The Divine Right of Calvinist Kings and Lourdes Torres-Manteufel
How can the Catholic Church still be in business and stronger than ever? The fruits of this institution are well documented. Nevertheless, the likes of people such as Sean Hannity who represent everything goodie two-shoes proudly proclaim themselves to be Catholics. Hannity, a contemporary warrior for individualism, liberty, and the American way identifies himself with an institution rivaled by none in regard to oppression, torture, and tyranny.
How can this be?
In case anybody hasn’t noticed recently, in regard to sex scandals and other questionable behaviors, Protestants of all stripes are looking a lot like the Catholics complete with cover-ups and the same lame excuses. The same excuses are absent from the secular realm; Penn State threw icon Joe Paterno to the dogs without hesitation because he knew of child rape that was going on with the football program, reported it, but did not pursue the issue far enough. And, his knowledge of it wasn’t even firsthand. His memorial was torn down from Penn State’s football stadium, and was rescued from being melted down into disremembrance by some supporters who will install a new one in front of a local tavern two miles from the Penn State campus. Not only that, the removal location, at least until recently, seemed to be deliberately unfinished for purposes of a memorial of disdain. As someone who has been in commercial construction, I know that some kind of masonry veneer on that location is no more than a one-day job. Seems to me somebody wanted to send a very strong message.
How can “church” have such demonstrably lower humanitarian standards than secular institutions?
Philosophy; logic if you will. The Bible is like a two-part epoxy; it has no significant bonding power without a proper understanding of reality. Protestantism is not a biblical worldview; it’s a Protestant worldview. A proper grounding in world philosophy and the Bible makes it abundantly clear why people act like they do.
Point in case: one of the most recent of a plethora of Protestant scandals to hit the blogosphere is a lawsuit brought against Patriarchy/homeschool icon Doug Phillips by Lourdes Torres-Manteufel, his former nanny. Instead of Phillips being thrown to the dogs by his peers, the focus is now Manteufel’s supposed complicity in the “affair.” Of course, this is an attempt to defend Phillips by default. If there are two inconvenient “truths,” emphasize the one that you want people to function by for your own purposes. It isn’t exactly rocket science. This enables people to function anyway they want to, while acknowledging inconvenient truth as truth but making the “emphasis” most important. It wouldn’t be right to just emphasize Phillips’ failure because someone else is involved, but because the someone else is more expendable, we will emphasize the latter. This helps the former inconvenient truth to be minimized or even forgotten. In fact, Phillips and his wife are now claiming that the affair was a good thing because their marriage is now stronger than ever: http://www.kens5.com/news/KENS-5-Exclusive-Religious-leader-speaks-out-after-allegations-he-kept-a-woman-as-a-sex-object-255556621.html
Manteufel bad—Phillips good. God used the evil Manteufel to bring about good for his faithful servant Doug Phillips. Ahhhhmen.
But this is where we get into Sean Hannity contra reality. Even in the blogosphere, and by those who deem Manteufel a victim, and are grievously offended by those who accuse her of being complicit and unmanipulated, Phillips is never called a Calvinist Protestant. In the exact same way that Catholics separate the institution from the behavior, Protestants are following suit.
Why is this? To understand this madness you must not separate the Bible from true world philosophy and its true history. Let me give you an example: the large-scale promotion of the Puritans as spiritual heroes in our churches and Christian schools is totally unmerited. History shows clearly that they were superstitious murdering tyrants. And please spare me the excuse that they were not all equally murderous; excuse me, the rest were at least tacitly complicit. If I receive one more John Owen, Hey guys, I don’t think you should burn heretics, but who am I to argue with the Westminster Divines? quote, I am absolutely going to puke. Really, am I here right now?
