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”.
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”.[1] 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
Footnotes
