Tag Archives: Calvinism?

Jacob, Esau, Vessels of Wrath and the Incomparable Love of the Living God

Responsibilities as Believers: Sound Doctrine, Uncategorized, , ,

“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭13‬ ‭

“What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬

I’ve read Romans 9:13 (above) countless times, and never once have I thought that it meant that God capriciously decided that he was going to love Jacob from the womb and despise his brother Esau. The reason for my certainty was that, I am and always will be convinced that the Calvinist view of this scripture as a reflection of God’s sovereignty over the souls of men, and as a pillar of support for their doctrine of unconditional election, is false, based on the enduring character of God exhibited from Genesis to Revelation. The God of the Bible is a God of mercy, love, and long-suffering, and the Old Testament in particular, is a tour de force in His faithfulness despite man’s relentless disobedience and idolatry. God has always longed, yearned even, for the hearts of men, without distinction. There are numerous examples in the Old Testament where His beloved Jews rejected Him, but pagan Gentiles received Him with a surrendered heart (Nineveh, Rahab, Namaan, Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Ruth, Ittai, etc). His love is infinitely deeper and wider then we could possibly comprehend.

While I never understood what exactly God meant with this statement about Esau and Jacob, I knew that God loved them both and that some day it would all make sense. While studying the minor prophets a few weeks ago, it finally became clear. Paul exhorted us to study the whole counsel of God for a reason. We need every single word that proceeds from the mouth of God in order for us to grasp the big-picture of God’s labor for the souls of men.

It’s important to note that God’s statement about hating Esau was never made during Esau’s lifetime. In fact, God’s anger with “Esau” doesn’t appear in scripture until the book of Obadiah, well over one thousand years after his death. In Genesis, Scripture actually records the tender moment when a cowardly Jacob, afraid that Esau might kill him (despite his covenant with God), divides his family into three groups as he prepares to be greeted by the brother he so wickedly deceived (Esau). Shockingly, Esau welcomes Jacob home with heartfelt-tears, and a warm, sincere embrace. (Genesis 33:1-16) That…is an example of the character of God. Esau had removed his anger and bitterness far from him and received his deceiver with mercy, kindness and joy.

While God was obviously disappointed with Esau’s carnal decision to trade his birthright for a single meal decades earlier, it’s unlikely that his emotional reunion with Jacob would have been recorded with the details Moses provided if God truly despised him as a person. It’s also likely, based on how Issac’s death and blessings went down, that Esau did not even take his bargain with Jacob seriously, since it was such a ridiculously unfair trade. Evidence to this effect is that when Isaac was dying, Esau clearly believed that he was the one who was rightfully entitled to his family’s birthright. (Genesis 27)

In order to fully understand the meaning of the statement in Romans 9:13, we must first return to Genesis and the time of their gestation:

“And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, And two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; And the one people shall be stronger than the other people; And the elder shall serve the younger. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭25‬:‭21‬-‭24‬ ‭

Here we see that God, when speaking of Jacob and Esau’s future, states with great clarity, that two nations will arise from the seed of these brothers. We later learn that God anoints Jacob as the father of Israel, the small and insignificant tribe that God used to reveal himself to the world, for better and for worse, while:

“…Esau is Edom.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭36‬:‭8‬ ‬‬

As we come to find out, Edom, as it grows over the generations, becomes a proud, wicked and murderous nation, one that constantly wars with Israel and even pillages their land after the northern kingdom is carried off to Assyria. In Obadiah, we see God’s fury at this wicked nation (Esau, which is Edom), which gloats at the harsh but necessary judgement of God on his chosen people. Not only is Edom brimming with pride, but it rejoices at Israel’s calamity and plunders them when they are weak and scattered. Just a as God refered to Israel as “Jacob” throughout the Old Testament (including 16 times from Isaiah chapters 40-49), so he referred to Edom as “Esau” in multiple books of the Old Testament. I encourage you to read the entire one-chapter book of Obadiah. Below is the most relevant portion:

“1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.8 Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?9 And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.12 But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;14 Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.15…18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it.” Obadiah‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭14‬, ‭18‬ ‭

It’s clear from the passage above, and the passage I will quote below in Malachi, that God isn’t talking about two individual men, but two nations in conflict, Edom and Israel. God’s fury with “Esau” aka Edom, is clearly justified. The prophet Obadiah notes God’s hot displeasure at their pride and violence,”against thy brother Jacob(aka Israel).” There are few things God despises more than pride. Also, He abhors when the strong take advantage of the weak, even if their weakness is a consequence of their own sin. Edom has done both of these things, and he has done it against God’s chosen and beloved nation, Israel. Vengeance and judgment belong to God, not men, and especially not to wicked, murderous, and godless men.