I don’t know anything about Lourdes Torres-Manteufel or her motives, but her lawsuit is important. It is important because it demonstrates that the only recourse Christians have against Calvinists practicing the divine right of kings is the secular courts. Obviously, Protestant kings stick together. When it is all said and done, John MacArthur allowed himself to sit in the front row of the 2014 T4G conference with CJ Mahaney. Just how clueless are we? When is the lightbulb going to come on? Was MacArthur’s acceptance back into the T4G circuit contingent on him accepting Mahaney? Not only that, Mahaney was supposed to separate the controversy surrounding himsef from T4G by not showing up or speaking. This is probably an indication that criminal charges will not be forthcoming and the recoronation process of Mahaney has begun.
Unless you understand true world philosophy, it is impossible to make heads or tails of this madness. Logic drives history—people just don’t do things for no reason. The divine right of kings is an ancient concept and lustfully embraced by the Catholic/Protestant tradition. But what is it?
It all starts with predestination. Now look, I don’t know exactly where I stand on election as yet, but I do know this: predestination is the foundational doctrine of every tyrant whether secular, mystic, or religious. That should incite some pondering. Think Islam as one example. Next, enter in the idea that only the invisible is good. Matter is evil, and material man is evil, and gee, that’s why he likes material things. So, we are all in this evil boat together; anything that can be perceived with the five senses is evil. Now back to predestination. Whether by a personal God, or the universe, or the force, or some other kind of higher power, a select few able to transcend the five senses and obtain wisdom for social justice (=s unity) are predestined/chosen to lead the masses. In some cases, law is a concept that is perceived by the five senses, so you do the math. In other cases: “Hey, we are all just sinners saved by grace.” “Hey, forgive the way you were forgiven.” “Hey, God gave us the law to show that we can’t keep it, so what’s your point?”
Now, since some are predestined to lead the masses in social justice (defined by unity at all cost), of course, God has given them the right to rule. And of course, they are subject to sin in this totally fallen world inhabited by the material totally depraved and all of their material girls like Madonna. But to throw them to the dogs because they sinned would be a huge mistake because they are the gifted ones. Yes, as a whole, we are much worse off without their leadership. “Condemning” them because of their sin is “throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” And remember, their “right” to rule is from God. Who are you to judge God’s anointed? Sound familiar?
Ok, so what’s the point? Why does everyone get up in the morning and do life? This is ALSO part and parcel with EVERY doctrine held by the tyrants of the world: Dominionism. If the enlightened few can indoctrinate everyone with the right ideas, and eliminate those with contrary beliefs, or bad predetermined genes, more and more social justice evolves until utopian social justice is achieved. The goal is the same for all of humanity: utopia; “If you will just obey us, we and our predecessors and successors can lead the world to utopia!” It’s a marriage made in heaven; without a leader to lead us, chaos will ensue. Ever been in a Protestant church that lost its pastor? Then you know what I am talking about. Job-one is keeping everything together until the coronation of the new philosopher king.
It is love understood in any language, or belief system. Hence, the doctrine is not the issue; A doctrine of unity is the issue. Unity =s utopia. Does it seem at times that unity is more important to the church than justice, or truth? Well my friend—go figure.
Aside: quiver full =s more numbers =s more of the same ideas =s more collectivism =s closer to utopia.
And in the final analysis, fighting for justice as a Protestant is an oxymoron. Even the discernment bloggers have bought into this collectivist ideology that leads to the very tyranny that they fight. Calvinism represents stability to them—they are trying to salvage Calvinism/Protestantism. The root is good, we just need to get rid of the bad fruit.
No, it is the root that is bad, Christians need to seek another tree altogether.
paul
The Language of Calvinist Progressive Justification and No Assurance of Salvation
In the following clip, notice that Calvinist Todd Friel includes Christ’s “perfect life” as being part of the atonement. Problem is, God was “pleased” with Christ when he was baptized by John and lived about three years after that. If God was pleased with Christ at that point, obviously a perfect life wasn’t required. Christ didn’t have to prove that he was the perfect Lamb of God—He was the Perfect Lamb by virtue of who he is. Since when does God prove that He is God?
