The Problems with Calvinism

 

A Resolution to Calvinistic Misconceptions

There have been a number of unresolvable paradoxes introduced into Christian theology unncessarily through Calvinism along with deviant applications. Pure Calvinists generally don't try to apply their theology to life and rather live with the paradoxes being unresolved, some even reckoning it heresy to even try to resolve the paradoxes. Hyper-Calvinists are those who actually apply Calvnism to life. Here are some hyper-Calvinistic applications.

On the five points of Calvinism:
1. Total Depravity: Because of our sinful fallen nature people faith is forced upon an arbitrarily chosen "elect" group in a puppet like fashion. In fact before they even believe, people must first be born of God. And since people are incapable of seeking for God, therefore they should not even be encouraged to seek God. For that would be a salvation by works and they would have something to boast about.
 

For example Calvinists demand that neither faith in Christ or even God's foreknowledge of our faith be a basis of God's election

Historically there has been great debate and controversy between the Calvinist, Lutheran and Arminian theological camps over these concepts and their implications. But briefly, what does the Bible have to say?

Election

"Chose" - Different meanings in Different Contexts

Many words are used to mean different things in different contexts. So we shouldn't presume that "chose" means the same thing in every context. For example James 2:5 says that God chose the poor. Are therefore all "poor" people "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" in accordance with 1Pe 2:9? Certainly not! Not all poor people are God's elect. The context makes clear that he is speaking of a subset of believers - those who are poor. There were also believers who were materially rich - yes, rich in the eyes of the world. But those poor Christians were chosen to be rich in faith, being subjected to circumstances and given more opportunities to exercise their faith. Consider also John 15:16 "You did not choose me, but I chose you." Here Jesus is speaking of chosing his disciples. Again it is not referring to chosing people for salvation, but for a particular task. This is verified by the all the verses in John prior to this referring to chosing: These clearly refer to just the Twelve, not to all saved. In fact Judas was not chosen for salvation, yet he was one of the "chosen" twelve. So once again we must be careful to consider the context when interpreting "chose".

The Elect

There is nonetheless a category of people "the Elect" which the Bible speaks of.
But who are they? God chose the category of "believers in Christ" before the creation of the world. He choses according to his foreknowlege of how people will respond to the gospel. Notice also that Eph 1:5 does not say that he predestined us to believe, but rather to be adopted as sons, for John 1:12 reveals: "to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." Thus one does not even receive the right to be born of God until one believes. But having foreseen who would cooperate to the point of believing, we can say that God planned for such people to be adopted as sons.

So on a categorical basis, we can view "election" as an elevator named "believers in Christ" predestined to go up. But on an individual basis we can view it as God foreknowing who would chose to get on the elevator and therefore being chosen according to God's foreknowledge.

The difference between categorical and individual election is that for individual election one can speak of being "elect" but not yet saved.

But it is inevitable that such people will come to hear the gospel and believe it, in accordance with God's foreknowledge, and thus be saved. Here again they were appointed according to God's foreknowledge of their response to the gospel. Thus, believing reveals one's election. Consider also greek that Luke is using. "were appointed" in the greek is a participle in the perfect passive tense. Thus more literally, "the having been appointed for eternal life ones believed". The usage of the perfect tense (rather than the aorist) could also indicate that he was referring to those who believed at the present time in which he was writing, saying that those whom have been revealed as being elect ones, those same ones came to believe when Paul preached to them the gospel. The context doesn't clarify the shades of distinctions between these interpretations on this verse, so it's unclear whether he's referring to God's foreknowledge or simply speaking in an historical sense.

The Gospels on Election

Mt 22:14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen." Mt 24:22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Mt 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-- if that were possible.

Predestination

The Elect (the believers in Christ) are predestined to be saved from God's wrath. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." And also to go on to glory. Ro 8:30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Since once-elect, always elect, and since the elect are the believers - the redeemed - the saved - the one's born of God, therefore, once a person enters into such a category, they will remain and go on to glory. And this is in accordance with God's foreknowledge. Predestination implies Eternal Security. Ro 8:29 "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."

Eph 1:11-13 "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."

Predestination for salvation is only spoken of in the context of faith in Christ. What I mean is that Biblical predestination cannot be used as a basis to support the idea that some are predestined to be saved apart from faith in Christ - like through infant baptism. Notice also the order of salvation presented here.

That is God's plan. A person receives the Holy Spirit only after he believes, which is consistent with John 1:12 as well. Regeneration (being born of God) occurs after believing the gospel, not before.

God's Plan and Predestination

Acts 4:28 "They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen."

This verse refers to the unbeliever's condemnation and murder of Christ. How was God involved in this process. Was he simply a puppet master who murdered Christ through his puppet like control of the unbelievers?

If you take into account God's foreknowledge of how people would respond to circumstances, then much of the way which God brought about this sacrifice of atonement makes sense. God wanted an event to occur. Yet he didn't force it outright in puppet like fashion, but from his foreknowledge fashioned a plan using his counsel (which is the word "will" here). This is not unlike people who have knowledge of how people react to things and manipulate the circumstances so as to bring out a desired result. But of course God having perfect knowledge eliminates all possibility of failure, while at the same time not forcing people to kill Christ.

Look at Jesus' behavior in the gospels. He behaved in such a way, stepping on the pride of the religious leaders, that it was inevitable that he would be crucified. He need not control the outcome as if a puppet master. Thus God is innocent of the blood of Christ. He simply placed him, as a willing sacrifice, in circumstances that would lead to his death, being brought about by sinners who were not directly being controlled by God.

Addendum

Is there something I missed? Here is every verse in the New Testament that contains the words

The Elect (gk. "eklektos")

Mt 22:14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
Mt 24:22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Mt 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-- if that were possible.
Mt 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Mr 13:20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.
Mr 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-- if that were possible.
Mr 13:27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
Lu 18:7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
Lu 23:35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
Ro 8:33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
Ro 16:13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
Col 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
1Ti 5:21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
2Ti 2:10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness--
1Pe 1:2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
1Pe 2:4 As you come to him, the living Stone-- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--
1Pe 2:6 For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
2Jo 1:1 The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth-- and not I only, but also all who know the truth--
2Jo 1:13 The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.
Re 17:14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings-- and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."

To Elect (gk. "eklegomai")

Mr 13:20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.
Lu 6:13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
Lu 10:42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Lu 14:7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable:
Joh 6:70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"
Joh 13:18 "I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'
Joh 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Joh 15:19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
Ac 1:2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
Ac 1:24 Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen
Ac 6:5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
Ac 13:17 The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country,
Ac 15:7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
Ac 15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers.
Ac 15:25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul--
1Co 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
1Co 1:28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-- and the things that are not-- to nullify the things that are,
Eph 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Jas 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

Predestine (gk. "proorizo")

Ac 4:28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Ro 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Ro 8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
1Co 2:7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
Eph 1:5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--
Eph 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Verses quoted from the NIV version

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources