Faithful
03-24-2009, 04:22 PM
Calvin often contradicted himself. He taught that all men "are born and live for the express purpose of learning to know God" and therefore "it is clear that all those who do not direct the whole thoughts and actions of their lives to this end fail to fulfill the law of their being." Calvin here is contradicting his own Calvinism. How could the very "law of their being" compel all mankind to seek God, when they are unable to do so? It would make sense for men to be unwilling to fulfill the "law" of their being, but to be unable to do so would indict the Creator.
Having acknowledged the fact that God made man to seek, to find and to know Him, how could Calvin believe in Total Depravity? Would God have made all men for the very purpose of seeking after and knowing Him, as Paul plainly said on Mar's Hill (Acts 17.26-28), and at the same time neglect to provide the very grace they need for that seeking and knowing? And why would God predestinate to damnation before their birth multitudes of those He would bring into the world "for the express purpose of learning to know" Him?
"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring" (Acts 17.26-28).
Check out this horrible, unbiblical picture by Calvin that spawned the idea of Irresistible Grace. He said that when men "do think of God it is against their will; never approaching him without being dragged into his presence, and when there, instead of the voluntary fear flowing from reverence of the divine majesty, feeling only forced and servile fear which divine judgment extors...which, while they dread, they at the same time also hate."
Were the elect ever totally depraved so they had to be irresistibly forced? Or where they drawn by God? Many testify to having took pleasure in seeking God. Enoch walked with God. Abraham was a friend of God. Moses spoke with God face to face. David's psalms testify to a perpetual seeking after and thirst for God. Daniel's time in prayer with God was so precious to him that the threat of being thrown into the lion's den could not cause him to give it up. Where does it ever say these men were irresistibly drawn by God, who changed their wills without willing cooperation on their part? We are told that "Daniel purposed in his heart" (Dan. 1.8)-not that he was regenerated and then given the faith and desire to seek God.
The Bible contains abundant testimony to the fact that men can be drawn to God and do indeed eagerly come and fall down and worship Him. Even if the picture of totally depraved mankind that Calvin paints were true, wouldn't that be all the more reason for a God who is love to extend His grace to all mankind in order to fulfill the purpose for which even Calvin admits He created them? The Calvinist interpretation of John 6 undermines this and hundreds of other scriptures.
Calvinists seem far too eager to embrace a few verses that say man doesn't seek the Lord (confusing unilateral, unconscionable, arbitrary coercion out of an alleged "total depravity," not giving the opportunity to be saved, for the enabling grace needed for everyone because of "propensity to sin") and too reluctant to accept the far greater number of verses that urge man to seek God and that tell of the many who found and love Him. Sadly, the God of Calvinism is very selective with his own brand of love and grace and takes pleasure in damning billions. In defense of God's true character, Christians insist again that such is not the God of the Bible.
Having acknowledged the fact that God made man to seek, to find and to know Him, how could Calvin believe in Total Depravity? Would God have made all men for the very purpose of seeking after and knowing Him, as Paul plainly said on Mar's Hill (Acts 17.26-28), and at the same time neglect to provide the very grace they need for that seeking and knowing? And why would God predestinate to damnation before their birth multitudes of those He would bring into the world "for the express purpose of learning to know" Him?
"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring" (Acts 17.26-28).
Check out this horrible, unbiblical picture by Calvin that spawned the idea of Irresistible Grace. He said that when men "do think of God it is against their will; never approaching him without being dragged into his presence, and when there, instead of the voluntary fear flowing from reverence of the divine majesty, feeling only forced and servile fear which divine judgment extors...which, while they dread, they at the same time also hate."
Were the elect ever totally depraved so they had to be irresistibly forced? Or where they drawn by God? Many testify to having took pleasure in seeking God. Enoch walked with God. Abraham was a friend of God. Moses spoke with God face to face. David's psalms testify to a perpetual seeking after and thirst for God. Daniel's time in prayer with God was so precious to him that the threat of being thrown into the lion's den could not cause him to give it up. Where does it ever say these men were irresistibly drawn by God, who changed their wills without willing cooperation on their part? We are told that "Daniel purposed in his heart" (Dan. 1.8)-not that he was regenerated and then given the faith and desire to seek God.
The Bible contains abundant testimony to the fact that men can be drawn to God and do indeed eagerly come and fall down and worship Him. Even if the picture of totally depraved mankind that Calvin paints were true, wouldn't that be all the more reason for a God who is love to extend His grace to all mankind in order to fulfill the purpose for which even Calvin admits He created them? The Calvinist interpretation of John 6 undermines this and hundreds of other scriptures.
Calvinists seem far too eager to embrace a few verses that say man doesn't seek the Lord (confusing unilateral, unconscionable, arbitrary coercion out of an alleged "total depravity," not giving the opportunity to be saved, for the enabling grace needed for everyone because of "propensity to sin") and too reluctant to accept the far greater number of verses that urge man to seek God and that tell of the many who found and love Him. Sadly, the God of Calvinism is very selective with his own brand of love and grace and takes pleasure in damning billions. In defense of God's true character, Christians insist again that such is not the God of the Bible.