3 Big Problems With Calvinism

Calvinism is a system of theology which says that God decides who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, and people have no say in the matter.  God's choice is not based on a person's faith, or repentance, or choice.

Arminianism is a system of theology which says that God wants everyone to be saved, and made it possible for everyone to be saved through the atonement of Christ, but only chooses to save those who repent and believe in Jesus.  I am an Arminian.  Let me give you three big reasons I reject Calvinism.

One:  Calvinists believe that God doesn't want to save everyone, only the elect.  He only wants to save a few to glorify His love; He wants to send the rest of humanity to hell to glorify His holiness and justice.  The term for this is "unconditional election," meaning God chooses to save some and not others, and it is completely unconditional -- it has nothing to do with any conditions that the individual has met.

What does the Bible teach?  God wants to save everyone.  You can genuinely say to any person you ever meet, "God loves you and wants to save you from your sins."

  • Matthew 18:14 “In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” 
  • 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” 
  • 1 Timothy 2:4 “[God] wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 

Two:  Calvinists believe that Christ did not die for everyone, only the elect.  Calvinists cannot say to one another, "Christ died for your sins," because that's only true of the elect, and nobody knows for sure who the elect are.  This is called "Limited Atonement," because the atonement was only for a limited number.

What does the Bible teach?  Christ died for everyone.  He died for the sins of the whole world.

  • John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” 
  • 2 Corinthians 5:15 "And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised."
  • 1 John 2:2 “He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.” 
Three, Calvinists believe that everyone cannot be saved.  Salvation is only available to the few whom God enables to repent and believe.  This is called "irresistible grace," because God irresistibly enables a few people to believe.

What does the Bible teach?  Everyone can be saved by faith, because Christ draws all men to Himself.  God enables all men to believe when they hear the gospel, but this grace is not irresistible; people must decide to receive or reject Jesus Christ.
  • John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” 
  • John 12:32 "As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself."
To learn more about the "FACTS of Arminianism" be sure to check out the Society of Evangelical Arminians.  

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