“Beloved, believe not every
spirit, but try the spirits
whether they are of God:
because many false prophets
are gone out into the world.”
1John 4:1
Try = Test, Examine
Calvinism
Great Talent
John Calvin Good memory
1509-1564 Good thinker
Switzerland Influenced many
Calvinism
All men are conceived in
sin
Born children of wrath
Inherit sins back to
Adam
Some are elect to be saved
some to be Lost
Man does not have the
ability to choose to obey
God chooses those who
will be saved
Jesus died only for elect
Not for all mankind
God’s Saving Grace
cannot be resisted
Elect cannot fall away
Once in grace always in
grace
Once saved always saved
Calvinism
Calvin’s Doctrine - Original Sin
“All men are conceived in sin
and born children of wrath.”
Adam’s sin inherited by all
A baby is as bad as the devil.
What men have said...
“...man is by nature totally
depraved.”
“...infants in womb are
infected,...”
“The sin of Adam injured not
himself only but all descending
from him...”
Statements by religious groups..
“...guilt of sin imputed and
conveyed to all their posterity...”
“Adam’s first sin has been
transmitted to all..descendants.”
“All men are full of evil lust
from their mother’s womb...”
Statements by religious groups..
“...this original sin cleaves to
every child of man,...”
“...of his own nature inclined
to evil,...
“From the original corruption
whereby we are utterly...”
Why
?
2 Pet.3:16 - “twist” - “pervert”
1.Gen.6:5-9 - wickedness of man
2.Lev.12 - sin offering for mother
3.Ps.14:1-3 - “turn aside”
4.Ps. 51:5 - sin of his mother
Why
?
2 Pet.3:16 - “twist” - “pervert”
5.Ps. 58:3-4 “go astray from birth
6.Rom.5:12-21 - spiritual death
7.1 Cor.15:20-23 - does not say
that all are born dead
What does the Bible teach?
1. Adam was not corrupted by sin
at his birth
Lk.3:38 “the son of God”
2. Ps. 51:5 - does not say he was
born with a corrupt sinful nature
What does the Bible teach?
“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;
and in sin did my mother
conceive me.” Ps. 51:5 KJV
“Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother
conceived me.” Ps. 51:5 NIV
What does the Bible teach?
Children are born pure:
Matt. 18:3
Matt. 19:14
Deut. 1:34-39
Jer. 19:2-6
What does the Bible teach?
About the transmission of sin...
Cannot be transmitted from
father to son - Ezek. 18:1-4, 18-20
Will be judged by our own
actions - 2 Cor. 5:10
Isa. 59:1-2 “Your sins...”
False Doctrines associated with
false doctrine of Total Depravity
1. Faith by Proxy
Proxy = to act for another
Someone else’s faith saves
godfathers, godmothers
False Doctrines associated with
false doctrine of Total Depravity
2. Infant Baptism
To remove inherited sin
Would be lost in hell if not
Not taught in Bible
Calvinism
Calvin’s Doctrine - predestination
“God choose before the
foundation of the world some for
heaven and some for hell.”
“The number is fixed and certain
“God gives faith to the elect”
What does the Bible teach?
Rev. 3:20 “If any man hear”
1 Tim.2:4 “who will have all men
to be saved...”
Mt.28:19-20 Mk.16:15-16 Why ?
What does the Bible teach?
God’s Predestination
Rom. 8:28-30
Hunger and thirst – filled Mt.5:6
Predetermined the
Love him – we will keep his
saved
character of the John 14:15
commandments –
What does the Bible teach?
God’s Predestination
God determined to save man
Those who obey will be saved
Those who disobey will be lost
Eternal destiny based on our
own personal choices
Questions for the Calvinists ???
1.How does God desire all to
be saved, If He chose some to
be lost?
2.Why Go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every
creature, if not every creature
could be saved?
Questions for the Calvinists ???
3. How can man be made
accountable for something
God foreordained he would do
and could not avoid?
4. How Is God not a respecter of
persons if He chose some to
be saved and some to be lost ?
34. Then Peter opened his mouth,
and said, Of a truth I perceive
that God is no respecter of
persons:
35. But in every nation he that
feareth him, and worketh
righteousness, is accepted with
him. Acts 10:34-35
Calvinism
LIMITED ATONEMENT
Calvinism
“Christ only died for those
predestined to be saved.”
“Christ’s redeeming work was
intended to save the elect
only...”
LIMITED ATONEMENT
Calvinism
“He did not die for all men.”
“He did not die for the Non
Elect.”
LIMITED ATONEMENT
Calvinism
Men are born in sin.
God elected some to be saved.
Christ died only for elect.