In Malachi, the final book of the Old Testament, we finally see the source of the quotation used by Paul in Romans 9:13:

“I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, ***The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.***And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.”
‭‭Malachi‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭

As in Obadiah, God is clearly speaking of a people…a nation, the nation that sprung from the loins of Esau…the Edomites. God despised them, not because they came from Esau, but because they were proud and delighted in evil. We have all seen in Jonah where one of the most abominable cities on earth, Nineveh, is given an opportunity to repent and escape judgement. While even Jonah, God’s hand-selected prophet, loathes them and does not want them to be saved, our God, who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, does. (2 Peter 3:9) The God of the Bible loves sinners, is rich in mercy and wants everyone, everywhere to repent.(Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4; Acts 17:30) Given these examples, and many, many more, it is truly abominable to teach that God doesn’t love all of humanity. For we were once just as wicked as the Ninevites, yet God offered His strong and loving arm of salvation to each one of us. May we never forget what we once were, until the word of God, and his transcendent love, saved us from the hell we deserved:

“9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

VESSELS OF WRATH

After reading of God’s great mercy towards Nineveh, and His dealings with vain, pagan, power-hungry Nebuchadnezzar, how could we ever assume that God randomly decides to make one person for salvation and another to burn for eternity with no hope of redemption? God was rich in mercy, even towards that wicked nation and that outrageously arrogant king – and He is merciful today towards ALL men. Sadly, few care. While God made Nebuchadnezzar suffer mightily and eat the rancid fruit of his vanity for seven long, cold, humiliating years, God did not cast him out entirely, but gave him an opportunity to repent…and that he did, and with great humility and eloquence. (see, Daniel 4:34-37)

While Romans 9 says this:

‘What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:” Romans 9:22

…2 Timothy 2:20-21 teaches us, without equivocation, that even vessels of wrath or dishonor, can be saved when they TURN their hearts to God for mercy:

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭

2 Corinthians 3:13-16 is a comparable passage, stating that even the spiritually blind will have the veil lifted from their eyes when their heart turns to Him:


“but their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭16‬

The 2 Timothy 2:20-21 passage could not be more self-explanatory. Even if a vessel was created for dishonor, that vessel could still choose repentance, humility and salvation. I could quote many verses on God’s death for all and love for all, but that would take up too much space here.(I do have a list of such verses at the very end of this article) I suggest that we simply study our New Testament WITHOUT using a commentary** and you will see His all-surpassing love for the souls of men…all men everywhere.(Acts 17:30) Sadly, you will also see men angrily, and even violently, reject it everywhere.

** I am not against commentaries. However, I think they should be reserved for only the most difficult or confusing passages, lest your entire theology be destroyed by the particular view of one man. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us. (1 John 2:27b; John 14:26; John 16:13)

ISRAEL, GOD’S CHOSEN VESSEL

Calvinists often use God’s selection of Israel as his chosen nation, as evidence of the Augustinian doctrine (which he purloined from pagan Manicheaism) of unconditional election, but this could not be further from the truth when the Old Testament text is carefully examined.

God did not randomly chose Israel so that every single Jewish soul would be saved, to the exclusion of the rest of the earth’s population. No. God chose this small, weak and insignificant people group in order to show the world His incomparable glory and power. (Deuteronomy 7:6-9; 9:1-6) Of course, many Israelites were saved, but sadly many more were not, choosing the pagan gods and goddesses of the Canaanites or Babylon over the ONE who delivered them from slavery, parted the Red Sea and destroyed the most powerful army on earth. (Romans 11:3-4) We see in Luke 13:34 how much this hurt the heart of God:

“34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! ” Luke 13:34

His chosen people, beloved and protected by God himself, chose their own will, their precious sin, and the wicked and idolatrous practices of the vilest nations on earth over the God who dwelt among them and did mighty works year after year after year. Other nations saw His mighty works and feared, sometimes even more than the Israelites did.

