LTRP Note: As many of our readers know, in early 2018, Lighthouse Trails published a book titled Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy. Without question, it set off a firestorm upsetting many of the Calvinist persuasion. However, it also brought to surface many of our readers whose families had suffered under the yoke of Calvinism for many years and were very grateful for our coming out with the book. The following short commentary by one of our readers has some very worthwhile thoughts.
By Judson Casjens
While there is much to be gleaned from the teachings of those of the Reformed (Calvinist) persuasion, there are also many dangers laying about, like hidden reefs, for the unwary. Many are the believers trusting and following these teachers unquestioningly not realizing their true underlying beliefs—beliefs which affect “how” they interpret many Scriptures because they view them through the lens of these “hidden” persuasions. Unwary believers adopt these views without ever having thought them through themselves. I know, for I have had many exchanges with them, and the responses usually take the form of, “so and so teaches this,” that becomes their authority, a borrowed knowledge assumed to be true and accurate, and their thought goes no further. Nor will they allow themselves to be persuaded otherwise—a genuine tragedy. Consider carefully the following:
THINKING FOR ONESELF
When I was young, I thought other people could give me wisdom. Now that I’m older, I know this isn’t true. Wisdom is earned, not given. When other people give us the answer, it belongs to them and not us. While we might achieve the outcome we desire, it comes from dependence, not insight. Instead of thinking for ourselves, we’re dependent on the work of others.
The problem is when we assume the insight of others is our own. Earning insight requires going below the surface. Most of us want to shy away from the details and complexity. It takes a while. It’s boring. It’s mental work. Yet it is only by jumping into the complexity that we can really discover simplicity for ourselves.
While the abundant directives, rules, and simplicities offered by others make us feel like we’re getting smarter, it’s nothing more than the illusion of knowledge. Thinking is something you have to do by yourself.
A lot of people prefer the comfort of a crowd to the responsibility of independent thought. It was written of the Jews in the synagogue of Berea that:
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica [WHY?], in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed. Acts 17:11-12
The word “searched” is defined in Strong’s as meaning:
- to investigate, examine, enquire into, scrutinise, sift, question
- specifically in a forensic sense of a judge to hold an investigation
- to interrogate, examine the accused or witnesses
- to judge of, estimate, determine (the excellence or defects of any person or thing)
“But he that is spiritual judgeth all things.” (1 Corinthians 2:15)
Far too many believers do not think for themselves; far too many are willing merely to accept what they are taught unquestioningly. And far too many believers are, in reality, not at all like these Bereans mentioned above, even though they would identify with them for they do not approach and receive the Scriptures with “readiness of mind” (or eagerly) nor do they search (or examine) them daily, while at the same time claiming that these Scriptures are indeed God’s Word. In consequence to this, false doctrines and theologies have entered the church and have become accepted as truth. Even the Gospel has been, and is being, distorted without notice.
Related Reading:
“Three Vital Questions on Navigating Discernment” (Ironside, Proctor)
“Does Calvinism’s “Perseverance” Really Offer Eternal Security?” (Kirkland)
“A Biblical Perspective on Salvation Vs. Calvinism” (Editors)
(photo from bigstockphoto.com; used with permission; design by LT)
Indeed. I concur. Furthermore, Calvinism is a manmade mess of fear and control, whereas Jesus Christ set us free and gave us complete assurance. The way Calvinist/Reformed leaders live panicked and fearful lives (see anything by Piper, for example, who has sleepless nights and what else) are beyond sad, as they pass their false gospel onto their followers.
Thanks for your contributions, David.
Additionally, This fallen bipolar spiritual nature of good and evil is what internally drives mankind to do good and evil (at the discretion of their free wills) and also gives mankind an inherent internal knowledge of good and evil. My limited knowledge of early Christian history, so far, has led me to conclude that when the early Christians concluded that fallen mankind had only one single poled spiritual nature of evil, the door was opened for pagan unconditional determinism and unconditional predestination to be easily injected into Christianity (by saying man lost his free will capacity to choose good or evil when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) ultimately resulting in the development of an anemic puppeteering, bipolar good and evil spiritual nature of God concept in Calvinism/Augustinian-ism and Calvinism’s no free will of man TULIP soteriology. Because one pole of man’s bipolar fallen spiritual nature is evil, it inclines unsaved mankind and saved mankind towards sin and good, thus ensuring that morally capable people will sin and not be able to live a perfect sinless life.
Great points, David. A gift can be accepted or rejected; if we accepted it, it does not mean that we saved ourselves. interesting that you name Calvinists and Arminians together. I have an interest in neither, but Calvinists, the second one does not bow down to their Nazi-like man-made doctrines of disgrace, fear, and condemnation, automatically assumes one is an Arminian, such is the power of cults.
For him/her who is in Christ, there is no more condemnation.
I believe that fallen mankind is capable of making free will choices to accept or reject the gospel message. I believe in the inherent free will ability of fallen unsaved mankind to accept/believe or reject God’s call/drawing/convicting/convincing/persuading teaching work using the creation, the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit (Rom. 1:18-20; Rom. 10:8-17; 1Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12; Luke 8:21; Jn. 15:26, 16:13; 2 Thess. 2:13).
If just having knowledge of good and evil means/indicates that man is fallen and condemned, then why is not God’s spiritual nature also fallen and condemned because Gen. 3:22 states that man (Adam and Eve) has become like God knowing good and evil? However, the majority of Scripture indicates that God’s spiritual nature is pure good (holy, righteous and just); therefore, it is probably not just possession of mere knowledge of good and evil that indicates that Adam and Eve (mankind) are condemned and fallen since God already told Adam and Eve what was the good thing to do (to obey His commands) and what the evil thing to do (to disobey His commands) was before they sinned by disobeying God’s instructions; therefore, because of Romans 2:15 and 7:23, I believe most likely it is an internal fallen corrupted bipolar spiritual nature of good and evil (one pole is good and the other pole is evil), not a single poled fallen nature of evil, produced in Adam and Eve (as Cavinists and Arminians teach) when they sinned by disobeying God’s command that condemns…
Judson made some very good points using very few words. Search the scriptures daily. All of us need to be like the Christians in Berea. We must make the time for studying Gods Holy Word. Which world are we working for?
Yes, Calvin, Edwards, MacArthur, and every one of those ‘thinkers’ have nothing to do with my salvation. They are/were workers of iniquity., one and all, and miserable too. Edwards’ reputation is meaningless. Light has nothing to do with darkness.
Dear T.I. Miller Jonathan Edwards sermon “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” saw
many people saved. We thank God for it. He also said “The worst of the Great Tribulations (prophesied in the Book of the Revelation to John as preceding the Millennium) were already past and that the Church could thus look forward to an increasing success of the Gospel among men. John Calvin would agree with this? Pastor Edwards also attacked George Whitfield who saw thousands saved. The article above is a Great reminder for all of us to search the scriptures daily. What saith The Lord. We need to study and dig deep the truth! We also need to pray that the lord will guide our way.
Since before 1776 Johnathan Edwards has had the reputation of being America’s greatest theological thinker.
Are you asserting that he also never had an original thought concerning Calvin? That he failed to do due diligence too.
Interesting assumptions
Excellent take on what is going on in our churches with believers. We NEED to test everything continually to the scriptures to see if it is true. This is how we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Stay in His word His word is truth. He is truth.
Some thoughts over the last couple of days…
How much does Jesus love us? It’s amazing how God’s Prophets of the Old Testament reveal how much.
https://hopeishereblog.wordpress.com/2020/08/06/jesus-loves/
Isaiah 53&54