To show how Calvinism is so oft misrepresented, this guy does an amazing job of not only twisting the Scriptures but perverting what Calvinism is!
Predestination and election takes all the glory away from man, and gives it to GOD. Which since God is God it is the only reasonable take, or we are giving God no higher power than that of man, or that He is so impotent that He needs our help! As this guy points out by his own words, "faith is man's" false doctrine always takes the glory away from God and gives it to man! This leaves a man-centred faith, instead of a God centred faith. Predestination and election is NOT fatalism, it is giving God all the glory, which if one believes God is God, everyone who claims so, should want to do! The Title say sit all. Calvinism defies Man which equates the God of Calvinism and the Bible of Calvinism defies man. Duh!
Filed under Against Heresy, Against Rome, Antinomian, Bad Theology, Chief Covie Know-all, Covenanter in bonds, Crazy Calvinist, Scripture, Theology, Video by on Sep 4th, 2010. 2 Comments. 
John Calvin was to liken his life, as far as its ill and afflictions, to that of David. He clearly related to David more than any other historical Scriptural figure. It was also in is preface to his commentary on the Psalms, that Calvin, unusually spoke about himself, and told of his conversion. That was no "coincidence" I do not believe. He wrote:
In considering the whole course of David's life it seems to me that at his every step he showed me the way. This was for me a marvelous solace. For although with continual wars this holy king was troubled by the philistines and other foreign nations, his enemies, still more grievously was he stricken in the midst of his own people by the ill will of certain disloyal, vicious men. I can say similarly of myself: On all sides have I been assailed, scarcely even for a moment experiencing repose; always the brunt of some attack either from without or from within. Satan has often tried by his plots to overthrow the whole structure of this church.
—John Calvin
Like Calvin, for various reasons I also relate deeply to King David, perhaps in a way that in real terms as far as what life holds, more than many will ever be able to, even though we all feel the same things about life at seasons of sorrow as we travel this pilgrims path. There is no relief or let up from my afflictions, any day. The path is one of constant and almost only suffering, and at times of feeling persecuted by how it all came about initially, and that now the course has been set. I have to remind myself this comes from the hand of a loving God, and not my enemies or those who have created this life of sufferings, the way things are. As without the Lord allowing it to happen it never would have done. God is the first cause of anything, no matter the human instruments he may us to accomplish his ends.
Reading Charles Spurgeon's treasury of David on Psalm 55, which is a Psalm I am drawn back to again and again, because of how much it seems to reflect my life the last years, his exposition of verse four I found very meaningful.
[Psalm 55:4] My heart is sore pained within me. His spirit writhed in agony, like a poor worm; he was mentally as much in pain as a woman in travail physically. His inmost soul was touched; and a wounded spirit who can bear? If this were written when David was attacked by his own favourite son, and ignominiously driven from his capital, he had reason enough for using these expressions. And the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Mortal fears seized him, he felt like one suddenly surrounded with the glooms of the shadow of death, upon whom the eternal night suddenly descends. Within and without he was afflicted, and his chief terror seemed to come from above, for he uses the expression, "Fallen upon me." He gave himself up for lost. He felt that he was as good as dead. The inmost centre of his nature was moved with dismay. Think of our Lord in the garden, with his "soul exceeding sorrowful even unto death, " and you have a parallel to the griefs of the psalmist. Perchance, dear reader, if as yet thou hast not trodden this gloomy way, thou wilt do soon; then be sure to mark the footprints of thy Lord in this miry part of the road.
—Charles Spurgeon
Living a life of utter solitude apart from my cat, especially when as ill as I am is a cross all of its own at times. The tempest can seem to rage all about m, and I am so sick and so weakened from that I feel a siting duck for the enemy. Yet,k solitude also has its plus sides in some respects, not that I am advocating anyone live a life without human companionship if there be any choice in the matter. Man was not made to be alone, all the less so when sick unto death. No man is an island and to be starved of humanity can leave an aching throb within my heart that only God can fill.
"O solitude, where are the charms
That sages have found in thy face?
Better dwell in the midst of alarms
Than reign in this horrible place."
Our Lord, while free from all idle wishes, found much strength in solitude, and loved the mountain's brow at midnight, and the quiet shade of the olives of Gethsemane. It is better practically to use retirement than pathetically to sigh for it. Yet it is natural, when all men do us wrong, to wish to separate ourselves from their society; nature, however, must yield to grace, and we must endure the contradiction of sinners against ourselves, and not be weary and faint in our minds. Selah. After such a flight well may the mind rest. When we are going too fast, and giving way too freely to regrets, it is well to cry, "halt, "and pause awhile, till more sober thoughts return.
—Charles Spurgeon
Lord, as much as in many ways my life is like that of David, one of unremitting suffering, loss, warfare, sorrow and mourning, pleas give me a heart also, like the man after God's own heart, to follow Him, no matter where He takes me, no matter the wilderness I am in, or the dry or barren land, that when bereft of almost all else, to live, know and breath, that God is enough, and that as the war rages around me, to know God be my strong hold and ever present help. And if God be for me, then who can be against me?
