Tom Lessing replied:

Colin

DTW does not defend Arminianism, Servetus, or anyone else’s views. We search the Scriptures to see whether whatever is preached comes from God or not. And, those who do not agree must prove us wrong from Scripture that we are in error. However, we will not sweep historical well-researched facts under the carpet. Henceforth, I give you the follwoing facts on Servetus from “What Love Is This” pp. 79-90 by Dave Hunt.

Born Miguel Serveto in Villanova in 1511, the man known to the world as Michael Servetus “discovered the pulmonary circulation of the blood—the passage of the blood from the right chamber of the heart along the pulmonary artery to and through the lungs, its purification thereby aeration, and its return via the pulmonary vein to the left chamber of the heart.” He was in some ways “a bit more insane than the average of his time,” announcing the end of the world in which “the Archangel Michael would lead a holy war against both the papal and Genevese Antichrists.”

Unquestionably, he was a rank heretic whose ravings about Christ reflected a combination of Islam and Judaism, both of which intrigued

him. He was, however, right about some things: that God does not predestine souls to hell and that God is love. His otherwise outrageous ideas might have passed unnoticed had he not published them and attempted to force them upon Calvin and his fellow ministers in Geneva with aggressive, contemptuous, and blasphemous railings. That Servetus titled one of his published works The Restitution of Christianity could only be taken as an intentional personal affront by the author of the Institutes of the Christian Religion.

Servetus wrote at least thirty unwelcome letters to Calvin, which must have irritated the latter greatly. On February 13, 1546, Calvin wrote to Farel, “Servetus has just sent me a long volume of his ravings. If I consent he will come here, but I will not give my word, for should he come, if my authority is of any avail, I will not suffer him to get out alive.”

I hope you see that we do not approve of Servetus’ theology but that we are appalled and vexed by Calvin’s murders. Servetus was not the only one he murdered. There are many others. Yet, Calvinists just about worship Calvin. How is that possible? I don’t have the time to compare Servetus with Scripture. Please do your own research. We are not spooning feeders.

[Edited by DTW – had an error with the comments section. Had to repost Tom’s comment manually]

Hi Chuck. Thank you for your comment. Be sure that all those who stand for God’s truth without compromising an iota or tittle SHALL be ostracized and persecuted. Calvinists must of necessity misinterpret John 3:16 because they have imbalanced God’s love and sovereignty.

We (the apostles and Paul)are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1 Jn 4:6).

I was ostracized from a Calvary Chapel Church because I exposed two instructors at their small seminary, for teaching Calvinism. 

(I will not mention which one out of respect for the many good pastors there, and because the Calvinist teachers were finally let go.)

Now, mind you this was back in 2006. A time when it was well known that Chuck Smith was very strict in his rule that NO ONE was to ever teach Calvinism if they are under the Calvary Chapel banner. 

At the church I attended, I exposed close friends of the head pastor, and one of those men were close enough to the head pastor’s nephew who was also a very loved Worship leader, that he was heavily influenced. (He had his own problems)

Now in defense of the head pastor, he did not teach Calvinism, but he was blind to the incrementalism that was seeping into the minds of his congregation. Many of the flock truly thought they were getting great enlightenment into the Word. I must admit, Calvinist teachers are good at teaching people. That is because they can disguise their true beliefs by making what they teach sound so right.

For a time, I myself almost fell for some of their teachings. Almost. Yet, I have always been blessed by God to see through the fog of well spoken words that can cloud the minds of so many lazy Christians. I say lazy, because they do not read the Scriptures diligently enough to be ready for false teachings as they should. 

Too many Christians, even those who attend services on a regular basis, will join groups more for the social aspect. While blindly accepting what they are told is fact without question. Instead of being like the Bereans and checking the Scriptures daily to be sure what they are told is true, they accept everything they are told, just because someone has a title.

Now I do not question their salvation, but as Paul said, you are still on milk, it’s time for you to chew the meat. Yet they never do their part in checking the scriptures themselves. They just allow others to tell them what the Scriptures say. I knew many at the church, like myself, who started questioning things, but never really had the backbone to stand up and call out the teachers who had no cloths on. 

Well, I was never one to be shy, and God blessed me with an ability to write things in a way that makes one’s mind pay attention. Now, one of the most truly blessed teachers I have ever known was one of the seminary teachers. As much as he agreed with me, he could not get the attention of the head pastor. Mainly because the congregation loved the false teacher.

My friend asked me to use my words to write a convincing letter to the elders, to see if I could convince them. So, I put pen to paper and wrote what was in my heart. I pointed out the things they taught, and the books they used. I did my diligent home work, and did my best not to be condescending or angry. I presented the facts as I saw them. Then awaited the fireworks.