Furthermore, if Christ had to live a perfect life as part of the atonement, that’s not a righteousness manifested apart from the law (Rom 3:21), and posits the idea that there is a law that can give life (Gal 3:21). These are the two 3:21s that decimate the blatant false gospel of Calvinism. It doesn’t matter who keeps the law, “apart” means apart, and the law can either give life or not give life…for justification.
But the error goes deeper than that. This is the double imputation version of Calvinism. Supposedly, we (Christians) must live life in such a way that our sanctification (Christian living) is by faith alone in Christ’s perfect obedience to both the cross and the law. IF we do that, Christ’s perfect obedience will be imputed to our Christian life, and we will REMAIN justified. It’s salvation by Christ plus antinomianism.
That’s why Calvinists redefine antinomianism as a belief that the law is not needed at all in the Christian life, and they are supposedly “friends of the law” because they believe it is the standard for justification. However, in the final analysis there is no difference; either way, the law isn’t for us to keep (“uphold” Rom 3:31) for any reason. An obedience supplied for us must be applied to our Christian lives by faith alone; the same way we were saved.
Since living by faith alone, as opposed to being declared righteous by faith alone is really tricky business, assurance of salvation is ambiguous and their verbiage reflects this. Salvation finality is usually framed in the future tense, or at least implied that way. Freil states, with an added tonal emphasis, that like unbelievers, “WE” don’t have to die either (versus we will not die). Following the Friel clip, I have a visual illustration from a Piper video clip that also reflects the uncertainty of salvation.
No John Piper; He has already taken our place; no John Piper; His righteousness already counts for me; no John Piper; He is already my solid ground.
Which Jesus do you believe in? The one who has already taken your place? Or the Calvinist Jesus that might take your place IF you do something this way, that way, or the other way?
paul
Calvinism’s Get Out of Election Free Card
We will begin this post by reviewing the abysmal belief system that is Calvinism, but in the final analysis, there is good news for those who embrace it; at least in their own minds.
Calvinism is a hopeless belief system. Plainly, there is no assurance of salvation, and it completely devalues life. It posits God as a god that created mankind so that his wrath against sin could bring him glory. He created abject failure in order to bring himself glory. The heroes among the Calvinists are those who eloquently plunge the debts of how evil we are. That would be the Puritans. All of life’s energies are focused on realizing how worthless we are in God’s eyes. The code phrase is “giving all the glory to God.”
Then, at the one last final judgment, you find out if you hated yourself enough to get into heaven by faith alone in sanctification. And if you don’t make it, oh well, you are merely getting what you deserve anyway. The logic follows:
1. God predestined man to sin according to his sovereign design and will.
2. God is glorified by the astounding reality that he would save anybody.
3. God is glorified by the eternal destruction of mankind.
4. Our struggle with the righteousness of this is evidence in and of itself of our wickedness.
The basic logic leads to an inevitable worldview.
It’s right for God to slaughter women and children anytime he pleases. God gives life and he takes life. Everybody who dies, dies because God wills that they die.
God is taking life every day. He will take 50,000 lives today. Life is in God’s hand. God decides when your last heartbeat will be, and whether it ends through cancer or a bullet wound. God governs.
So God is God! He rules and governs everything. And everything he does is just and right and good. God owes us nothing.
If I were to drop dead right now, or a suicide bomber downstairs were to blow this building up and I were blown into smithereens, God would have done me no wrong. He does no wrong to anybody when he takes their life, whether at 2 weeks or at age 92.
God is not beholden to us at all. He doesn’t owe us anything.
~ John Piper
Likewise, Pastor Steve Lawson, one of the who’s who of the Calvinist resurgence of our day, suggests that Christ himself will personally torture people in hell for all of eternity. Plainly, the Bible states otherwise. Eternal judgment is separation from God. Critical to understanding the Bible is a vast dichotomy between justification and sanctification. There is to be no fear of a future judgment for those who trust Christ, but the Bible does call on believers to fear present consequences for actions contrary to God’s counsel. Calvinism calls for a fear in regard to future eternal judgment among Christians because a dissuasion of security is a Reformed tenet starting with Augustine. No distinction is made between fear in justification (which lacks love and therefore fears judgment) and fear of present consequences in sanctification.