Filed under Calvin and Calvinism, Charles Spurgeon, Chief Covie Know-all, Church History, Crazy Calvinist, Persecution, Poetry, Psalms, Quotes, affliction, faith by on Aug 1st, 2010. Comment.
A few words over the passing of time have become almost by-words and rather than the words associated with godliness that that they were originally perceived as, they now have negative connotations. Two that easily come to my mind are the term, "Pious" and "Religion." Originally they were universally understood words, synonymous with godliness. But, faith and the life of faith over centuries has become less, not only in numbers, but also in how it is practiced. When Jonathan Edwards wrote one of his best known treatises "Religious affections," everyone knew what he meant by the term. It is true, one can have religion, and not have Christ. Just as it is also true, one an have self-righteousness and sanctimoniousness, that can often be confused with genuine godliness yet not have living faith. Read more on Calvin's Character of Piety…
Filed under Calvin and Calvinism, Crazy Calvinist, Hall of Fame, Johnathan Edwards, Quotes, Reformation, faith by on Jun 25th, 2010. Comment.
To show that it was not my purpose to acquire prominence and notoriety, I would have it known that directly afterward, I left Basel, and even while I was there no one knew I was the
author of the book. Also in other places I kept the matter secret and determined to continue to do so until finally Guillaume Farel kept me at Geneva, not by advice and urging, but by a dreadful curse as if God from on high has stretched out his hand upon me to arrest me.
Because the most direct road to Strasbourg where I wished to retire, was closed on account of hostilities, it was my plan to pass through Geneva without stopping more than one night in the city. A little earlier Popery has been driven out, by the fine person I jut named and by Pierre Viret: But conditions were not yet settled and evil, dangerous factions divided the city.
Thereupon an individual who has since basely revolted and returned to the Papists discovered me and identified me to the others. At this point Farel (Burning with a wondrous zeal to advance the gospel) suddenly et all his efforts at keeping me. After having heard that I was determined to pursue my own private studies–when he realized He would get nowhere by pleas–he came to the point of a curse: That it would please God to curse my leisure and the quiet for my studies that I was seeking, if in such a grave emergency I should withdraw and refuse to give aid and help. this word so overwhelmed me that I desisted from the journey I had undertaken. Still, feeling my shame and my timidity, I would not undertake to discharge any particular function.
–John Calvin "The Piety of John Calvin"
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, John Calvin by on Mar 15th, 2010. Comment.
Geoffrey chaucer tells In the Canterbuy Tales, is much like the characters of many real, historical puritans. Sadly, through the ages, we have gone from Chaucer's quite accurate depiction, to the cardboard cut outs and caricatures we so often see today, as a representation of "puritanism" when, these "representation" for the most part, goes way beyond poetic licence, to border on slander, and even stark lies. But enough truth has been left, that if we want to see who or what these men and women were in actual fact, we can do o today, despite the passing of time, which is often not the case in many instances. It is not so easy to defend John Calvin for instance, against all the hatred that is out there against him. And his writings, which we have translations of not in his original language written, could quite often mean other things than how they have been translated. Unless we understood the language he used at the TIME, he wrote it, (and many of us English speaking folk do not even understand English from those days) and also understand the times that Calvin lived in, that what may seem cruel or unjust to us today, was common place in those days, as one thing Calvin was, was a man of his time. But that should give caution to folks who take issues of life, rather than Scripture passages which Calvin has exposited, and think they know what Calvin said on thi subject or that because of the translations we have available to us today, that the translations may actually be in some parts, stating the case far different to how Calvin intended when he wrote the original text, because of the above issues and perhaps some besides.
But the puritans it is not so hard as it to get a clear picture, even though the misrepresentations of them are perhaps even more rife than that of Calvin. The Bible says Woe to them who call good evil, and evil good, and in the cases of both Calvin and the puritans, and more figures from the Reformation era, we have this very syndrome often times. I could cite several sources, but, I think the reader is probably already aware of many of them, so unless anyone asks, I will not do so in the post. But Chaucer's depiction of his puritan he met on the way to Canterbury goes like this:
"His business and his opportunity was to preach to the people but in order to preach successfully he must preach to the people, must preach what the people would listen to and think they understood. He must preach what could be practiced, and he must himself practice what he preached. The preacher has to say that a man's chief concern sould be with teh welfare of his own soul, that he m ust not let his life be swallowed up in immediate and material affairs but must dedicate it to spiritual ends.
—William Haller "The Rise of Puritanism" pp. 4
Chaucer lived in the fourteenth century, two or three centuries before the age of that which is known as puritanism began. Yet, he depicted the character quite accurately, and more than many modern day writers do, and sadly, even more than many who are part of the Reformed church. If we remain ignorant on such matters, that is our choice. But it is a choice. We have a duty to our God, and to our Reformed fore fathers to not remain ignorant, because to do so, we not only do so to the detriment of our own souls and spiritual welfare, we also do so, at the risk of harm and damage to the Reformed faith.
