Comments on: Why Calvin is More Biblical Than Some Calvinists

By: Dr. James Willingham

Dr. James Willingham — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 01:49:13 +0000

Yes, Rachel, we shall soon see, but harshness and prejudice, filters installed by the fathers of lies himself, can prevent us from seeing the truth. Calvin is not a significant person to me; he is one among many who had some elements of truth, but he did not understand all the implications of those principles that he had grasped. In 1965-66 Dr. Gene Spurgeon won a young lady to Christ. He was startled by how quickly she responded, and asked her why. She answered, “O it was so wonderful that I could not resist it.” When she said that, he said what I had said about grace being irresistible popped into his mind. He though about it for 40 years before he came to the conclusion that she was right: Grace is so wonderful that a person can find it irresistible. Having lived in Hell as a child and having seen the adults who were the factors in that Hell, touched by the grace of God and transformed, I eventully came to the conclusion, after my own heart was touched by it, that grace is wonderfully irresistible. Jesus said, Jn6:44,65, “No one can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him.” I was converted from atheism by a vision of
Christ standing at a door knocking. My response was to run the other way, but within an hour He opened the door to my heart so that I called on him to forgive me of my sins and cried tears of joy when a burden that I didn’t even know I had was lifted off of my heart. That was 52 years ago this past Monday (Dec.7). I have told my family that all I want inscribed on my tombstone are two verses, Rev.3:20 and Acts 16:14, because they describe what happened to me, a professing atheist on 12-7-1957. Interestingly enough, last Monday we enjoyed a birthday day dinner with our grand daughter (it was her 9th birthday) compliments of our son who is also a minister of the Gospel. God grant that you might realize the wonderful grace about which John Newton wrote in the most popular hymn of all time, Amazing Grace, which is an expression of praise to God for just such grace. You might want to remember that religious liberty was first put into law by two calvinistic Baptist preachers, Roger Williams and Dr. John Clarke in Rhode Island in the 1600s. The great Methodist Historian, Dr. William Warren Sweet, paid tribute to the Baptists for that great principle. John Calvin’s problem was that he did not realize the implications of what he had come to believe, but Williams and Clarke, amog other Baptists in the 1600s & 1700s did (and some were Arminian). Eventually the Sovereign Grace believers would realize that God can work even among those who hold that Jesus tasted death for every man as the principles for the union of Separate and Regular Baptist in Va. in 1787 imply. True liberalism actually comes out of paradoxical interventions. Think of the implications of that fact, and the Lord bless you as we prepare for the greatest manifestation of the grace bought for us on Calvary 2000 years ago, even the winning of the whole earth to Christ in one generation and then for a thousand more generations after that one. For such I have been praying since the Spring of 1973. God grant you to pray for the same, regardless of your beliefs. Think what a blessing it would be to see the whole world fully persuaded and won to Christ by the proclamation of the Gospel without the slightest bit of coercion except for the winsomeness of God in His great grace. Like one fellow wrote in a Circular Letter in Virginia in 1816 about the Second Great Awakenng something to this effect, “While we don’t suppose it was a miracle, yet it was something remarkably like it” He was awe struck at the wondrous nature of what he had lived through in that great visitation. C.S. Lewis caught the flavor of such in his sci/fi work, That Hideous Strength, “they pull down Deep Heaven on their heads.” I don’t think Mr. Lewis realized it, but he was surely describing what I found in my researches in the Great Awakenings.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:13:33 +0000

Wow, that was a mouthful, Dr. W. Kinda a mouthful with no point. Unbelievable… how Calvinists love to quote man, not God’s Word. Or if they do, they twist it. Have you not read Rom. 8:28 and Gen. 50:20? It matters not what evil man does, God can turn anything around for good. Good things came of the Reformation in spite of it, not necessarily because of it. Are you trying to say that a lesser evil becomes good in itself just because it defeats a greater evil? Calvin was not a man full of the Holy Spirit, and if anyone thinks he was, they may need to read what the Scripture says in regards to murderers and those who oppress others, not to mention where deceivers and false teachers go. Do I sound disgusted? Yes, falsehoods about God and the way of salvation, especially that which Calvin taught, are repugnant. And Jesus and the apostles had some harsh words for those types. Because not only do they bring on themselves delusion, but they lead hoards astray. For that, one will be mightily condemned! (Gal. 1:6-9)

