Index To All Sections You Are Here  Part 1: An Introduction to John Calvin and his Doctrines of Grace Part 2: Introduction to the acronym T.U.L.I.P - each letter stands for one of the five fundamental tenets of Calvinism.
2A. Total Inability
2B. Unconditional Election
2C. Limited Atonement
2D. Irresistible Grace
2E. Perseverance of The Saints Part 3: When the Gospel Becomes a Lie
Part 4: God’s Sovereignty and Character
Part 5: Hypocrisy Unlimited
Part 6: Conclusion Part 7: The Sins of Augustine. Part 8: Calvinism in the First 1500 Years Calvinism And The Book of Romans HERE
On This Page
PART I - Introduction to Doctrines of Grace AKA Calvinism
A system of baffling theological complexities and contradictions piled one on top of the other. [00] The Canons of Dordt and T.U.L.I.P
At the council, the delegates drafted five points to summarize Calvinistic doctrine. TULIP, which eventually became the cornerstone of Reformed theology is an acronym - each letter standing for one of the five fundamental tenets of Calvinism. An Unsettled Theology
There is such a tremendous variance in beliefs amongst Calvinists that it is very difficult to pin them down theologically and impossible to debate with. In a room full of Calvinists, you'd be hard-pressed to find very many that believe exactly the same thing. A "High View of Scripture?
If Calvinism's incredibly convoluted doctrine is a very "high view" of Scripture, then it is no wonder that God chose to first proclaim his message of salvation to peasants tending their sheep. Logical Impossibilities
Since two propositions that contradict each other can not both be true, when faced with a logical impossibility one has the following choices... accept one or the other as true, or both as false. Proof Texts Vs. The General Tenor of Scripture
In an effort to make it seem Biblical Calvinists focus on certain "proof texts" as opposed to the overall message
of the book they are quoting from
PART II - Meet John Calvin
A 16th century influential French theologian who tried (successfully in many, many cases) to persuade people that two diametrically opposing and completely contradictory points view were both Gospel truth.
The Institutes of the Christian Religion Was Written by a Young Novice
No one can be sure whether Calvin was even converted when he wrote the Institutes of the Christian Religion in 1536. At best, he was a brand new convert writing it 3-6 short years after converting. Calvin Was Supremely Unfit To Be Called A Church Leader
John Calvin consistently used violence to subdue all who did not see eye to eye with him. For for all his supposed thorough study of the Scriptures he missed the verses in the 12th chapter of Romans which that says "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "vengeance is Mine, I will repay Calvin's Cruelty - Exaggerated or Understated?
Make no mistake, history clearly records that Calvin both directly and indirectly had both men and women jailed, tortured, and executed. The Bible is Very Specific About The Character of Church Leaders
PART III - Augustine - Catholic To The Core
Although the doctrine of "total depravity" is commonly associated with John Calvin, his doctrine was based on Augustine's theology and writings. In other words, Augustine was the source of most of what is known as Calvinism today. Augustine? Seemingly few realize that he was Catholic to the core - so much so that he is considered a saint in the Catholic Church. He believed that the Catholic Church can forgive sins and that tradition is on par with the authority of the Scriptures. He believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, to say nothing of purgatory and praying for the departed.
PART I - Introduction
As the Catholic Church grew in power and authority tradition superseded many foundational Biblical doctrines. The Protestant Reformation in early 16th century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and the authority of the Catholic Church caused a schism resulted in the two groups - Catholics and Protestants.