It all looks pretty grim, but membership has colossal benefits for this present life. First, you do not have to take any personal responsibility for what you do. Sinners will be sinners, and we are already damned accordingly. Secondly, it supplies an answer for every question of life: good things that happen are grace; bad things happen because we are evil; and we deserve it. Thirdly, it enables us to detach ourselves from the emotional rigors of this life. We can stand back and observe our own life from a distance. Death, failure, injustice, etc. only serve to show us more of our own depravity as “set against God’s holiness.” The only difference between a lost person and a saved person is the saved person knows of their own depravity. The unregenerate are defined by “Phariseeism,” i.e., they think there is some good within them.
So, how can Calvinists be so happy in all of this? Well, they get the benefit of all of the aforementioned, plus a get out of election free card. The key is the Reformed tenet of the power of the keys. Whatever Reformed elders bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever they loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Reformed elders are mediators between God and man. Yes, fear is a wonderful thing and we can’t be sure we are going to heaven to stay, wink, wink, unless the elders like us. If the elders like us, we are probably in. Membership has its privileges.
I am utterly convinced that this is why there is a church every two miles on the interstate with a 500,000 dollar budget. Listen carefully to what we say: “Such and such is a member in good standing.” Good standing for what? Well, for one, Calvin believed, like all in the authentic Reformed tradition that sins committed in the Christian life “separate us from grace,” viz, salvation. And, forgiveness for that sin can only be obtained through membership in the local church, and by elders who have the authority to forgive that sin. And, only water baptism joins us to the local church. This speaks for itself.
Calvinism is spreading in our culture like wildfire. Any questions as to why? Basically, live by faith alone, and support your local Reformed mediator while living anyway you want to. The fact is, in most Neo-Calvinist churches of our day, people are living in open sin while those who ask questions are the only ones being brought up on “church discipline.” Come now, look around, that’s what is going on. No? This mindset is also responsible for the wildly successful contemporary biblical counseling movement; the good news is that Jesus does everything for you, and if you think you can do anything—you are a Pharisee. A successful marriage is defined as two totally depraved people living together who are on a journey to discover how evil they both are. That was easy!
I believe that we will see huge ecumenical movements in the future that find common ground on the total depravity issue. It will be a common belief that people really don’t change, and that grace defines all of man’s existence. I believe this is the last day’s antinomian blitzkrieg predicted in the Bible, and I believe the hallmark of it will be a reuniting of Protestantism and Catholicism.
Both came from Augustine, and that’s where they will return. The get out of election free membership card will seal the deal. From there, with at least 2 billion votes at its disposal, governments will agree to once again enforce the institutional church’s orthodoxy. This is just a mere repeating of history, and it looks a lot like the book of Revelation. Granted, because of the Enlightenment era and the liberty it exposed humanity to, the final tyranny will not be as ironclad as pax romana, it will be “iron mixed with clay.”
Nevertheless, the freedom offered in antinomianism and its wide easy road will lead to the same bondage experienced throughout human history.
paul
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Luther on Calvin’s Geneva: “With a death sentence they solve all argumentation.”
Why Every Self‐Respecting Premillennialist Isn’t a Calvinist
“One’s eschatology will be consistent with their view of justification—unless you’re John MacArthur.”
At the 2007 Shepherds’ Conference, Pastor John MacArthur gave the opening message titled, “Why Every Self‐Respecting Calvinist Is a Premillennialist.” The message caused a hyper hissy fit among the authentic Geneva style Calvinists that used to associate with MacArthur. Most of the hysterical reviews were whining rants about how the message was an “ambush.” They came to the conference to hear solid fatalistic Reformed doctrine while enjoying sweet fellowship among philosopher kings and instead were personally dressed down at the very beginning of the conference that they attended with hard earned parishioner money. It just ain’t right.