Well, God is the Judge, and we shall all soon see, shan’t we, who is correct and who was full of the “wisdom of this world” (1 Cor. 3:19) –even that which cloaked itself in “Biblical” language. –Like the devil loves to do.

Rachel

By: Dr. James Willingham

Dr. James Willingham — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:49:51 +0000

Jesus said, “Be ye wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.” Even so you will still be charged as our Lord was with blasphemy, misrepresentation, heresy, etc. The interesting thing to me is what the people did with the Sovereign Grace Gospel. They reformed the church in the Reformation,experienced the First and Second Great Awakenings, launched the Great Century of Missions, established some of the freest nations that had ever been on the arth up to that time. Dr. George Bancroft called them “calvinistic republics.” Strange is it not that the greatest freedom comes from the seemingly most impossible teachings? Could it be that such theology really tells how bad man’s fallen condition truly is and that it takes a work of the Sovereign God in extreme sacrificial redemption and spiritual regeneration to save such? Three things are necessary for a Great Awakening according to the evidence available from the First and Second Great Awakenings, namely, the right theology, the irresistibly wonderful Presence, and the abject humility. John Newton summed up all three in his great hymn, the most popular of all, Amazing Grace. Surely, there is more freedom, more liberality, more compassion, more people saved, with teachings that are the perfection of the therapeutic techniques of psychiatry, psychology, and counseling, even those of paradoxical interventions.Like the lady said to Dr. Gene Spurgeon in 1965-66, “O it was so wonderful that I could not resist it.”

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:11:36 +0000

The Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand. To confuse what Jesus came to earth to do for a fallen humanity reminds me of 1 Cor. 3:19 which says, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’.”

I wrote at my site several articles about Calvinism’s false gospel. For example, “He Who Creates That He May Torture”. No, God loves more than we can ever love, and to assign God the role of moving the puppet strings for one person to torture or rape another is a doctrine only a demon would make up. That’s “predestination” as a Calvinist’s logic would have to conclude. As far as limited atonement, it really doesn’t matter what the confused man, Calvin, believed. For us to believe in it is to deny many Scriptures; just one being 1 John 2:2 –”He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Sincerely,
Rachel

By: Angie

Angie — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:08:02 +0000

Great perspective, I completely agree!

By: David Cochrane

David Cochrane — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:21:47 +0000

Whoops Luke 24:47

By: David Cochrane

David Cochrane — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:01:03 +0000

Dr Willingham,

What about what Jesus wants proclaimed which I referred to earlier. Did the Great Awakenings change Jesus’ command in Matthew 24:47?

By: Dr. James Willingham

Dr. James Willingham — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:22:33 +0000

