"Calvinistic Predestination"

1. Bible predestination is where God pre-determined, not the identity of the saved, but the character of the saved
2. We are not opposed to predestination, for the Bible teaches it. However, Calvin's view of predestination is entirely unbiblical and therefore false doctrine.

   What is foreknown by God in these Bible Verses?
   Text	Personal Identity?	Character, purpose & plan?
   Eph 1:3-4	.
   1 Cor 2:7	.
   Rom 8:29-30	.

    

   B. God is not a respecter of persons: Ax 10:34; Rom 2:11-12; 1 Pe 1:17

   C. God does not will that any perish but all be saved: Tit 2:11; 1 Ti 2:3-4; 2 Pe 3:9

   D. Makes the Devil no enemy for the saved to worry about, if predestined 1 Pe 5:8 Why beware?

   E. Our eternal destiny (heaven or hell) is based entirely upon personal choices we make based upon our own free responses to God. If we end up in hell, we can only blame ourselves!

    

   Bible Texts Calvinists misuse to prove

   "Calvinistic Predestination"

   1. Acts 4:28

   What was "determined before?" The death of Jesus! This death had been prophesied as a part of God's plan (Lk. 22:21­22; Acts 2:22­23). The Jews did not realize that they were fulfilling God's plan and He did not force them to kill His Son; they were accountable for their own actions.

   2. 1 Corinthians 2:7

1. The context shows clearly that it is God's plan of redemption that was foreordained. In verse 5, the power of God is in the gospel (Rom. 1:16).
2. In times past, it had been a mystery, not fully revealed.
3. Even the prophets did not understand completely about Christ.
4. But now this plan is revealed as the wisdom of God (Eph. 3:3­5; 1 Pet. 1:10­12).
5. This sacrifice was "for our glory" or salvation. It was a part of God's eternal purpose (Eph. 3:8­11).

1. Who is under consideration here?
2. "those who love God" ­ not a few whom God loves
3. "the called according to His purpose" ­ we are not called by a still, mysterious voice or by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit or by God Himself, but by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14).
4. Those who hear, believe and respond in obedience are referred to as "the called" (Gal. 1:6; 1 Pet. 2:9).
5. In Romans 8:29­30, we can see the unfolding of God's plan. God determined to send mankind a Savior to die for all men.
6. He foreordained all of the events before they actually took place.
7. In that sense, God predestinated our salvation. It was not that He selected us individually to be saved or lost, but that those who accepted the gospel call would be saved.
8. Those who answer that call are justified and glorified.

1. God has had an eternal plan in mind ­ a scheme of redemption for those who will accept it.
2. Those who are chosen are those who are "in Him" (Christ) ­ vs. 3­4
3. We become God's children by our faith in and obedience to Christ's gospel (v. 5). God adopts us into His family upon our obedience ((Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:4­6).
4. The counsel of God's will (v. 11) refers to His decision to send Jesus to redeem the obedient.

1. The Bible does teach predestination, but not the kind that Calvinists teach. The Bible does not teach that God has decided ahead of time who will be saved and who will be lost. We are free, moral agents with the capacity to accept or reject God's commandments.
2. Predestination or fore ordination is what God did before the world began, as He determined to save man from sin through the sacrifice of His own Son. Those who answer His call through the gospel experience the blessings of that plan now in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 2:3­11)

1. Argument: God opened her heart to receive the word, then she heard end then she was saved.
2. Answer: Our Calvinistic friends have things out of order. Lydia began as a worshiper of God (vs. 13­14). And after she heard Paul and Silas and Timothy preaching, then her heart was opened. She responded and obeyed the Lord (v. 15). [Note: Calvinists want to use this passage but exclude the baptism.]

1. Read verses 1­8. In this passage, we see again the free agency of man in choosing to obey or disobey God.
2. Those who are spiritually minded will be obedient to the commandments of God.
3. Those who are carnally minded will be disobedient. It is just that simple.
4. God does not force anyone to accept or reject His will.