No doubt, the message left amillennialism naked and freezing outside in the cold. Well, sort of, depending on your understanding of Calvin’s election construct. This is why the various responses danced around the real issue and were in bondage to MacArthur’s fundamental misunderstanding about what Calvinism is while calling himself one. Paul warned the Corinthians that elitist academia is not the venue that God works from, and this fiasco is just one good example among many as to why that is so. The Geneva popes could not expose the fact that MacArthur’s fundamental premise is wrong—that would expose what Calvin really believed about election—a truth that the totally depraved artisans can’t handle.
MacArthur said this during the message:
But bottom line here, of all people on the planet to be pre-millennialist it should be Calvinists; those who love sovereign election. Let’s leave amillennialism for the Arminians. It’s perfect! [laughter] It’s ideal. It’s a no-brainer. God elects nobody and preserves nobody. Perfect! Arminians make great amillennialists. It’s consistent. But not for those who live and breathe the rarified air of sovereign electing grace. That makes no sense. We can leave amillennialism to the process theologians . . . The irony is that those who most celebrate the sovereign grace of election regarding the church, and its inviolable place in God’s purpose from predestination to glorification, and those who most aggressively and militantly defend the truth of promise and fulfillment, those who are the advocates of election being divine, unilateral, unconditional, and irrevocable by nature for the church, unashamedly deny the same for elect Israel. That is a strange division.
Ok, so MacArthur highlighted one of the assumed positive notes that can be taken from the idea of Calvin’s election: Once saved always saved. And, absolute assurance of salvation because it is God’s work alone—we can’t mess it up. And, how can you proffer election for the individual and ignore the fact that Israel was elected? This put the Geneva popes in a tough spot because they know that this apparent contradiction fits perfectly with Calvin’s doctrine of election.
Calvin believed in three categories of election: the non-elect, the called elect, and the chosen elect. This necessarily denies assurance because the called elect don’t know for certain whom among them have been chosen. Calvin stated this in no uncertain terms:
Let us, therefore, embrace Christ, who is kindly offered to us, and comes forth to meet us: he will number us among his flock, and keep us within his fold. But anxiety arises as to our future state. For as Paul teaches, that those are called who were previously elected, so our Savior shows that many are called, but few chosen (Mt. 22:14). Nay, even Paul himself dissuades us from security, when he says, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall,” (1 Cor. 10:12). And again, “Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee,” (Rom. 11:20, 21). In fine, we are sufficiently taught by experience itself, that calling and faith are of little value without perseverance, which, however, is not the gift of all (CI 3.24.6).
You can be called, and you can have faith, but that doesn’t seal the deal, said Calvin:
The expression of our Savior, “Many are called, but few are chosen,” (Mt. 22:14), is also very improperly interpreted (see Book 3, chap. 2, sec. 11, 12). There will be no ambiguity in it, if we attend to what our former remarks ought to have made clear—viz. that there are two species of calling: for there is an universal call, by which God, through the external preaching of the word, invites all men alike, even those for whom he designs the call to be a savor of death, and the ground of a severer condemnation. Besides this there is a special call which, for the most part, God bestows on believers only, when by the internal illumination of the Spirit he causes the word preached to take deep root in their hearts. Sometimes, however, he communicates it also to those whom he enlightens only for a time, and whom afterwards, in just punishment for their ingratitude, he abandons and smites with greater blindness (CI 3.24.8).
So, this fits perfectly with Calvin’s eschatology; Israel was temporarily elected just like many individuals are temporarily elected. The logical conclusion of Calvin is that God’s word did, in fact, fail (Romans 9:6). Moreover, and in direct contradiction to 1John 5:13, authentic Reformed doctrine has always denied assurance. This is reflected in many contemporary authentic Calvinists:
There is danger on the way to salvation in heaven. We need ongoing protection after our conversion. Our security does not mean we are home free. There is a battle to be fought (John Piper: Bethlehem Baptist Church Minneapolis, Minnesota; The Elect Are Kept by the Power of God October 17, 1993).
