8
votes
According to Calvinists, does God command the non-elect to do what is for them impossible?
Monstrous surely is the madness of the human mind, that it is more disposed to charge God with unrighteousness than to blame itself for blindness.
Before answering positively, allow me to object to ...
- 8,035
7
votes
Why does the debate over election/predestination matter?
The pastoral reason this debate matters so much is because of the related doctrine of assurance (which itself is intimately related to justification by faith alone). To put it bluntly, if our ...
- 1,549
5
votes
To be one for whom Christ died, do you have to be elect?
No. There are no such conditions as you are trying to make.
'Christ died for the ungodly', it is written.
'He that cometh to me, I will in wise cast out', said Jesus.
'Come unto me, all ye that are ...
- 21.8k
4
votes
Accepted
In what sense are angels elect?
The 1657 Westminster Confession of Faith, which the Reformed Tradition subscribes to, indeed explicitly understand some angels as elect.
Quote from Chapter III (Of God's Eternal Decree) points 3 and 4:...
- 20.6k
4
votes
What does John 3:16 mean according to Calvinism?
From John Calvin's Commentary on John chapter 3
John Calvin made much about the love of God in John 3:16 arguing that the cause is the love of God for us, not any good in ourselves, or any quality ...
- 121
4
votes
Accepted
Did Waldensians believe in unconditional election?
Spurgeon's quote is legitimate, but it comes from a translation of the 1655 Confession of the Waldenses, chapter XI, as reproduced in Philip Schaff's Creeds of Christendom:
XI. That God saves from ...
4
votes
How do Calvinists interpret 2 Peter 1:10?
Calvinists from Calvin to the present day have interpreted this verse as relating to man's assurance, not God's will.
John Calvin specifically responds to those who say this verse implies that the "...
3
votes
To be one for whom Christ died, do you have to be elect?
To be saved a person has to acknowledge that they are a sinner and they must repent before God.
It is the Holy Spirit who convicts people of their sin and brings them to repentance before God.
To be ...
- 27.4k
3
votes
Accepted
Why does the debate over election/predestination matter?
For a Calvinist, belief in the doctrine of election:-
Plays a major part in whether you believe in the God of the Bible, or not.
About the True God His Word says: All the peoples of the earth are ...
- 6,093
3
votes
Accepted
If unconditional election is true do we worship God in vain?
If we have no control over whether we receive or reject grace, someone
can never truly know if they are saved or condemned.
Reformed theology teaches the doctrine of assurance of salvation, in ...
- 1,349
3
votes
Why does the debate over election/predestination matter?
I’m going to give the simplest answer I know. After I became a Christian in my mid-20s, it only began to slowly dawn on me, after the event, the wonder of why God would save a sinner like me, and how ...
- 23k
3
votes
Why does the debate over election/predestination matter?
First, let's address the premise of your question:
one way to summarize it is that we are debating whether God decides that the sinner decides to come to Christ and accept Him as Lord and Savior and ...
- 20.6k
3
votes
Does Calvinism recognize that it has God working at cross purposes to His stated desire?
In my experience, though it would be difficult to quantify the matter, most 'Calvinists' would repair to the Authorised Version (KJV) to respond to this question, therefore :
The Lord is not slack ...
- 21.8k
3
votes
What happens if someone who is not elect tries to seek God?
The tough part of answering this question is understanding your meaning of "seek God." Of course the Reformed perspective on salvation (soteriology - study of salvation) is that no one with true ...
- 41
3
votes
How does free will fit with the doctrine of predestination?
According to the definition of free will that you provide, Calvinists do not believe in free will. The basic text for this question is Calvin's Treatise against Pighius, but it is also addressed in ...
- 2,248
3
votes
Election, Gods Sovereignty and Is Cain Saved?
Marc,
You are not alone in your struggles with the doctrine of predestination. Many others (including myself) wrestle with these profound doctrines.
In your particular case where God is speaking to ...
- 374
3
votes
To whom the Election applied according to the Calvinist (TULIP)?
God’s Sovereign Election applies to every human being ever born. That does not mean that every human being ever born will be saved, and universal salvation is not supported within the Five Points of ...
- 27.4k
3
votes
Accepted
Is the doctrine of "Particular Election" synonymous with that of "Unconditional Election"?
A common way of describing the Calvinist "doctrines of grace" is to use the mnemonic TULIP which stand for Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and ...
- 6,093
3
votes
To be one for whom Christ died, do you have to be elect?
It is important to read these in context. I have shown many people wrong on their claims of what scripture says by putting it in context. It is also important to ignore chapters for anything except ...
- 121
2
votes
How is God's Predestination according to Calvinist?
No one ever deserves to be in Heaven. Everyone that goes to Heaven deserves to be in Hell... always. Only Jesus deserves to be in Heaven. The rest of us get there by God's free grace, through faith ...
- 6,093
2
votes
1 Thessalonians 1:4, how is the chronological order according to Calvinism?
Since both the love of God for his own, and the election of God, in Christ, are an eternal matter, rather than a matter of time, I think that the question, in its present form, cannot be answered.
...
- 21.8k
2
votes
Election, Gods Sovereignty and Is Cain Saved?
The main issue about unconditional election is the basis upon which God elects people. God elects people to salvation by His own sovereign choice and not because of some future action they will ...
- 27.4k
2
votes
What does John 3:16 mean according to Calvinism?
I think that this extract from John Calvin's Commentary on the verse under consideration is so clear that I need not add my own comment :
Commentary on John 3:16,17
“For God so loved the world.” …So ...
- 21.8k
2
votes
How would a Calvinist interpret Matthew 13:37-40?
The Calvinist understanding is that election occurs before anyone is even created. So, in your ball analogy, before the balls are created, God first determines how many there will be, which ones will ...
- 1,349
2
votes
According to Arminians, why do they find Calvinism distasteful or inaccurate?
Calvinism is not a demonic lie, but...
I was really hoping this question would disappear because it is not edifying or helpful to dwell on particular pieces of hurtful rhetoric which have been ...
- 1,586
2
votes
Does Calvinism recognize that it has God working at cross purposes to His stated desire?
My favorite personal conceptualization:
God gives us free will. Although it's too weak to fully effect faith in Christ, God still foresees this little movement. In this way, all who are serious ...
- 20.6k
2
votes
To be one for whom Christ died, do you have to be elect?
In Catholicism, Christ died for all, that is, He offered salvation to all and made a path to Heaven for all.
However, He only died for many unto the remission of sin -- those who apply Christ's merit ...
- 659
1
vote
To be one for whom Christ died, do you have to be elect?
The confusion lies in not grasping Christ's ministry as a whole. We can't stop at only His first mission, but need to see His whole mission to all sheep (Jn 10:16).
First, He was sent to the lost ...
- 12.2k
1
vote
Why does the debate over election/predestination matter?
Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. - Psalm 29:1-2
The ...
- 13.1k
1
vote
How would a Calvinist interpret Matthew 13:37-40?
I wonder if the heart of your question is found in a related question:
If God "shows no partiality," how do Calvinists defend predestination?
If you are just focused instead on the ...
- 533
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