I've been studying Calvinism for 30 years. Ever since it was introduced to me when I was about 14. Until this week I had never read a book about it either for or against. I have read a few articles on both side of the issue. I have also talked/debated people online. So I know the average stance of those claiming Calvinism. I hold no animosity towards the people who hold on to it. We are all just trying to follow the purest form of the gospel we know how. I wrote the following post during the month we had no internet access as the topic had been brought back into my world. So while I am putting this up today, it was written in early May.
As I understand it the doctrine of election says instead of people choosing salvation God himself chose who would be saved before the world was even created. This also ties into another doctrine called utter depravity. This says that something is broken inside of an unsaved person and they are spiritually unable to choose God and turn to Him. With utter depravity one must have election in order for some people to be able to be saved.
In the most simplified terms, the idea of election says that the larger portion of humanity has been elected to hell. While God was choosing the elect for heaven he was also actively and intentionally choosing the non-elect for damnation. Before the world began God chose them for fire and torment. According to the teaching of election, God's desire is that the larger portion of humanity burn for eternity instead of being allowed to be redeemed. The ONLY thing standing between them and salvation is his will. There is no way to wiggle out of it. When you strip Election down to its core elements that is EXACTLY what it says. God chose some people to suffer torment for eternity because He did not want to save them.
How is this acceptable? How has this horrible thing even gained traction in the Christian's mind? God intentionally denying people redemption for no explainable reason. The normal arguments of deserving hell fire because of sin do not apply here. Supposedly they are going to hell because of their sin. But when you look at it down it its most basic form WHY are they really going to hell? Election says that God did not choose them so they cannot be saved. They are not going to suffer for eternity because of what they did but because of what God refused to do for them.
In a strange twist of
theology which says that sinners, who are nothing but what God made
them to be, are to suffer eternally for being unable to access the
blood of Christ. Looking at it this way the damned are being punished
for following God's will perfectly. He willed that they not come to
Christ and so they must undergo eternal punishment for being in their
sins.
It is the same as if a mother made the rule that if a child
is not washed and cleaned by bedtime they must be spanked before they
go to sleep. Then the mother also refuses to allow the children
access to the bathroom in order to clean themselves. The result is
that she spanks them every night before bed. If this were to happen
in real life her children would be take away because of child abuse
and she would go to jail. Yet we argue about and loudly proclaim that
our perfect heavenly Father does far worse with humanity. God justly
demands a payment for sin. He also gave Jesus as a substitute for our
sin. Yet election says that only some people can come and be cleansed
from their sin, all others must burn forever simply because they were
not chosen. God has denied them their bath.
Just because you have a list of verses that use the word elect, election or imply the sentiment does not mean it is a correct idea. The core concept is 100 against what we are shown in scripture of God's spiritual legal system, His perfect, flawless character and even the demands and wording of the gospel itself. No matter how hard or loudly you argue you cannot make the sky green and the grass blue. God is not a child abuser. He has not closed to the door to the blood of Christ denying millions their chance at escaping hellfire.
P.S- I have no problem with people going to hell if it is their own choice to reject Christ and die unwashed in their sins. That is justice and holiness. Hopefully all can see my issue is with the notion that God refuses to save some people by not electing them.
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