The Evolution of Calvinism
By Malcolm Lavender
Introduction:
On major doctrinal issues Calvinism evolved from Paganism, Gnosticism,
and Roman Catholicism. Calvinists and all others holding
the doctrines of unconditional salvation, or once saved, always saved, are
major enemies of the cross. Although their position is supported neither by
experience nor rational explanation, it is paraded as orthodoxy demanding
uncritical acceptance. Calvinism is thus an assaulting force, fighting against
righteousness in this life. Accordingly, Five Points are used to pillage the
gospel. Thus there is another gospel that openly declares that Christ did not
die for all; that many are called, but cannot respond; that people are
predestinated to damnation by God...even infants. And yet, these aggressors
against the truth, dare claim that the Five Points are “the very gospel itself,”
that “the gospel preached by the Reformers is the very one taught in the pages
of scripture.” The Reformation, of the Luther/Calvin kind, gave the church a
heavy dose of Roman Catholicism: through Anselm’s penal atonement; and through
Augustine’s predestination and the sinning
religion.
The propagation and defense of the truth against this apostasy has been
very weak at best. Arminians and Wesleyans stand awe-struck and small-mouthed
before this great giant of apostasy. They show some disagreement while
carefully suppressing the full truth!
The Calvinistic doctrine of sin finds its roots in Paganism and
Gnosticism, not the scriptures. The likeness of both Calvinists and
Gnostics will be compared. The Gnostics were a religious movement that
evidently borrowed from both pagan philosophy and Christianity, and so
apostate. Doubtlessly, ideas and concepts were borrowed from many sources and
became Gnostic when used in the context of their system. The Gnostic system was
a fusion of Christianity and Greek philosophy.
On teachings that are briefly considered below, it will be shown that
Calvinism is an evolving, sinister system in opposition to
the gospel of Christ. Calvinistic teachings on sin, election, etc., have no
parent type in scripture, but the evident relationship to Paganism and
Gnosticism, etc., cannot be denied by fact.
This discussion is simply to give a few insights into the Ancestry
of the system called Calvinism; and hence, the reason why the Posterity,
Calvinists, think these barbaric thoughts about God damning most people, etc.
Thus their origin and evolvement helps to identify who they really are today
and why they think as they do. Such a system could only yield a departure from
the faith with respect to the atonement, and salvation matters; the result is
thus expected, considering the source. It is hoped, therefore, that these
remarks will inspire further study along this line and help break the present
silence among so many.
The Scriptures, Pagans, Gnostics, and Calvinists
on Sin
The
Scriptures on Sin:
The apostle John wrote a polemic against the Gnostics and their views on
sin, etc., in 1 John.
The apostle states, on the matter of sin:
3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and
in him is no sin. [So, the incarnation of Christ is evidence that
earthbound believers can be delivered from sin in the here and now by Christ,
their example.]
3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not
seen him, neither known him.
3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness
is righteous, even as he is righteous.
3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil...For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin…
3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the
devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God…
From these sriptures it is evident that the proof of one being in
Christ is his not sinning--“Whosoever abideth in him
sinneth not.”
You can go to most any commentary and see how the passages that teach
deliverance from sin in this life are explained away. Essentially, the
Christian (?) world agree with the Gnostics that we cannot be free from sin and
that sin does not separate one from God, as it used to in Eden when man sinned.
They are in Christ, they say.
The Calvinistic statements in defense of sin in the here and now, as that of
others, are discussed at 1 John.
We here simply show the similarity between the Gnostics and Calvinists on the
sin issue. Reformation and Reformed systems, as with all forms of the “sinning
Christian,” have tenets of Gnosticism. The Gnostic believes that sinlessness
can only be experienced by pure spirit; Calvinists believe that one cannot be
free from sin while in the body, only after death. The Gnostic believes
that the spirit is not contaminated, though the body was inherently sinful.
