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Examining the Doctrine of Unconditional Election:
John Calvin, Canons of Dordt, Predestination
Have you ever heard of the doctrine of Unconditional Election? Have you
ever heard of the doctrine of Predestination? You will not find the
doctrine of Unconditional Election in the Bible, however you will
find the doctrine of Predestination. The doctrine of Unconditional
Election comes from the doctrines of Calvinism known as the "TULIP." The
"TULIP" stands for: "Total Depravity,
Unconditional Election,
Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints." The
main teachings of Calvinism come from John Calvin and the Canons of Dordt
which are considered official Calvinism theology. Below will be quotes
from John Calvin and the Canons of Dordt on the doctrine of Unconditional
Election.
What is the doctrine of Unconditional Election and why is it a un-Biblical
doctrine? This doctrine teaches that before God created anything He chose
those who would be saved and those who would be damned for all eternity.
The doctrine of Unconditional Election stresses that man has no choice (no
free will) at all because man has no ability to seek God, (Total
Depravity) therefore it is by God's sovereign choice that anyone is saved.
John Calvin:
"By
predestination we mean the eternal decree of God,
by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with
regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms,
but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation;
and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends,
we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death."
(Institutes
of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 21, Section 5)
Another way of saying Unconditional Election by a Calvinist is
"Predestination." Predestination according to John Calvin is that "the
eternal decree of God is that some are preordained to eternal life and
other to eternal damnation."
Biblical response to the doctrine that "God has chosen some to eternal
life and some to eternal death"
The Bible speaks of Predestination, but nowhere does it indicate
Unconditional Election. The doctrine of Unconditional Election is a
doctrine that was created by those who are Reformed in theology. John
Calvin's theology on Predestination is not Biblical or logical. The Bible
speaks of Predestination in reference to those who are foreknown by God
and that they are predestined to do good works. Nowhere does the Bible
speak of Predestination in the sense that God has predestined some to
eternal damnation.
"29
For those whom He foreknew,
He also
predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,
so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and
these whom He predestined,
He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these
whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans
8:29-31)
These verses clearly state that those who are predestined are those whom
God foreknew and that they were predestined to be conformed to the image
of His Son. Calvinists teach that "foreknew" does not mean those whom God
knew would choose Him but rather those God ordained to eternal life by His
own decision. It is clear from the English that "foreknew" indicates a
knowledge of something in advance. What is the Greek word and definition
of "foreknew" here? The Greek word is "Proginosko" which means, "to
perceive or recognize beforehand." (Lexical
Aids To The New Testament, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, #4267 Proginosko)
Dr. Spiros Zodhiates states the following concerning Romans 8:29 and the
word "foreknew":
"This foreknowledge and foreordination in the Scripture is always unto
salvation and not unto perdition. Therefore, it could be said that the
Lord never foreordains anyone to be lost, but those who are saved as a
result of their exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ were known
ahead of time and thus chosen unto God."
(Lexical
Aids To The New Testament, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, #4267 Proginosko)
It is clear that the Greek supports the understanding that God knows those
who would come to Him. Dr. W. E. Vines states the following concerning
Romans 8:29 and the word "foreknew":
"Foreknowledge is not the same as predestination; the very sentence before
us distinguishes the two. His foreknowledge marks out the persons, His
predestination determines His purposes and acts on their behalf."
(W.
E. Vines Commentary on Romans 8:29)
Dr. W. E. Vines makes a clear distinction between "Foreknowledge"
(foreknew) and "Predestination." "Foreknowledge" is what God knows in
advance and "Predestination" is what God works out in the believer's life
to serve Him. The word "predestined" in Romans 8:29 is the Greek word "Proorizo"
which means, "to determine or decree beforehand." The way that believers
are "Predestined" is by God's "foreknowledge", therefore it is clear that
the Bible teaches Predestination but not in the way that John Calvin or
Calvinists teach.
Another passage of Scripture that clarifies "foreknowledge" and believers
in Christ being "chosen" (elect of God) is in
1 Peter 1:1-2:
"1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens,
scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
who are chosen
2
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be
sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest
measure." The "chosen" are those whom the Holy Spirit has convicted
(convinced) to believe who Jesus Christ is, to accept the message of the
Gospel, and to be sprinkled by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Peter
is addressing the "chosen" by God's "foreknowledge" not on the basis of
Him choosing them without them not having a responsibility to choose from,
but on knowing them in advance.
John Calvin:
"We
say, then, that Scripture clearly proves this much,
that God by his eternal and immutable counsel determined once for all
those whom it was his pleasure one day to admit to salvation, and those
whom, on the other hand, it was his pleasure to doom to destruction.
We maintain that this counsel, as regards the elect, is founded on his
free mercy, without any respect to human worth, while
those whom he dooms to destruction are excluded from access to life by a
just and blameless, but at the same time incomprehensible judgment."
(Institutes
of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 21, Section 7)
John Calvin makes it very clear concerning Predestination by his
statement, "that Scripture clearly proves." John Calvin is stating that
the Bible teaches the following: "God by His eternal counsel determined
all those who would be saved by His own decision and for His pleasure; God
by His eternal counsel determined those who would be damned to destruction
by His own decision and for His pleasure; those who are doomed are judged
by God on a just and blameless judgment. These are the teachings of John
Calvin concerning the eternal determination of God and that His decisions
in this are just without any respect to human worth."
Biblical response to John Calvin on "God's eternal counsel and judgment"
The following Scriptures refute John Calvin's teachings on
Predestination: "14 "As
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man
be lifted up;
15 so that
whoever believes
will in Him have eternal life. 16 "For
God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 "For
God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world,
but that the world might be saved through Him.
