Why do so many Christians find Calvinism (aka doctrines of grace) so offensive? It can't be worldlings, for they would also find Arminianism to be offensive!
T (Total Depravity)
A quick five minute scan through the daily newspapers, TV news and the internet media will confirm the truth of this doctrine!
U (Unconditional Election)
This doctrine allows the Almighty God in Christ to choose whom He will! Not because He saw anything good in the chosen, but just that it pleased Him by His own sovereign grace to do so. (Is this too hard to understand?).
L (Limited Atonement)
This is the one that really angers many believers; that Christ didn't die for every man, woman, and child in the world. A quick perusal through God's Book will confirm this most hated truth; Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Haman, Judas and the unrepentant thief are some examples to prove this fact.
I (Irresistible Grace)
That we cannot resist the Almighty's grace, dare we think otherwise! I can't flatter myself to think that I have the power to do so! Can a true believer resist God? "For Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?" 1 Corinthians 4.7. The Father and the Son don't manifest themselves to us in this present age, no this is the work of God's gracious Holy Spirit who came down to the earth after the Son's ascension, John 14.16, 26.
P (Perseverance of the Saints)
That God will enable the elect to persevere to the end through His almighty power. Yes, we may, stumble and fall a great many times along the road to eternity, but God through His gracious Holy Spirit will enable His elect to enter those "many mansions" in "the Father's house" John 14.2. Will not God "confirm you to the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Corinthians 1.8?
What is the point of writing an extended treatise on the subject? I could write a thousand pages on it, and it wouldn't convince a dyed in the wool Arminian! Simply put, people will believe what they want to believe. Ever remember, God's Word is a revelation! Revelation, and what we learn from the study of God's Book, are two entirely different things: the former being from God, the latter from our own human reasoning.
In a nutshell, Calvinism gives God all the glory, and Arminianism strips the all glory from Him.
Arminian's contend that Calvinism limits the Atonement, yet they freely aver many are not saved! Granted, they will say "ah! but by their own 'free-will'!" But, how can we come to God by our own 'free will'? As unbelievers, were we not once all dead men walking? 1 Corinthians 2.14 and Romans 8.7 should dispel this false notion, plus the general tenor of Scripture.
As a student of prophecy, fulfilled and unfulfilled, it became very clear to me that any prophetic event cannot possibly happen by chance, otherwise how would a yet unfulfilled event come to pass? How could God orchestrate the fulfillment of His written word, down to the last microdot if He were to be reliant on the will of us "grasshoppers" (Isaiah 40.22) down here? It truly baffles me how intelligent believers cannot see the truth of pre-destination and election.
There are some who would call themselves "Biblicist's"; they aver that they are neither Calvinist's nor Arminian, but the plain truth is that there is no middle position; do we have half, or a quarter 'free-will'? Those Bible students who rail against the doctrines of grace are Arminian by default.
There are some who would call themselves "Biblicist's"; they aver that they are neither Calvinist's nor Arminian, but the plain truth is that there is no middle position; do we have half, or a quarter 'free-will'? Those Bible students who rail against the doctrines of grace are Arminian by default.
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