A Horrifying Misrepresentation of God

Piper writes an entire book "to defend the claim that God is not unrighteous in unconditionally predestinating some Israelites to salvation and some to condemnation."

God pleads with all of Israel. All Israel killed the Lamb, sprinkled blood, were delivered from Egypt, ate the manna, and "did all drink the same spiritual drink...that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ" (1 Cor. 10.4). Yet God predestined many if not most of them to eternal condemnation without the choice? On the contrary, it was clear that God desires the eternal salvation of all Israel whosoever is willing.

Edwin H. Palmer most assuredly is not a Christian. He writes, "The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will...for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures...to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to praise His glorious justice."

What a horrifying misrepresentation of God. There is a certain sick satisfaction one can have by concocting a great twisting of God's Word. This is what Calvinists get off on.

Piper admits that "fifteen women were burned at the stake" and that there were some cruelties by John Calvin. He further said, "The worst was his joining in condemnation of the heretic, Michael Servetus, to burning at the stake in Geneva... Calvin argued the case against him. He was sentenced to death...he was burned at the stake on October 27, 1553. This tarnished Calvin's name so severely that many cannot give his teaching a hearing." Then Piper goes on to try to defend this murderous barbarian. There were dozens others burned at the stake, not just Servetus, and there were many Christians who did not practice torture and burning at the stake in Calvin's day, thus proving that no one needed to make "accommodation to brutal times." Would Paul have, or John, or Christ? Why Calvin?

Could it be that Calvin's view of God (as taking pleasure in damning billions He could save) fit right in with the "harshness of the times"? The charges against Servetus were theological not civil and were at the hand of the Devil himself through Calvin operating in the sphere of the kingdom of heaven making people believe Calvin was a child of God even to this day. Eight years later, Calvin was still advising other rulers to exterminate heretics "like I exterminated Michael Servetus..."! How proud he was of murder! Calvin was a victim of his time? No, he was a victim of his theology! And his theology was a product of him being unjustified and an unregenerate.