Calvinism

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Steve Owen

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Sorry.....I just saw @David Taylor 's post. I read your question to be about Calvin, not Calvinists.

All Reformed theology affirms infant baptism. All traditional Calvinists (historical Calvinists) practice infant baptism. But there are also Baptists who have taken on some of Reformed Theology and rejected other teachings. These "Calvinists" do not practice infant baptism. Many are more like Presbyterian churches with that exception (they have adopted elder leadership, covenant theology [although dispensationalism was a Calvinistic doctrine as well]).
Oh boy!
You really can't stop making snide, false statements, can you? What on earth is the point of trying to be pleasant to you when you come out with this sort of stuff. Presbyterian churches have presbyteries; the clue is in the name. How many Baptist churches do you know that have Presbyteries?
And some Calvinists since the 1630s have practised Believers' Baptism and independency.

Sheesh!
 

John Caldwell

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Oh boy!
You really can't stop making snide, false statements, can you? What on earth is the point of trying to be pleasant to you when you come out with this sort of stuff. Presbyterian churches have presbyteries; the clue is in the name. How many Baptist churches do you know that have Presbyteries?
And some Calvinists since the 1630s have practised Believers' Baptism and independency.

Sheesh!
I do not understand why you believe my comment was snide. I am not saying that Reformed Baptist churches are Presbyterian churches that affirm believers baptism. I am saying that Reformed Baptist churches are closer to Presbyterian doctrine than Calvinistic Baptists. The reason I believe this is this explanation of what it means to be Reformed Baptist rather than Calvinistic Baptist:
Hello everyone!
'Calvinism' as generally understood today does not mean that one is a supporter of Jean Calvin, but that one holds to the position expressed in the acronym 'T.U.L.I.P.'
To be 'Reformed' is much more than to be Calvinistic. It means:
1. To uphold the five 'Solas' of the Reformation:' Grace alone, Christ alone, faith alone, the Scriptures alone, to the Glory of God alone.
2. To believe in Covenant Theology (and therefore not in Dispensationalism).
3. To believe in the Reformed Principle of Worship: that is, that nothing is to be introduced into Church worship and practice for which no probable command can be found in Scripture.
Reformed theology is not exclusively Presbyterian. There are Reformed Episcopalian churches and Reformed Baptist churches.
For me Reformed Baptist churches are true fulfillment of the Reformation since they have disposed of the last element of Romanism, infant 'baptism.'
Going off your definition it seems to me that Reformed Baptist hold more to traditional Reformed doctrine (the doctrine of the Presbyterian Church) than Calvinistic Baptists. I understood them to hold to Covenant Theology rathe rthan dispensationalism (both are distinctly Calvinistic, although shared by other views, but I always thought Covenant Theology more in line with Reformed Tradition).

You accused me of being "snide" because I believe that Calvinism started in the 16th century. Now you accuse me of being "snide" because I believe Reformed Baptists are closer to Reformed Theology than the general term Calvinistic Baptist?????

How is that being snide?
 
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CharismaticLady

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The Dead Church
3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. (That would be the warped doctrine of grace of Luther and Calvin) 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. (Two names come to mind that tried to reform Calvinism: Jacob Arminius and John Wesley who brought back holiness)5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

John 8:34-36
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. (a child of God) 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

The dead doctrine thinks Jesus freed us from the penalty of the law TO sin without penalty, and not the truth of freedom FROM sin to be righteous.
 
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Steve Owen

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John Caldwell said:
These "Calvinists" do not practice infant baptism. Many are more like Presbyterian churches with that exception
John Caldwell said:
I am not saying that Reformed Baptist churches are Presbyterian churches that affirm believers baptism.
 

Mjh29

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My oh my

This has been another very profitable day in the Lord.

I have the most treasure in heaven
of any of flesh and blood upon the face of the whole earth
at this present point in time.
you're too modest.gif
 

Steve Owen

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You accused me of being "snide" because I believe that Calvinism started in the 16th century.
I have looked, and I can't find where I did that. I called you 'wrong,' and of course you are. 'Calvinism' is far older than Calvin.

'"You did not choose Me," Christ says, "but I chose you." Such grace is beyond description. What were we, apart from Christ's choice of us, when we were empty of love? What were we but sinful and lost? We did not lead Him to choose us by believing in Him; for if Christ chose people who already believed, then we chose Him before He chose us. How then could He say, "You did not choose Me," unless His mercy came before our faith? Here is the faulty reasoning of those who say that God chose us before the creation of the world, not in order to make us good, but because He foreknew that we would be good. This was not the view of Him who said, "You did not choose Me." We were not chosen because of our goodness, for we could not be good without being chosen. Grace is no longer grace if human goodness comes first.
Listen, you ungrateful person, listen! "You did not choose Me, but I chose you." Do not say, "I was chosen because I first believed." If you first believed you had already chosen Him.'

[Augustine of Hippo, Commentary on John 15:16. Plenty more where that came from]
 

John Caldwell

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Yes Steve.

Calvinistic churches are more like Presbyterian churches than non-Calvinistic churches.

I alse believe non-Calvinistic churches are less like Presbyterian Churches than are Calvinustic churches.

The reason I believe this is Calvinistic churches hold a very similar soteriology when compared to Presbyterian churches. Non-Calvinistic churches have less in common.

Reformed Baptist churches are, typically, even closer. They are often confessional and many times affirm Covenant theology.

But they are not Presbyterian churches that accept believers baptism. There are differences.

If this seems confusing - consider the differences between Baptist theology and Anabaptist theology. That may help if you are not very familiar with Calvinism (I know that is not your family tradition).