We saw this when Caleb and Joshua snuck into Jericho. Rahab informed them that the people of Jericho were terrified when they discovered that the Israelites were approaching. They had heard that the God of Israel had, not only parted the Red Sea, but had unilaterally and thoroughly defeated the greatest, most powerful army on earth – the army of Egypt. God’s hope and purpose, of course, was that the pagan nations who learned of these incomparable deeds, might turn from their manmade idols, to the God who parted the sea and annihilated an entire army, without the assistance of man. Rahab, for one, did and God rewarded her faith by placing Jesus in her lineage.

Unfortunately, there are countless example’s throughout the Old Testament, where the Jews rejected God and were swallowed up by the earth, killed by fiery serpents, executed by the sword at God’s order, or were carried off to be slaves in strange and distant lands. Meanwhile, the pagan and murderous city of Nineveh repented and turned to the God of Israel after hearing the reluctant words of a single prophet! Other examples of non-Jews turning to the Lord include Ruth, Nebuchadnezzar, King Darius, Ittai, Naaman, the centurion who’s son Jesus healed(Luke 7:1-10), the centurion who found God at the cross(Luke 23:45-47), and many, many more.

Conclusion

The purpose of this article is to refute the claim that God irrevocably chooses certain individual people or groups for salvation, while others are blindly and irrevocably sentenced to hell with no chance of salvation. Not only does Calvinist soteriology (doctrine of salvation) slander the character of God, but it nullifies the unmitigated power of His eternal word, which was designed to pierce and turn a soul from a life of willful sin, to a life of simple, humble faith. (Hebrews 12:9-10; Ephesians 1:13; Romans 10:13-14,17) Our God truly is rich in mercy. As scripture says so clearly, God: loves the world, died for all, tasted death for every man, and gave himself as a ransom for all, and WHOSOEVER believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. I will post verses establishing this, below. This list is not even close to exhaustive but should be sufficient to prick the heart of even the most steadfast Calvinist, and confirm the unalterable truth, that the one and only God has a generous, merciful and loving heart towards a lost and sinful world, and for that, this forgiven sinner is eternally grateful.

“15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:15-18

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭36‬ ‭

“35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst…40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:35,40

“37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. John 6:51

“24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:24

“9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9

“25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25-26

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.” John 12:32-33

“46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:46-48

“29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” John 20:29

“31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:31

“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭7‬:‭51‬ (God wants everyone, but everyone doesn’t want him. His grace IS resistible.)

“34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” Acts 10:34-35

“43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:43

“24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:24-28

“30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent“. Acts 17:30

“16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16

“18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” Romans 5:18

“33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 9:33

“4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Romans 10:4

“9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-13 (The condition for salvation is laid out here. It has nothing to do with being chosen. It has to do with faith…a deep faith from the heart. The next two verses below explain how we may obtain a saving faith)

“14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?…17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:14,17

“14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

“…God our Saviour;4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:3-6

“10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” 1 Timothy 4:10

“9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Hebrews 2:9

“2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2

“9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬

“17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭24‬:‭15‬

Other Articles by the author of this blog:

https://followingjesuschrist3.com/2015/05/19/limited-atonement-does-everyone-have-a-chance-to-be-saved/

https://followingjesuschrist3.com/2015/02/26/greater-works-than-these-shall-he-us-do-what-is-the-meaning-of-this-scripture/
https://followingjesuschrist3.com/2014/12/28/hell-and-the-wrath-of-god-almighty-what-do-the-scriptures-say/

LIMITED ATONEMENT And UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION: Does Everyone Have an Opportunity to Be Saved?

Uncategorized, ,

           The reality of Calvinism versus the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.  John 3:36

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it (the gospel of Jesus Christ, and not sovereign election or predestination!) is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

14 “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” 2 Cor. 5:14-15

…God our Saviour…will have all men to be saved , and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all…. 1 Timothy 2:3-6

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9

32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.33 This he said, signifying what death he should die. ” John 12: 32-33

9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

An Analogy:

If my wife, rather than being human, was AI, and was programmed to run to the door, smile, hug and kiss me with great joy every day when I come home from work, it would mean exactly…nothing, because it wasn’t from her heart. It wasn’t her choice to marry me or love me.

Despite the semantic games, Calvinist teach that we are essentially robots, chosen by God to love him…forced to love him. That, of course, is not love at all. In order to have authentic love, we must have the freedom to hate, even to hate the God who made us and loves us. Satan made the choice to reject God’s love and his will…and so do most of us. Life is so much more than simple, gnostic FATE.

