You are in Beware the Wolves -> List of False Teachings
(i.e., So-called “Reformed Protestantism”)
“Calvinism” is yet another man-made theology and set of doctrines chock full of false teachings from top to bottom, which are shouted from the pulpits, seminaries, and even so-called “Christian” publications, media, television, and radio with extreme force and volume today.
While there may have been good and noble intentions involved regarding this teaching when it evolved (I don’t know, I wasn’t there), it nonetheless is deceiving millions today, giving them a false sense of eternal security, and preaching a “gospel which is not another” and which is in contradiction with what the Bible actually teaches.
This system of theology is derived from what are called the “five points” of Calvinism, often given the name/acronym: “TULIP” (as to the first letter in each of the following items). Calvinism is therefore actually comprised of a bunch of false teachings all grouped together under one name, as each of these “five points” is itself also a false teaching. As I’ve repeatedly warned, where you find one false teaching, you will surely find others lurking with it; you simply cannot have a better example of this than with Calvinism.
Here are the five false teachings of Calvinism:
- “Total Depravity” – This false teaching claims that humans (and children) are all born sinful. This is very closely related to the “original sin” false teaching discussed elsewhere in this book. Now, I can see how they might have arrived at this conclusion by looking at how people behave (yes, even infants), but it is not in agreement with Scripture, and therefore must be rejected.
- “Unconditional Election” (i.e., Predestination) – This teaching claims that God “predestines” (chose) all those (individually) who will be saved, and also all those who (individually) will be condemned, and He did this before time began and there is nothing anyone can do or really does of their own free will to choose their destiny. This teaching, therefore, denies that there is free will. Staggeringly, this false teaching also implies that even faith isn’t a requirement for salvation (nor repentance, nor baptism, nor anything whatsoever). See the Predestination false teaching discussed prior for more information.
- “Limited Atonement” – this claims that Christ didn’t die for the sins of everyone, that He only died for the sins of those who were (predestined) to be saved. This again contradicts Scripture which clearly asserts that man has free will and that God wishes that “all” men would come to repentance. They make this claim on the basis that they think God wouldn’t “waste” Jesus’ blood on those who were predestined to be lost. Jesus died for the sins of all men (1 Timothy 2:5-7), and when they stand before Christ on Judgment Day, every single person who has ever lived will know and see that Christ died for them also – and that had they chosen to accept Christ, their sins would have been forgiven, for Christ died for all. This is so that all men will be without excuse on that day. Do you really think that the Lord would allow anyone to stand up on that Day of Judgment and be able to make a valid claim like the following: “See, even if I had believed in your Son, He didn’t die for my sins, so I wouldn’t have been saved anyway!”? It will be very clear to all at that time, and everyone will be without excuse of any kind; because if anyone is condemned to hell, it will have been by their own choice, not that “Jesus did not die for them.” Jesus died so that all men could come to eternal life, not just some. Wayne Jackson succinctly summarizes this as: “God so loved the entire world and gave His Son as a potential redeeming sacrifice for all who avail themselves of his gift (John 3:16). He is the loving benefactor to everyone who submits to his will in faithful obedience (1 Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 5:8-9; cf. 2 Peter 3:9).” [1]
- “Irresistible Grace” – This is yet another false teaching tied to the Unconditional Election/Predestination false teaching that says no one can “resist” the will of God. Apparently, we are all robots according to Calvinism, devoid of free will to choose to accept or reject Christ. As I’ve said, if this is the case, their very own preachers and churches can close up shop because there is no need to preach the gospel to anyone (or beg for donations either).
- “Perseverance of the Saints” – this is the fancy name they give to the “once saved always saved” false teaching already discussed in this book.
As you can see, every single one of the pillars of Calvinism is a false teaching! This Calvinism is such a staggering ecclesiastical horror house of mirrors, a bag of doctrinal errors and tricks, that it is astounding that it actually passes for being Christian. Please don’t just accept my word on this; do your own Bible study and diligently seek out the truth. That’s what I had to do.
Calvinism seems to have obtained its doctrine by picking and choosing some verses in Scripture and making an interpretation of those verses, but then ignoring the fact that their interpretation is in direct contradiction to (many) other verses in Scripture. But you just cannot do that – you must consider the sum of what Scripture says in aggregate (Psalm 119:160). If your interpretation of one verse contradicts other literal and unambiguous verses, then it’s your interpretation that is wrong, not Scripture. And further, you must know Scripture for yourself, and, in fact, you must know it as well as (or better than) your own Pastor does (and better than Satan does)!
As you have seen in this book, so-called “Reformed” Protestantism, as well as Calvinism, is as chock full of doctrinal errors as many other cults, including Roman Catholicism, which it was created to “reform.” Very frankly, if one is following Scripture to begin with, there is no need for it to be “reformed” at all. To those who are sitting in churches and under “Christian” pastors who teach this nonsense, come out of “Babylon” (Revelation 18:4)! Every day you worship in a Calvinist church, you are worshipping in Babylon. And to those “wolves” and “vipers” who teach this non-biblical nonsense, also come out of her (“Babylon”) or beware James 3:1!
