Category Calvinism

Luke 15:11-32 The parable of the father with two sons, the younger of whom squandered his inheritance and returned in humiliation to his father, begging forgiveness and mercy to return as a servant, thereby escaping certain destruction (he was starving.)

First of all, the younger son chose to leave the father; he was not sent or driven away, nor did his father intend him to go. He demanded his portion of the inheritance before his father died; the father did not offer it to him, nor suggest that he could take it and take his leave. Once gone, the son’s “riotous living” was his own choice; nothing compelled him nor did Jesus give any indication that any motivating influence came from the man’s father to cause him to sin...

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 (AV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

8 (ignt) τη γαρ χαριτι εστε σεσωσμενοι δια της πιστεως και τουτο ουκ εξ υμων θεου το δωρον

9 (AV) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

9 (ignt) ουκ εξ εργων ινα μη τις καυχησηται

(for full parsing, please see the following link: https://scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/eph2.pdf)

To what does the word “this”, touto  in the Greek, refer in Ephesians 2:8-9? Every pronoun must refer to a noun used in the same context, usually prior to the use of the pronoun, though not universally so, or to a concept expressed in relationship to its use...

Matthew 22:1-14

And answering, Jesus again spoke to them again in parables saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is likened to an human king, who makes marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call the invited to the wedding and they were not willing to come.

Again he sent other servants saying, “Tell those having been invited, ‘Look! I have prepared my dinner: my bulls and my fatlings have been killed, and all are ready! Come into the wedding.’”

But uncaring, those went away, one indeed to his own field, the one yet to his merchandise.

But the rest, taking hold of his servants, abused and slew them.

But hearing [this], the king was angered, and sending his armies, destroyed those murderers and burned up their city.

Then he said to his servants, ‘Indeed, the wedding is ready...

Jesus told the Pharisees that, “If you were blind, you would not ever have sin. But now you say, ‘We see’, then your sin remains.” John 9:41

In other words, if any of His hearers had been incapable of seeing, they would not have been guilty of sin. Jesus is not referring to physical eyesight, but the ability to perceive and comprehend what sin is. Without that ability, a person does not have sin.

An infant is born completely incapable of such perception and comprehension, and lives a significant time before possessing those abilities. Consequently, an infant does NOT have sin at birth, nor does a child, until that time when they are capable of seeing, and comprehending what they see...

Matthew 13:10-16

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, ‘Why speakest thou unto them in parables?’

11 He answered and said unto them, ‘Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which says, “By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they...

What Does it Mean for God to be Sovereign?

Christians disagree on the implications of God’s sovereignty, because they differ on their understanding of the meaning of the word.

According to dictionary.com[1], the word sovereign means:

1. a monarch; a king, queen, or other supreme ruler.
2. a person who has supreme power or authority.
3. a group or body of persons or a state having sovereign authority.
4. a gold coin of the United Kingdom, equal to one pound sterling: went out of circulation after 1914.

and sovereignty, the adjective, refers to:

5. belonging to or characteristic of a sovereign or sovereign authority; royal.
6. having supreme rank, power, or authority.
7. supreme; preeminent; indisputable: a sovereign right.
8. greatest in degree; utmost or extreme.
9. being above all others in character, importan...

The tenets of Calvinism present Satan’s original argument to Eve, accusing God of saying what was not true in order to prevent His human creation from their best good, and ensure that they would do wrong so that God would have occasion to demonstrate His power and authority over them. Satan’s first question to Eve contained a factual error that lured her into her attempt to correct the record of God’s words. Satan worded the question in such a manner as to imply a fault on God’s part, impugning God’s character by the implication, which Eve naively corrected in her response:

“Has God said that you may not eat of the trees of the garden?”

“Yes, we may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden...

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
8 τη γαρ χαριτι εστε σεσωσμενοι δια της   πιστεως και τουτο ουκ εξ υμων θεου το δωρον
             n;DAT;Sg,F   vpPerfPasNomPlm  GenSgF nGenSgF      NomSgn                                     nNomSgn

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
9 ουκ εξ εργων ινα μη τις καυχησηται
               nGenPln

Calvinism claims that saving faith is “gifted faith” – that God causes each person whom He elected and foreknew to receive faith from God in order to be saved...

Looking at Matthew 11:25-30, notice a few things:

“Come unto me all who labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus was speaking to the crowd; His invitation is to ‘all’.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn of me…” something they must choose to do for themselves.

My Strong’s concordance notes re: 1014 are interesting: “will; to will, to be willing, to be disposed, minded, intend.” But when you look at the other ‘will’ 2309 thelo / theleo etc., it says “to determine; as an active option from subjective impulse” and calls attention to 1014, stating 1014 ‘properly denotes passive acquiescence in objective considerations”. In other words, the 1014 “will” found in 11:27 has the sense of allowing something to come about...

T – Total Depravity of Man

U – Unconditional Election

L – Lmited Atonement

I – Irresistable Grace

P – Perseverence of the Saints

Total Depravity of Man:

Calvinism states that when Adam sinned against God, human nature changed. Mankind became inherently wicked by inheriting from Adam a “sinful nature” which is supposedly acquired as a consequence of his disobedience. All humans born after Adam would inherit his innate wickedness, being born with a nature completely at enmity with God; in-born rejection of God, a disinclination to consider or hear God, and an inability to respond positively to God. Wicked humanity would, if God did not intervene, naturally and wilfully oppose God in every way, with neither the desire nor the ability to choose to do otherwise...