Why
?
2 Pet.3:16 - “twist” - “pervert”
Jn.10:15-16 -
Died only for His Sheep/elect
Other sheep = Gentiles
Change is possible 1Cor.6:9-11
Why
?
Acts 20:28 -
Died to purchase church / elect
Anyone can become member
Heb. 5:8-9 “...all them that
obey him.”
What does the Bible teach?
1.He died for all men
Luke 19:10
Heb. 2:9 “...for every man.”
2 Cor. 5:15 “...died for all...”
Atonement = reconciliation
What does the Bible teach?
2. His Blood can wash away sins
of all men
1 John 2:2 propitiation
John 1:29 “...sin of the world.”
2 Pet. 3:9 “...all should come...”
Rev. 22:17 “...whosoever will...”
What does the Bible teach?
3. Gospel is for all men
Mark 16:15-16 “every creature”
Romans 1:16 “to every one
that believeth”
Calvinism
Calvinism
But sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts: and be ready
always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope that is in
you with meekness and fear:
1 Pet. 3:15
Calvin’s Doctrine
“...the special call of the Spirit
never fails to result in the
conversion...
“...issued to the elect only.”
“All that Irresistible Grace means
is that God sends His Holy Spirit
to work in the lives of people so
that they will definitely and
certainly be changed from evil to
good people.”
According to the doctrines of
Calvinism the Holy Spirit extends
to the elect a special inward call
that brings them to salvation.
Direct operation of the Holy Spirit
separate and apart from Word.
Consequences of this doctrine...
No power of choice– Josh.24:15
Man is a mere robot - puppet
What does the Bible teach?
Tit. 2:11 “For the grace of God
that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men.”
Rom.2:6-11
Rev.22:17 “whosoever will”
What does the Bible teach?
Acts 7:51
"Ye stiffnecked and
uncircumcised in heart and ears,
ye do always resist the Holy
Ghost: as your fathers did, so do
ye..
Calvinism
Calvin’s Doctrine
Elect are chosen by God.
Given faith by the Holy Spirit.
Eternally saved. Once saved
always saved.
Calvin’s Doctrine
Statements by men who teach
this doctrine.
All the sins he may commit...
I couldn’t go to hell if I wanted
Impossible for me to be lost
Text’s twisted....
1 John 3:9 “commit” “cannot”
John 10:29
What does the Bible teach?
2 Pet.1:5-11 “if ye do these
things, ye shall never fall.”
2 Pet. 2:20-22 escaped –
entangled again
1 Tim. 1:19-20 shipwreck of
their faith
What does the Bible teach?
2 Tim. 2:16-18 - erred from the
truth
1 Tim. 4:1-4 - depart from faith
Heb. 3:12 – take heed, watch
What does the Bible teach?
James 5:19-20 “err from the
truth” convert the sinner
1 Cor. 10:12 “Wherefore let
him that thinketh he standeth
take heed lest he fall.”
Questions if Once saved always
saved were true
If they sin, could they go to
heaven unforgiven?
Why do we need to be watchful?
Why be faithful until death?
SUMMARY THOUGHTS
If Adam and Eve were
foreordained and predestined
to sin they had no choice in the
matter and therefore God is
responsible for sin in the
world!
SUMMARY THOUGHTS
If Calvinism is true then God is
a respecter of persons,
because He has chosen some
to be saved and others to be
lost.
Acts 10:34-35
SUMMARY THOUGHTS
If this is true, then no man
should be punished for his
sins, because he is only doing
what God decreed for him. So
actually in living in rebellion he
was living in obedience to
God’s will for him.
SUMMARY THOUGHTS
The believers of Calvinism
cannot pray for the salvation of
sinners!
Non-elect - why ???
Elect – why ???
SUMMARY THOUGHTS
Why should Calvinists preach
the Gospel?
Those predestined to be
Lost cannot and will not
respond.
Those elected to be saved will
not be lost regardless of what
they do.
Calvinism
Total depravity
Unconditional election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints
Calvinism
Total depravity
Unconditional election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints
Calvinism
Total innocence
Unconditional election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints
Calvinism
Total innocence
Restricted election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints
Calvinism
Total innocence
Restricted election
Universal atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints
Calvinism
Total innocence
Restricted election
Universal atonement
Thwarted grace
Perseverance of the saints
Calvinism
Total innocence
Restricted election
Universal atonement
Thwarted grace
Holiness lost
Total innocence
Restricted election
Universal atonement
Thwarted grace
Holiness lost
• By Arthur Pigman
• Evans Church of Christ
• Evans, Georgia
• Three Lessons Presented on 10 & 17 July 2005