Calvinists believe that one can be sinful and accounted holy at the same time.
So, both for the Gnostic and Calvinist, Christianity and sin are possible at
the same time, in the same life, and there is no deliverance while in the body.
In the process of this discussion it will be seen that the Pagans, Gnostics, and Calvinists are
in disagreement with the scriptures on the sin issue; but while in disagreement
with the scriptures, agreement among them will be clear.
The Pagans
on Sin:
The Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus said:
“How, then: is it possible to be sinless? It is impossible; but this is
possible, to strive not to sin.”The Calvinists agree with Epictetus,
but see how they disagree with the apostle John at 1 John.
Earlier the Greek philosopher, Plato, had articulated these words:
“But having become good, to remain in a good state and be good, is
not possible, and is not granted to man. God only has this blessing;
but man cannot help being bad when the force of circumstances overpowers him.”
Note the corresponding kinship between Greek philosophy, Gnosticism, and false
Christianity--Calvinism--that all despair of any hope for deliverance from sin
while in the body. Later, we will hear the outbreak of hopelessness in what we
call the Christian church as the advocates of the “sinning Christian” speak in
behalf of sin.
The Gnostics
on Sin and Perseverance:
Irenaeus, in Irenaeus Against Heresies, speaking of Gnosticism,
says:
“2. … But as to themselves, they hold that they shall be entirely and
undoubtedly saved, not by means of conduct, but because they are spiritual by
nature. For, just as it is impossible that material substance should partake of
salvation (since, indeed, they maintain that it is incapable of receiving it),
so again it is impossible that spiritual substance (by which they mean
themselves) should ever come under the power of corruption, whatever the sort
of actions in which they indulged. For even as gold, when submersed in filth,
loses not on that account its beauty, but retains its own native qualities, the
filth having no power to injure the gold, so they affirm that they cannot in
any measure suffer hurt, or lose their spiritual substance, whatever the
material actions in which they may be involved.
“3. Wherefore also it comes to pass, that the ‘most perfect’ among them addict
themselves without fear to all those kinds of forbidden deeds of which the
scriptures assure us that ‘they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God…’ Some of them, moreover, are in the
habit of defiling those women to whom they have taught the above doctrine, as
has frequently been confessed by those women who have been led astray by
certain of them, on their returning to the Church of God, and acknowledging
this along with the rest of their errors. Others of them, too, openly and
without a blush, having become passionately attached to certain women, seduce
them away from their husbands, and contract marriages of their own with them.
Others of them, again, who pretend at first to live in all modesty with them as
with sisters, have in course of time been revealed in their true colors, when
the sister has been found with child by her [pretended] brother.
“
4. And
committing many other abominations and impieties, they run us down (who
from the fear of God guard against sinning even in thought or word) as utterly
contemptible and ignorant persons, while they highly exalt themselves, and
claim to be perfect, and the elect seed…”
…they run us down: This sounds like the Calvinists in their condemnation
of Christian perfection as “perfectionism.”
Jerome, Augustine,
and the Pope Fought Jovinian
Rome
Against Truth:
The harlot church thus fought the truth advocated by Jovinian; so does the
daughters of the harlot church of today, Calvinists and others.
But we note here that not all people, then or now, can be silenced with respect
to the truth. We call attention to Jovinian:
“There arose another voice of dissent on the ecclesiastical scene who did not
travel with the crowd--Jovinian by name (350?-405). This great worthy of righteousness
was known by some as an unorthodox monk or a heretic; others called him ‘the
last bright witness of first century Christianity and the first torch-bearer of
the Reformation.’ Dr. Harnack, that great historian of Christian doctrine, says
of Jovinian:
“‘His main positions were as follows: 1. The natural man is in the state of
sin. Even the slightest sin separates from God and exposes to damnation. . . 3.