There are plenty of places in Scripture that give us warrant and duty to study Christian history, Psalm 78 is one that easily comes to mind, as does verses 4-5 from Psalm 22
There are other places in Scripture that also give a warrant to of course, it is not only a great encouragement to our faith, a strengthening of it, to see how God delivered or worked among his church through the ages, but it also helps us, to not tarnish the memory or testimony of those who paid with their blood for the love of Christ. Sadly there are too many who do so. And for me, its one of those things that steps upon my bllue suede shoes of Christendom. But whether puritan history, Reformed history, or any aspect, it is our duty to be learned in such matters, and Scripture calls us to it on many occassions, yet, it is sadly a subject oft neglected, and folk can fail to see the import of or relevance to us in our lives today. But it is HIStory. It does and always will have relevance, because of that alone.
Filed under Crazy Calvinist, Quotes, The World Was Not Worthy by on Mar 5th, 2010. Comment.
And was not as described like many of the Reformed it has been my dark providence to know who come under the label of the Frozen chosen. If those folks I Have known, are truly chosen, then they will not remain frozen, if they do, however, then I fear for their eternal future.
That blog post created some controversy, though I also had some positive feedback about it away from this blog site itself, but it was not my declaration that all Calvinist's are the frozen chosen, in fact, it was my contention that to be so, is the most uncalvinistic and even more, unchristian outlook one can have. One filled with self and not with God.
Calvin himself, the man of whom Calvinists take their name, though not their faith, but he was the man who after a thousand years of popish darkness set forth the true religion once again, by his immaculate writings that could have only come from the mind of a genius. From his first edition of the Institutes in 1536, he never varied from those doctrines, even though he was a young convert at the time. By the time the last edition was published however, in 1559, he had expanded on them enormously, because his first edition was only six chapters, and he wrote it for the french refugees and Protestants of France as a simple manual or summary of Christian doctrine. His last edition however, was more of an introduction to Scripture for any student of God, and particularly of pastors. Since his final edition has over 7,000 Scripture references in it, it can be truly said it is an introduction to Scripture and Biblical doctrine.
I plan to start a series on Calvin, to again debunk many of the myths, fables, and in some cases downright malicious lies that have existed and been handed down the centuries about him, as a monster or the dictator of Geneva. There is more than ample proof to prove these literary pieces that started the ball rolling in the time of Calvin was nothing more than malicious propaganda and a fulfilling of Isa.:5:20
But going back to my post on Calvinist's should not be the frozen chosen, the very point of that post is that to be a Calvinist and yet act like the frozen chosen towards the brethren, is an oxymoron. And those who do, shame the name of Calvinism, and it's noble heritage and this short quote by B.B. Warfield shows how the man himself of who Calvinist's take their name from was nothing like that. I have had the dark providence to know many who were not one iota like Calvin, but I have the good providence in more recent times, to have new Calvinist friends, among many are not like those I formerly knew.
Calvin was a man of letters, no one can dispute that. HIstory bears it out and the works he has left us, about which only half thus far have been translated into English. But much of his writing comprised of letter writing. The ones that have remained, fill four full volumes of works, and its a sure dunk that many didn't stand the test of time and got lost. Most of the Reformation itself, and the very real spiritual war that was going on, was conducted by letter. People who criticize the use of email don't seem to know their history very well, as email is just another form of letter, and in those days when it could take a whole year for a single letter to arrive somewhere, it seems to me with the technological tools we have today, we should also be able to conduct our own reformation with much more power because we are not in those primitive times.
B.B Warfield writes:
Of one other product of his literary activity, however, a special word seems demanded. Calvin was the great letter-writer of the Reformation age. About four thousand of his letters have come down to us, some of them almost of the dimensions of treatises, many of them practically theological tractates, but many of them also of the most intimate character in which he pours out his heart. In these letters we see the real Calvin, the man of profound religious convictions and rich religious life, of high purpose and noble strenuousness, of full and freely flowing human affections and sympathies. In them he rebukes rulers and instructs statesmen, and strengthens and comforts saints. Never a perplexed pastor but has from him a word of encouragement and counsel; never a martyr but has from him a word of heartening and consolation. Perhaps no friend ever more affectionately leaned on his friends; certainly no friend ever gave himself so ungrudgingly to his friends. Had he written these letters alone, Calvin would take his place among the great Christians and the great Christian leaders of the world.
Benjamin B. Warfield Calvin and Calvinism Vol 5 of the Works of B.B. Warfield.
You see Calvin was not the frozen chosen, he knew how to be a friend to those in need. And he accomplished his labours not only in primitive times, but in the worst of circumstances that anyone could have. And anyone claiming to be a Calvinist who acts like the frozen chosen is an oxymoron. To be the frozen chosen is to be an antinomian, because if you do not love one's neighbour as oneself, then the whole of the law is broken, and the whole sum of the law, and one's love to God questionable. As only when we love God aright, will we also love our fellow man aright also.
This is a series that will be continued on Calvin uncovered.
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