christian_soldier
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Satan's Paw Prints
Satan's Paw Prints
I do not consider myself to be a theologian. I hold to no –ists, or –isms, and follow no teacher apart from Jesus Christ as revealed to me through the plain reading of God’s Word, aided by the Holy Spirit.
Over the centuries since Christ was crucified and raised again, learned men have debated, one with the other over more points of doctrine than I am even aware were and are in dispute, and in so doing, becoming followers of theologians, rather than followers of Christ.
Paul warns of the dangers of division:
1 Corinthians 1:
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
As far as I can determine, the only lasting legacy of such debates and disputes has been to the detriment, rather than the betterment, of the body of Christ, with divisions and mutations of the body so rampant as to make the church unrecognizable today, whether it be the vast conglomerate that claims to be the direct line of Peter or those too numerous denominations that have emerged and splintered from the Reformation.
Having said that, there is another perspective to consider:
2 Timothy 4:
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
It is my intention with this writing to illuminate the errors of those who follow what can only be called the inspired teachings of Satan himself – designed to disparage and discourage the lost to a permanent place of damnation, while disguising itself as the teachings of men deemed to be inspired by God the Father.
This is no small task and I pray that I be led by the Holy Spirit to reveal the Truth of the scriptures in such a manner as to restore lost, no, stolen, hope and point lost souls to the saving Grace of my loving Father through His Son, Jesus Christ, and encourage the brothers and sisters who are secure in Christ to strive continually to reach out to the lost with the Good News of the Gospel, as has been commissioned to us by Jesus Christ Almighty, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.†(John 3:16) Amen.
When I first became aware of the teachings of John Calvin, I was stunned.
Surely I was misunderstanding – were preachers of God’s Word really saying that God had created some men and women for whom there was no hope for salvation?
The focus of this article is on a portion of the 5 – points that make up Calvinism, which have come to be represented by the acronym TULIP:
Total Depravity
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints
Let us now take a look at the doctrine of Unconditional Election.
In essence, Unconditional Election is the contention that God, from the foundation of Creation, called some individuals to salvation and the remainder was doomed to hopeless damnation.
As Calvin states it:
“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.â€Â
Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 21, Section 7
I can agree with one point only – such a judgment, based solely on God’s pleasure, is, indeed, incomprehensible.
Point by point debate on this topic has been going on for centuries, and I do not believe it will be fully resolved before Christ returns.
All I can hope to do, is to raise the level of consciousness in regard to the subtle evil that masquerades as God’s Word, and this I will attempt to do, in the very name of hope, for it is in this precious commodity that salvation ultimately rests.
What Godly man would set out to change God’s promises into a lie and present commentary of God’s Word tainted by the paw prints of Satan himself?
From John Calvin we learn thusly concerning John 3:16:
“Let us remember, on the other hand, that while life is promised universally to all who believe in Christ, still faith is not common to all. For Christ is made known and held out to the view of all, but the elect alone are they whose eyes God opens, that they may seek him by faith.â€Â
I find it ironic that another chapter that contains the scripture frequently cited to support Calvin’s fallacy also holds the correction to this grievous error.
Let us first look at Calvinist supporting scripture.
Romans 8:
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
But, what of the verses leading to this oft misused scripture?
Romans 8:
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Undoubtedly, the devout Calvinist will smugly rebut that, without the call of God that is reserved for the elect alone, the Spirit will not move within the natural man, nor draw him to the Savior.
To accept such a premise is to place blind faith in the teachings of men, without testing the harsh lesson with scripture.
Consider:
Psalm 33:
13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Moving on in Romans 8, now –
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Conversely, if God be against us, who can be for us?
Who better to ask then the prophet Jeremiah – see Lamentations 3, which begins:
1 I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
Yet, just as for those who can claim no such privileges as laid claim to by Calvin’s elect, seemingly doomed forever to darkness, Praise be to God that there is, indeed, hope:
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
There is much more than can and has been written on the subject of election.
For now, suffice it to say, that the god painted by Calvin as a cavalier and whimsical being who cares not for all of His creation, is a mere caricature of our Heavenly Father who created man in His image and loves us enough to forgive all who seek Him, inviting all to repentance from sin as evidenced in:
Ezekiel 18:
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
25 Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Brothers and Sisters do not allow Calvinism to diminish our Father and cheapen the Grace that leads us to faith in the greatest gift known to mankind.
Hearken unto the Apostle Paul and renew your minds, not with the lofty commentaries of men, but in God’s Word, dividing scripture by scripture.
