The Bible message of study today was based on Calvinism. John Calvin, like other reformers before him, rejected the false teachings of Roman Catholicism but over reacted. He extolled God's saving grace but rejected the necessity for man's faithful responce to this grace, which is obedience. His premise that "faith only" saves is prevalent today in most denominations.Even baptism, which is commanded by God in the process of becoming a Christian is considered a work and rejected.
John Calvin taught that God predetermined who would be in heaven even before the world was created. There is no hope for those who did not make this early cut.
Roman 8:28-30 states "For 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. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he justified, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
I believe this is not referring to predestinated individuals but rather the church. This special group of believers, Christ's church, is what was predetermined to heed the gospel call and by it be justified and eventually glorified with Christ.
2 comments:
Hello,
I am aware that Calvin has often been misunderstood. Calvin for one thing, found it very important to remain rooted in the body of the church, for in his view, it IS the church that is saved through Christ by faith alone. I could go into more depth, but do try to read some of Calvin's work and I think you will find that Calvin's own view on salvation and predestination is far more subtle than your current understanding of his thought.
Calvinism is another story though, and it is important to see how the Calvinistic tradition is influenced by central thoughts of Enlightenment and Modernism.
I am strongly rooted in a Calvinistic tradition, yet I have come to an understanding of my self not as an individual, a stand-alone identity, but quite the opposite. I regard myself as one who is rooted in others, I am who I am in relationships with others, my relationship with others define me, first and foremost my relationship with Christ and as part of the body of Christ, His church.
Anyway, thank you for writing up. If I remember correctly my friend wrote some more about (misunderstandings of) Calvin's thought on http://www.40bicycles.blogspot.com
Thank you Elepel for your response. The idea that what John Calvin believed evolved into Calvinism is interesting and plausible.
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