Words mean things. Piper is clearly saying that our battle in sanctification is a battle for justification. If you really understand the Reformed view of justification, you know the following: the “battle” is against our supposed propensity to gain favor with God through works in sanctification (effot to please/love God changed to; merit for salvation). There is no separation of justification and sanctification so works in sanctification must be sanctified with a faith alone formula. It’s salvation by Christ plus not doing any works in sanctification (Christ + antinomianism to maintain our salvation). We must be sanctified the same way we were justified so that we can properly finish justification. Therefore, Calvin believed that sins committed in the Christian life separate us from grace, and a continual repentance, the same repentance that saved us, is needed to maintain our salvation. Unless we live by faith alone in sanctification, Christ’s blood will not be applied to the new sins we commit. This is the battle Piper is talking about. Said Calvin:
…by new sins we continually separate ourselves, as far as we can, from the grace of God… Thus it is, that all the saints have need of the daily forgiveness of sins; for this alone keeps us in the family of God (John Calvin: Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles; The Calvin Translation Society 1855. Editor: John Owen, p. 165 ¶4).
And, guess what? It just so happens that your local Reformed elder, via the Reformed power of the keys, has the authority to forgive those pesky sins that take away your salvation. Who would have thunk it?
To impart this blessing to us, the keys have been given to the Church (Mt. 16:19; 18:18). For when Christ gave the command to the apostles, and conferred the power of forgiving sins, he not merely intended that they should loose the sins of those who should be converted from impiety to the faith of Christ; but, moreover, that they should perpetually perform this office among believers (The Calvin Institutes: 4.1.22).
Secondly, This benefit is so peculiar to the Church, that we cannot enjoy it unless we continue in the communion of the Church. Thirdly, It is dispensed to us by the ministers and pastors of the Church, either in the preaching of the Gospel or the administration of the Sacraments, and herein is especially manifested the power of the keys, which the Lord has bestowed on the company of the faithful. Accordingly, let each of us consider it to be his duty to seek forgiveness of sins only where the Lord has placed it. Of the public reconciliation which relates to discipline, we shall speak at the proper place (Ibid).
Calvinism is an egregious false gospel being flaunted in broad daylight by academic elitists who are in reality clueless, which brings me to my second point. This is where the vast majority of American Christians are functioning Calvinists…among many other ways while vehemently denying Calvin. Specifically, the whole idea that eschatology is a “secondary issue.” No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Eschatology is gospel; you cannot separate the cross from eschatology. One’s eschatology will be consistent with their view of justification—unless you’re John MacArthur.
The number of resurrections and judgments, and who stands in those judgments, are indicative of a particular view of justification, and election in particular. MacArthur’s dispensationalism coupled with naming the name of Calvinistic soteriology, which really isn’t Calvin’s soteriology, to begin with, is a dumbfounding contraction that leaves one without words to fully explain. Calvin’s eschatology calls for one resurrection and one judgment at the end of time where everyone sweats it out while waiting to find out if they were antinomian enough. Some of the books at the Great White Throne Judgment are the books of the law that will be used by God to judge the works of those standing in that judgment. As one aspect of Christian security, we will not stand in that judgment because we are not under the law. Furthermore, we don’t wait to see if our antinomianism sufficiently utilized the “doing and dying” of Christ to cover our sins—our sins have been completely eradicated.
The number of resurrections and judgments speak to our view of what part of Christ’s works on the cross are finished and not finished, the separation of justification and sanctification, the new birth, election, and future Israel. Eschatology is gospel.
That’s why every self‐respecting premillennialist isn’t a Calvinist, and why MacArthur isn’t a Calvinist, but he thinks he is a Calvinist. As stated by Richard Muller,
There is every likelihood that John MacArthur’s “Calvinism” would probably not be recognized by Calvin himself.
It’s all simply pathetic.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
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