There are two mains camps of theology within Christianity in America today: Arminianism and Calvinism. Calvinism is a system of biblical interpretation taught by John Calvin. Calvin lived in France in the 1500's at the time of Martin Luther who sparked the Reformation.
The system of Calvinism adheres to a very high view of scripture and seeks to derive its theological formulations based solely on God’s word. It focuses on God’s sovereignty, stating that God is able and willing by virtue of his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, to do whatever He desires with His creation. It also maintains that within the Bible are the following teachings: That God, by His sovereign grace predestines people into salvation; that Jesus died only for those predestined; that God regenerates the individual where he is then able and wants to choose God; and that it is impossible for those who are redeemed to lose their salvation.
Arminianism, on the other hand, maintains that God predestined, but not in an absolute sense. Rather, He looked into the future to see who would pick him and then He chose them. Jesus died for all peoples' sins who have ever lived and ever will live, not just the Christians. Each person is the one who decides if he wants to be saved or not. And finally, it is possible to lose your salvation (some arminians believe you cannot lose your salvation).
Basically, Calvinism is known by an acronym: T.U.L.I.P.
Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement)
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved)
These five categories do not comprise Calvinism in totality. They simply represent some of its main points.
Total Depravity:
Sin has affected all parts of man. The heart, emotions, will, mind, and body are all affected by sin. We are completely sinful. We are not as sinful as we could be, but we are completely affected by sin.
The doctrine of Total Depravity is derived from scriptures that reveal human character: Man’s heart is evil (Mark 7:21-23) and sick Jer. 17:9). Man is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:20). He does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12). He cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). He is at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15). And, is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). The Calvinist asks the question, "In light of the scriptures that declare man’s true nature as being utterly lost and incapable, how is it possible for anyone to choose or desire God?" The answer is, "He cannot. Therefore God must predestine."
Calvinism also maintains that because of our fallen nature we are born again not by our own will but God’s will (John 1:12-13); God grants that we believe (Phil. 1:29); faith is the work of God (John 6:28-29); God appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48); and God predestines (Eph. 1:1-11; Rom. 8:29; 9:9-23).
Unconditional Election:
God does not base His election on anything He sees in the individual. He chooses the elect according to the kind intention of His will (Eph. 1:4-8; Rom. 9:11) without any consideration of merit within the individual. Nor does God look into the future to see who would pick Him. Also, as some are elected into salvation, others are not (Rom. 9:15, 21).
Limited Atonement:
Jesus died only for the elect. Though Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for all, it was not efficacious for all. Jesus only bore the sins of the elect. Support for this position is drawn from such scriptures as Matt. 26:28 where Jesus died for ‘many'; John 10:11, 15 which say that Jesus died for the sheep (not the goats, per Matt. 25:32-33); John 17:9 where Jesus in prayer interceded for the ones given Him, not those of the entire world; Acts 20:28 and Eph. 5:25-27 which state that the Church was purchased by Christ, not all people; and Isaiah 53:12 which is a prophecy of Jesus’ crucifixion where he would bore the sins of many (not all).
Irresistible Grace:
When God calls his elect into salvation, they cannot resist. God offers to all people the gospel message. This is called the external call. But to the elect, God extends an internal call and it cannot be resisted. This call is by the Holy Spirit who works in the hearts and minds of the elect to bring them to repentance and regeneration whereby they willingly and freely come to God. Some of the verses used in support of this teaching are Romans 9:16 where it says that "it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy"; Philippians 2:12-13 where God is said to be the one working salvation in the individual; John 6:28-29 where faith is declared to be the work of God; Acts 13:48 where God appoints people to believe; and John 1:12-13 where being born again is not by man’s will, but by God’s.
鄭ll that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out," (John 6:37).
Perseverance of the Saints:
You cannot lose your salvation. Because the Father has elected, the Son has redeemed, and the Holy Spirit has applied salvation, those thus saved are eternally secure. They are eternally secure in Christ. Some of the verses for this position are John 10:27-28 where Jesus said His sheep will never perish; John 6:47 where salvation is described as everlasting life; Romans 8:1 where it is said we have passed out of judgment; 1 Corinthians 10:13 where God promises to never let us be tempted beyond what we can handle; and Phil. 1:6 where God is the one being faithful to perfect us until the day of Jesus’ return.