After the Reformation was well underway John Calvin - a French theologian introduced Doctrines of Grace, or Calvinism as it is commonly called. It is based on the belief that people are born so morally corrupt that it is impossible for them to repent of their sins, turn to God or believe in Jesus - all of which they can only do if God sovereignly influences them and changes their wills by a grace that they cannot resist. In other words, God alone is responsible for every aspect of salvation and man has no say in the matter at all. Calvinists claim that this belief is based solely on key teachings in Scripture. As the Calvinist Corner says (Emphasis Added) The system of Calvinism adheres to a very high view of scripture and seeks to derive its theological formulations based solely on Gods word. It focuses on God's sovereignty, stating that God is able and willing by virtue of his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, to do whatever He desires with His creation. It also maintains that within the Bible are the following teachings: That God, by His sovereign grace predestines people into salvation; that Jesus died only for those predestined; that God regenerates the individual where he is then able and wants to choose God; and that it is impossible for those who are redeemed to lose their salvation.[01] Note: Regeneration means to give new life or energy to or to spiritually or morally reform
Some Calvinists take this concept to extremes. Edwin H. Palmer (1922-1980) a theologian and pastor who served as executive secretary on the team that prepared the NIV (New International Version) version of the Bible wrote, "God is in back of everything. He decides and causes all things to happen that do happen....He has foreordained everything 'after the counsel of his will' (Ephesians 1:11): the moving of a finger, the beating of a heart, the laughter of a girl, the mistake of a typist - even sin." [02]
However, because not everyone was in agreement with Calvin's teachings on divine predestination and election a movement led by reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius soon made its presence known. The opposition actually spurred Calvinists to codify or systematize the five points that summarized reformed doctrine. This was done at the Synod of Dort - an international Synod held in the Netherlands in 1618-1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church. (The terms the terms reformed and Calvinism are usually used synonymously).
The Canons of Dordt and T.U.L.I.P:
Although the Synod was held to settle the Arminian controversy, the delegates also drafted five points to summarize Calvinistic doctrine. TULIP which eventually became the cornerstone of Reformed theology is an acronym - each letter standing for one of the five fundamental tenets of Calvinism which together are a a comprehensible but accurate representation of Calvin's views Total Inability being the foundation and cornerstone of the entire superstructure.
The five points are Total Depravity/Inability, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible or Efficacious, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints.  Links To Articles On Each Of The Five Points On The Next Page
Although 'the Canons of Dordt' drafted five points to summarize Calvinistic doctrine Calvinism was and continues to be...
An Unsettled Theology
There is such a tremendous variance in beliefs amongst Calvinists that it is very difficult to pin them down theologically. In a room full of Calvinists, you'd be hard-pressed to find even two that hold exactly the same views.
The following points made by David Cloud of The Fundamental Baptist Information Service (Emphasis Added) Calvinists are seriously divided among themselves and always have been. There is Supralapsarianism vs. Sublapsarianism vs. Infralapsarianism. "The Supralapsarians hold that God decreed the fall of Adam; the Sublapsarians, that he permitted it" (McClintock & Strong). The Calvinists at the Synod of Dort were divided on many issues, including lapsarianism. The Swiss Calvinists who wrote the Helvetic Consensus Formula in 1675 were in conflict with the French Calvinists of the School of Saumur. There are Strict Calvinists and Moderate Calvinists, Hyper and non-Hyper (differing especially on reprobation and the extent of the atonement and whether God loves all men), 5 pointers, 4 pointers, 3 pointers, 2 pointers. In America Calvinists were divided into Old School and the New School. As we have seen, the Calvinists of England were divided in the 19th century. Whenever, therefore, one tries to state TULIP theology and then refute it, there are Calvinists who will argue with you that you are misrepresenting Calvinism. It is not so much that you are misrepresenting Calvinism, though. You might be quoting directly from various Calvinists or even from Calvin himself. The problem is that you are misrepresenting THEIR Calvinism! There are Calvin Calvinists and Andrew Fuller Calvinists and Arthur W. Pink Calvinists and Presbyterian Calvinists and Baptist Calvinists and many other sorts of Calvinists. Many Calvinists have never read Calvin's Institutes of Christian Religion for themselves. They are merely following someone who follows someone who allegedly follows Calvin (who, by his own admission, followed Augustine). Calvinists believe that they have the right to reject or modify some parts of, or conclusions of Calvin. I agree with them 100%, and I say, further, that we also have the right to reject the entire thing if we are convinced that it is not supported by Scripture! [03]
A "High View of Scripture?
So many churches teach Calvinism, so many books and online articles are written about it that to the average person exposed to an avalanche of skillful presentations, it may seem that Calvinism came straight from the mouths of the apostles and prophets themselves. However, those who have not been wooed by man's seven syllable words and much speaking and are willing to read what the Bible itself has to say, will find otherwise. As the apostle Paul said
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15). We cannot allow ourselves to be "tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming" (Ephesians 4:14).
