Calvinists, Arminians, and Discernment Bloggers: Why They Will Not Accept the Truth About John Calvin
Originally published December 1, 2013
The Christian community continues to belabor the symptoms resulting from the false gospel of Calvinism. This is a doctrine that is no different from any other works salvation and should be categorized with Adventism, Mormonism, and all of the other isms. Election isn’t the issue; the 5 points are not the issue; at issue is another gospel. A couple of articles written this week are good examples. Dr. Jay Adams wrote a good article about the pervasive lack of practical application in contemporary preaching. But that is a symptom of the problem: Calvin believed that Christian living is the New Testament expression of the Old Testament Sabbath. Hence, to do works in the Christian life is the same as violating the Old Testament Sabbath by working. According to authentic Calvinism, we are saved by faith alone, but since salvation is not a finished work in the believer, we must continue to live by faith alone to keep ourselves saved. Therefore, authentic Calvinism expressed in New Calvinism is a complicated theology that enables us to live the Christian life by faith alone. This is nothing new. James had to refute it and it is why Martin Luther rejected the book of James.
That’s why there is no practical application in today’s preaching: it is deemed as works salvation. I have cited John MacArthur in previous articles who has repented of preaching practical application and has stated such plainly. He has stated that we do not apply Scripture to our lives—the Holy Spirit applies it and in most cases we do not even realize that we are obeying. Why? Because it is not us doing the work. He has plainly stated his belief on this. This is the mysticism of realm manifestation that is part and parcel with authentic Calvinism. It enables the living by faith alone in the Christian life by replacing our works with gospel manifestations of good works.
In another post this week, Joel Taylor of 5Point Salt suggested that Christians should show New Calvinist Mark Driscoll more mercy because we all “make mistakes.” Mistakes? Driscoll preaches another gospel. The apostle Paul proclaimed a curse on those who preach another gospel. Why is Christianity refusing to deal with this problem? The reasons follow: 1. Calvinists are in-between a rock and a hard place because the resurgence of authentic Calvinism in the form of New Calvinism has brought to light what Calvin really believed. They don’t want to look stupid because they have been calling themselves Calvinists all of these years and didn’t know what he really believed. 2. Arminians are in-between a rock and a hard place because they have been preaching for all of these years that the issue with Calvinism is the election issue. They, too, do not want to look stupid because the real issue all along has been a fundamentally false gospel. 3. Discernment bloggers want to deal with the behavior (the symptoms) and not the gospel because they are Protestants, and by design, they are theologically dumbed down. They are the least guilty of the three. They are attempting to do something about the problem via what they can understand: behavior, but in doing so, they are focusing on symptoms and not the disease. They need to get beyond Hospice care and find the cure. Unfortunately, and perhaps wisely, they treat the New Calvinists as misguided because they don’t have the theological wherewithal to make the case for a false gospel. But again, it is kinda not their fault as they have been deliberately dumbed down by Protestant ecclesia.
This has been a Reformed tradition for more than 500 years and is grounded in Augustinian Neo-Platonism. But, looking stupid shouldn’t be the issue; a love for the truth should be the issue; the eternal future of people should be the issue. What a difference it would make if notable Calvinists would admit that they missed it. What a difference it would make if Seminaries would preach the truth about New Calvinism.
paul
More Discernment Blog Folly: Negotiating with Prophets of Zero Sum Life
“Um, excuse me, but if you are a child of God, it is not even just for God to forget your good works (Heb. 6:10), why would He be just in slaying you? And, isn’t God’s last enemy death? (1Cor. 15:26).”
Observing life does teach us about the Bible to a degree. One criticism we often hear about God is that He is cruel. After all, in the Old Testament, we find that He instructed Israel to completely wipe out certain people groups; men, women, children, livestock, and pets.
John Immel made a brilliant observation at this year’s TANC conference. In Europe, where our American spiritual roots came from, religious wars dominated their history. In America we can’t have religious wars, so people fight over the color of the carpet, and you have the ongoing drama such as the latest Acts 29 episode with Mark Driscoll and the J.D. Hall controversy.
Then you have the war correspondents; the discernment blogs. They “cry for justice” on behalf of the victims, but no justice will come. Why? When the sum of life is zero, you don’t deserve justice, you only deserve death. Consider the quotation sent to me by a reader from one of the premier evangelical leaders of our day:
My late friend James Boice and I frequently flew to various conference and events. I am a white-knuckle flyer whereas he loved the bumps and the feeling of exhilaration that comes from flying through the air. While I looked anxiously out the window, he said, “What is the matter. R.C.? Don’t you believe in the sovereignty of God?” I replied, “Jim, that is my problem. I do believe in the sovereignty of God, and I know that he would be perfectly just to crash me into the ocean right now. That is why I am so nervous.”
Um, excuse me, but if you are a child of God, it is not even just for God to forget your good works (Heb. 6:10), why would He be just in slaying you? And, isn’t God’s last enemy death? (1Cor. 15:26).
God commanded the Israelites to wipe out certain people groups because they had a philosophy of zero sum life. You can’t negotiate with such people. If they are your neighbors, they will be constantly seeking to dominate you because you are enslaved to the earthy senses that value life. You are bad for the collective. Plato got it from the Hindus, Augustine got it from Plato, and Luther/Calvin got it from Augustine. And the Neo-Calvinists got it from Calvin. Their zero sum life theology is TULIP, and the doctrine is predicated on man’s total depravity which is a total sum zero of life.
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
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