One of the growing trends in popular Christianity is the theological approach better known as Calvinism. This approach, named after its founder John Calvin, asserts that God has already pre-determined who will go to hell and who will go to heaven but has left us in the dark.
Not only does this stance on salvation and the character of God cross the fence of heresy — it spits in the face of the God of the Bible.
We are warned in the Bible of doctrines of demons that will come into the church in the end times. Some of those doctrines include things like what foods we can or cannot eat, confusion related to the truths about marriage, and seeker-sensitive content (1 Timothy 4:1–4; 2 Timothy 4:1–5). This leads to a sense of pride instead of humility and can be a doorway to many other false and dangerous doctrines.
Calvinism doesn’t fall into the category of a diet doctrine or a non-biblical approach to marriage, but it does become seeker sensitive rather fast. Not only that, but in defense of Calvinism, you will start to see characteristics of proponents of this idea start to take their alignment with John Calvin instead of scripture.
We were also warned of this exact thing — associating yourself too much with a teacher that is human instead of taking God at His word — in 1 Corinthians 3:4.
With that being said, we do have the obligation to take this matter seriously if there are people around us clinging to this doctrine. We are not to come across prideful, but rather attempt to win our brothers and sisters in Christ by sharing the truth.
The Bible is clear that the truth is what sets us free (John 8:32) — and that includes any bondage that comes attached to a false idea of who God is and what His character truly is.
Let’s take a look at the five points at the core of Calvinism and walk away with an understanding of what those five points mean and how they compare to what the Bible tells us about who God is.
Point One: Total Depravity
By definition, the concept of total depravity is that we are completely unable and unwilling to recognize the truth without God drawing us. This conclusion, from the Calvinist perspective, is derived from reading John 6:44.
Here’s what that scripture says, quoting the words of Jesus:
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Based on this reading, it’s easy to see where they’re coming from. The Bible claims that truth is established on the account of two or three witnesses, and that this rule is even something that determines the order of things done from heaven (1 John 5:7, Matthew 18:16, Hebrews 10:28, Revelation 11:3, 2 Corinthians 13:1–14).
This means that we need to make sure that the statement in John 6:44 isn’t addressed or fulfilled later in scripture. If this is the case, then it changes the meaning and interpretation entirely.
Jesus makes it clear that we cannot come to Him without being drawn — right? Later in the gospel of John, we find that Jesus ascending into heaven is what will draw all men to Him (John 12:32).
It’s at the point of the ascension that all men are now drawn with the ability to choose to follow or choose to rebel. If we are drawn, the next question that needs to be answered is how we can know that we have a choice.
This is a simple point to explain, but a vital one to remember, understand, and share with others who have this same question cross their mind.
The good news of the gospel is that through faith we are given grace and forgiven of our sins due to what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross and coming back to life. Putting your faith in something is as much a choice as any of the other choices that you’ve made in life — yet Calvinism denies that Christians have that ability.
We know that God does not change who He is (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17) which in turn means that the character of God is not different between the old and new testaments. In the old testament, God makes it clear to the nation of Israel that they have two options in front of them.
Those options are to choose life or death (Deuteronomy 30:15–20, John 3:16–18).
As another example, in the Garden of Eden, the devil had to make Eve choose to rebel against what God had commanded her and Adam to do.
We are told in scripture that we cannot please God without having faith (Hebrews 11:3, Hebrews 11:6, James 1:5–8). We are also told that God wants none of us to perish (2 Peter 3:8–9) and that the gospel is now available to all men through Jesus’ death and resurrection (Titus 2:11).
Given the contexts of these parts in scripture, especially in the book of James, we see that the choice at hand is between having faith or having doubt, with very real consequences for both actions.
The counter from Calvinists to this rebuttal is that God’s ability to foreknow things means that He has already predestined things. Where this comes from is a misunderstanding of scripture that points to there being a plan in place for Jesus to be the sacrifice for the whole world from the beginning of time and for those who believe in Him to be saved as part of the plan.
The verses that discuss this plan of action, if you will, are Acts 2:23, Revelation 13:8, and Romans 8:29. In particular, the section in Romans 8:29 talks about people that God “foreknew” — this is another place where Calvinists will jump in and likely say that this proves that God’s foreknowledge equals predestination.
However, we can confirm with other witnesses in the Bible, that God foreknows all of us and the plan in Romans 8:29 is revealed to be one where those who are foreknown (all) have the chance to be saved through Jesus (choice).
The verses that talk about God foreknowing us include: Psalms 139:13–16, Galatians 1:15, Ephesians 1:3–4. If God knows everything, including things from the future, it is a reinforced assertion that the foreknowing mentioned in Romans 8:29 applies to all people having the opportunity to be conformed to the image of Jesus through faith.
Otherwise, why would we be told to tell the whole world about the good news? It seems cynical to do so knowing that God’s already pre-approved who goes where with you, of course, being on the safe side and part of an exclusive elect.
Not to mention the fact that God tells us that the sacrifice of Jesus was for the sins of the whole world and that the plan of having Jesus die for the whole world came out of the love that God has for His entire creation.
The takeaways from this first point is that we do have a choice; that choice must be to believe in what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross to be saved and that we cannot please God without choosing to have faith.
