Arguments Against Calvinism
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Acts 13:48 does not support Calvinism.
Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. - Acts 13:48
John 6:44 does not support Calvinism.
- This verse tells us, that if God draws someone, then they can come to Christ, not they will come, but can come - meaning are able to come to Christ. There is nothing showing irresistible grace in this verse.
- Calvinism teaches that John 6:44 teaches that one CANNOT believe in God unless God ordains their belief. However, John told us later in the book:
Romans 9:32 proves that faith is not a work.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
We see in Romans 9:32 that works are not faith.
Romans 4:5 proves that faith is not a work.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
In the above scripture we see that the person who has faith, who believes, is not performing a work. Thus, faith is not a work.
Edwards (erroneously) conflates desire or "preferring," with will or choosing.
In Edwards' own words: [emphasis added]
Jonathan Edwards argued for double predestination, that God's not electing some is still a choice / decision.
In Edwards' own words: [emphasis added]
Thomas Jefferson thought Calvinism was wrong.
Thomas Jefferson said in a letter to John Adams (both men were early US presidents) ...
Will Durant did not hold Calvinism in high regard.
Dr. Durant won the Pulitzer prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by US President Gerald Ford. Durant was a historian and philosopher.
Durant's book The Story of Philosophy is credited with introducing philosophy to more people than any other book ever written in the world.
His multi-thousand page, 11 volume historical work, The Story of Civilization, took 5 decades to write. 1
Below is a quote from Will Durant regarding John Calvin:
Calvinism encourages ungodliness.
Calvinism says (erroneously):
God ordained me to be the sinful way I am.
The resultant fruit is too often the conclusion:
So why fight against my being the (sinful) way that God ordained me to be?
Charles Haddon Spurgeon emphatically rejected Limited Atonement.
In Spurgeon's own words:
I know there are some who think it necessary to their system of theology to limit the merit of the blood of Jesus: if my theological system needed such limitation, I would cast it to the winds. I cannot, I dare not, allow the thought to find lodging in my mind, it seems so near akin to blasphemy. .... 1
John 9:3 does not teach that God causes sickness, nor does it teach that God is glorified by sickness.
In John 9:3 we read the following, regarding a man born blind:
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
We must recall that punctuation was not in the original. I put a period in the verse, as in the quote below. I take the verse to mean this:
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents. Then Jesus said that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Calvinism tends toward destruction of feeling loved.
Calvinism claims (incorrectly, thank God!) most people to be doomed to damnation from birth with no hope. Fortunately, there really is hope! But - and this is where Calvinism gets this totally wrong - not according to Calvinism. This obviously might lead some who believe this to be true, toward despair.
For some people who might feel unloved by people, there could be hope that at least God loves them. Calvinism destroys such hope of love. Example: one person upon realizing the implications of Calvinism, cried for 18 hours.
God is glorified by ordaining all events, since this means God is sovereign.
Ordaining wickedness does not glorify the person who ordained it.
It might be argued that, not the wickedness per se, but the ability, or power, to be able to control all events, is the real essence of why those events (even wicked events) glorify the powerful one who ordained them.
This reasoning elevates the power of God. Power is one of God's attributes. It is not the only one.
Others? Love. Justice. Righteousness. Holiness. Truthfulness. Goodness.
Limited atonement does not glorify God
Limited atonement does not glorify God, instead it paints the picture of God as a tyrant, unjust, respecter of persons, not a loving God.
Faith is not a work.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
In the above scripture we see that the person who has faith, who believes, is not performing a work. Thus, faith is not a work.
Sovereignty of God does not require micro-manipulation.
TBA (to be added)
Synergism and monergism represent a false dichotomy, not found in scripture.
Synergism claims God is helped by man to do something, in particular, salvation. Monergism claims God does it all - salvation - by himself.
Man's free choice to receive Christ as savior, is considered by Calvinism as synergism - man helping God out. However, God does all the saving. God just chose to do all the saving for certain people. Calvinists claim God does choose to (or has chosen to) save only certain people. On the other hand, God himself claims he chose to save certain people also - specifically, those people that believe.
"Synergism" does not imply weakness of God.
See also Synergism - Monergism.
Calvinism claims that if God wants all to be saved, literally all people, and man can choose to reject salvation, then man is overpowering God.
However, by this line of reasoning, Peter was right in trying to forbid man from overpowering God in crucifying the Messiah! But Jesus did not see it this way, in Matt 16:23. 1
But, we might argue, Peter was going against God's plan.
2 Pet 3:9 indicates God's will is that all be saved.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9