We have seen that Calvinism is 100% deterministic: meaning, that God predetermined who will be saved and who will be damned, and there is absolutely nothing which anyone in either group can do to avert or to change the outcome. Calvinists teach that God, according to his own sovereign will, predetermined and predestined virtually everything that has happened and shall happen. Thus, since (according to Calvinism) God predestined certain persons to be saved, then God must have some way of guaranteeing to himself that every one of those persons will in fact receive Christ. Enter, "irresistible grace."
Calvinism teaches that it is impossible for those to whom God manifests or extends his "grace," to resist that grace. They will receive the grace of God unto salvation, because, they cannot do otherwise. But anyone who has actually read the Bible should know that that idea is contrary to Scripture
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men..." (Titus 2:11)
"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29)
"Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God...." (Hebrews 12:15)How could any man "fail" (miss out on, fall short, or be destitute) of the "grace" of God ~ if it were impossible for anyone to resist God's grace? And why would the Holy Ghost (through the Apostle Paul) be concerned about anyone missing out on the grace of God, if God only intended that a select number should receive that? Besides, shouldn't we expect that God knows whom he has appointed to salvation? Doesn't Calvinism teach that God has predetermined and predestined everything? Yet, Hebrews 12:15 very clearly implies at least the possibility that some may "fail of the grace of God." The Calvinistic doctrine of "irresistible grace" makes no sense at all, in view of Hebrews 12:15.
And how could anyone "do despite unto" the Spirit of grace, if that grace were "irresistible? To "do despite unto" means in some way or another to resist, refuse, abuse, etc. But "irresistible" allows for no such resistance, or refusal, or abuse whatsoever.
Moreover, Paul, writing to Titus, said that the grace of God "hath appeared unto all men." But Calvinists, who claim that God's grace is "irresistible," deny that "all men" will be saved. But if God's grace "hath appeared unto all men," and if God's grace is "irresistible," how is it that all men are not then saved?
Importantly, Calvinists evidently completely overlook the fact that God's grace is not a "thing," or an "idea," or a "principle." But God's "grace" is nothing other than the character and will of his own living Spirit, which, in Scripture, is called "the Spirit of grace" (see, Hebrews 10:29, above). The Holy Ghost is that "Spirit of grace:" of whom we are warned, in Scripture, not to "do despite" unto him. The Holy Ghost (the Spirit of grace) not only can be "despised" (Hebrews 10:29); but also "grieved" (Ephesians 4:30); and "quenched" (1 Thessalonians 5:19); or, infinitely better, "obeyed" (Acts 5:32). Those are all traits not of some legal principle or attitude of God's mind, but of a divine Personality.
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world...." (Titus 2:11-12)The grace of God "teaches us:" which, "teaching," is yet another aspect of Personality. Furthermore, to deny sin and, instead, to live soberly, righteously, and godly: all requires that man must have a choice ~ as well, then, as personal responsibility before God.
I just found this powerful video (click on image, below) of Dave Hunt (who very recently went to be with the Lord), in which he did a marvelous job of refuting all five points of Calvinism, in a mere 20 minutes or so. It will be very much worth your time to watch it. (Here is the much longer version from which I excerpted the following 20-minute segment: link).
I don't know how that any reasonable-minded person who reveres the Word of God (they are the only "reasonable-minded" people) could watch the above video and not come away with a severe repulsion toward the perverted teachings of Calvinism.
I wholeheartedly agree with Hunt's assessment and critique of Calvinism. I especially like his introductory comments, where he said (beginning at about the 1:14 sec. marker):
"I am aghast at [the teachings of Calvinism], and I'm offended for the Biblical God I love." I, too, am "aghast" at the teachings of Calvinism, as well as I am greatly offended by how Calvinism perverts the character of the "Biblical God I love."
Hunt nailed it, when he said: "It's upon this extreme view of [God's] sovereignty, which denies to man the power of choice, that Calvinism is built" (2:27 marker). The doctrine of "irresistible grace" absolutely denies to man the power of choice. But that doctrine not only does violence to our understanding of the nature of man. Far more important, it does tremendous violence to our understanding of the nature of God; a fact, and an observation, concerning which Hunt began his speech by addressing that: "In all of the discussion about Calvinism," said Hunt, "I want you to remember one thing: the main issue is God's character...."
God is love. God has made the way, at unspeakably great cost to himself, whereby that every human being may have the opportunity to know and to share the love of that divine Being. The Bible says, in Luke 6:35, that God "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." But what sort of god would show kindness unto those whom he had no intention of saving them, and whom he had afore determined to destroy them?
Calvinism does not represent a god who is merely "shades of difference" unlike the God of the Bible. But the god of Calvinism is radically different from the character of that God who revealed himself in Scripture. And the Bible warns those who dare to "preach another [a different] gospel":
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8-9)I tell people all the time, that there is only one reason why it is that anyone goes to hell, that is, because they don't take God seriously. Calvinism preaches "another gospel" in no wise less corrupt, nor less dangerous to souls, than that of any other pseudo-Christian cult. I don't know the god of Calvinism; nor do I want to ~ except, only to be capable to discern and to war against that hideous spirit whensoever it rears its ugly head.
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