Calvinism (6)

Jonathan Ledbetter

Back to the Basics • Sermon • Submitted 5 months ago • Presented 5 months ago

0 ratings

· 1 view

Notes

Transcript

Back to the Basics:

Calvinism

We’re Not Going Back to the Basics of Calvinism…

But Back to the Basics of What the Scriptures Say…

On the Topics that Calvinism Addresses

I’m No Expert on Calvinism

I’ve Never Studied it Deeply

But, I’ve Listening to Several Calvinists Explain Their Positions/Beliefs…

And I Think We’ll Be Able to Discuss this Topic…

Without Doing Too Much Straw-Manning it’s Teachings

So We’re Going to Try to Approach this with Grace & Humility

Calvinism is All about the Sovereignty of God…

And How His Sovereignty Relates to Our Salvation

Essentially, is God Completely in Control of All Things?

And How Does that Effect Our Salvation?

The 5 Main Teachings of Calvinism are Often Summed Up with the Acronym:

T.U.L.I.P.

Total Depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints

Irresistible Grace

LearnReligions.com:

“Irresistible grace is the belief that God brings his Elect to salvation through an internal call, which they are powerless to resist. The Holy Spirit supplies grace to them until they repent and are born again.”

Allen Parr:

“God’s gift of grace and salvation is irresistible for those who are elect. At some point, if you are of the chosen elect, you will eventually submit to that grace and salvation, no matter what.”

Passages “in Favor” of Irresistible Grace:

Acts 16:14 (NASB95)

14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

Luke Said, “The Lord Opened Her Heart to Respond”

That’s the Perfect Example of Irresistible Grace

Essentially, She wouldn’t & couldn’t have Responded to the Gospel…

Had the Lord Not Opened Her Heart to Do So

Does this Verse Teach Irresistible Grace?

1st Thing to Notice is:

This is the Only Place We Find this Language:

“The Lord Opened Her Heart to Respond”

No One Else in the Book of Acts is Said to Be Saved in this Way

It’s Never a Good Idea to Base a Doctrine Off One Unique Verse/Idea

Another Thing to Notice is that She was Already a Worshiper of God

This was Not a Heathen Who was Dead in Sin & Blinded By Darkness

She was a Righteous Woman

And, She was Already Listening to What Paul was Saying

When Paul Began Preaching the Gospel to Her…

The Lord Opened Her Heart to Listen to it

Her Heart was Already Open to Do that

The Lord Opened Her Heart to Respond to it

This is Probably Similar to Being Pricked in the Heart

When She Heard the Gospel…

The Lord Opened Her Heart to Accept it & Place Her Faith in Jesus

The Fact is, God’s Grace is Absolutely Resistible

The Calvinist Says that Those Who Resist Obviously aren’t Chosen By God

I Believe the Scriptures Say that Anyone can Resist God’s Grace

Paul Seemed to Believe that Too

1 Corinthians 9:22b (NASB95)

22 I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.

Paul Made Great Sacrifices in Order to Open People’s Hearts to the Gospel

He Became Like Them in Order to Relate to Them…

So that They would Be More Open to the Gospel

If Irresistible Grace is True…

All Paul Really Needed to Do is Present the Gospel to People…

And the Elect will Accept it, No Matter What…

And the Non-Elect will Reject it No Matter What

Why Go Through So Much Effort, if it Won’t Make a Difference?

Related Media

Related Sermons