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Those Five New Points of Calvinism
2009-08-26 18:23:00 Almost everyone reading my blog is familiar with the acrostic TULIP as standing for the five points of Calvinism. Probably most of you know what each point stands for: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints. Then the number goes down as to who knows what each point means. I ...
Remembering Calvin on His 500th Birthday
2009-07-10 17:08:00 Today marks 500 years since the birth of John Calvin. Although Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenburg when Calvin was just 8 years old, it is John Calvin who is arguably the most famous (some might say, infamous) of the Reformers. His work in Geneva has an abiding ...
Quotes to Note 9: Luther on Sanctification
2009-04-21 15:16:00 Today I have a simple quote for you. This comes from Joel Beeke’s Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism. This single quote is worth meditating on today. May God bless us in our walk with Christ. Martin Luther states, “We in Christ equals justification; Christ in us equals sanctification”. (Beeke, Living ...
God, Why a Recession Now?
2009-02-04 14:06:00 Many wouldn’t think of God as being behind the current economic slump. Some will use this recession as one more reason not to believe in Him. Or they’ll have one more reason to curse Him. Our pastor, John Piper, however, believes God has a purpose for the recession. He went so far in Sunday’s sermon “What ...
Clarifying Calvinism
2009-01-21 14:13:00 Phil Johnson (of Pyromaniacs fame), just finished a superb series of posts entitled Clarifying Calvinism. The series is posted over at Grace To You’s blogizine Pulpit Magazine. He starts out by exhorting younger, web-savvy Calvinists to get their theology from books not blogs (a wise piece of advice, I’d admit). Then he discusses hyper-Calvinism and gives ...
God Working in Us: Philippians 2:13 And the Will
2009-01-12 16:07:00 I’m getting ready to start up my series on the Calvinist view of the atonement soon. One of the objections which has already arisen in the comments on part 1, is the idea that Calvinists believe God somehow forces unbelievers to believe the Gospel. Faith is not a gift from God, it is claimed, but ...
Why ?Limited Atonement? (Part 1)
2008-12-16 15:59:00 Recently, a dear brother in Christ posted a lengthy rebuke of limited atonement as a comment on my blog. I promised him a response and thought I’d share the exchange here for the benefit of my readers. Feel free to read his original comment. This is the first part of my response to his concerns. A ...
Rejoicing in God?s Sovereignty
2008-11-06 15:52:00 Last night, John Piper presented the vision and educational philosophy for our church’s new college and seminary. Bethlehem College and Seminary wll remain tethered to the original ideals which have grown strong and proved frutiful over 10 years as The Bethlehem Institute (of Bethlehem Baptist Church). Piper had some interesting things to say contrasting education/persuasion and ...
Reformation Day Reading
2008-10-31 15:36:00 Happy Reformation Day! This is the 491st anniversary of Martin Luther’s nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg Church. Because of the printing press, this step by Luther was soon the spark that kindled the Reformation fires across much of Europe. And as Dan Phillips points out, if we enjoy the privilege of ...
Calvinism by Fives
2008-10-10 23:23:00 Calvinism seems to spread by fives: five points, five solas, and I bet we could think of other groups of five. Five Reformation countries (Germany, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands, England). Five key Reformers (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Huss, Wycliffe). Okay, I know Huss and Wycliffe came earlier…. As most good Calvinists, I know my ...
Final Objection to Predestination
2008-04-28 09:00:00 I’ve posted much on the topic of predestination lately. I have posted a general definition here, on its definite nature according to the counsel of God’s will here, and finally on the two-edged sword of double predestination here. The two primary objections to predestination are the hyper-Calvinist error of double predestination, and the ...
Regeneration
2008-04-23 19:38:00 I recently added a few blogs to my reciprocal links section, and in doing so I came across this great picture (click the image to enlarge it). For more on regeneration, and specifically the Calvinist teaching about it, click here.
How Calvinism Informs Evangelism
2008-04-15 02:07:00 Despite what many have said or heard, Calvinism does not negate or downplay evangelism. Charles Spurgeon, George Whitefield, William Carey, and Adoniram Judson were not exceptions to the rule. Rather, they are simply some noteworthy examples of evangelists and preachers who were both Calvinistic in theology and evangelistic in practice. Of course, Spurgeon said ...