Calvinist scholars resort to complex and intricate distinctions between electing grace and common grace, and the various "wills' of God including perceptive will, preferential or desiderative will, permissive will, decreed will etc. See Chapter on God's Sovereignity and Character If all this gobbledygook is a very "high view" of Scripture, then it is no wonder that God first proclaimed his message of salvation to peasants tending their sheep. Once the highly 'educated' got a hold of the extremely straightforward and uncomplicated message of salvation they turned it into a highly philosophical ideology well infused by preconceived ideas, assumptions and presumptions. In fact Calvinists often resort to doublespeak - language that appears to communicate but actually does not. The resulting concoction most often bears little resemblance to the original message. Calvinism so tests the bounds of common sense and logic that I have often wondered if the angels who delivered the message are even now scratching their heads in perplexity wondering if this was the same 'glad tidings' they were sent to announce. Besides which Calvinist philosophy very often contradicts itself. For example, in an August 2016 interview conducted by Shawn Lazar about believers doubting their salvation, David J. Engelsma says he (All Emphasis added) ... would exhort someone who was lacked assurance in this way. I would be very patient. I would take care not to be harsh and condemnatory. I would tell them what the gospel itself says: believe on Jesus Christ, know Him as the Savior from sin, put your faith in Him for your righteousness with God, and you will have certainty of salvation. God Himself promises (and He cannot lie) that everyone who believe on Jesus Christ is saved, will be saved, and will never be lost, and we have no reason to doubt Him whatsoever. [04]
Logical Impossibilities
Logical impossibilities such as stating a thing can be and not be at the same time are both mutually exclusive but absurd - Classic examples include a square circle and a married bachelor the absurdity of which is self evident. Since two propositions that contradict each other can not both be true, when faced with a logical impossibility one has the following choices... accept one or the other as true, or both as false.
Citing Jesus' words "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26) doesn't help in the slightest because omnipotence doesn't mean the ability to do absolutely anything, but the ability to do anything that is logically possible. For instance, having created the human body God knows exactly what it takes to make a cancerous tumor 'disappear'. Without breaking a sweat He could cause a black hole to swallow up this earth and everything on it, but He cannot create a stone so heavy that even He cannot lift it. He can cause it to rain cats and dogs in the Sahara, but cannot cause it to rain and not rain at the same time. I hope you see the difference. For More See What a Sovereign God Cannot Do Yet Calvin managed to persuade many that two diametrically opposing and completely contradictory points view were both Gospel truth. For example he wrote (Emphasis Added) Moreover, though their perdition depends on the predestination of God, the cause and matter of it is in themselves... Man therefore falls, divine providence so ordaining, but he falls by his own fault. [05]
If, as Calvinists believe, a person's damnation depends on a divine decree made at the beginning of time, how in the world is it possible that his fall is his own fault? Any human with an ounce of logic and common sense in their make up will dismiss this position as being absurd, irrational, and a logical impossibility. Calvin believed that God foreordains and initiates everything, i.e. He causes sin, then punishes the sinner. Although he admitted it was incomprehensible, Calvin called this travesty a "supreme standard of justice". (Emphasis added) I say with Augustine, that the Lord has created those who, as he certainly foreknow, were to go to destruction, and he did so because he so willed. Why he willed it is not ours to ask, as we cannot comprehend, nor can it become us even to raise a controversy as to the justice of the divine will. Whenever we speak of it, we are speaking of the supreme standard of justice. ...Whenever they presume to carp, let us begin to repeat: Who are ye, miserable men, that bring an accusation against God, and bring it because he does not adapt the greatness of his works to your meagre capacity? [06]
We have done a good job of ignoring the following warning (Emphasis Added) But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3 NASB)
Proof Texts Vs. The General Tenor of Scripture
In common with much of the Christian world Calvinists focus on certain "proof texts" and seem to ignore the context. Isaiah 64:6-7 is a prime example.