18 "He
who believes
in Him is not judged;
he who does not believe
has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God." (John
3:14-18)
John the Apostle records the discussion that took place between Jesus and
Israel's religious leader Nicodemus. Jesus made it clear on how a person
is saved or judged for eternity. Jesus states, "as Moses lifted up the
serpent", which was from the book of Numbers where God's judgment was
coming on those who were rebelling against God, and all those who "wanted
to be saved" were told to look to this serpent which Moses was holding.
Those who looked to the serpent which Moses held did so out of their own
free will and Jesus taught this same truth for all those who want to be
saved from the judgment to come, and that people will have make a choice.
Jesus states this in such a way that a young child can understand, that
is, God loves the whole world and all those who choose to believe and
accept Jesus will be saved and have eternal life. All those who refuse
Jesus will die in their sins and will be eternally separated from God.
Jesus states that the Father did not send the Son into the world to judge
the world, but rather that they "might be saved." It is clear that God
does not force anyone to be saved but gives them the choice so that they
"might be saved." Calvinists will say that the word "world" is in
reference to the "elect or chosen" of God, but reading this in context it
is clear on what Jesus was teaching concerning Moses and that the heart of
the Father sent the Son to save the "world." This was is in reference to
anyone being saved and is not speaking of some special elect group.
The Canons of Dordt agree with what John Calvin taught concerning
Unconditional Election known as the doctrine of Predestination:
"By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God by which he
determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every
man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to
eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and accordingly, as each has
been created for one or the other of these ends, we say that we have been
predestinated to life or to death"
(Canons
of Dordt, First Head of Doctrine, 3:21:5)
"We say, then, that the scripture clearly proves this much, that God by
his eternal and immutable counsel determined once for all those whom it
was his good pleasure one day to admit to salvation, and those whom, on
the other hand, it was his good pleasure to doom to destruction."
(Canons
of Dordt, First Head of Doctrine, 3:21:7)
These quotes are in complete agreement on the teachings of Calvinism on
the doctrine of Unconditional Election.
More Scriptures that refute the false doctrine of "Unconditional Election"
The Apostle Peter in his Epistle wrote the following: "The Lord is not
slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,
not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
(2
Peter 3:9)
Peter was speaking about the return of Jesus Christ and that the Lord's
desire is not that any perish, and this is very important to see. If the
Lord's desire is not for any to perish then why were they predestined or
ordained to eternal damnation by His good pleasure as John Calvin and the
Canons of Dordt state? If the Lord truly desires all (anyone) to be saved
and come to repentance then why were they elected for eternal destruction
as John Calvin and the Canons of Dordt state? The truth is Peter is
teaching that the Lord does not want any to perish, that is, to be eternal
damned. Peter states that the Lord has desires for anyone to be saved
which refutes the un-Biblical teachings of Calvinism on the doctrine of
Unconditional Election.
Paul states the following: "Therefore having overlooked the times of
ignorance,
God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent."
(Acts
17:30)
If the doctrine of Unconditional Election was true why does Paul state
that God is declaring or calling all men to repent? According to Calvinism
only those who are of the Elect or are Chosen of God can repent. This
shows that the teachings of Calvinism on Unconditional Election are not
Biblical or logical because that would make God declaring something for
men to do but are not given the ability to do. Either this verse is true
or it is not. If it is true then God is stating through the Apostle Paul
that all people everywhere have the ability to repent. If this is not
stating that all people have the ability to repent and to turn to God then
what is it stating?
The prophet Ezekiel revealed that God does not take pleasure in anyone
dying or in the death of the wicked: "21 "But if the wicked man
turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My
statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he
shall not die. 22 "All his transgressions which he has committed
will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he
has practiced, he will live. 23 "Do
I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD,
"rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?...32
"For
I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord
GOD. "Therefore, repent and live.""
(Ezekiel
18:21-23 & Ezekiel 18:32)
The context of these Scriptures states that anyone who turns to God and
repents of his or her wrong ways will be forgiven by God. God states here
that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, which shows that the
teaching of Calvinism on God taking pleasure in choosing people to eternal
damnation is not true. God states He finds no pleasure in anyone who dies
which would include those who are not of God, therefore the doctrine of
God choosing people to be saved for His good pleasure and others to
eternal damnation is un-Biblical and against the heart of God. These
verses also show that God is desiring for people to turn from their wicked
ways and declares for them to repent and live. If God wants people to
repent and live than common sense says they were not created for eternal
destruction. As the Bible clearly teaches in many places God wants people
to come to Him, to choose Him, and to be saved.
Jesus taught that eternal fire or hell was not created for mankind but for
the devil and his angels: "Then He will also say to those on His
left, `Depart from Me, accursed ones,
into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels."
(Matthew
25:41)
Do Calvinists believe that we have a pre-existence in which we were angels
that took on flesh? Jesus does not say "eternal fire" was prepared for
those whom God chosen to eternal destruction, but it was prepared for the
devil and his angels which was those that rebelled against God.
This information was shared to show the un-Biblical and illogical
teachings of Calvinism on the doctrine of Unconditional Election. It is
clear that the Bible teaches the doctrine of Predestination which means
God knows all those who would come to Him by His guidance and them
receiving the truth, and that God worked out things in their lives to
bring glory to Him. It is clear that the Bible does not teach that God has
chosen people to be predestined or ordained to eternal destruction and
damnation. There is much more that could be written on this topic, but
this is sufficient to show that the teachings of Calvinism concerning
Unconditional Election are not Biblical.
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