Double Predestination?
2008-04-14 19:42:00 My church attendance has been absolutely lousy. Normally, I work an opening shift on Sunday–which means that I go in at 6:00 am and I’m off at 4:00 pm. This is not a good Sunday work schedule for a church goer, since it means that I’m working right through the service. This Sunday, however, ...
Contextual Limits of ?ALL? and the Limited Atonement
2008-02-29 22:25:00 A reader with the pseudonym Edge7 left a comment in regard to the brief section on the Limited Atonement in this post. This assumes that verses like 1 Timothy 2:3, 5 and 1 John 2:2 confound the Calvinist position that the Atonement saves only the elect. These verses, combined with John 3:16, seem ...
Predestination: Anything But Arbitrary *UPDATED*
2008-02-26 19:41:00 I think that an obvious objection to predestination is that the election is, by its nature, unconditional. Most people take that to mean random or arbitrary. If that were so, then it logically leads to fatalism. You then end up with the following thought process: Why go and preach the gospel as we ...
The Most Controversial Letter In TULIP
2008-02-26 04:34:00 When I first started studying Calvinism, I thought that the most controversial element of the TULIP was the “L”–Limited Atonement. This is summed up in the Westminster Confession of Faith III.6: Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in ...
Great Read on George Whitfield
2008-02-08 16:12:00 I recently read an excellent overview of George Whitfield’s life and influence. Apparently, he surpasses Charles Spurgeon when it comes to his preaching and lasting influence. 80% of the population of the American colonies heard him preach at least once, and he also ministered extensively in the British Isles. His prominence stems solely from his ...
The Big ?If?: John Piper?s Father on Perseverance and Eternal Security
2008-01-26 14:43:00 Regular readers of this blog know I am not big on the “once saved, always saved” idea. I think it belittles the Bible’s emphasis on the necessity of persevering faith, and I don’t think it represents an orthodox view of eternal security. Salvation is no “tattoo”, Pastor Charles Stanley, not withstanding (see post ...
The Underappreciated Calvin
2008-01-25 11:10:00 Loved by many, yet hated by more. John Calvin, the great Reformer, has bequeathed us a schizophrenic legacy. He is remembered largely for the movement which carries his name: Calvinism. Predestination, cold hard logic, spiritual deadness, fatalists. This is how many view Calvinists today. Sure there are some who earn such descriptors, yet the historical ...
Calvinism -christiansquoting.org.uk
2008-01-23 17:01:00 Nothing is more dangerous than a Calvinist just off his knees.. - James Luther Adams quoted by Max Stackhouse, in his preface to, Religion, Pluralism and Public Life, ed Luis E Lugo, Eeerdmans, 200O.[The Confession of Faith] infused enduring elements into the institutions of Geneva, and made it for the modern world, the impregnable fortress of popular liberty--the fertile seed-plot of Democracy.-- George BancroftThere is no system which equals Calvinism in intensifying, to the last degree, ideas of moral excellence and purity of character. It has always worked for liberty. There never was a system since the world began, which puts upon man such motives to holiness, or builds batteries which sweep the whole ground of sin with such horrible artillery. -- Henry Ward BeecherI come now to our doctrine. Many people condemn it out of prejudice, without hearing or exploring it. They are to occupied with some opinion or other that totally dulls the sharp edge of their minds. I am not going t...
By: Christian Quoter
Calvinism and Southern Baptists
2007-12-03 16:06:00 Still struggling with the five points of Calvinism? You are not alone. Here is an excerpt: Southern Baptists were urged to be committed to defending their particular convictions but not at the expense of cooperation with each other. “The Calvinism issue is not going to go away, so Southern Baptists must be willing to openly discuss and debate ...
Puppets, Popoli & The Open Theism Debate
2007-11-24 14:55:00 I’m sure my astute readers are all up to speed on the open theism debate. Then again, some of you probably aren’t. And I haven’t really ever debated the issue, so I had to do some homework too. The Issue Open Theism is the belief that God is in a sense bound by time. ...
