Is Calvinism a Cult?

[Episkopos]

Nobody treats others, especially enemies as their equal. If they did they would be penniless.

At this point I see your righteousness as a precise match to the religious Pharisees...since they also judged by their own views.

Jesus saw righteousness everywhere. He saw Nathaniel as a man without guile...something you think is impossible....just like the Pharisees. He saw a Roman soldier...an occupier ...as righteous. This would have caused serious religious snits. A Samaritan? More snits...

if you want to understand God's righteousness, you need to stop looking down on others. Then perhaps God will show you what real righteousness is.

I look forward to your conversion and a thread called...

"Escape from a death doctrine."

 

[Episkopos]

When a person has a suspicious character...it is because there is nothing pure in that person. Such a person is unable to esteem others as pure...precisely because purity is unknown to that person.

This explains Calvinism in a nutshell.

 

[Dave L]

At this point I see your righteousness as a precise match to the religious Pharisees...since they also judged by their own views.

Jesus saw righteousness everywhere. He saw Nathaniel as a man without guile...something you think is impossible....just like the Pharisees. He saw a Roman soldier...an occupier ...as righteous. This would have caused serious religious snits. A Samaritan? More snits...

if you want to understand God's righteousness, you need to stop looking down on others. Then perhaps God will show you what real righteousness is.

I look forward to your conversion and a thread called...

"Escape from a death doctrine."

Love = righteousness = treating all as your equal. Money in the bank = unrighteousness = treating others less than equal.

 

[Episkopos]

Love = righteousness = treating all as your equal. Money in the bank = unrighteousness = treating others less than equal.

But you think others are less righteous than you...think about it....How did the pharisees view others who weren't as "religious" as they were.

Try to be honest.

 

[Dave L]

But you think others are less righteous than you...think about it....How did the pharisees view others who weren't as "religious" as they were.

Try to be honest.

No, Paul says:
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

 

[Mayflower]

No...I used to be part of a Calvinistic college ministry that was Calvanistic. I was Calvinist for awhile. I do believe in predestination, but as far as God's omniscience goes. He chooses those who He knows will choose Him. But my family even told me I was part of a cult...it was more the legalism involved that I have felt bad about for the longest. Because I get passionate about learning the Bible and things, but know now that until someone is ready to listen, it is first not best to try talking to someone with a closed mind, and second, those grey areas are not what matter as much as understanding who God is and why we need Him. My very own family when I was 20ish before mom had her heart attacks/dementia...I sort of pushed them away from God. Mom having her heart attacks was a huge wake up call for me. I do believe and hope she found Christ and is in Heaven now. And that salvation would have nothing to do with believing if she was predestined to or not. It would be whether she believed/received Christ.

 

[Episkopos]

No, Paul says:
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

But that's not your spirit at all.

Lowliness of mind sees righteousness EVERYWHERE just like Jesus. And HE had MORE cause to look down on people than anyone else. But that is NOT His way. So we need to learn righteousness. Otherwise we have no part with Jesus.

HUMILITY sees righteousness.
Pride sees only depravity.

 

[Dave L]

But that's not your spirit at all.

Lowliness of mind sees righteousness EVERYWHERE just like Jesus. And HE had MORE cause to look down on people than anyone else. But that is NOT His way. So we need to learn righteousness. Otherwise we have no part with Jesus.

HUMILITY sees righteousness.
Pride sees only depravity.

How can you judge me when you don't know me?

 

[Mayflower]

Oh yeh about the mind set though, I would say yes to an extent with this definition from Mirriam's Dictionary...

Cult- A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.

 

[Episkopos]

How can you judge me when you don't know me?

You are offering up judgments on this forum. Unless you're just kidding around (I'm assuming you are serious) and just acting the part of a Pharisee you reveal much of the way you think...by your words. You do know you will be justified or condemned by your words? The word justified also means deemed to be righteous.