1. Calvinists will actually argue that they do not personally have a free will to choose anything.
2. Man becomes a puppet/robot of either
   • Devil: "The Devil made me do it"
   • God: "God forced me into becoming a Christian although I was having fun as a sinner"
3. Passages that prove man has a free will and God expects man to choose to do right
   • Deut 30:15-18; Josh 24:15; Jn 15:6-7; 3:16
4. Man can "resist the Holy Spirit": Acts 6:10; 7:51-55
5. Without free will, many of Bible statements make no sense:
   • "Why do you call me Lord & don't do what I say" Lk 6:46 Why? God willed it that way!
   • "Whosoever believes shall be saved" Jn 3:16 (Rather whosoever God makes a believer)
   • "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Re 22:17
   • "And whosoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them." Lk 9:5 (Testimony against God you mean)
   • "Come to me you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest" Mt 11:28
6. How can man be held accountable to God for his actions in judgment without freewill?

• "We must all appear before the judgment that each may be repaid for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." 2 Cor 5:10
• Is it fair to send someone to hell for sins he was forced to commit having no freewill?
• It contradicts the parable of talents where man is held accountable for his actions. Mt 25:19.
• Negates the importance of man's obedience

What is foreknown by God in these Bible Verses?
Text	Personal Identity?	Character, purpose & plan?
Eph 1:3-4
1 Cor 2:7
Rom 8:29-30

1. Our eternal destiny (heaven or hell) is based entirely upon God's choice not our own???

2. God is not a respecter of persons: Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11-12; 1 Pe 1:17
3. God does not will that any perish but all be saved: Tit 2:11; 1 Ti 2:4; 2 Pe 3:9
4. Makes the Devil no enemy for the saved to worry about, if predestined 1 Pe 5:8 Why beware?

1. If the saved are predestined to be saved and the lost are lost and no one can be "saved" unless the Holy Spirit performs a direct operation, why evangelize
2. If salvation is totally dependent upon God, why would God command evangelism?
3. Why waste our time evangelizing if all is predestined. How can we know who to preach to?
4. Why does God have us preach (we are puppets) to people who do not respond?

1. We understand the Bible the same way we learn anything else. (reading, study and hard work)
2. The Calvinist believes the only way you can understand the Bible is through the direct guidance and interpretation of the Holy Spirit. Yet the HS told us in Eph 3:3-5 we can understand the Bible when we simply read.
3. Faith comes from hearing/reading the Bible: Rom 10:17
4. Jn 16:12-13 & 2 Pe 1:22-21 are quoted to prove the HS guides you to understand the Bible

What are these Bible verses talking about?
Texts	How we interpret the Bible?	How the Bible was written?
John 16:12-13
2 Peter 1:21-22

• Song: "The World's Bible" "Christ has no hands but our hands to preach His word today, He has no feet but our feet, to lead men in His way. He has no tongue but our tongues, to tell men how He died. He has no help but our help, to bring them to His side. We are the only Bible the careless world will read. We are the sinner's gospel, we are the scoffer's creed. We are the Lord's last message, given in deed and word. What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred? What if our hands are busy, with other things than His? What if our feet are walking, where sin's allurement is? What if our tongues are speaking of things His life would spurn. How can we hope to help Him and welcome His return?"

1. Calvinists teach than only the "predestined saved" are personally called by God
2. The Bible teaches that all men are called through gospel: 1 Th 2:14 some accept, others reject!
3. Humans are the means that God always uses preach the Gospel to save men. God may directly or providentially send a preacher to a sinner, but only humans preached the actual message.

• The Holy Spirit never preached the Gospel directly: Acts 8 (Conversion of Eunuch)
• Jesus Christ never preached to Gospel after His ascension: Acts 9 (Conversion of Paul)
• Angels never preached the gospel: Acts 10 (Conversion of Cornelius)
• It is a real barrier to men truly being saved...It is a doctrine of the Devil:

1. Many a faith has been destroyed by waiting for the "better felt than told feeling" call.
   • Those who are honest within themselves never get this feeling and conclude they are not on the "saved list" and give up on God.
2. Those who are dishonest deceive themselves into a false sense of assurance of salvation by thinking they have received the call of God through feelings.

• Subsequent efforts to show them they are deceived bring replies like. "I know I'm saved...I got the feeling!"
• Pentecostalism provides a similar barrier, if men falsely claim to speak in tongues etc.

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