David; You seem to really have a problem with the Great Awakenings. Having studied all 2000 yrs of church history, and having taken notes on the Inquisition and having observed Rome in operation, I must admit, your statement doesn’t make a bit of sense in the light of what I know about Church History. Based upon what I know, I think you don’t know what in the world you are talking about, Your just flailing away at a theology you don’t like – not really trying to answer it. You should follow up on Whitefield and Wesley and Edwards. By the way did you know Edwards “the angry preacher”??? rebuked Whitefield for his fillips at Harvard and the unconverted ministry? Edwards in one source even cited the case of Judas as an instance against those who attack ministers as unconverted. Hardly the actions of a an angry preacher or of a psychopath some scholars in the 20th century sought to hang on a man of tremendous intellect and spiritual commitment to the cause of Christ. You should also take a look at those who were converted that day when Edwards preached “Sinners in the Hands of Angry God.” and have you ever read his book on Charity (read Agape love in todays terms). Yes, he wrote a whole book on love. Friend, I am no particular admirer of John Calvin due to his role in the death of Michael Servetus, but I do study him and I find, except for the limitations of his break with the middle ages mind set on state and church, the man was no slouch of a scholar and a thinker. Also, he has had a far greater impact upon Western Civilization than most people suspect, and I mean an impact for good. John Witherspoon, the famous Presbyterian Scholar of Princeton was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Edwards had a profound influence upon the origin of missions. His tract, Humble Attempt (an appeal for uniting for prayer for the propagation of the Gospel among the Heathen) inspired William Carey and others in England to pray for and began the Great Century of Missions. Edwards’ Humble Attempt and his theological works had a profound influence on Americans who prayed for and who had a part in the Second Great Awakening. Where you coming from, dear brother? the positive influences of the Awakenings are well-noted in both British and Amrican History. There are works, for instance,which demonstrate that the Awakening in England saved that nation from the radical blood letting of a revolution like that which the French experienced. In America I know of a one family which made a tremendous contribution to our nation, a family where the mother and two of her sons were converted under Ev. George Whitefield. One of those son’s was a follower of French Infidelity until his conversion, and one of his descendants was U.S. Senator, candidate for President, and ambassador to the United Nations from the U.S. Another descendant is a Baptist preacher, a personal friend of mine. And you ought to compare the descendants of the Edwards family and those of another. The two are noted in pscyhological history, the Edwards for their contributions to this nation and the other for the expense they have cost society for their depredations. And lest you think I am to much on the calvinist side, permit me to say that I have a lot of Wesley’s works and have studied his life and like and admire him. You should read his letter accepting some of Whitefield’s efforts at reconciliation. Come, Brother, we got better things to do with our time than simply to rail at something we dislike. God bless you.

By: David Cochrane

David Cochrane — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:56:26 +0000

Yes im familiar with the revivalist style of preaching both in the Calvinist vein as well as the Arminian vein. The most familiar sermon is of course the inappropriately named “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.” That sermon is better titled “Sinners in the hands of an angry preacher.” Where one can applaud Edward’s execution of the law on the sinner Christ crucified was not mentioned. Only a vague reference to flee to Christ without telling of the finished work of Jesus.

This is similar to the garbage that passes for preaching in many sermons today. Telling people that now they are saved now they can muscle up against sin and overcome it. This is in contrast for what the Evangelist states is the victory that overcomes the world. our faith.

Those awakenings were well meant im sure but what it has done is give the churches coming out of Rome a shove back toward Rome. That is to preach anything and everything but Jesus crucified.

By: Dr. James Willingham

Dr. James Willingham — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:50:37 +0000

Dea David: Have you ever heard of paradoxical intervention? Clearly, our Lord laid out for he woman and He did for His fellow citizens of Nazareth a presentation of something seemingly contradictory and antithetical. J. I. Packer calls such teachings antinomies. I prefer the idea of paradoxes as the intervention idea flows from it. Also there is a form of math with an inverse function.God is a little bit more subtle than we imagine. In fact, he requires subtlety of us as in “Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Mr. Spurgeon kindly pointed out how much limited atonement people preach who try to proclaim a universal/general atonement. The Universalist (everybody will be saved) can’t get all of his saved in this life. The others add man’s faith to the atonement, so that it is the atonement of Christ plus man’s faith, whereas the Bible actually teaches that saving faith is a gift of God’s grace. Jesus demands the Impossible, as in Mk.10 in order that man might feel his helpless and look away from himself to the Lord for true help, mercy, and salvation. One cried out with tears, “Lord, help my unbelief, that is, help me overcome my unbelief.” Another appealed directly to our Lord’s Sovereign Will,”Lord, if you will, you can make me whole.” This David is the theology of the First and Second Great Awakenings and of the origins of the Great Century of Missions. Didn’t you know it?