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For God so loved the world, even John Calvin can be saved if he believes

Alfred Persson

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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (Jn. 3:16 NKJ)

The opportunity to be saved by Jesus is universally offered to “whosoever believes”, but against this Calvin argued “world” refers to all groups of people and the elect among them are the only ones who will believe and be saved.

Conclusion: Calvin was wrong because:

1. Limiting kosmos to the elect contradicts the plain and repeated use of kosmos in John 3:16-19, which clearly indicates an inclusive, universal scope.

2. The phrase “whoever believes” in John 3:16 supports an open invitation to all humanity, not just the elect.

3. 1 John 2:2 explicitly states that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the entire world (holos kosmos), which cannot be limited to the elect without ignoring the clear textual emphasis on universality.

4. The context of condemnation and salvation described in John 3:18-19 applies universally, implying that the kosmos receiving the light includes all people, even those who reject it.

5. Christ’s universal proclamation to the living and the dead (1 Peter 3:18-22, Ephesians 4:9-10) further supports that His mission and the reach of His light are not restricted to an exclusive group but extend to all humanity.

Final Conclusion: The Calvinist interpretation that limits kosmos in these passages to only the elect fails to align with the clear, repeated, and contextually consistent use of the term in Scripture. The natural reading of kosmos in John 3:16-19 and 1 John 2:2 supports a universal understanding that includes all of humanity, affirming that Christ’s atoning work and the offer of salvation are genuinely extended to all.


Notes:

The Counter Argument: The Meaning of Kosmos in John 3:16-19 and 1 John 2:2

Premise 1
: In John 3:16, kosmos (world) is used to convey that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Premise 2: In John 3:17, the purpose of sending Jesus is stated: "God did not send His Son into the world (kosmos) to condemn the world (kosmos), but that the world (kosmos) through Him might be saved." The repetition of kosmos indicates a consistent meaning throughout the passage.

Premise 3: John 3:18 states, "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." This implies that the opportunity for belief and condemnation applies universally within the kosmos.

Premise 4: John 3:19 reinforces the universal application by stating, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world (kosmos), and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." The phrase "light has come into the world" confirms that Christ's light reaches the entirety of the kosmos.

Premise 5: The repeated use of kosmos in John 3:16-19 suggests that the author is emphasizing a comprehensive meaning, analogous to metaphors like "the four corners of the earth" (Isaiah 11:12) or "east, west, north, and south" (Luke 13:29), which are used to indicate the entire world.

Premise 6: In 1 John 2:2, it is stated, "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole (holos) world (kosmos)." The addition of holos underscores that Christ's atoning work applies to all of humanity and not only a specific group (e.g., the elect).

Premise 7: The idea that Christ’s light shines universally is further supported by 1 Peter 3:18-22 and 4:5-6, where it is implied that the gospel is proclaimed to all, including the dead. Ephesians 4:9-10 also supports this by stating that Christ descended to the "lower parts of the earth" to ensure no realm of human existence was left out.

Premise 8: If kosmos were meant to refer only to the elect, the repeated emphasis on universal terminology in John 3:16-19 and 1 John 2:2 would be misleading. The use of “whoever believes” in John 3:16 reinforces the open nature of the invitation.

Conclusion: The consistent use of kosmos throughout these passages, along with the additional support from metaphors and theological affirmations of universality, indicates that kosmos refers to the whole of humanity, not just the elect. Therefore, the distinction between “ours [the elect]” and “the whole kosmos of humanity” is unsustainable in this context. Christ is the propitiation for the entire world, providing the opportunity for salvation to all who choose to believe.
 

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Alfred Persson

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (Jn. 3:16 NKJ)

The opportunity to be saved by Jesus is universally offered to “whosoever believes

False Jn 3:16 isnt an offer, nor an opportunity to believe.
 
Alfred Persson



False Jn 3:16 isnt an offer, nor an opportunity to believe.
Out of context, you are right. In context, it certainly is:

14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (Jn. 3:14-17 NKJ)
 
Out of context, you are right. In context, it certainly is:

14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (Jn. 3:14-17 NKJ)
No its not
 
No its not
If this isn't an invitation to believe in God's Son, billions of people got it wrong and you alone got it right.

14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (Jn. 3:14-17 NKJ)
 
If this isn't an invitation to believe in God's Son, billions of people got it wrong and you alone got it right.

14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (Jn. 3:14-17 NKJ)
No its not an invitation you have it wrong, and plenty of people believe what I believe.
 
No its not an invitation you have it wrong, and plenty of people believe what I believe.
Find one commentary/theologian who says this isn't an invite to believe in Christ. Copy paste it here.
 
@Alfred Persson

If you are not a Calvinist, you cannot post in this forum per the rules.

Please restart the thread in theology where this can be debated.

Grace and peace to you.
 
Anybody can believe once God saved them, for a lost person cannot believe the Gospel of Christ because its hid from them 2 Cor 4:3-4

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
 
The opportunity to be saved by Jesus is universally offered to “whosoever believes”,
Yes, according to 99% of Christians, Jesus only gives you the opportunity to save yourself.
It's all up to you. Jesus could die for you a thousand times to no avail.
To all you stupid dorks in Hell - you had the same chance I did, my choice is the only thing that made the difference.
 
Alfred Persson

For God so loved the world, even John Calvin can be saved if he believes​


Thats conditional salvation on what man does, too bad you dont believe a person is saved solely by Gods Love for them and Christs Death for them. Obviously that wasn't enough !
 
Yes, according to 99% of Christians, Jesus only gives you the opportunity to save yourself.
It's all up to you. Jesus could die for you a thousand times to no avail.
To all you stupid dorks in Hell - you had the same chance I did, my choice is the only thing that made the difference.
How does one know that God chose them ?
 
Alfred Persson



Thats conditional salvation on what man does, too bad you dont believe a person is saved solely by Gods Love for them and Christs Death for them. Obviously that wasn't enough !
God asks us to choose. Therefore, i don't believe the wicked who reject Him will be saved soley by God's love and Christ's dead, which would happen if choice had nothing to do with it.
 
God asks us to choose. Therefore, i don't believe the wicked who reject Him will be saved soley by God's love and Christ's dead, which would happen if choice had nothing to do with it.
Thats conditional salvation, God doesnt ask spiritually dead sinners to choose salvation
 
Thats conditional salvation, God doesnt ask spiritually dead sinners to choose salvation
Then we all are doomed because in Adam we were born spiritually dead.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22 NKJ)

Only belief in Christ makes one pass from death to life:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (Jn. 5:24 NKJ)
 
Then we all are doomed because in Adam we were born spiritually dead.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22 NKJ)

Only belief in Christ makes one pass from death to life:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (Jn. 5:24 NKJ)
Those whom God Loved arent doomed, He saves them according to His will
 
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