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on Your name, Who arouses himself to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities. (Isaiah 64:6-7 NASB)
Completely oblivious to both the the textual and historical context this verse is one of the one of the most misquoted and misapplied passages in Christianity. See Filthy Rags The problem with proof texts, favorite Scriptural verses and Bible reading plans is that they rarely give the reader an overall view of the entire book. Focusing on short excerpts and isolated verses gets a person so bogged down in detail that the big picture is overlooked. As an illustration, someone walking through the woods will see a lot of trees but, beautiful as they may be, he has no idea what the entire forest looks like. Individual strokes in a painting are not an end in themselves, but are used to achieve the end result. Thus focusing on individual brush strokes will not give the viewer any sense of what the subject of the painting is nor how good it is. One has to step backwards and let the entire scene come into focus before one can appreciate what the artist has accomplished. See Reading Your Bible - Begin With An Overview. And herein lies the problem with Calvinism and the Bible... the book of Romans in particular. While stepping back and understanding the big picture is necessary with every single book of the Bible, it is in Romans that Paul makes an extremely detailed defense of the Gospel. Paul did not simply string together a number of statements in no particular order, but carefully built his case one fact upon another much as an attorney will do in a court of law. Certain "proof texts" pulled from Romans to support Calvinism do not agree with the overall message of Romans. In fact, the case Paul takes so much trouble to build directly contradicts Calvinistic doctrine. See Calvinism and The Book of Romans Also See Footnote I - Context, Context, Context In Summary: The message of the Gospel is actually so uncomplicated that any human being with half a brain cell is capable of understanding it. Anytime something in Scripture is deemed to be "incomprehensible" is usually because it is a man made doctrine so convoluted and contradictory that man himself cannot or has trouble explaining it. Calvinism, built more upon philosophy than the extremely simple message of the Gospel, emphasizes God's sovereignty to the point of severely downplaying what the Bible says about His love and mercy. It completely ignores plain teachings about man's responsibility and God-given free will. And that is not all. Calvinists seem to be severely misinformed as to what God's sovereignty means. See Chapter 10 - God's Sovereignty and Character
PART II - Meet John Calvin
Putting a Man on a Pedestal
Calvinism is named after the 16th century (1509 – 1564) John Calvin, an influential French theologian during the Protestant Reformation who is believed to have converted from Roman Catholicism when he was quite young. Although Calvin's contemporary Martin Luther was said to be essentially in agreement, it was John Calvin who was the principal figure in the development and articulation of this doctrine. He was also its best known proponent held in very high regard by Calvinists.
For example, Prof. David J. Engelsma, graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI and one time editor of the semi monthly Reformed magazine, the "Standard Bearer" wrote, "Calvin was the name of a man, a great servant of God" and "every professing Protestant could profitably read" his Institutes. Calvinism is the Gospel. Its outstanding doctrines are simply the truths that make up the Gospel. Departure from Calvinism, therefore, is apostasy from the Gospel of God's grace in Christ. [07]
Reformed theologian of yesteryear Dr. Loraine Boettner says they accept the term "Calvinist" as their badge of honor; [08] Judging from some of the things he said in his autobiography, Spurgeon was a dedicated Calvinist. For example, (All Emphasis Added) "Calvinism IS the Gospel, and nothing else." [09] "Among those who have been born of women, there has not risen a greater than John Calvin; no age before him ever produced his equal, and no age afterward has seen his rival." [10] "The longer I live, the clearer does it appear that John Calvin's system is the nearest to perfection." [11]
Torrents of Words
The late Loraine Boettner, graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and well known reformed theologian and author pointed out that Augustine (See Part III - Augustine (Below) taught the essentials of the system a thousand years before Calvin was born, and the whole body of the leaders of the Reformation movement taught the same. But it was given to Calvin with his deep knowledge of Scripture, his keen intellect and systematizing genius, to set forth and defend these truths more clearly and ably than had ever been done before." [12]
And set them forth he did - in spades. Calvin's magnum opus was a massive and extremely philosophical account of Protestant doctrine called The Institutes of the Christian Church, which remains highly influential in the Western world and even today is widely read by theological students. What I cannot get over is the fact that God only 'wrote' one book that not only detailed His plan of salvation but also the entire spiritual history of man from beginning to end. Yet theologians, apparently getting carried away by their own verbosity went on and on and on - ad infinitum. Calvin's endless commentaries may have been intended to explain the Scriptures but, in reality, were arguments for his own theology (or what he believed were the basic tenets of Christianity) Although there are no dearth of people willing and able to rain down the accolades, one cannot escape from the fact that...
'Institutes of the Christian Religion' Was Written by a Young Novice
Institutes of the Christian Religion - John Calvin's seminal work of systematic theology is regarded as one of the most influential works of Protestant theology. It was published in Latin in 1536 and in French language around 1541.
