Calvinism Examined

Teachings from a Neo-platonic philosopher, apparently influenced by a spirit guide, influenced Augustine who influenced Calvin & modern theology. Thus, teachings and doctrines of devils may have ultimately influenced ideas of Calvin and modern theology (including Calvinism).

The trace-back is 

modern theology - Calvin / Augustine - Neoplatonism - Plotinus - devil?

Historically, Calvin claimed he could have written most of his teachings by quoting Augustine. 

Augustine was influenced by Neo-Platonic philosophy. The major figure of Neo-Platonism is Plotinus, who is "generally regarded as the founder of Neoplatonism." 1

Porphry, who knew Plotinus, reported that an Egyptian priest of Isis claimed, on meeting with Plotinus, that  Plotinus had a spirit guide who was a god. .. or, a devil? 2

HOMAGE TO PLOTINOS FROM A VISITING EGYPTIAN PRIEST.

Plotinos showed a natural superiority to other men. An Egyptian priest, visiting Rome, was introduced to him by a mutual friend. Having decided to show some samples of his mystic attainments, he begged Plotinos to come and witness the apparition of a familiar spirit who obeyed him on being evoked. The evocation was to occur in a chapel of Isis, as the Egyptian claimed that he had not been able to discover any other place pure enough in Rome. He therefore evoked Plotinos's guardian spirit. But instead of the spirit appeared a divinity of an order superior to that of guardians, which event led the Egyptian to say to Plotinos, "You are indeed fortunate, O Plotinos, that your guardian spirit is a divinity, instead of a being of a lower order." ...

PLOTINOS'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE PUBLIC MYSTERIES.

As Plotinos's guardian spirit was a divinity, Plotinos kept the eyes of his own spirit directed on that divine guardian. That was the motive of his writing his book 3 that bears the title "Of the Guardian Allotted to Us." ...

Even if merely thought to be not of a devil, and really human in origin, we might think twice before blindly accepting those ideas Plotinus taught. Why were those ideas considered by his student to be those of some spiritual entity? Was Plotinus hallucinating? Do we want to build important concepts on such a foundation?

1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

We can trace influence as Calvin <- Augustine <- Plotinus <- devil?

If one discounts the existence of spirits, one might question any doctrines arising from one supposedly guided by such. On the other hand, if one does admit the existence of spirits, one might find even more reason for concern before blindly accepting the tenets of Calvinism. The Bible warns not to believe every spirit (1 John 4:1), and warns of doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1). Either way, the theological concepts of Calvin that are rooted in the ideas of Plotinus become significantly questionable.

• 1See https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plotinus/
• 2See https://www.gutenberg.org/files/42930/42930-h/42930-h.htm#FNanchor_6
• 3See https://www.gutenberg.org/files/42930/42930-h/42930-h.htm#FNanchor_6

One person cried for several hours upon realizing what Calvinism implied and believing Calvinism to be true.

Rom 5:18 uses all to refer to all men being condemned. It also uses all to refer to the free gift coming upon all men to justification.

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

If the word all referring judgment and condemnation, in the first part of this verse, really refers to all, then the same word would also refer to all men in the last part of the verse. Both uses of the word "all" are in the same context, in the same book, even the same chapter, and even the same verse. More, they are in the same sentence.

There is no reason for all to literally mean all in one case, and to not literally mean all in the other.

Since Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike accept that all men are condemned, then we can safely assume that all in this verse also refers to the free gift coming upon literally all men.

This means the atonement was for all, not limited in its scope.

Perseverance of the saints is dependent on the choices of the saints.

Man has a choice to receive God, and that is one condition on which salvation depends. To as many as received Jesus, to those he gave power to become the sons of God. John 1:12

Election in the Bible never refers to salvation.

Believers, not sinners, were predestined to their (believers') future inheritance. 1

The word predestine/predestined/predestinated... appears 4 times in the Bible (KJV), in the verses below (this is not counting occurrences of the terms elected, chosen, etc.):

1. Eph 1:5
2. Eph 1:11
3. Rom 8:29
4. Rom 8:30

What does predestine mean? Kevin Thompson points out that Historical Theology by Alister McGrath defines predestination as God's ordaining from eternity who will be saved and who will not. This is how Augustine defined it. Is this the definition of the term in scripture? Kevin Thompson says it is not. 2

pre-destine means

For a destination to be decided [- destine] beforehand [pre -].

This short description deals with presdestination, not election. They are different; predestination does not equal election. 