 

   The idea that God, before time began, preselected certain unborn people to be destined for salvation, while certain other people were pre-designated for hell, with no opportunity to believe and repent, is clearly and outrageously false – and fails when tested in the refining fire that is the word of God. We are to look to the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) for guidance on all issues, and the full counsel of God, as found in the eternal scriptures, obliterates the idea of limited atonement, along with the other pillars of Calvinism. However, for the purposes of this article, I will focus on the error of limited atonement because it is a critical concept for believers since, if it is true, the Christian life of evangelizing, being a living example of Christ, and making disciples, has no value in terms of saving others from the flames…and both the piercing gospel of Jesus Christ (which is the power of God unto salvation, per Romans 1:16) and prayers for the salvation of others…are meaningless.

From the dawn of time, men and women have had free will, given to us by the hand of God. In his sovereignty, he chose to create humans, not robots. In the garden, Adam and Eve had the freedom to either obey God, or to listen to the deliciously wicked voice of the serpent. God did not make or want mindless creatures, but instead, He, in his unimpeachable sovereignty has given each of us freedom. This freedom is best illustrated by the opportunity we all have to choose life or death, good or evil (see, Joshua 24:14-15).

Far more often than not, we have chosen evil, but the idea that we are all preordained to go to heaven or hell, without a volitional element, makes the life and brutal death of Jesus Christ, as well as the commands of Jesus and the apostles, moot, a waste, a sham, a fraud, and an unfathomable cruelty perpetrated by a God who in reality has an unsearchable love for each and every one of His beloved children. We are far more than robots living an essentially meaningless, preprogrammed life. We are men and women who have received the gift of free will from the one and only God, and he wants us to use that will to seek him with all of our hearts. The evidence of his love and mercy…is everywhere (Ps. 19).

My primary problem with Calvinism and all other structures and belief systems superimposed on the Bible, such as hyperdispensationalism, covenant theology and pre/post-tribulation rapture, is that we tend to force every other scripture we find into the mold of those manmade paradigms, even if there are 20, 40 or even 100 scriptures that seem to contradict the 3 or 4 verses that support our belief. We tend to cling to our position as an idol, rather than seeking the “whole counsel” of God on a subject. Why? Because we learned it from a trusted youth leader, a long-time pastor or from a wise seminary professor. Instead of trusting men, who will fade away like grass (1 Peter 1:24-25), we must take the eternal word of God, as a whole, gathering all of the verses on a topic we seek to understand, so that we can study every single word Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, et. al. said regarding that issue. That is the ONLY way to truly understand the things of God. We must rely less on the teaching of men, no matter how much we love and respect them, and rely more and more on God’s everlasting word. As John 14:26 and 1 John 2:27 teach us, the Holy Spirit will teach us all things as we press deeply into His word.

My hope is that we will all obey the Apostle Paul’s command in 2 Corinthians 10:5, and cast down every pretense that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. We must tear down the manmade structures that we place on the eternal scriptures, no matter the cost, and instead search the written word ourselves, diligently and in full, just as the Bereans did and were commended for it (Acts 17:11).

Below are an abundance of scriptures, most of which are self-explanatory, which establish the fact that every single person born on this earth has a chance to be saved. While I will never understand the thoughts and intents of the heart of God, or fully comprehend His foreknowledge, I do believe that Jesus, Paul and Peter have made it more than clear to all of us who truly seek Him in His word, that no one, pre-birth is designated for hell at the whim of God, and that everyone has an opportunity to recognize and choose the only one who can save us from the consequences of sin(Romans 1:18-21).

If your theology requires you to change the definition of these simple words: all, any, every, and the world…then you have a problem. That problem is not with me. It is with God.

Nullifying the plain meaning of multiple scriptures in order to make them fit into the theology of our favorite authors and teachers, is a dangerous thing. For God so loved…the WORLD. Yes, God actually loved the whole world, so he gave his only begotten son to redeem us all, yet most reject such a great salvation.

Psalm 19:1-4 In this passage, David states that the heavens declare the glory of the Lord and the earth shows His handiwork. Day after day they pour forth knowledge and night after night they pour forth speech. There is no language where their voice isn’t heard. Their words have gone out to the end of the world.

This scripture, in conjunction with Romans 1:16-21, teach us that, God has revealed himself to all through the beauty and power of creation. Therefore, we are ALL without excuse.

