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The main doctrine of Calvinism is God's sovereignty: God is the disposer of all events from the beginning to the end. He guides and determines all events and affairs and results according His predetermined will. History is worked out according to His plan.

The opposite view goes something like this: Because of the free will given to angels and humans there is a continual battle between God's will and plan and opposite ideas. God saves us (from our sinful, self-destructive and self-promotional nature through Jesus Christ) whenever He can and the devil guides us into hell whenever possible. Motives are pity and love vs. jealousy and hate. Because the world is “under the power of the evil one” there is not much justice in this system. Man's corrupted mind is inclined to listen to the devils whispers rather than God's word.

The average Christian is positioned somewhere in between those views (choices) according to the denominational doctrine of his church. Church of England was very puritan (Calvinistic) at the time of Cromwell. Change came after the work and influence of John Wesley. The church adopted many of his Armenian views.

With a few quotation from the Bible and following comments, I like to demonstrate how my anti-Calvinistic position is established.

Gen 2:17 ...”But YOU SHALL NOT eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.” …... I have heard that the hidden meaning of God was that Adam and Eve eat it. However I personally believe that God means what He says and so the unfolding history of humankind was not according to His original plan. I think that because of the pity and distress He felt because of the fallen couple He originated his second plan even at the cost of millions of souls ending into hell.

Mat23:37 ...”How often I would have gathered your Children together, even as hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and YOU WOULD NOT.” …....God's will did not prevail.

1Tim 2:4 ...”Who (God) desires ALL PEOPLE TO BE SAVED and come to full knowledge of truth”

Mat 7:14 ...”How narrow is the gate,and restricted is the way that leads to life! FEW ARE THOSE WHO FIND IT.”

....devil usually wins as he has so much help from us. God gave us free will and He doesn’t take it back.

In the book of Lamentations God expresses his sorrow, frustration and anger through Jeremiah his prophet about his bride. (The apostate city of Jerusalem) who had made adultery with the enemy.

“Look, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which is bought on me”…

“My children are desolate because the enemy has prevailed”…

“I called for my lovers, but they deceived me.”

(Lam. 1:12,16,19)

God is fiery emotional and jealous about his bride (James 4:5)

The fire of hell depicts God’s anger.

(Jon 3:36)

Calvin's doctrine of UNCONDITIONAL ELECTIN means that believers of Christ are chosen before the foundation of the world (before Adam and Eve).

If some are the chosen ones to enter into heaven, there must be the non-chosen people as well in a hopeless situation who are pre-ordained to hell for eternal punishment.

Rev 20:15 ….” If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”

Calvin himself called this a “HORRIBLE” doctrine but maintained that believers can't avoid it.

If you have this HORRIBLE image of God out of Jesus as initiator of created humans predestined to hell......can you love Him? 1Cor 16:23...”If any man doesn't love the Lord Jesus Christ let him be cursed. Come Lord! Jacobus Arminius”sought to modify Calvinism so that God might not be considered the author of sin, nor man an automaton in the hands of God.” (The Moody handbook of theology/by Paul Enns p. 489) He emphasised foreknowledge of an individuals choice to be the reason of predestination (= to mark out beforehand) as opposed to election without any merit on part of elected.

Armenius also resisted the doctrine of “Perseverance of the saints” meaning “once saved, always saved”.

The Synod of Dort 1619 rejected the Armenian teachings: 200 Armenian pastors lost their posts, one was beheaded,and one imprisoned for life but many Armenians managed to escape from Holland.

Rev13:8... “All who dwell on earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been WRITTEN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (= cosmos) in the book of life of the Lamp who has been killed.

Rev13:8 King James...”whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamp SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

Hebr 6:6....seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again.

Spiritually every Christian crucified Christ for himself at the moment he accepted Him as his saviour. If we don't accept the concept we don't get rid of our sins. Just born-again new believer (= new creature) is like a new baby in a new world. Basic meaning of the word cosmos is ORDER.

So I like to freely translate Rev 13:8....whose names have not been written in the book of life AT THE BEGINNING OF NEW ORDER (before it was disorder as it was without God) when Christ was spiritually crucified as well.

Note that when Christ was physically crucified a new order did start (potentially) for the whole world. The devils power was crushed and it will becaome a reality from one's born-again experience.

To maintain that Christ was crucified before Adam & Eve is not logical. If you think that one's name had been written in the book of life before God created the physical universe: Explain me why we need to evangelise and convert at all because one is already saved or condemned. It seems to be useless because it doesn't change anything.

I don’t like to believe anything which doesn't make sense.