Man are you ignorant that you post another thread on the same subject!!! Trying to bury Davids thread??? Don't like REAL Bible studies Chucknos???
The topic should be
The 4 POINTS of messy-anicism!!!
"The notion that the Bible is the Word of God is a "slow-eating cancer"
"The bible or book, is not the Word of GOD Almighty, but rather the translations of man."
"Despite the reverence for God which appears to attend the somber declaration that the Bible is "the infallible Word of God", that declaration sprouts from the envious heart of Satan"
"That the Bible is the very Word of God is a wickedly cunning lie, the effects of which are discouragement, confusion, and death"
@Quiznos, ole Teddy just can't stop talking about us. I'm flattered, but suggest he start his own thread rather than raiding everyone else's threads.
BACK TO THE OP ~
I once dated a gal who was a Calvinist. She was a very sweet person. Her beliefs were very important to her. For her there was only one way to understand the Bible and G-D. Therefore, this caused me to study Calvinism. The more I studied, the more I realized they were putting G-D in a box. They had calculated answers for everything. The Scriptures were approached as one would approach a mathematical equation.
I wasn't buying into it all. The Jewish side of me didn't read the entire Bible as a complete book of absolutes. Additionally, In Judaism there is an air of mystery surrounding G-D and His plans. Not for the Calvinist, just ask them, they have an answer for everything!
Even though I accepted her choice to embrace Calvinism, that I would not embrace Calvinism was untenable for her. She saw me as a heathen. Which is humorous in hindsight. Because basically our two approaches to Scripture are that of Jew and Greek.
Knowing what I know now about Calvinism, I believe it to be simply doctrines of man, and in the wrong hands, a doctrine from the pit of hell. But like anything else, there are good people trapped in it. Therefore I judge the doctrine, not the people.
"I love you too, but without the name calling and bringing up past comments about other people. Then you post later saying your "flattered" about me talking about what you say about others. OK, since you keep bringing this up here, lets look at your "inspired" name calling of others!
So friends lets look at Chucknos racist and attacking postings of others below! Shall we?
Chuck claims racist comments are not in his vocabulary??? He says - "It is not in my common vocabulary." Chucknos does NOT address the obvious SLANG of his use of the word "nig-ga" but it is obvious to Morgan, me and everybody else on this forum!
Chucknos posts about Richard7744 - "dat nig-ga ned ta be capped" end quote.
Chuck posts about Richard7744 - "Hey, nig-ga, I gots me my N-card."
Quiznos as Chuck posts about Parehtban - "What is the nickname for a detective D-ICK"
Quiznos as Chuck posts about Richard7744 - "What is the nickname for the name Richard D-ICK."
Chuck posts about Richard7744 - "Hey, nig-ga, I gots me my N-card."
Chuck posts about Richard7744 - "Okay circus monkey prophetic it's your turn to post."
Chuck posts about Richard7744 - "now I have a little beech you does what I tell him."
Chuck posts about Richard7744 - "Speaking of masturbation here comes prophetic jacking off with Scripture again and again and again."
Quoting what Chuckk says in another thread "surrounded by cultic psychos!"
Quoting what Chuckk says in that same thread "What a bunch of i-d-i-o-t-s‼️"
And those are only a few of his "attacking and harassing name calling" comments and claims to be a "christian" and no change nor apology to others! There you have it friends!
Its just soooooo hilarious that Chucknos has to keep talking to himself on this forum!!! LMBO!
Everybody knows it, the evidence given to expose him is obvious! Sadlup/Chuckk/Quiznos!
jeep/jeep/jeep in every profile!!! He even post a ENTIRE THREAD of his idol in a Biblical forum discussion??? Wow! Wants us to talk about idol jeeps friends!
"Teddy, I don't have to call you an idiot, your idiotic behavior has already snitched you out."
Did you catch the name calling again friends??? He tries to hide it by saying he does not need to call a person a name, then calls them "idiotic behavior" in judgment! LOL!
This guy is a classic case of self righteousness to the bone! Hmmmmm
