Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Yes, a question from the back!

Katie asked what is the difference between what you believe and Calvinism

Katie,

that was an excellent question. Calvinism and Armenianism offer competing views and differ from the truth of a Biblical worldview. I would urge you to review this in detail, spending most of your time exploring the scripture proofs for the truths, but understanding the false teaching of the others. In understanding a false teaching, you can teach yourself to be sensitive to it when you hear it, and then speak out against it. Paul spoke on this to Titus. Titus was at the Church in Crete. They had false teachers that were trying to add their Hebrew rituals to the requirements for salvation.

Titus 1:10-14 (NKJV)
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.
The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982

Paul told Titus the "deceivers" mouths must be stopped. It is our job to be so firmly grounded in the Bible that we know when we hear something that is not from God's word. The devil likes to take a lot of truth and add just a bit of a lie to it to deceive us. You have to take it all back to scripture and use that as your guide. Calvinism says that God's elect (saved folks) are picked out before hand. The natural pathway then is, "If God has already elected them, then why do I need to witness to anyone. God is going to save them no matter what." And that pathway is the wide easy path that leads to destruction. I don't believe this is what Calvin intended because he spent much of his life witnessing in Paris. Plus Christ also commanded us to go and to witness, creating disciples, and baptizing them.

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
S. Mt 28:18-20

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