The problem is no one is quite sure whether Calvin was even converted in 1536. At best, he wrote it 3-6 short years after converting which would have made him a brand new convert. While there is little doubt that Calvin was convinced that what he taught was true to God's word, how can anyone believe that even an unusually bright convert can in such a short time became mature enough in the Christian faith to write tomes on some of the deepest subjects in all Christianity. And although Institutes was later enlarged to five times the size of the original he never made any radical departure from the doctrines set forth in the first edition. A miniscule amount of common sense would have one agreeing with Dave Hunt who said... "Unquestionably, his Institutes could not possibly have come from a deep and fully developed evangelical understanding of Scripture. Instead, they came from the energetic enthusiasm of a recent law graduate and fervent student of philosophy and religion, a young genius devoted to Augustine and a newly adopted cause. … He sought with his brilliant legal mind to make up for what he lacked in spiritual maturity" [13]
Although he had scarcely begun to walk with the Lord when he wrote it, The Institutes has remained important to Protestant theology for almost five centuries. Tim Perrine, CCEL Staff Writer says it was, That's odd! For some strange reason I was under the impression that we already had a book that instructed us how to achieve salvation. (Emphasis added) and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:15-17 NASB)
"Calvin's Conversion"
Much has been made of Calvin's supposed conversion experience. However, because Calvin does not make more than a passing reference to this conversion in his voluminous writings one cannot be certain if it was even the New Birth. What is truly damning is that Calvin was supposedly converted when he had Michael Servetus killed in 1553. And that was not the only one of his despicable, morally reprehensible deeds...
Calvin Was Supremely Unfit To Be Called A Church Leader
The Historical Record
When Calvin was invited to Geneva to build the new Reformed church, he attempted to impose such a strict moral code on the people that they saw his reforms as another version of the papacy. In April 1537, at Calvin's instigation, city officials were commanded to go from house to house to ensure that the inhabitants subscribed to his Confession of Faith. Many who opposed him were either imprisoned, flogged, banished, or put to death. The story of Michael Servetus is probably the best known, although far from the only example of Calvin's ruthlessness.
In about 1553, Calvin "asked the councils of Geneva to arrest Michael Servetus that he considered a heretic, since Servetus criticised the doctrine of the Trinity, opposed infant baptism and rejected the doctrine of Original Sin. Calvin brought charges against him, carried on the debate to prove that his heresy was threatening the Church of Christ, and approved of the verdict to put him to death (although he urged beheading instead of burning at the stake)". [15] And we hang on to this man's every word! Exactly how skewed can we get? Yet note what Calvin himself said about "ecclesiastical discipline", some six years after he had Servetus killed...(Emphasis Added) First, the object in view is to prevent the occurrence of scandals, and when they arise, to remove them. In the use two things are to be considered: first, that this spiritual power be altogether distinct from the power of the sword; secondly, that it be not administered at the will of one individual, but by a lawful consistory (1 Cor. 5:4). Both were observed in the purer times of the Church. For holy bishops did not exercise their power by fine, imprisonment, or other civil penalties, but as became them, employed the word of God only. For the severest punishment of the Church, and, as it were, her last thunderbolt, is excommunication, which is not used unless in necessity. This, moreover, requires neither violence nor physical force, but is contented with the might of the word. [16]
In an end note to the above comment, The Christian Classics Ethereal Library that carries Calvin's entire Institutes online says "It is truly unfortunate that these sound sentiments were not heeded by Calvin himself" and "Calvin even wrote a small book defending the death sentence upon Servetus". [17]
The end note to chapter 11 of Institutes goes on to say Today there is a monument on Champel, the hill upon which Servetus perished in the flames. It was erected on the 350th anniversary of the execution, by followers of Calvin. The inscription reads: As reverent and grateful sons of Calvin, our great Reformer, repudiating his mistake, which was the mistake of his age, and according to the true principles of the Reformation and the Gospel, holding fast to freedom of conscience, we erect this monument of reconciliation on this 27th of October 1903. [18]
News flash. We can elect monuments to all the victims of Calvin's bloodthirsty policies until the cows come home. It wont change the basic fact that for all John Calvin's supposed thorough study of the Scriptures he missed the entire 12th chapter of Romans If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the lord. "but if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." (Romans 12:18-20 NASB)
Calvin's Cruelty - Exaggerated or Understated?
Modern defenders often claim that the charges against Calvin are highly exaggerated ... made by those that "hate" him. (We must have some peculiar affinity for the word hate, since we so freely apply it to anyone who disagrees with or points out a problem with another person's beliefs).
