Attention All Calvinists: I Need Your Help!

[eqdj]

I’m diablogging with a friend of mine who is an anti-Calvinist.

In our discussions he keeps returning to (what I believe is the faulty) assumption that we Calvinists are so because we have read a Calvinistic document (Confession, Catechism, or works by Calvinistic Authors) and then subject Scripture to our predetermined hermeneutic.

I would appreciate it if you would take a quick minute to write a short “testimony” of how you came to embrace the doctrines of grace on my blog comments at www.eqdj.wordpress.com.

Thank you

 

[LawrenceU]

Well, it wasn't that way with me. I wasn't raised in a Calvinist setting at all. I came to that conclusion as a young adult when I put all the books on the shelf except for Scripture. John, Romans, and Ephesians nailed me to the floor.

 

[panta dokimazete]

I didn't even know who John Calvin was when I became convinced by Scripture of God's monergistic work. It was only later that I understood the Doctrines of Grace to be synonymous with Calvinism.

 

[pm]

Well, I was a Christian for 36 years, involved in Christian work, reading the Bible and studying doctrine before I started considering Reform Theology. It took several years of reading, studying before I fully embraced it and now consider myself a Calvinist, with much more to learn.

 

[A5pointer]

Have him interpret Romans 9 and sit back and watch him do what he accuses you of doing. It is so clear there that his doctrinal predisposition will be obvious.

 

[Spinningplates2]

In our discussions he keeps returning to (what I believe is the faulty) assumption that we Calvinists are so because we have read a Calvinistic document (Confession, Catechism, or works by Calvinistic Authors) and then subject Scripture to our predetermined hermeneutic.
here.

Thank you

In my case your friend is right. Simply check out my introduction post and you will see that I am not changing my story.

I came to Christ and then read a "Calvinistic document" called the New Testament. I accepted all the words such as , election, adopted and predestined at their face value. It was not until I went to Bible College that I was told those words don't mean what the Bible says they mean.

To continue to debate with a person who does not see the truth of the Bible as far as Grace in the Calvinistic understanding is concerned, is always another one of God's great mysteries. God may open his eyes or your words will be wasted in human terms. Still the truth remains the Truth and I will pray that God will bless your effort.

 

[jwithnell]

I became convinced of God's sovereignty in salvation when I read Luther's Bondage of the Will. I wasn't convinced of doctrine so much as I was convinced that scripture teaches I lacked my own abilities apart from God's grace.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I would say that the reason why Pelagians or semi-Pelagians are still so is because the default state for men is to supress Truth in unrigteousness (Romans 1-3). It is often argued by Arminian proponents that their view is intuitive - that a default reading of the text leads to their doctrine. In other words, a lost sinner has the same view of God, His holiness, and their ability to please God apart from grace as they do. Well, no duh. That's because they're approaching the text with darkened minds. That self-professed Christians would even think to make the argument that an unaided reason would come to spiritual truth points to the poverty of their understanding with respect to the fallen state of man.

 

[christiana]

I was near 70 when I read Acts 13:48 again, and thought, What? Wow!!! It went from there and was just a wonderful awakening to His grace!