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The fourth tenet in Calvinism known as “irresistible grace” has the Holy Spirit overpowering man’s will. If you are one of the elect, then the Spirit will call you inwardly and it is impossible to resist. Such makes man a mere robot. To the contrary of this false teaching, we can quench the Spirit, though we should not (1 Th. 5:19). Those that Stephen preached to were guilty of always resisting the Holy Spirit, which had a direct connection to disobeying His Law (Ac. 7:51-53). We must remember that “the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (1 Cor. 14:32). Calvinism strikes at the very foundation of man’s intellect. God made man with the capacity to grow in knowledge and expects us to do just that (2 Pt. 3:18). God expects man to put in the work needed to know and obey Him (1 Tim. 2:4, 4:13; 2 Tim. 2:15). He has furnished us with His complete, infallible Word and expects us to understand and apply it to our lives so that we may be complete (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pt. 1:3, 20-21; Jm. 1:25; 1 Jn. 2:21; Jn. 17:17). It is possible to look into the mirror of the Holy Spirit inspired Word and walk away, having made no changes, just like a standard mirror (Jm. 1:23-24). Instead, let us keep our zeal glowing, our knowledge growing, and our walk behind Christ going (Tt. 2:11-14)! We should be ever thankful to God that He has given us the gift of will and love Him enough to obey His. Trent Thrasher
The third tenet in Calvinism is termed “limited atonement” which teaches that Christ only died for the elect (those individuals whom God predetermined to save before time began regardless of their choice). Otherwise, Calvinists assert, He wasted His precious blood. The blasphemy of false doctrine can not be overemphasized! The Bible is plain that Christ died for all. The LORD laid on Christ the iniquity of us all (Isa. 53:6). Jesus tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9). Christ Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:5-6). Christ died for all (2 Cor. 5:14-15; cf. Rm. 3:23, 6:23). Jesus gave His flesh for the life of the world (Jn. 6:51). The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that the world through Him might be saved (Jn. 3:16-17). God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). Jesus Christ is the propitiation (appeasement) for everyone’s sins (1 Jn. 2:1-2). Christ died for us when we were yet sinners (Rm. 5:8-11). The Bible is clear, and the Bible is right! Christ died for all! We then have a responsibility to alert others of this great news. Let us get the gospel of the grace of God (Ac. 20:24) out to those whom Christ died for (everyone), this day and every day (cf. Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16)! Trent Thrasher
From the beginning, God gave man the ability to choose. Adam and Eve could either eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or they could choose not to (Gen. 2:16-17). Eve was deceived by the serpent and made the choice to eat of the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6; cf. 2 Cor. 11:3). Adam also ate by his own choice (Gen. 3:6). Thus, man sinned by transgressing God’s Law (1 Jn. 3:4). Consider the absurdity of having a law and resultant judgment if there was no ability to choose. It is the will of God that all people be saved, yet not all people are saved (1 Tim. 2:3-4; Mt. 7:13-14, 21). Why? Man has his own will or ability to make his own decisions. Man can choose to be saved by obeying God or lost by not obeying (Heb. 5:8-9; 2 Th. 1:7-9). Jesus had His own will and subjected it to the Father’s will which is our target (Jn. 6:38; Mt. 26:39). God does not show partiality to people nor is He a respecter of persons (Ac. 10:34-35; Rm. 2:11). God has placed redemption in His only begotten Son (Eph. 1:3-7). So, we must choose to get into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). God calls everyone the same way which is through the gospel (2 Th. 2:13-14). Thus, the church needs to get the gospel out (Mk. 16:15-16; Ac. 8:3-4). God wants all to come and take the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17). The invitation of Christ is still open to take His yoke and to learn from Him (Mt. 11:28-30). Yes, we all have a choice in whom we will serve which results either in salvation or condemnation, so let us stay with God (Jos. 24:14-15; Jn. 5:28-29)! Trent Thrasher
I do not recall the exact time I heard it called “a stinky flower,” but it has stuck with me ever since. I am talking about the acrostic TULIP which outlines the five major tenets of Calvinism:
John Calvin (a 16th Century reformer) was credited with making these teachings popular hence the name of Calvinism. Though these ideas did not necessarily originate with him, he did make them very accessible. Like Hymenaeus and Philetus, the message has spread like cancer (2 Tim. 2:17). You will find Calvinistic teaching in almost every denomination and some cults, and sadly it has permeated some of the thinking of the church. It is false to the core on all five points. Let us examine that first tenet known as total hereditary depravity. Imagine a world in which newborn babies are born totally separated from God as guilty as the devil himself. In fact, their souls could not be any darker! Imagine a world where we inherit the guilt of our ancestors’ sin regardless of any choice we have made. This is the basic teaching of total hereditary depravity. The Bible teaches that we are all born into this world innocent as the offspring of the righteous and holy God (Ecc. 7:29; Ac. 17:28; Ps. 106:38). Christ embraced children and proclaimed of such is the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 19:14). Unless an accountable person is converted and become as little children he or she cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 18:3). It would be absurd for Jesus to tell Nicodemus that a person must be born again to see the kingdom of God if children are born sinners (Jn. 3:1-5). Sin is a choice, and each of us will bear our own guilt (1 Jn. 3:4; Jm. 4:17; Ezek. 18). We will be judged according to what we did in our own bodies (2 Cor. 5:10). Total hereditary depravity reflects horribly upon God and to this we wholeheartedly reject it. A stinky flower indeed! Trent Thrasher
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