Make no mistake, history clearly records that Calvin both directly and indirectly had both men and women jailed, tortured, and executed. He not only approved of such practices, but instigated them". Calvin: A Biography, by Bernard Cottret, published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company Grand Rapids, Michigan, documents no less than 38 executions. This is a partial list of Calvin's appalling cruelty. February 1545 - "Freckles" Dunant dies under torture without admitting to the crime of spreading the plague. His body was then dragged to the middle of town and burned. (page 180) 1545 - Following the incident with Dunant, several more men and women were apprehended including a barber and a hospital supervisor who had "made a pact with the devil." (page 180) March 7, 1545 - Two women executed by burning at the stake (presumably for the crime of sorcery, i.e. spreading the plague). Calvin INTERCEDED apparently to have them executed sooner rather than later after additional time in prison. The Council followed his directive happily and urged the executioner to "be more diligent in cutting off the hands of malefactors." (page 180) 1545 - more executions, tortures carefully watched to prevent death. Most of the tortured refused to confess. Means of death varied a little to include decapitation. All under the crime of spreading the plague. Some committed suicide in their cells to avoid torture, afterward the rest were handcuffed. One woman then through herself through a window. (page 180) 1545 - Calvin HAD the magistrates seize Belot, an Anabaptist (against infant baptism) for stating that the Old Testament was abolished by the New. Belot was chained and tortured. (page 208) May 16, 1545 - The last execution concerning the plague outbreak, bringing the total dead to 7 men and 24 women. A letter from Calvin attests to 15 of these women being burned at the stake. Calvin's only concern was that the plague had not come to his house. (page 180) April 1546 - Ami Perrin put on trial for refusing to testify against several friends who were guilty of having danced. She was incarcerated for refusal to testify. (page 189) July 1546 - Jacques Gruet was accused of writing a poster against Calvin. He was arrested and tortured until he admitted to the crime. He was then executed." [19]
It seems painfully obvious that John Calvin was a hard and inflexible man, who used violence and torture to subdue all who did not see eye to eye with him. As I understand it, there is not one mention of God's love for the lost in all volumes of his Institutes. So the possibility that John Calvin created a god in his own image has to be taken very seriously.
The Bible is Very Specific About The Character of Church Leaders
Defenders of Calvin say
"every age must be judged according to its prevailing law; and Calvin cannot be fairly accused of any greater offence than that with which we may be charged for punishing certain crimes with death." [20]
And that is absolute codswallop. The crimes that carry the death penalty are violent ones that virtually always involve the taking of life. We do not prescribe the death penalty for those that disagree with our religious views or that we consider heretics. In any case these men who claimed knowledge and wrote tomes on the deepest subjects in all the Bible apparently missed Hebrews 10:30 which so clearly says How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "vengeance is mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." (Hebrews 10:29-30 NASB)
And of course the commandment that so clearly prohibited murder (Exodus 20:13). Also See James 4:12. Besides which, a person's character is the only basis by which we determine whether or not they are qualified to hold the position of Christian teacher and leader. We do not judge leaders of the church according to "prevailing law" but according to the Word of God that lists the characteristics that a leader in the Christian community is required to have. It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. (1 Timothy 3:1-3 NASB) For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, (Titus 1:7-8 NASB)
Calvin was far, far worse that a brawler or striker. The man that so many in the modern Church treat with reverent respect was a torturer and an executioner ... which means that according to Scripture, he was completely unfit to be called a Church leader.
Note Calvin had much in common with Martin Luther
There is no question that Martin Luther's refusal to bow down to the dictates of the Catholic Church let the genie out of the bottle. His reforms helped empower peasants, gave rise to Protestantism as we know it and even, in the long run, contributed to democracy and changed the course of Western civilization. On the other hand, not many Martin Luther devotees seem to be aware that his idea of grace and faith alone differed from ours, and that several Catholic doctrines remained firmly entrenched in his belief system. And that is not all.
And that is far from all. All too many Christians tend to gloss over the fact that Luther slandered everyone he disagreed with. He made strident and offensive verbal attacks against both the papacy and the Anabaptists, while his violent polemics against the Jews are appalling examples of extreme anti-Semitism. In fact, were he alive today we would consider him a horrible man.