Considering the ?Multiple Intentions View? of the Atonement
2007-11-15 14:20:00 In my last post I introduced the debate on the atonement that Seth McBee is hosting over at Contend Earnestly. Seth calls himself a 6 Point Calvinist, and dubs his view the “Unlimited/Limited Atonement” position. Yet Bruce Ware also calls that same view “4 Point Calvinism”, and I read an article which claims ...
6 Point Calvinism & The Atonement Question
2007-11-14 19:42:00 Lately, I’ve been struggling to get back to blogging. With the birth of our fourth daughter, 24 days of having company at our house in October, & with pressing issues at work, coupled with studying Biblical Theology at my church Bible institute, & gearing up for teaching through 1 Peter in our new Church ...
Pre-destination Or Free Will?
2007-11-08 12:15:00 This whole debate on whether we have free choice to choose to believe in God or if He is the one who has chosen us prior to even our existence came into being is always an interesting topic, isn’t it? Just yesterday during some down-time in our training schedule, I had one such an interesting ...
By: Joie de Vivre
Calvinism: A Man-Made Philosophy??
2007-11-02 18:29:00 Recently in the comments of an earlier post of mine “Regeneration, Reception, and Faith“, the charge has again been made that Calvinism is a man-made philosophy. Many of the Calvinist faithful are rolling their eyes and muttering “not again!” Yes, again. I’m sure we’ll continue to hear this charge, and so I think it is worth ...
Matt Slick on Cessationism
2007-11-02 14:14:00 This audio was recorded yesterday which ties in to my position when it comes to cessationism. Matt Slick briefs us on this challenge for many individuals. I typically run into this with folks affiliated with John Macarthur’s churches. At any rate here it is. Enjoy the 4:27 briefing. See also my entry here.
If God Merely Allows Suffering and Pain, How Is He Not Responsible?
2007-09-17 08:38:00 People sometimes instinctively blame God for pain and suffering. Evangelical Christians for the most part grimace at this. Open Theists counter that God didn’t cause it, and couldn’t prevent it–but He loves you anyway. Arminians respond that God merely allows evil, he is not responsible directly for your pain. Calvinists, however, claim that God ordains ...
Eternal Security: Perseverance or Preservation?
2007-08-30 17:00:00 previously in this series–part 1, part 2, “The Sinner’s Prayer Problem” (part 3), part 4 This is my fifth post in a series on Man-Centered Christianity. Like post #3, this is an excersus or an aside. In the last post, I explained that the Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS) view of eternal security ...
Calvinism ? Categorized Scripture List
2007-06-24 23:52:00 My friend Nathan Pitchford posted a categorized Scripture list of the doctrines of grace recently a few weeks back. It is the best such list I have found. It lists the 5 points of Calvinism along with some sub-points and brief explanatory notes, then it merely cites Scriptural references which support each of the points. Although ...
Calvinism, Pain, and Scrutiny
2007-02-09 08:41:02 This is just a brief post to let you know Time magazine recently interviewed Al Mohler regarding his Calvinism, and his recent near-death hospital stay. He did recover fully, by the way. But Time’s interview gives a fascinating insight into how secularism looks at both Christianity and Calvinism. This is definitely worth a quick read. Here it is. (HT: Ryan DeBarr) ?striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God? Eph. 4:3,13 ? Rom. 15:5-7
Calvinism & Evangelism
2006-12-17 14:09:02 Perhaps you are familiar with this parable concerning the difficulties of affirming both man’s free will and God’s all-encompassing sovereignty. A sign above the door to Heaven boldly proclaims “Whosoever will may come!” However, once through Heaven’s gates, an astute observer will notice that the flip side of the sign says, “Only those predestined before the foundation of the world may enter.” There is more than a little truth to this parable. The first sign deals with salvation from man’s perspective. To the awakened sinner, the first sign gives hope that if he will but look, he will live. Calvinism pulls the curtain back on the awakened sinner’s soul and sees God’s Spirit at work in regenerating the sinner, and granting him repentance and faith, due to the second sign. As I see it, Calvinism deals mostly with what goes on behind the scenes, so to speak, in respect to salvation. But let me stress that Calvinism is no... |
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