Eph 1:4 (Calvinist translation)...”even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy....” Eph 1:4 (author's non Calvinistic translation)...even as he before the foundation of the world (or order) chose that (only) in Jesus Christ we would be holy and without defect....

Translators standpoint is reflected in their translation. Study different versions and look carefully which is predestined : Our position or the way how we will be saved.

I agree that God predestined the humble one's instead of the proud one's to inherit His realm. A proud person is not mentally capable to carry out the shame (Which the devil introduces) when he should confess Jesus as his saviour. However God is continually working to humble us (making us less proud). And that is for believers as well as non-believers.

It is generally maintained that God appointed leaders like Hitler and Stalin into their positions based on Dan 4:17. Practically it did happen by assassinating all possible competitors even in one's own party. If that is the case you can put the blame on God for all what happened in their concentration camps.

Remember that God's way to speak is to combine spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

Dan 4:14..7....About the tree (which was Nebuchadnezzar new king of Judah after it's captivity in Babylon) which was chopped down and the stump bound with a band of iron and bronze (with strength and durability). Note that the king represents the whole nation under his rule and in this case the golden head is the symbol of hypocritical Judah (Judaism) after it lost it's position before God.

“Let his portion be with the ANIMALS in the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from MEN'S, and let ANIMAL'S heart be given to him. Then let seven times (= about 2000 years) pass over him...that the living (it means those who believe in Jesus Christ) may know that THE MOST HIGH RULES IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN (not in the kingdom of animals), and gives it to whomever He will and sets up over it the LOWEST OF MEN.(Note that bible specifies that Jesus Christ was the LAST as well as the first.)

This prophesy is exactly what did happen to the natural Israel when Jesus was rejected and crucified. It lost it's position and become animal among animals.

But “at the end of days (or time)....understanding returned to him (the king)” Dan 4:34 Israel will understand that the “lowest of men” Jesus Christ is the Lord.

Paul did understand this animal kingdom vs. kingdom of men concept . 1Cor 15:39.....”All flesh is not the same flesh but there is one flesh of men (believers) another flesh for beasts (those who are persecuting believers, Pharisees), another for fish (those who are potential to become Christians), another for birds (those who don't care).

So how I read it: God rules among believers whom He can lead by His Spirit, and the devil rules among unbelievers and usually appoints their leaders as” The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1Joh 5:19) This control is not absolute as we have our own will as well.

Understandably most Christians don't accept this concept as they have a fixed mind-setting concerning the omnipotence of God. You can certainly feel more security if you have bit Calvinist image from God. There is also less friction between Christians and their earthy rulers if those are honoured as appointed by God.

On the other hand: you are less likely to lose your love towards God , if you don’t blame Him from the unlawfulness the existing authority initiates. Especially at the end time this is important.

You might then ask why God allows this devil influenced system to continue especially as so many end up going into hell.

Philip 1:23...25 by author's free translation based on the fact that God speaks through Paul (2Cor 13:3... Since you seek a proof of Christ Who speaks in and through me)

But I (God) am hard pressed between these two (choices). My desire is to depart (and take my children to be free of this world) and be with (presence of ) Christ. Nevertheless (I God) to remain in my body (here on earth) is more needful for your sake. And being convinced (of the importance) of this I (God) know that I will remain and stay so that you can bear more fruit (love, peace, joy ,patience...and of course win more converts to Christ).

At the end this world is comparable to Sodom and Gomorrah; As there are not many proper Christians left to spread the gospel after the apostasy (= being captured into the spiritual Babylon by receiving the wrong Christ and wrong Spirit by prevalent heretical teachings).

All Israel will be saved when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.(Rom 11:25,26) The fullness of believers is to grow to the full manhood of Christ, Be like Christ. The fullness of unbelievers in negative sense is exactly the opposite. When pagans have filled the measure of their sins being full of violence and pornography there is no point and will on God's part to continue this existence.

However God's will is that anyone be lost. So He is always looking for a revival among Christians and awakening among non-believers.

When Niniveh turned to God after the message of Jonah (785 B.C.) it's destructin was delayed over 100 years and did not happen utill 606 B.C. (aprox times according to Halley's Bible Handbook)

When Hezekiah and “Jerusalem” repented 701 B.C. because of words of Isaiah, God saved Jerusalem from Assyrian invading army. The shadow went 10 degrees backward on the sundial of Ahaz (and earth tilted and the Ice Age ended!?)

Jerusalem was burned by a Babylonian invading army in 586 B.C. Because it did't repent even it was warned continually by prophets.

So even if we are close to midnight there is always the possibility to have more time.

Erno Miettinen

Unless stated otherwise the verses in this bible are referenced from a public domain bible.