PART III - Augustine
Many leading Calvinists agree that the writings of Augustine were the actual source of most of what is known as Calvinism today. Although Augustine was Catholic to the core and wrong about any number of issues, John Calvin referred to him as "holy man" and "holy father" and accepted Augustine's fabrications in toto with disastrous and widespread consequences. (See The Sins of Augustine)
As theopedia.com says Sometimes Calvinism is referred to by other names such as "Augustinianism" because Calvin followed Augustine (A.D. 354–430) in many areas of predestination and the sovereignty of God." and although the doctrine of "total depravity is commonly associated with John Calvin, this theological viewpoint is based on the theology of Augustine" [21]
In Calvin's words, In a word, Augustine is so wholly with me, that if I wished to write a confession of my faith, I could do so with all fulness and satisfaction to myself out of his writings. But that I may not, on the present occasion, be too prolix, I will be content with three or four instances of his testimony, from which it will be manifest that he does not differ from me one pin's point. And it would be more manifest still, could the whole line of his confession be adduced, how fully and solidly he agrees with me in every particular. [22]
In his Institutes Calvin quotes Augustine some 400 times, describing him as "the best and most faithful witness of all antiquity. Note the following examples drawn from the 11 positive references to Augustine in one chapter of Volume III. (All emphasis added) I at least hold with Augustine that when God makes sheep out of wolves, he forms them again by the powerful influence of grace, that their hardness may thus be subdued, and that he does not convert the obstinate, because he does not exert that more powerful grace, a grace which he has at command, if he were disposed to use it (August. de Prædest. Sanct., Lib. 1, c. 2). I say with Augustine, that the Lord has created those who, as he certainly foreknew, were to go to destruction, and he did so because he so willed. Why he willed it is not ours to ask, as we cannot comprehend, nor can it become us even to raise a controversy as to the justice of the divine will. Whenever we speak of it, we are speaking of the supreme standard of justice. If your mind is troubled, decline not to embrace the counsel of Augustine, This question, like others, is skillfully explained by Augustine. [23]
There are 19 references to Augustine in Chapter 5 of Book 2. [24] Apparently, apart from Augustine, the first 1500 years of church history was filled with simpletons who, in spite of their deep devotion to the Word of God, never managed to figure out that predestination was a basic tenet of the Bible. Somehow this foundational and critical doctrine eluded the grasp and understanding of men like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Gaul, Clement of Alexandria and countless others. And I am certainly not saying that these men had all their ducks in a row. For example, Novatian was a Roman priest and the second anti-pope in papal history, Jerome is still recognized by the Catholic Church as a saint and Doctor of the Church - his Vulgate still an important text in Catholicism. The common factor between them was that they all believed in free will. It took around fifteen centuries before Calvin and the Reformers came along and 'discovered' then fully developed this doctrine which, until then had pretty much only been endorsed by a man who was wrong about almost everything else he believed and taught. (Note: This is a similar situation to that of the doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture, which was not believed by anyone in the church until about two hundred years ago. (See The Rapture)
Augustine Was Catholic To The Core
He believed that the Catholic Church can forgive sins and that tradition is on par with the authority of the Scriptures. He believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, to say nothing of purgatory and praying for the departed. (For Details See The Sins of Augustine)). In view of the fact that Augustine's belief system was so skewed on the major points of doctrine listed in the linked article, it seems to me that we should be eyeing with deep suspicion anything that he wrote. Yet not only was Calvin in almost complete agreement with Augustine but Evangelical Protestants consider him... (Emphasis Added) "to be in the tradition of the Apostle Paul as the theological fountainhead of the Reformation teaching on salvation and grace". [25]
What exactly is wrong with us?
Footnote I - Context, Context, Context
No Biblical author simply strung together a number of lofty sounding phrases disconnected from one another. Since each verse is an integral part of a particular point the author was trying to make, no one should read, much less base their beliefs on stand alone verses. The reader can only be accurately informed by God's Word the way it is written - in its context. Understanding what the author meant comes not only from the words he wrote, but also by what the overall message of the chapter is intended to convey.
