CALVINISM IS THE GOSPEL NOT THE GOSPEL OF LORD JESUS CHRIST THAT IS FOUND IN THE BIBLE. Only Not All Accept That There Is Another Gospel Besides The One The Lord Jesus Christ Preached. In fact the Apostle Paul said that if we have any other gospel than what he preached (the Gospel of Lord Jesus Christ) those people are accursed, which is a major problem if one is claiming Calvinism is the Gospel.

Calvinists, how can I know I'm a child of God and not just a child of God wannabe?

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20)

Happy Riches · Answer requested by 1 person

I am a Christian. I am not a Calvinist. So I can only provide an answer to your question from the viewpoint of a person who actually knows Lord Jesus Christ and understands that unless such a relationship exists in real time, then one has not truly connected with our Heavenly Father. Unfortunately, many people claim their philosophies of men are sound theology and they will major on doctrines rather than the need to possess a relationship with our Heaven Father.

• You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men. But I know that you have not the love of God within you. (John 5:39–42)

• But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer, or a mischief-maker; yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let him glorify God. For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:15-17)

• At that time Jesus declared, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25–30)

The above Scriptures bear witness that unless we have a relationship with Lord Jesus Christ now, we cannot know the Father. The name that those who belong to Lord Jesus Christ go under is Christian. Any other name does not appear to be scriptural or endorsed by the Bible, the very book that Calvinists claim is the literal word of God.
The son of one Calvinist, whom I happen to know, was baptized by water in a Baptist church. After he was shown what Jesus actually said in John 5:39–42 from his own Bible, he stated that he rejected that passage and would rather agree to disagree—that is Calvinism.

Another Calvinist wrote to me concerning what Jesus said:

John 5:39 means that "there is none that seek after God, no not one." You have got to study your Bible! There are doctrines of predestination, of election, of God's choice in salvation, of effectual calling (all the called will come and are saved). John 5:39 does not conflict with these doctrines. How can you read from John 5:39 that some people DO come to Christ on their own?

No where in the Bible are we informed that we have to make “the effort to acquire knowledge, as by reading, observation, or research” of the Scriptures to be approved by God or to know Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, Calvinists claim that the following Scripture means “to study to show yourself to God as one approved”.

• Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman (NASB; YLT; MOUNCE; HCSB; DARBY)

In their self-righteousness, Calvinists with whom I have spoken, insist that the word “study” in the King James Version does not mean “to be diligent”, when in fact this is the case, and is translated such by the New American Standard Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Holman Christian Standard Bible, Darby Translation; Mounce Reverse-Interlinear New Testament.

Other translations prefer to use the dynamic meaning of being diligent, as in “do your best” (i.e. utmost).

• Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

The word “study” comes from the Latin studere meaning “to be zealous”. What the Apostle is instructing us to do is, be zealous to be in God’s presence—all the time—so that we have no need to be ashamed of wrongdoing, because we are walking as Jesus walked and can glorify Him as a “Christian”.

• He who says “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (John 2:3–6)

The Calvinists that I have encountered, ironically, all seem to major on this “salvation by works” caper, whereby they need to make the effort to acquire knowledge of doctrines to be saved, even though they claim that they are saved by grace.

Being saved through faith in Lord Jesus Christ appears to be foreign to Calvinists, even though they believe that they actually read what the Bible states—instead of the recognizing the truth, that they are indoctrinated into a system of manmade philosophy that they like call theology. Little do they realize they are really caught up in a philosophy that has nothing to do with Christ (Colossians 2:8) and prevents them from experiencing the freedom from sin (Galatians 5:1).

• Yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. (Galatians 2:16)

• For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God—(Ephesians 2:8)

• For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. (Galatians 5:6)

• and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; (Philippians 3:9)

• and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15)

We can be sure that we know God, according to the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John, if we exercise obedience of faith and we keep His commandments.

• Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith. (Romans 16:25-26)

• And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments.(1 John 2:3)

• For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)

Since I am not a Calvinist, my answer will not be like any answer provided by one who subscribes to the TULIP doctrines of Calvinism. For the Bible is very clear that if we exercise obedience of faith and do our best to be in the presence of God, we shall find ourselves keeping the commandments of God—by this we can be sure that we are of God. These are the commandments that relate to our Lord and the commandments that relate to humans. Of course, if we are not sure what they are, then we might be selling ourselves short; for faith without repentance is dead (Hebrews 6:1; James 2:17).

Only Through Faith Can We Be Sure We Are Keeping The Commandments Of God

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW AMONG PEOPLE WHO READ THE BIBLE AND CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS. But Calvinists Are So Deluded They Believe People Have No Freewill And Claim Calvinism Is The Gospel? Fortunately, God overlooks ignorance, but according to the Bible He does not overlook those who blaspheme His name by committing murder in the Name of Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

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.

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.)

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

WHY ARE PEOPLE ATTRACTED TO CALVINISM?

Why Are Calvinists Against Freewill And Claim Calvinism Is The Gospel? 

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.

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.

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.)

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