And this time I don't mean kidisms!
This may not have to do exactly with the model of the early church in the New Testament, but it is about all the false doctrines being taught now that were warned about in those days! I find it especially interesting that some of the preachers who even warn about false doctrines are themselves teaching other false doctrines! The devil is sly indeed!
So let's just name a few of these false doctrines to begin with. These are all doctrines of men, perhaps based on some scripture, but they are almost all twisted to some degree to fit what the original false teacher wanted to be taught.
Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)
Unconditional Election (God is sovereign and can do whatever He pleases, so he chooses who will go to heaven and who will not)
Limited Atonement (The blood of Jesus does not cover the sins of the whole world, only the sins of the elect)
Irresistible Grace (no one can resist the grace of God......no free will of man)
Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved)
John Calvin came up with verses to fit each point, and it sounds very convincing if you are not familiar with the entire bible to some degree or if you don't at least study for yourself. I just want to pick out two points of this to disprove, though I disagree with more than these two points.
Election - Romans 8:29 - For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Most people who agree with Calvinism stop after the word predestined. But if you keep reading, you will easily see with your own eyes that God did not predestine us to a place (heaven or hell), He predestined (or predetermined) for us to be like Christ! That is what predestination is! And we are called His elect if we are followers of Jesus! That's all there is to it. Not difficult to understand at all, is it?
Limited Atonement - 1 John 2:2 - And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
John is writing to other believers, and he is telling them (us) that Jesus died for the whole world! It is very clear here. He says "for our sins" and then goes on to say "not for ours only but also for the whole world." How much more clear can it be???
There are many more verses, but that is all you need to see to know that Calvinism, which seems to be making a huge comeback recently, is another false doctrine of man.
I find it interesting too that Many Southern Baptist churches and seminaries teach this and yet they do not practice infant baptism, and Calvin believed and taught infant baptism! He persecuted those who did not practice it! If he can be so wrong about one subject, why are so many blindly following his other teachings?
James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Pray for wisdom and the Holy Spirit will help you understand God's word. You do not need someone else's hand-me-down doctrine that is probably false to understand the Bible, just read it for yourself and let the Holy Spirit interpret it for you! Pray for wisdom and discernment. Be sure it is the Holy Spirit who you are listening to or you might just come up with a false doctrine of your own! But if it is the Holy Spirit, then all believers should be in unity, because God would not give us each different interpretations. Division and confusion is from satan, not God. Denominationalism and false doctrines are from satan, not God.
This may not have to do exactly with the model of the early church in the New Testament, but it is about all the false doctrines being taught now that were warned about in those days! I find it especially interesting that some of the preachers who even warn about false doctrines are themselves teaching other false doctrines! The devil is sly indeed!
So let's just name a few of these false doctrines to begin with. These are all doctrines of men, perhaps based on some scripture, but they are almost all twisted to some degree to fit what the original false teacher wanted to be taught.
- Arianism
- Syncretism
- Marcionism
- Syncretism
- Universalism
- Gnosticism
- Nestorianism
- Pelagianism
- Marionism
- Glossolalianism
- Montanism
- Eunomianism
- Monarchianism
- Sabellianism
- Macedonianism
- Apolinarianism
- Nestorianism
- Eutychianism
- Arminianism
- Monophysitism
- Monothelitism
- Noeticism
- Docetism
- Subordinationism
- Ebionism
- Patripassianism
- Modalism
- Antinomianism
- Gnosticism
- Manicheanism
- Unitarianism
- Calvinism
Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)
Unconditional Election (God is sovereign and can do whatever He pleases, so he chooses who will go to heaven and who will not)
Limited Atonement (The blood of Jesus does not cover the sins of the whole world, only the sins of the elect)
Irresistible Grace (no one can resist the grace of God......no free will of man)
Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved)
John Calvin came up with verses to fit each point, and it sounds very convincing if you are not familiar with the entire bible to some degree or if you don't at least study for yourself. I just want to pick out two points of this to disprove, though I disagree with more than these two points.
Election - Romans 8:29 - For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Most people who agree with Calvinism stop after the word predestined. But if you keep reading, you will easily see with your own eyes that God did not predestine us to a place (heaven or hell), He predestined (or predetermined) for us to be like Christ! That is what predestination is! And we are called His elect if we are followers of Jesus! That's all there is to it. Not difficult to understand at all, is it?
Limited Atonement - 1 John 2:2 - And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
John is writing to other believers, and he is telling them (us) that Jesus died for the whole world! It is very clear here. He says "for our sins" and then goes on to say "not for ours only but also for the whole world." How much more clear can it be???
There are many more verses, but that is all you need to see to know that Calvinism, which seems to be making a huge comeback recently, is another false doctrine of man.
I find it interesting too that Many Southern Baptist churches and seminaries teach this and yet they do not practice infant baptism, and Calvin believed and taught infant baptism! He persecuted those who did not practice it! If he can be so wrong about one subject, why are so many blindly following his other teachings?
James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Pray for wisdom and the Holy Spirit will help you understand God's word. You do not need someone else's hand-me-down doctrine that is probably false to understand the Bible, just read it for yourself and let the Holy Spirit interpret it for you! Pray for wisdom and discernment. Be sure it is the Holy Spirit who you are listening to or you might just come up with a false doctrine of your own! But if it is the Holy Spirit, then all believers should be in unity, because God would not give us each different interpretations. Division and confusion is from satan, not God. Denominationalism and false doctrines are from satan, not God.
Thanks for bringing out some points of calvinism.I have a few friends who are calvinists but I do not bring up doctrines w/them. I would like to look into more of other peoples beliefs and see what or why they believe that.Not that I want to argue w/them but to help me more w/what I believe and why.Bible study has been more interesting now more than ever to me.When I went to a non denominational(yet still hooked into gov and doctrines) I couldn't seem to understand all the mumbo jumbo I was getting into.Now that I go somewhere where they teach verse by verse and explain the situation things are becoming more clear.
ReplyDeleteThe specific thing we have been studying for the past month is the will of God. Our teacher also touched base on all the bible verses that people take out of context and try to sell in places like Mardels. He wasn't putting down Mardel but the people trying to make a profit.
Anyways very interesting.thanks for posting!