What is Calvinism really? And where's the biblical proof of it?

[restlesslilly]

Hi all. I'm just wondering these questions because, even though I was raised Baptist, I never even HEARD of Calvinism until recently. From what I've read up on it, the points of Calvinism are easily refuted as not being biblical. But, I wanted to see if anyone who actually believes in it could shed some light on it all for me. Not here to argue, just like to learn about religion. Thank you.:-)

God Bless

[JimfromOhio]

Hi all. I'm just wondering these questions because, even though I was raised Baptist, I never even HEARD of Calvinism until recently. From what I've read up on it, the points of Calvinism are easily refuted as not being biblical. But, I wanted to see if anyone who actually believes in it could shed some light on it all for me. Not here to argue, just like to learn about religion. Thank you.:-)

God Bless

Hi.. I would go another location in CF here: Ask a Calvinist (http://www.christianforums.com/f493-ask-a-calvinist.html)

[restlesslilly]

Hi.. I would go another location in CF here: Ask a Calvinist (http://www.christianforums.com/f493-ask-a-calvinist.html)

Ahh! Thank You, sorry I'm new here and this place is big:)

[IronWill]

Hi all. I'm just wondering these questions because, even though I was raised Baptist, I never even HEARD of Calvinism until recently. From what I've read up on it, the points of Calvinism are easily refuted as not being biblical. But, I wanted to see if anyone who actually believes in it could shed some light on it all for me. Not here to argue, just like to learn about religion. Thank you.:-)

God Bless
What specifically are your questions? You should probably start off discussing one point, and then moving on to another, instead of tackling the whole at once. I came to the doctrine that is commonly called Calvinism on my own merely through the reading and studying of Scripture without the aid of Calvinist literature.

[DeaconDean]

If you wish to really study, and I do mean really study, here is a link to Calvinism, with counter points and arguments against Calvinism from the Arminianism P.O.V.

Warning, this is not for the faint of heart, and not to be taken lightly. The Calvinism and Arminian arguments have been going on for 500 years and in most likelyhood, if the Lord tarries, will continue for another 500 years. This link will provide a person the tools to study in depth, the argument from both sides. Like I said, this is an in depth link, so be ready:

http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Reformed-Theology/Calvinism/

Calvinism is a deep subject, so be prepared.

God Bless

Till all are one.

[arunma]

What specifically are your questions? You should probably start off discussing one point, and then moving on to another, instead of tackling the whole at once. I came to the doctrine that is commonly called Calvinism on my own merely through the reading and studying of Scripture without the aid of Calvinist literature.


Indeed. I became a Calvinist before I ever read a single piece of Calvinist literature. Even now, most of my extrabiblical theological understanding of Reformed doctrine comes from St. Augustine. I don't think I've ever even read John Calvin!

[PrincetonGuy]

Hi all. I'm just wondering these questions because, even though I was raised Baptist, I never even HEARD of Calvinism until recently. From what I've read up on it, the points of Calvinism are easily refuted as not being biblical. But, I wanted to see if anyone who actually believes in it could shed some light on it all for me. Not here to argue, just like to learn about religion. Thank you.:-)

God Bless

Some years ago when I was a young Christian, a Presbyterian minister with whom I was only slightly acquainted purchased two books for me:

The Five Points of Calvinism by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas

The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination by Loraine Boettner

It wasn’t Christmas or my birthday so I asked him why he bought the books for me. He told me that it was important for me to learn the “truths” of Calvinism, and that I would “never learn them from the Bible.” Well, he was right—I never learned them from the Bible! And by the grace of God I read my Bible instead of those two books and God spared me from believing five major doctrines that were concocted largely by a French Roman Catholic politician in the 16th century who studied law and the humanities, never attended a divinity school, and became famous for his role in the execution (burned at the stake) of Michael Servetus. Today he is better known for the five points of Calvinism. :D

Since then I have studied Calvinism, but I still know better than to go tiptoeing through the tulips.:eek:

May God spare you also! :crossrc:

[Erinwilcox]

According to the OP:


But, I wanted to see if anyone who actually believes in it could shed some light on it all for me.


Calvinists were requested to post. This is not a thread to bash Calvinism or Calvinists, rather one for Calvinists to explain their theology.

[£amb]

Hi all. I'm just wondering these questions because, even though I was raised Baptist, I never even HEARD of Calvinism until recently. From what I've read up on it, the points of Calvinism are easily refuted as not being biblical. But, I wanted to see if anyone who actually believes in it could shed some light on it all for me. Not here to argue, just like to learn about religion. Thank you.:-)

God Bless

Sorry...I don't have any light to shed on the subject....:(

But I just wanted to pop in and say Welcome to the forums! :wave:

[eldermike]

I think you will discover many/most Baptists would agree with what Calvin taught if they ever do actually read it. Most will never study it, nor should they.
But the truth is, Baptist's become reformed through bible study. That in fact is how Calvin did it.
So to think that the bible can't support it, is missing the whole point, the bible is the only source of it to begin with.
Any Christian who bears witness to a lost person in the manner of: man was separated from God by Adams sin (biblical), Jesus is the only way (Biblical), He died for those sins, rose in three days and sits at the right hand of the Father as our covering, as our passover (biblical).......all that will/can believe are saved forever(biblical).....this Christian is talking TULIP, right out of the bible,

[Iosias]

became famous for his role in the execution (burned at the stake) of Michael Servetus.


Was that before or after Calvin asked the Council of Geneva (it was never a one man band) not to burn Michael Servetus?


In the year 1553 an event occurred which would forever blacken the reputation of Calvin in the eyes of an ungodly world. In that year a heretic named Michael Servetus entered Geneva after fleeing from France after being condemned for his heresy there and escaping from prison in Vienna. He was seen in the streets of Geneva and arrested on August 13. This trouble he had brought upon himself by his book which denied the existence of the Trinity as well as the practice of infant baptism....the latter position identified Servetus with the hated Anabaptists who had spread the revolutionary ideas of socialism and communism. Why Servetus came to Geneva is not clear though the Reformer Wolfgang Musculus wrote that he apparently thought that Geneva might be favorable to him since there was so much opposition to Calvin.

On August 21, the authorities in Geneva wrote to Vienna asking further information on Servetus. The authorities in Vienna immediately demanded his extradition to face charges there. At this the Genevan city council offered Servetus a choice: he could either be returned to Vienna or stay in Geneva and face the charges against him. Servetus, significantly, chose to remain in Geneva.

The trial began and as it progressed, it became evident that the authorities had two choices: banish Servetus or execute him. They sent to their sister cities Berne, Zurich, Schaffhausen and Basle for their counsel. The counsel from each city was the same: execute the heretic. The method of burning alive was chosen. Calvin intervened to appeal for the more quick and merciful beheading as the method of execution but the council refused and on October 26, 1553, Michael Servetus was executed.
(see (http://reformed-theology.org/html/issue02/c_vs_s.htm))

Here is an extract of Calvin's letter:


…after he [Servetus] had been recognized, I thought he should be detained. My friend Nicolas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_de_la_Fontaine) summoned him on a capital charge, offering himself as a security according to the lex talionis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_talionis). On the following day he adduced against him forty written charges. He at first sought to evade them. Accordingly we were summoned. He impudently reviled me, just as if he regarded me as obnoxious to him. I answered him as he deserved… of the man’s effrontery I will say nothing; but such was his madness that he did not hesitate to say that devils possessed divinity; yea, that many gods were in individual devils, inasmuch as a deity had been substantially communicated to those equally with wood and stone. I hope that sentence of death will at least be passed on him; but I desired that the severity of the punishment be mitigated.
(see (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Servetus))