At the risk of sounding redundant: have you ever been in a discussion with a member of the "Christian" left that holds Arminian beliefs? Occasionally those that hold a belief that social justice trumps God's word will get upset when you try to steer them back to the bible and throw out an expletive to the effect that Calvinism is evil and unbiblical and a conversation ender.
This is slightly humorous because their Arminianism is based on unbiblical standards: they believe in Partial Depravity - humanity is depraved but still able to seek God, when Romans 3:10-18 clearly states that this is not true.
They believe in Conditional Election - God only “chooses” those whom He knows will choose to believe. No one is predetermined for either heaven or hell. This under-emphasizes God’s sovereignty (Romans 8:28-13)
They believe in Resistible grace , God’s call to be saved can be resisted and/or rejected should we decide we don't want to follow His call. This underestimates the power and determination of God. They also believe in Conditional Salvation - Christians can lose their salvation if they actively reject the Holy Spirit’s influence in their lives. Conditional salvation makes salvation a reward for work rather than a gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8–10).
What they don't like is the U in TULIP - Unconditional Election A.K.A. adoption by God, I've had more than one conversation suddenly veer off to Unconditional Election like it was an accusation of heresy! blasphemy! apostasy! and was used as an excuse to end the conversation. WWUTT has bad news for these Arminians - Election is totally biblical
Great points. As you would expect, "Christian" Leftists inevitably contradict their own false views. When pretending to believe their version of the Gospel, they'll still avoid the hard work of evangelizing by noting how God is responsible and such. That's when I say, "How very Calvinistic/Reformed of you!" The look on their faces is priceless when they start rewinding the tape to reconsider what they just said.
ReplyDeleteIt's the theological version of "It's all Bush's fault!"
DeleteOh, so if you don't believe in TULIP, that makes you a "Christian Leftist." I'm really surprised at this charge!
ReplyDeleteI notice how Calvinists always use that Roman's passage, but not the Psalm it is citing, which would give the context from the first verse -- who the Psalm is about; the FOOL who says there is no God.
If no one is able to seek God, then God is lying and tricking when he tells us to seek Him.
Deut. 4:29 - "But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him,
if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."
1 Chron. 16:11 – “seek his face”
1 Chron. 28:9 - “If you seek Him, He will be found by you”
2 Chron. 15:2 – “If you seek him…” Many more in 2 Chron.
Ps. 9:10 – “those who seek you”
Ps. 22:26 – “they who seek the Lord”
Ps. 34:10 – “those who seek the Lord”
Ps. 40:16 – “all who seek you”
Ps. 69:6 – “may those who seek you”
Ps. 119:10 – “I seek you with all my heart”
Is. 55:6 - “Seek the Lord while He may be found”
Jer. 29:13 - "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me
with all your heart."
Hos. 10:12 – “it is time to seek the Lord”
Zeph. 2:3 - “Seek the Lord”
Acts 17:27 - “so that they should seek the Lord”
2 Cor. 3:12-18 - “Whoever turns to the Lord”
Heb. 11:6 - “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”
I'm not going to bother with the rest of TULIP because I don't want to get in a Calvinist/non-Calvinist debate, but for anyone interested I biblically exposed the problem with TULIP here:
http://watchmansbagpipes.blogspot.com/2013/02/i-am-not-calvinist.html
(I really wish Calvinists would quit calling all those who disagree with them "Arminians" -- People like me discovered our ideology without Arminian teaching -- in fact I had never heard of him when I decided what the Bible said. Calvin didn't get his teaching from Scripture -- he got if from Augustine, who was the first to come up with it.
In this case WWUTT has decided to join the Calvinist bandwagon and interpret Scripture through the filter of Augustine/Calvin. I don't really care, but when you put in the suggestion that those who disagree with it are "Christian leftists" then I have a problem.
I didn't mean to imply that those that disagree with the doctrines of grace are "Christian" Leftist, but I has been my experience on multiple occasions that the "Christian" Left identifies Calvinism with their enemies and use the title as an insult
DeleteThe "Christian left" not only are against Calvinism, but they don't even believe Arminianism! They disagree with too much of the Bible to fit any camp but cults.
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