June 12, 2023

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

If Calvinism was true, then we would see God’s will happening all the time, there would be no question whether we had a choice in the matter or not. I believed I was Calvinist for a few years, but the more I thought about what I saw in Scripture the more I felt Calvinism didn’t describe it. What I have seen in Scripture, and what I have experienced in my own life, as well as seen in other’s lives, is that God opens our eyes to see our sin. Because we are spiritually dead, God has to open our hearts to understand that we are sinners in need of salvation from God’s wrath. He does this through His law the Ten Commandments which act as a mirror to show us our sin. When we see ourselves as lawbreakers on our way to death row, then we must make the choice to either humble ourselves to fall on God’s mercy or to harden ourselves to continue in our sin. If we allow our conscience to drive us to our knees, then, with a broken heart before God, we can receive salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. The heart change is what distinguishes a true believer from a false convert.

In Scripture when it talks about repentance, it’s always active; something we must do. Jesus said to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matt. 4:17

Calvinism made me think it wasn’t necessary to witness or share my faith, because if it’s God’s will for that person to hear the Gospel or be saved it will happen with or without me. Now, I’m not saying that I can make someone believe in God, nor am I saying it is because of me that people find salvation, but I am saying that it is our responsibility as Christ followers to tell others of the wrath to come. Why else would Jesus give us the responsibility to spread the Word of truth if He had predestined every soul already either to Heaven or to Hell? There would be no need for us to do anything since, no matter what, the will of God would be done. God would be like a tyrant choosing what everyone could and couldn’t do. Why would such a creative God create robots to do exactly what He wants? And why would He want to save some but not others? That is what Calvinism teaches.

The best example of free will is found in Genesis chapter 2 verses 16-17. “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”

When I read that, my question to God was “Why did you even put the tree in the garden if you knew ahead of time what they would do?” The answer He gave me was “free will”. God allowed Adam and Eve to choose either to obey the word of God or to disobey. He wanted us to have freedom of choice so that we could honor and praise Him with our obedience because we want to, not because He makes us. Like Adam and Eve we still have a choice in whether we accept Jesus or reject Him.

Now, I do believe it is the Father that gives us to the Son for salvation. We see this clearly in John 6. God must draw us to the Son. It says in John 6:37 that “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” However, even this is active on our part. We must come to Him. The Father draws us, we must come to Him, and Jesus will keep us. I also believe what Scripture says about us being predestined to be sons through Jesus (look at Ephesians 1:3-6). The Word of God is not contradicting itself, it’s all true. Both God choosing us and our choice to come to God is taught in the Bible. If you can’t wrap your head around it, ask the Holy Spirit for understanding. Don’t go to a commentary for guidance. In fact I encourage you to question everything I write here, study it for yourself. In doing so, you must go to God for understand, that is the first thing to do when reading your Bible. Ask God that He will grow you in the knowledge of His will and in wisdom. (Col. 1:9 and James 1:5)

The thing I disagree with is that we are left out of the salvation process. God is not going to force upon us His mercy. We must genuinely and willingly accept His mercy because we know that we are under God’s wrath.

Through the eyes of Calvinism, it makes me wonder why sin ever came into the world to begin with; if we do not have freedom of choice. God gave Adam and Eve a choice in the garden whether to obey or disobey. Some might say God predetermined for Eve to take the fruit so Jesus could come to save the many. I believe God gave them a choice, and in His omniscience He saw what man would choose and made a solution for it so that all who believe might be saved. There is still a choice today. Each day you have a choice in what to do, whether you obey the Lord or disobey.

When I put the doctrine of Calvinism into action, I was expecting God to fix me. If things were not right in me I would be tempted to blame God because He willed me to be that way. But instead, it was my own choices that lead me to those actions and temptations.

Take for instance the whole Old Testament. Don’t you think it was God’s will that His people accept Him and turn away from their sins? He even told them that he would have gathered them together, but they were unwilling. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Matt. 23:37 To say otherwise would be saying God led them to sin. James 1:13-14 says “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” It’s our responsibility.

The last word I want to say is don’t follow a man made doctrine, follow God’s Word. Seek His truth through the understanding of the Holy Spirit. He will never lead you wrong, but man will. Study for yourself to see what God wants to show you. Don’t take my word for it, take His.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

It is on each of us to draw near to the Lord. It’s not our pastor or teachers job to make sure we have a knowledge of or relationship with God. It’s our own personal responsibility and choice what we do with our life.