Within a week, the buzz was going around that the school was being shut down, and the pastors were confronted with my letter. They could not deny what I wrote, and thus handed in their resignations. At the time I had a ministry going at a retirement center I had built up to 24 plus ladies and a few men. I did Monday Bible studies and the Sunday message.

Well, the nursing home hired a new director, and it was an avowed Lesbian. A week before Easter I was told I was not welcomed back. This all happened about a Month after the closing of the churches budding new seminary school. I asked for some help with my situation, and the church turned their back in helping me. I was persona non grata, and lost my ministry. I fell because of my part in revealing the false teachers who were poisoning the congregation with Calvin’s teachings.
 
Now, you must understand that one of the Calvin teachers was a very good speaker. The gentleman had a way with presenting the Word. He was able to make the congregation sit at the edge of their seat as they awaited what he would say next.

Yes, he was, I guess he still is, a gifted speaker who knew how to keep your attention. He could thread the message of the Scriptures in a smooth flowing while expounding upon them in such a way that you were completely lost in his narration. Two hours could go by without you once looking at your watch. OH, if I were so blessed as an orator as he was.

Yet, as we all know, you don’t kill a mouse with 90% poison and 10% food. OH no. You use 99% food, and 1% poison. In those two hours you would be given a gift. A gift that he could later build upon to lure you even deeper into the teachings of John Calvin. Many who were mesmerized, became angry at me for exposing him for his teaching of Calvinism. I was ostracized, and felt shunned by many. Many who, while they agreed with me, felt it was best to distance themselves from me to keep their standing in the social club. As it were.

For me, it comes down to one Scripture that Calvinists cannot get past. No matter how they try, they cannot discount, nor explain it away. Many tried, but even they come to relaize they cannot.

“”For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”” John 3:16

It was the first verse I ever memorized. I was 8 years old, and it has always been in my heart, That verse has kept me from ever falling for any false teachings, and from following any cults. In all those years after memorizing that verse I never once denied who He was. It was that verse that saved me long before I accepted Christ. God kept fighting, because He knew I would eventually come around.

For Calvinists to be right, then Jesus had to be telling a lie. It’s as simple as that. When I walked with the devil in my many wayward years, I never dared to argue against God. I never once tried to say Jesus was wrong. I never ever claimed the Scriptures were made up. I always knew they were true, and thus I willfully accepted the fact that if I never came around that I would go to hell one day, because I knew I was wrong.

In reality, that made me worse than those who just don’t know. O’ Lord, I know You know, that I knew, that You are who You are, and Your patience has proven perfect and true.

About Me

Michael!! Welcome back 🙂

Oct 23 2009
On Calvinism

“Turn to your Bible and read for yourself in the only two chapters in which this word predestinate or predestinated is found. The first is Romans:8:29-30

, the other chapter is Ephesians:1:5 and 11. You will note that there is no reference in these four verses to either heaven or hell but to Christ-likeness eventually. Nowhere are we told in scripture that God predestinated one man to be saved and another to be lost. Men are to be saved or lost eternally because of their attitude towards the Lord Jesus Christ. Predestination means that someday all the redeemed shall become just like the Lord Jesus”

“D.L. Moody used to put it very simply the elect are the ‘whosoever wills’ the non-elect ‘whosoever wont’s’. This is exactly what scripture teaches, the invitation is to all, those who accept it are the elect. Remember, we are never told that Christ died for the elect”.

“Whosoever means, whosoever.” Only a biased theologian, with an axe to grind, could ever think that it meant only the elect.”

–H.A. Ironside

And how are you saved…by Harry Ironside

https://youtu.be/4dCnrLMy1r8

Hi Andre

We have many articles on Calvinism that explain just that, Calvinism is very complex and one article does not do it justice. Please read all articles under this section: The Truth about Calvinism Thank you 🙂

John

>> Thanks to those who seem to hate me

You start your comment off by lying. You sayd “Thanks to those who seem to hate me” No one hates you John. When someone tells you that you are following false teaching it’s because WE LOVE YOU.

>> Calvin sticks to the gospel of Jesus.

Really, how so? When God laid out the commandments to Moses that said Thou Shalt Not kill, who went against that commandment and murdered people? That’s right, John Calvin. How can you John follow the doctrine of a murderer? Find one instance in the bible where born again men/women murdered people that did not agree with their teaching. Did any disciple of Jesus murder people because they did not agree with others? No. Does the bible tell us that we must murder those who we don’t agree with? NEVER. How can you follow after the teachings of a man who murdered people indiscriminately and had a smile on his face when he did those evil things?

Be well in the Lord, those who love him. Let Him be sovereign. We prefer our God our way one supposes, but he is not our doll to dress up in our clothes.