By: jimly1432

jimly1432 — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:31:12 +0000

Hi, first of all, I would like to say that I like your blog. I think what you are doing is very good. We do need to be evaluating our hearts in light of what we have come to believe. I myself have trouble sometimes being compassionate. I think most Calvinists have a temptation to be hard-nosed and lacking in the compassion department. I totally agree that we need to check our attitudes when we discuss these issues with people. However, I disagree with you on two points. First, we do need to be debating the issue. I believe that you said something to the effect of, it is useless to debate the issue because all of the knowledge can only come from God. However, I don’t think that most Calvinists wake up one day and say, “I’m a five pointer.” Most of the time it is a gradual thing that is the result of God working in a person’s heart through the means of good preaching and sometimes through debating and discussing the issue. Yes, God does it, but God also uses people to accomplish those things. Second, you said that you thought Calvinism should not be something that people break fellowship over. I agree with you for the most part. I think that as Christians we are all at different maturity levels and that based on that alone, we should not break fellowship. However, there are times when the lack of a Calvinistic view point should and must cause division. For example, say that a group of church members do not believe in the total depravity of man and thus, they believe that everyone is generally of a good nature and so they do not ever call people to repentance or warn people of the dangers of Hell. Pretty soon, it just becomes okay for them to sin and do whatever they want because they believe that they are basically good at heart. There are stronger examples to be used. However, my basic point is that when a person’s view point becomes such that it violates major principles of scripture thus causing major sin problems or confusing people when it comes to the Gospel, it should be addressed, and if not changed, then I think we ought to not have an intimate relationship with that person or persons where we are under their influence; especially if that person is in a leadership position. I am not saying that we should totally ignore those people or become rude in some way. We are called to be kind, but we should separate ourselves from those who are sharing a gospel contrary to that of the scriptures and those who are practicing sin while claiming the name of Christ. Like I said before though, most of us who are Calvinistic need to work on our compassion skills. We do need to remember who it was that opened our eyes. We definitely need to be more loving.

Comments on: #1 – Humble Calvinism

By: jimly1432