Regeneration is the state in which Christ is in us, and we are in Christ; there
are no degrees in it, for this personal relationship either does or does not
exist. Where it does, there is righteousness. . . 8. To him, too, the truth applies that there
are no small and great sins, but that the heart is either with God or the
devil. 9. Those who are baptized in Christ, and cling to Him with confident
faith, form the one, true church.’”
“Finally, Jovinian’s position against the‘sinning Christian’ drew the
resistance of the great theologians of his time. Augustine and Jerome wrote
against him; both Ambrose and the Pope called synods against him for his
condemnation.
“Thus,
apostasy rolls on to deeper, darker falsehood!”
The
Calvinists on Sin and Perseverance:
Calvin denies, as do all Calvinists, the solemn truth that sin brings
death and separation from God to the believer. He says:
“. . . the sins of believers are venial [not causing death of the soul], not
because they are not deserving of death, but because, through the mercy of God,
‘there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus’ because they are
not imputed to them, but obliterated by a pardon.”So, believers are the only persons
on the planet who can sin with impunity? Nonsense!
Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer says:
“Through the present priestly advocacy of Christ in heaven there is absolute
safety and security for the Father’s child even while he is sinning.”
Steele and Thomas say:
“… True believers do fall into temptations, and they do commit grievous sins,
but these sins do not cause them to lose their salvation or separate them from
Christ.”
The Gnostics and Calvinists on Grace
The Gnostics
on Grace:
Hippolytus,
in his Refutation of all Heresies, says:
“For (they would have us believe) that they are not overcome by the supposed
vice, for that they have been redeemed…and that they do whatsoever they please,
as persons free; for they allege that they are saved by grace. For that there
is no reason for punishment, even though one shall act wickedly; for such a one
is not wicked by nature, but by enactment.”
The
Calvinists on Grace:
Muller says:
“Since justification is viewed by the Protestant orthodox as a counting
righteous rather than a making righteous, it rests not merely on the
merit of Christ, but upon the union of the believer with Christ by grace
through faith. An individual is counted righteous because he is in Christ,
covered as it were by the righteousness of Christ. . .
“Thus sinners are considered positively righteous by the imputation of the
active obedience of Christ.”
The Gnostics and Calvinists on Elect
The Gnostics
on Elect:
Clement says:
“These quotations I have adduced in reproof of the Basilidians [Gnostics], who
do not live rightly, either as having power (exousian) to sin because of
their perfection, or as being altogether assured by nature of future salvation,
although they sin now, because they are by dignity of nature the elect.”
The
Calvinists on Elect:
Muller says:
“Only the elect are
therefore effectively called.”
Steele and Thomas make
the following observation:
“The doctrine of election declares that God, before the foundation of
the world, chose certain individuals from among the fallen members of Adam’s
race to be the objects of His undeserved favor. These, and these only, He
purposed to save…He chose to save some and exclude others.”
The
Westminster Confession of Faith states:
“I. They
whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his
Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but
shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.
“II. This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free-will, but
upon the immutability of the decree of election…
“III. Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the
world, the prevalency of the corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of
the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins…”
Doctrines of Calvinism on Sin, not Christian,
But Pagan and Gnostic
The evidence
speaks for itself! Calvinism is a Gnostic mutant, mutating from the “Christian
heresy” known as Gnosticism. Accordingly, there is no parent type of the
Calvinistic “sinning Christian,” election, predestination,
or effectual calling to be found in the scriptures. The issues on sin, etc.,
are not an in-house disagreement among evangelicals. It is Christians in
disagreement with professed Christians, Calvinists, and others, on doctrines of
sin that have Gnostic and pagan tenets. And there can never be agreement with
this enemy of the cross. Let me be clear on the matter: Calvinism is a mixture
of pagan philosophy and Gnosticism on the sin issue, and therefore not
Christian. And Christians must so regard Calvinism as not being Christian.
Christians that may be in Calvinistic circles that hold the doctrine as a
concept, but deny it as a practice must come out of this harlot system!