Romans 12:
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
2 Timothy 2:
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Satan's Paw Prints
I do not consider myself to be a theologian. I hold to no –ists, or –isms, and follow no teacher apart from Jesus Christ as revealed to me through the plain reading of God’s Word, aided by the Holy Spirit.
Over the centuries since Christ was crucified and raised again, learned men have debated, one with the other over more points of doctrine than I am even aware were and are in dispute, and in so doing, becoming followers of theologians, rather than followers of Christ.
Paul warns of the dangers of division:
1 Corinthians 1:
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
As far as I can determine, the only lasting legacy of such debates and disputes has been to the detriment, rather than the betterment, of the body of Christ, with divisions and mutations of the body so rampant as to make the church unrecognizable today, whether it be the vast conglomerate that claims to be the direct line of Peter or those too numerous denominations that have emerged and splintered from the Reformation.
Having said that, there is another perspective to consider:
2 Timothy 4:
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
It is my intention with this writing to illuminate the errors of those who follow what can only be called the inspired teachings of Satan himself – designed to disparage and discourage the lost to a permanent place of damnation, while disguising itself as the teachings of men deemed to be inspired by God the Father.
This is no small task and I pray that I be led by the Holy Spirit to reveal the Truth of the scriptures in such a manner as to restore lost, no, stolen, hope and point lost souls to the saving Grace of my loving Father through His Son, Jesus Christ, and encourage the brothers and sisters who are secure in Christ to strive continually to reach out to the lost with the Good News of the Gospel, as has been commissioned to us by Jesus Christ Almighty, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.†(John 3:16) Amen.
When I first became aware of the teachings of John Calvin, I was stunned.
Surely I was misunderstanding – were preachers of God’s Word really saying that God had created some men and women for whom there was no hope for salvation?
The focus of this article is on a portion of the 5 – points that make up Calvinism, which have come to be represented by the acronym TULIP:
Total Depravity
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints
Let us now take a look at the doctrine of Unconditional Election.
In essence, Unconditional Election is the contention that God, from the foundation of Creation, called some individuals to salvation and the remainder was doomed to hopeless damnation.
As Calvin states it:
“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.â€Â
Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 21, Section 7
I can agree with one point only – such a judgment, based solely on God’s pleasure, is, indeed, incomprehensible.
Point by point debate on this topic has been going on for centuries, and I do not believe it will be fully resolved before Christ returns.
All I can hope to do, is to raise the level of consciousness in regard to the subtle evil that masquerades as God’s Word, and this I will attempt to do, in the very name of hope, for it is in this precious commodity that salvation ultimately rests.
What Godly man would set out to change God’s promises into a lie and present commentary of God’s Word tainted by the paw prints of Satan himself?
From John Calvin we learn thusly concerning John 3:16:
“Let us remember, on the other hand, that while life is promised universally to all who believe in Christ, still faith is not common to all. For Christ is made known and held out to the view of all, but the elect alone are they whose eyes God opens, that they may seek him by faith.â€Â
I find it ironic that another chapter that contains the scripture frequently cited to support Calvin’s fallacy also holds the correction to this grievous error.
Let us first look at Calvinist supporting scripture.
Romans 8:
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
But, what of the verses leading to this oft misused scripture?
Romans 8:
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Undoubtedly, the devout Calvinist will smugly rebut that, without the call of God that is reserved for the elect alone, the Spirit will not move within the natural man, nor draw him to the Savior.
To accept such a premise is to place blind faith in the teachings of men, without testing the harsh lesson with scripture.
Consider:
Psalm 33:
13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Moving on in Romans 8, now –
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Conversely, if God be against us, who can be for us?
Who better to ask then the prophet Jeremiah – see Lamentations 3, which begins:
1 I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
Yet, just as for those who can claim no such privileges as laid claim to by Calvin’s elect, seemingly doomed forever to darkness, Praise be to God that there is, indeed, hope:
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
There is much more than can and has been written on the subject of election.
For now, suffice it to say, that the god painted by Calvin as a cavalier and whimsical being who cares not for all of His creation, is a mere caricature of our Heavenly Father who created man in His image and loves us enough to forgive all who seek Him, inviting all to repentance from sin as evidenced in:
Ezekiel 18:
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
25 Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Brothers and Sisters do not allow Calvinism to diminish our Father and cheapen the Grace that leads us to faith in the greatest gift known to mankind.
Hearken unto the Apostle Paul and renew your minds, not with the lofty commentaries of men, but in God’s Word, dividing scripture by scripture.
Romans 12:
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
2 Timothy 2:
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
