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” Not God is the source of evil, but depraved man is. God may allow or use evil for good, but God is not causing evil.
Calvinism says that salvation is not available to all. The Bible says the opposite. The whole human race is savable through trust in the Messiah (John 3:16).
2 Corinthians 5:19-20 says 19God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Acts 17:30-31, an invitation to all people, says 30Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
John 1:9 (NASB1995) says There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
Titus 2:11 says For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.
This here below is “double predestination”.
If you think you are one of the elect, it’s still unsure in terms of Calvinistic doctrine, because the P of TULIP requires that you Persevere to the end. What about born-again Christians who suffer from dementia at the end of their lives? They cannot prove that they persevered to the end. How cruel to lay such a doctrine of partiality on people. The Bible teaches the opposite:
Acts 10:34 says Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality”.
Romans 2:11 says For there is no partiality with God.
Ephesians 6:9 says And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Colossians 3:25 says For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
Now we turn to election proof texts of the Calvinists.
Most of these texts are taken out-of-context.
Proof text 1
In John 6:44 Jesus says No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws (helkyo) him; and I will raise him up on the last day. Calvinists say that persons who were drawn are irresistablilly drawn. However, verse 40 comes before verse 44. In verse 40 Jesus says For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” Everyone is invited! Proof text debunked.
In John 12:32 Jesus says And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw (helkyo) all men to Myself. Everyone is invited! Proof text debunked.
What is the drawing? It is the convicting of the Spirit. In John 16:7-11 Jesus says 7But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin (hamatia) and righteousness and judgment; 9concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. Again, the invitation is not limited to the elect. Available for all (the whole world). Proof text debunked.
Proof text 2
John 15:16 is another proof text of the Calvinists, where Jesus says You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. Jesus here points to an election to fruit bearing, a service. Not an election unto salvation! Jesus was talking to saved disciples, not to unsaved who might be chosen into the elect. Similar as Paul who was chosen for the office of apostle, not an election unto salvation. Proof text debunked.
Proof text 3
Acts 13:48 says When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed (tasso) to eternal life believed. The Calvinists say: who believed? Those who were appointed. This take seems to be right at first glance. However,
Vance argues that God has ordained everyone to life.
The are many statements to question this proof text. Let’s go through them.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 says 3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 3:9 says The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
Here on the sheet, point no 4 we see that Jerome, who translated the whole Bible into Latin, he mistranslated the word “tasso” into “preordained”.
So, ever since the Roman Catholic bible used this error. Luther did not use the Roman Catholic Vulgate edition in his translation work, from Hebrew and Greek into German. He didn’t trust the Vulgate.
This explanation by Dennis Rokser refutes the causation/predestination (supposedly appointing before believing) that the Vulgate and the Calvinist doctrine assume, regarding Acts 13:48.
The final words by Andy Woods on this 3rd prooftext are found below.