Since virtually all verses in the Bible can only be fully understood and assessed as part of the surrounding verses, which form the setting, or the big picture, you should ignore verse numbers and read at least several paragraphs, if not the whole chapter more than once... perhaps several times. This will almost always result in the discovery of a very clear theme and distinct message, which will often illuminate or throw a different light on a particular verse. In other words the verse may not mean exactly what you had been lead to believe, or thought it meant. Is that a lot of work? It is. But, the Bible does NOT say "sit back and let your beliefs be determined by someone who has arrived at his or her own conclusions and quotes verses at you to back them up". What the Bible says is Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB) But, since this takes a little more time, study and effort, most Christians are content with allowing a verse to be wrested from it's context, and used to convey whatever meaning the speaker/author wishes it to convey which, all too often, is nothing but a corruption of the truth. Whether intentionally or unintentionally this perversion of Scriptures is done in order to persuade men that everything the false teacher says is Biblical truth. See Context is CRUCIAL {PLACE IN TEXT}
Continue On To Part II - The Canons of Dordt and T.U.L.I.P HERE
TULIP, which eventually became the cornerstone of Reformed theology is an acronym - each letter standing for one of the five fundamental tenets of Calvinism. It is a comprehensible, but accurate representation of Calvin's views. Note: Links to articles on Total Depravity/Inability, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace Perseverance of the Saints i.e. all the five tenets represented by the acronym TULIP are on this page.
End Notes
[00] Judge Rick Brooker. Calvinism on Trial. November 17, 2010. Making All Men See.
http://rickbrooker.blogspot.com/2010/11/calvinism-on-trial.html
[01] Matthew J. Slick. The Five Points of Calvinism. https://www.calvinistcorner.com/tulip-five-points-calvinism.htm [02] Edwin H. Palmer. The Five Points of Calvinism. Baker Books; 3 edition (April 1, 2010). Pg. 30 [03] David Cloud, The Calvinism Debate - Part I. http://tinyurl.com/56bd8kax [04] The Current Crisis in Assurance: An Interview with Prof. David J. Engelsma. August 8, 2016 by Shawn Lazar.
https://faithalone.org/blog/the-current-crisis-in-assurance-an-interview-with-prof-david-j-engelsma/ [05] Calvin's Institutes. Chapter 23. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.v.xxiv.html [06] ibid. [07] David J. Engelsma. A Defense of Calvinism as the Gospel http://www.prca.org/pamphlets/pamphlet_31.html [08] Loraine Boettner. The Reformed Doctrine Of Predestination.
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/boettner/predestination_p.pdf [09] C. H. Spurgeon, taken from his sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 ("Christ Crucified"), Reformed Baptist Daily. https://reformedbaptistdaily.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/charles-spurgeon-calvinism-is-the-gospel-and-nothing-else/ [10] Godwell Andrew Chan. C. H. Spurgeon, Autobiography, Vol. II: The Full Harvest. Spurgeon, The Forgotten Calvinist.
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/spurgeonforgotten.html [11] Godwell Andrew Chan. The Forgotten Spurgeon,by Iain Murray.
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/spurgeonforgotten.html [12] Loraine Boettner. The Reformed Doctrine Of Predestination.
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/boettner/predestination_p.pdf [13] Dave Hunt. What Love Is This?... Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God.” (2002 and 2004, Loyal Publishing), Pgs. 38, 39, 40 [14] Tim Perrine. CCEL Staff Writer. Book Information. Institutes of the Christian Religion http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html [15] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion. Translated by Henry Beveridge (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans), reprinted 1983. Vol. IV. Chapter 11. Of The Jurisdiction Of The Church, And The Abuses Of It, As Exemplified In The Papacy. Pgs. 2229-2230.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.vi.xii.html [16] ibid. [17] ibid. [18] ibid. [19] Calvin: A Biography, by Bernard Cottret, published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2000. Pg. 190. [20] William Wileman. Calvin and Servetus. © 2003 Banner of Truth. http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_detail.php?457 [21] Calvinism. http://www.theopedia.com/Calvinism [22] Calvin's Calvinism. Treatises on the Eternal Predestination of God.
https://moodle.ets.ac.uk/Reformation/RB7/FREE%20BOOKS/Calvin%27s%20Calvinism.pdf [23] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion. Translated by Henry Beveridge (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans), reprinted 1983. Vol. III. Chapter 23... Refutation Of The Calumnies By Which This Doctrine Is Always Unjustly Assailed. Pgs. 2226-2238.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.v.xxiv.html [24] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, translated by Henry Beveridge (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans), reprinted 1983, vol. II, Chapter 5. The Arguments Usually Alleged In Support Of Free Will Refuted.Pg. 273. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.iv.vi.html [25] Theopedia. Augustine of Hippo. http://www.theopedia.com/Augustine | 