So then we see whether a person' words are righteous or unrighteous. That's how it works.

I don't condemn...I correct.

I'm hoping you will humble yourself and listen.

 

[Episkopos]

Oh yeh about the mind set though, I would say yes to an extent with this definition from Mirriam's Dictionary...

Cult- A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.

A large amount of people can't belong to a cult?

Joseph Stalin said.... One dead person...a tragedy. A million dead people...a statistic. So he just killed millions of people so that he wouldn't be seen as a murderer.

So maybe the large groups are even worse than cults?

 

[Mayflower]

A large amount of people can't belong to a cult?

Joseph Stalin said.... One dead person...a tragedy. A million dead people...a statistic. So he just killed millions of people so that he wouldn't be seen as a murderer.

So maybe the large groups are even worse than cults?

I think the lukewarm movement is a huge cult for sure honestly...we have all been it at one time or another. I think if there is a group that secludes themself and is not sharing the Gospel, that is a tell tale sign of a cult. Campus Christians were not like that. But I think my vocality on areas I was just learning about and stubborn resistant to listening to any other view is what gave me like a cult mind set. Because I was 19-20 and knew it all.

 

[Mayflower]

People would call me brainwashed and my group would tell me a brainwashing was good to have a clean mind. I don't believe this group was a cult, but I definitely felt as if my attitude came off as unloving and not Christ like to others. I think this is why some people see these groups with different beliefs as cults.

 

[Episkopos]

I think the lukewarm movement is a huge cult for sure honestly...we have all been it at one time or another. I think if there is a group that secludes themself and is not sharing the Gospel, that is a tell tale sign of a cult. Campus Christians were not like that. But I think my vocality on areas I was just learning about and stubborn resistant to listening to any other view is what gave me like a cult mind set. Because I was 19-20 and knew it all.

The biggest lie and the biggest cult falls under the heading of "Religion".

But people are wrong about God. He isn't at all religious. He is holy.

But people like religion better...it is a LOT easier.

And the people love to have it so.

 

[Mayflower]

The biggest lie and the biggest cult falls under the heading of "Religion".

But people are wrong about God. He isn't at all religious. He is holy.

But people like religion better...it is a LOT easier.

And the people love to have it so.

It is hard not to fall under that category still at times, but it is a lot easier now. Father,, please give us a heart of love to see others through Your eyes in Jesus name and use us to minister.

 

[faithfulness]

You are offering up judgments on this forum. Unless you're just kidding around (I'm assuming you are serious) and just acting the part of a Pharisee you reveal much of the way you think...by your words. You do know you will be justified or condemned by your words? The word justified also means deemed to be righteous.

So then we see whether a person' words are righteous or unrighteous. That's how it works.

I don't condemn...I correct.

I'm hoping you will humble yourself and listen.

'like'=listening + learning here...the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground

 

[Nancy]

Spiritually dead people cannot do anything good for the right reason.

Are you actually just saying that our works are "as filthy rags" without God's Spirit within us, urging us on to do good works in HIS name, not our own? That is how I see it. People love to take the glory for their-selves if they "do a good thing" for someone else. At lease, that is what I think you mean...

 

[Dave L]

You are offering up judgments on this forum. Unless you're just kidding around (I'm assuming you are serious) and just acting the part of a Pharisee you reveal much of the way you think...by your words. You do know you will be justified or condemned by your words? The word justified also means deemed to be righteous.

So then we see whether a person' words are righteous or unrighteous. That's how it works.

I don't condemn...I correct.

I'm hoping you will humble yourself and listen.

I only present the biblical view on matters. I'm not at liberty to "wing" it.

 

[Episkopos]

I only present the biblical view on matters. I'm not at liberty to "wing" it.

As they are filtered through your mind. That is why there is no unity in the Body....everyone filtering through the mind.

 

[Dave L]

As they are filtered through your mind. That is why there is no unity in the Body....everyone filtering through the mind.

There is unity in truth.