Jerry Walls is a Christian Philosopher. He is Wesleyan. [The Prodigal Son is only a Christian.] He is opposed to Calvinism. Initially, like most Christians he probably did not think much about Calvinism—he still doesn’t. But once he realized the extent of their Calvinist influence within the thinking of people in Christian circles, he became concerned and has had much to say about them on numerous occasions ever since. One thing he has noticed is that if they did not preach the gospel message, nobody would listen to them, because their teachings do not make sense and are contrary to what is clearly written in the Bible.
Charles Spurgeon
For some reason, Calvinists think that they have the truth because Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a Baptist preacher, who is quoted as having written,” I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else (The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon, Curts & Jennings, Chicago 1898, Vol.1. p. 172)
God Loves Us All...But
The gospel message is God desires all men to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). However, only if we are willing and obedient, can we be empowered to overcome sin; but if we reject the truth, then we will have to give an account of our actions. If our name is not found in the Book of Life, we are to be cast into the eternal fire that is prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).
Politicians and Spurgeon
Spurgeon states that Calvinism is the gospel and nothing else. To help understand the danger of what Spurgeon said, an analogy can be found in politics.
In a democracy, there are usually two sides, the government and the opposition. To simplify matters, these can consist of say, the Republicans on one side and the Democrats on the other. To say that the opposition is the government because they have been elected into office is false. One has true power, while the other does not.
In a democracy, there are usually two sides, the government and the opposition. To simplify matters, these can consist of say, the Republicans on one side and the Democrats on the other. To say that the opposition is the government because they have been elected into office is false. One has true power, while the other does not.
Likewise, there is the true gospel and there are those who like to think they have a gospel of power, when in fact they are members of the opposition with an impotent policy who have influence over some people within the electorate, but not all.
If Calvinists did not preach the basic gospel, they would attract no listeners. What is the gospel? It is the good news that people can enter into the promises of God.
If politicians did not promise better things for people, they would not get a hearing. However, when politicians promise pie in the sky, they get a hearing, but unless they are actually on the winning side, they cannot deliver on those promises.
Calvinism can be compared to a politician who is in opposition making promises he cannot keep. This is because their distinctive doctrines (based on Double Predestination of the saved and the condemned) blaspheme God by making Him out to be a callous, sadistic fiend who delights in tormenting people.
The Calvinist preaches that he was chosen before the foundation of the world to be saved from eternal damnation. Those who believe the same as him are also saved before the foundation of the world. The Calvinist can sin as much as he likes, because he was saved before the foundation of the world.
The Calvinist preaches that he was chosen before the foundation of the world to be saved from eternal damnation. Those who believe the same as him are also saved before the foundation of the world. The Calvinist can sin as much as he likes, because he was saved before the foundation of the world.
Now, can you see why people are attracted to Calvinism. According to Calvinists, not only are people saved because they profess Jesus rose from the dead (a prerequisite for salvation), they are saved from eternal damnation regardless of how much they sin and spurn the blood that secured their salvation. In other words, a Calvinist can hate his neighbor, even sign his name to the person’s death warrant, and be saved. This is because Calvinists like to believe they were chosen before the foundation of the world and they were saved before they were born.
(The saying is sure, if it is too good to be true, it usually is.)
(The saying is sure, if it is too good to be true, it usually is.)
John Calvin
From the biography of John Calvin (who developed the theory of once saved always saved and the doctrine which magnifies God as a fiend because he creates people for the sole purpose of tormenting them eternally in Hell) we learn:
While instituting many positive policies, Calvin's government also punished "impiety" and dissent against his particularly spare vision of Christianity with execution. In the first five years of his rule in Geneva, 58 people were executed and 76 exiled for their religious beliefs. Calvin allowed no art other than music, and even that could not involve instruments. Under his rule, Geneva became the center of Protestantism, and sent out pastors to the rest of Europe, creating Presbyterianism in Scotland, the Puritan Movement in England and the Reformed Church in the Netherlands.[i]
At Christianity.com, in Church History, an article entitled Michael Servetus Burned for Heresy, records
Although Calvin insisted with the rest that Servetus must die, he urged that in mercy Servetus be executed by the sword, not by burning, but the Council rejected the suggestion. It was quarreling with Calvin at that time over the city government. Calvin and reformer William Farel spent hours with Servetus trying to turn him back from his lapses from commonly accepted Christian doctrine, but Servetus stood fast to his principles.On this day, October 27, 1553, Geneva burned Michael Servetus at the stake for blasphemy and heresy. In the flames, Michael called repeatedly on Jesus, the Son of God for mercy.[ii]
Could it be that something within Calvin was telling him that burning in flames was going to be his fate, therefore he could not stand to see someone who believed in Jesus Christ, being consumed by fire?
Hatred and Murder
The World English Bible states:
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. (1 John 3:15)
Conclusion
The evidence appears to be people are attracted to Calvinism because they want to believe a lie that regardless of what a person does, he or she will be saved and possess eternal life, because they were especially chosen of God before the foundation of the world to be saved.
We can only expect that the spirit of the founder of Calvinism, John Calvin, to be alive and well in those who blindly follow his teachings.
[i] http://www.biography.com/people/john-calvin-9235788
[ii] http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/michael-servetus-burned-for-heresy-11629984.html
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