Dear Wayne

The question you should really ask is, “what do I think of the false doctrine of Calvinism?” If you can answer that question then everything else falls into place. Either you believe the doctrine of Calvinism is out of the pit of hell, or you believe it to be God’s Word – which it is not.

Win wrote:

@Tom When we speak from the pulpit or share the gospel with someone is it we who are speaking or is it the Holy Spirit?

It can either be the Holy Spirit or demons who inspire preachers (John 16:13; 1 Timothy 4:1). Presumably, some may ask: But, can’t the Holy Spirit who is sovereign overrule the doctrines of demons and make the preachers speak only what He wants them to speak, like a ventriloquist controlling a puppet. Those who believe that man does not have a free will or, as some believe, does have one but it is so corrupt that he cannot make any good decisions, will evidently say that the Holy Spirit can and will overrule the demon’s doctrines because He is sovereign, especially in the case of the elect who are the only ones who God chose to be saved.

Calvinists and many others who deny that they are Calvinists but inadvertently uphold their reformed doctrines, misinterpret God’s sovereignty. Of course, God is sovereign. He does as He pleases, and his counsel shall stand, no matter what the powers of this world and Satan may do to prevent Him (Isaiah 46:10; Psalm 2:1-4). However, no reference is made to individual salvation, redemption and regeneration whatsoever in Isaiah 46:10. The salvation which is spoken of in verse 10 was the salvation of Zion and Jerusalem (Israel) from their bondage in Babylon at the hand of the Persian King Cyrus.

Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:3 that preachers will no longer endure (tolerate) sound doctrine contributing to the health of the soul and salvation. This alone proves that man has a free-will to either choose in favor of sound doctrine or to reject it. You can only tolerate or not tolerate sound doctrine when you have a free-will. If Jesus only spoke what He heard his Father had commanded to speak (John 12:49), how much more should we do the same by studying the Word of God and relying completely on his Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (John 16:13).

You wrote:

When Paul or Peter wrote the epistles, were the authors Paul/Peter or the Holy Spirit? We know the author was not man but we also realize the instrument was man – thats why the difference in style in each epistle. It is this wonder that is a great mystery – how God in interaction with man generates a direction. Is it man’s decision/action only? no. Because if it was then faith is by works.

Jesus Himself associated faith with work.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (John 6:28-29).

The Amplified says it correctly as follows:

They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]

Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].

Calvinists and those who do not believe that man is endowed with a free-will, place the emphasis on “This is the work of God,” asserting that salvation is a sovereign act of God without a man having any part in it. It is not only bad hermeneutics but erroneous etymology. “This” refers to “that you believe in God” and not to affirm that God sovereignly chooses whomsoever He wills. (Romans 10:4). At any rate, Jesus responded to the Jews question, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” and not to what God does. They never asked, “What shall God do.” God has already done everything for the salvation of mankind when He sent his Son to die on the cross for our sins. He was offered as a sacrifice for sins once and forever for sins. (Hebrews 10:12). Who has sinned? (Romans 3:23). You cannot say He was offered only for the elect because all have sinned, and, as Hebrews 10:12 says, He was offered for sins. If he loved and died only for the elect, it would mean that only the elect are sinners.

You wrote:

If it was man’s sole decision to accept/reject salvation, then there is no surety or stand because man can change but God is the same yesterday, today and forever. The perfect plan of God and the ultimate end is God’s own glory.

God never decides for or against someone or on behalf of someone. And, it is not man’s decision and acceptance that secures the redeems’ salvation. The promises of God gives believers the surety that they will never lose their salvation.

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:28-30)..

Jevat Mehovich

I really think you should first take out the beam from your own eye before trying to remove the mote from mine. You accuse me of hatred and condemnation whilst you uphold a doctrine that is built on hatred and extreme condemnation. What love is this when God for his own pleasure and glory chose an elected but a few and decided to send the rest to hell, even before the foundation of the world? There’s no justice in that, and to say that He does it because He is sovereign is despicable. Yes, I believe in the sovereignty of God but it is a sovereignty of justice, righteousness, and pure love. It is not his will that any should perish and that all should come to repentance and faith. And that’s why He is patiently postponing the return of his Son (2 Peter 3:9).

Your doctrines of grace are not based on the Bible but on the teachings of the murderer, John Calvin, who had Servetus and others burned at the stake. I already know all the arguments and verses Calvinists use to substantiate their vile doctrine of “no free-will.” So, it won’t help you to quote to me verse after verse without testing it with other verses in the Bible. For, instance, like a true Calvinist you quote John 6:44 which is one of their pet passages in Scripture but refuse to interpret it in terms of another verse that explains it.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32).

I suggest that you become like a little child (Matthew 188:3), and go back to school to learn what the word “ALL” means. By the way, I am not condemning you; You have already condemned yourself with your abimonable doctrine of “no-free-will.”

God honors man’s free-will. If He hadn’t He would never have given man the choice to choose between life and death.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:19).

He never chose life or death for them or in their behalf. He gave them the ability to choose for themselves.

Jevat Mehovich

John 3:16:18-20 confirms that man has a free-will. It does not mean that man is unable to come to the light. If it were true that man is unable to come to the light, Jesus would never have extended this invitation to all mankind.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30).

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Luke 5:31-32)

No! saith you and your cohorts, He came to save the elect who have no free-will.

Jevat Mehovich

One question: Did God choose some to be saved and the rest not? (“What Love is This?” by Dave Hunt).

If free-will is so evil, as you say, why did God give Israel the choice between two opposites?

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deu 30:19)

All men have the choice to choose between life or death.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (Joh 3:18).

Your rendition reads as follows:

He that is elected and predestined by him is not condemned: but he that is not elected and predestined is condemned already, because he was not elected and predestined unto salvation before the foundation of the world.
(Jevat 3:18).

This is NOT the Gospel. It is another Gospel that cannot save. Please don’t comment here again. You are twisting Scripture to your own destruction.