TL; DR: We have always had a choice to obey or disobey God — this ability to chose is consistent with God’s character in the old and the new testament.
Not only does this stance on salvation and the character of God cross the fence of heresy — it spits in the face of the God of the Bible.
We are warned in the Bible of doctrines of demons that will come into the church in the end times. Some of those doctrines include things like what foods we can or cannot eat, confusion related to the truths about marriage, and seeker-sensitive content (1 Timothy 4:1–4; 2 Timothy 4:1–5). This leads to a sense of pride instead of humility and can be a doorway to many other false and dangerous doctrines.
Calvinism doesn’t fall into the category of a diet doctrine or a non-biblical approach to marriage, but it does become seeker sensitive rather fast. Not only that, but in defense of Calvinism, you will start to see characteristics of proponents of this idea start to take their alignment with John Calvin instead of scripture.
We were also warned of this exact thing — associating yourself too much with a teacher that is human instead of taking God at His word — in 1 Corinthians 3:4.
With that being said, we do have the obligation to take this matter seriously if there are people around us clinging to this doctrine. We are not to come across prideful, but rather attempt to win our brothers and sisters in Christ by sharing the truth.
The Bible is clear that the truth is what sets us free (John 8:32) — and that includes any bondage that comes attached to a false idea of who God is and what His character truly is.
Let’s take a look at the five points at the core of Calvinism and walk away with an understanding of what those five points mean and how they compare to what the Bible tells us about who God is.
Point One: Total Depravity
By definition, the concept of total depravity is that we are completely unable and unwilling to recognize the truth without God drawing us. This conclusion, from the Calvinist perspective, is derived from reading John 6:44.
Here’s what that scripture says, quoting the words of Jesus:
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Based on this reading, it’s easy to see where they’re coming from. The Bible claims that truth is established on the account of two or three witnesses, and that this rule is even something that determines the order of things done from heaven (1 John 5:7, Matthew 18:16, Hebrews 10:28, Revelation 11:3, 2 Corinthians 13:1–14).
This means that we need to make sure that the statement in John 6:44 isn’t addressed or fulfilled later in scripture. If this is the case, then it changes the meaning and interpretation entirely.
Jesus makes it clear that we cannot come to Him without being drawn — right? Later in the gospel of John, we find that Jesus ascending into heaven is what will draw all men to Him (John 12:32).
It’s at the point of the ascension that all men are now drawn with the ability to choose to follow or choose to rebel. If we are drawn, the next question that needs to be answered is how we can know that we have a choice.
This is a simple point to explain, but a vital one to remember, understand, and share with others who have this same question cross their mind.
The good news of the gospel is that through faith we are given grace and forgiven of our sins due to what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross and coming back to life. Putting your faith in something is as much a choice as any of the other choices that you’ve made in life — yet Calvinism denies that Christians have that ability.
We know that God does not change who He is (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17) which in turn means that the character of God is not different between the old and new testaments. In the old testament, God makes it clear to the nation of Israel that they have two options in front of them.
Those options are to choose life or death (Deuteronomy 30:15–20, John 3:16–18).
As another example, in the Garden of Eden, the devil had to make Eve choose to rebel against what God had commanded her and Adam to do.
We are told in scripture that we cannot please God without having faith (Hebrews 11:3, Hebrews 11:6, James 1:5–8). We are also told that God wants none of us to perish (2 Peter 3:8–9) and that the gospel is now available to all men through Jesus’ death and resurrection (Titus 2:11).
Given the contexts of these parts in scripture, especially in the book of James, we see that the choice at hand is between having faith or having doubt, with very real consequences for both actions.
The counter from Calvinists to this rebuttal is that God’s ability to foreknow things means that He has already predestined things. Where this comes from is a misunderstanding of scripture that points to there being a plan in place for Jesus to be the sacrifice for the whole world from the beginning of time and for those who believe in Him to be saved as part of the plan.
The verses that discuss this plan of action, if you will, are Acts 2:23, Revelation 13:8, and Romans 8:29. In particular, the section in Romans 8:29 talks about people that God “foreknew” — this is another place where Calvinists will jump in and likely say that this proves that God’s foreknowledge equals predestination.
However, we can confirm with other witnesses in the Bible, that God foreknows all of us and the plan in Romans 8:29 is revealed to be one where those who are foreknown (all) have the chance to be saved through Jesus (choice).
The verses that talk about God foreknowing us include: Psalms 139:13–16, Galatians 1:15, Ephesians 1:3–4. If God knows everything, including things from the future, it is a reinforced assertion that the foreknowing mentioned in Romans 8:29 applies to all people having the opportunity to be conformed to the image of Jesus through faith.
Otherwise, why would we be told to tell the whole world about the good news? It seems cynical to do so knowing that God’s already pre-approved who goes where with you, of course, being on the safe side and part of an exclusive elect.
Not to mention the fact that God tells us that the sacrifice of Jesus was for the sins of the whole world and that the plan of having Jesus die for the whole world came out of the love that God has for His entire creation.
The takeaways from this first point is that we do have a choice; that choice must be to believe in what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross to be saved and that we cannot please God without choosing to have faith.
TL; DR: We have always had a choice to obey or disobey God — this ability to chose is consistent with God’s character in the old and the new testament.