The problem with this definition

The problem with this definition of the word is that it assumes

1. who performs the predestining (God)
2. who is being predestined (sinners)
3. to what they are predestined (new birth / salvation)

Reading the above 3 things into the scripture, on the basis of one's presupposition, is called eisegesis. While eisegesis is inserting ideas into scripture, exegesis is getting ideas from scripture. Obviously, to understand the Bible, one should do exegesis, not eisegesis.

2 (not the only) views - regarding those who get saved

1. Arminianism says God predestines salvation, because God knows the choice of sinners.
2. Calvinism says God predestines salvation, because God predestines the choice of sinners. 3

They both say that God predestines the result - salvation (or not) - though for different reasons. Both these views (or "-isms") assume the following:

Assumptions of Calvinism and of Arminianism

1. who predestines -> God
2. who is being predestined - the sinner
3. to what are they predestined - salvation of the soul

We shall examine scripture to see if these 3 assumptions are found in scripture.

Now, let's look at those 4 scriptures that mention forms of the word predestine.

The 4 Scriptures

1st scripture: Eph 1:5

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

The predestination in this verse is to adoption.

Is adoption getting born again, saved? Per scripture, Rom 8:23 says the saved ones wait for adoption, so this is not getting saved; otherwise already saved people are waiting to get saved! If adoption is predestined, and this adoption is not salvation - then what is it?

Rom 8:23 says adoption is the redemption of the body. 4

See below [bold emphasis mine]

Rom 8:23 And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body. 

Note that redemption is in the future, for saved people, in Eph 1:13-14.

Eph 1:13-14 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Note that redemption is also in the future, for saved people, in Eph 4:30:

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Per Eph 1:1 Paul is writing to saved people. So, Eph 1:5 is not lost people predestined to be saved, but saved people predestined to the redemption of the body.

2nd scripture: Eph 1:11

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Compare with I Pet 1:4-9:

I Pet 1:4-5

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ...  

Note "in the last time" in v 5. This indicates future. 

Eph 1:11 is saying that the predestination is that of saved people to their predestined future inheritance in heaven.

3rd & 4th scriptures: The last 2 verses - Rom 8:29 and 30

Rom 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Could conformed to the image of his Son in Rom 8:29-30 refer to being like Jesus? This seems likely. See I John 3:2:

I John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Could being like Jesus in I John 3:2 above refer to getting our spiritual bodies? The words not yet imply future. The future event is to be like Jesus. This is what is predestined - to be like Jesus. This is predestined for saved people ("now are we the sons of God"), who are predestined to be like Jesus. This is not saying lost people are predestined to be saved. This is written to saved people (the "Beloved" who are "the sons of God" in I John 3:2), not to lost people.

This is not the lost predestined to be saved; this is the saved being predestined to be like Jesus! 5

These verses illustrate that to be conformed to the image of his Son is the meaning of glorified. 

1. adoption
2. redemption of the body
3. conformity to the image of Christ
4. glorification

all refer to a single simultaneous event to which the believer is predestined.

And the Bible per these scriptures does not support the Calvinistic view of predestination.

Questions answered above, regarding these scriptures:

1. who is being predestinated in the context?
2. to what are they being predestinated?
3. how does scripture define that destination? [refer to other scriptures]

Summary

Eph 1:5

already saved people are predestined to adoption / redemption of the body

Eph 1:11

already saved people are predestined to their heavenly inheritance

Rom 8:29-30

already saved people are predestined to be glorified / conformed to the image of Christ

Questions:

1. Does Augustine's idea of predestination as God's pre-selecting who will be saved ahead of time match any of the above scriptures?
2. Does Calvin's idea of predestination as salvation and damnation being predetermined from the beginning match any of the above scriptures?
3. Does Arminius' idea of predestination as God's predestining people to get saved or not, based on God's foreknowledge of who will accept Christ, match any of the above scriptures?
4. Does Southern Baptist Traditionalism's idea of predestination as God's predestining a predetermined redemptive plan of God to justify, sanctify and glorify whosoever freely believes, match any of the above scriptures? The plan might be ok as what God planned, but this is not what the word predestine means where it is used in the 4 verses where the word predestine/predestines/predestined/etc. appears in scripture.

In scripture, none of the above is stated in those predestination verses; individual Christians are predestined to their future inheritance and glorification.

• 1There is an eye-opening  video on this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jTf58y5ZKg .
• 2Definition of predestine per 1828 Webster's dictionary:

  To decree beforehand; to foreordain. http://www.webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/predestine

• 3The relevant point is that sinners are predestined to be born again.
• 4See I Cor 15:42 - 54

  44 ... There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. ... 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. ... 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

• 5Note on foreknow: see comment below.

TBA (to be added)

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TBA (to be added)

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TBA (to be added)