Psalm 97:6 The heavens declare His righteousness and all of the people see His glory.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest….

Anyone who is weary and burdened is invited by Jesus to come to Him for rest. He doesn’t invite those he’s allegedly already chosen. He wants and has invited us all.

Matthew 18:14 When Jesus is talking about children, He specifically states that it is not His Father’s will that even one of these should perish. Clearly, Jesus is sharing His (and the Father’s) hope that every single one of the children on earth will seek Him and find Him. His will is that none perish, yet many do, thereby confirming that we have a will that can reject God.

Luke 2:9-11 When the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds to announce Christ’s birth, he told them that he was bringing tidings of great joy which will be “to all people.”

Luke 13:34 Jesus laments over the fact that He so desperately longed to gather ALL of His elect jews to Himself – but they refused to come. His elect jews willingly rejected the one who made them and was calling them home. I recommend reading this passage. It makes no sense in the context of Calvinism.

John 1:1-18 The gospel of John (along with Romans Chapter 10) is a tour de force against calvinism, tearing it down from every angle. This extended passage, which I believe is one of the most important in the entire Bible (because it establishes exactly who Jesus Christ was, is and is to come), is an excellent place to start in proving that Jesus came to save everyone who believes. Sadly, most reject his offer of salvation by grace through faith.

In the opening four verses, the Apostle John states, with great clarity exactly who our savior is, and he makes it abundantly clear that: Jesus “was the light of men.” Jesus was not the light of some men. He was not the light for certain chosen men. He was the light of all men. John then goes on to state that John the Baptist came as a witness to Jesus so that through Him all men might believe.(V. 7). Again, it was Jesus’ hope that every single person on this earth would believe in God…not just some men, not just certain preselected men, but all men. In verse 12, John also specifically states that anyone who receives Jesus, to him he will give the power to become a son of God. John is emphasizing the fact that there is a strong volitional element to salvation. Anyone who receives Jesus Christ can become a child of God. John 1:16 goes on to state that we have all received the grace of God.  Men predesignated for hell, with no chance to choose between Jesus and the god of this world, would not have the opportunity to receive God’s grace, thereby making John and the scriptures liars. I believe the clear, specific words of John the apostle, over any man, no matter their reputation, popularity or academic background.

John 3:16-21 In this well-known passage, Jesus restates the point made by John in chapter 1, by saying that anyone who believes in the name of Jesus will not perish but will have everlasting life. Verse 17 goes on to state that God sent Jesus into this world not to condemn it but to save it. He did not come to save a few preselected people who were already marked for salvation. Why would Jesus come and die a brutal, torturous death to save people who were already saved? Why would Jesus and Paul tell us to preach the word of God, to make disciples, and to contend for the faith vigorously, if it was already predetermined who would and wouldn’t be saved?    In the rest of this passage, we learn, from the mouth of Jesus Christ, the author of our salvation, that we all have a choice…darkness or light, good or evil. (See also, John 3:36, which is just as strong on this topic, and is quoted in the heading of this article).

John 5:22-24 Jesus states that all judgment has been committed to Him by the Father, and that it is the Father’s hope that all men would honor His Son. Jesus then goes on to state that whoever hears His words and believes that He was sent from the Father, has eternal life.   Again, there are no limitations placed by Jesus or the Father on who can hear and believe in Jesus Christ, and Jesus specifically states that it is His Father’s actual hope that everyone would honor Jesus Christ. The only person who seems to place limitations on who can hear the word of God and be saved is John Calvin.

John 5:39-40

“And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” John‬ ‭5:40‬

Jesus tells His fellow Jews that, while they search the scriptures daily, they do not choose to come to Him, the very one to whom the scriptures point. Jesus is making it clear that the study of theology doesn’t give anyone eternal life…but willingly coming to the one and only savior, Jesus Christ, does…and that is a choice we all have the opportunity to make.

John 6:45-47 Jesus again states that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life, not just a preselected few.

John 12:32 Jesus says that, if He is lifted up from the earth He will draw all men to Himself. Most will ignore Him, but Jesus says, with unmistakable certainty, that He will draw ALL men to Himself.

John 12:48 is another clear verse, spoken by Jesus Christ, warning us of the eternal consequences of using our freedom to reject His salvation:

“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

John 20:31

“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

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Why do we have the scriptures? That we might believe and choose life. This is another clear verse explaining how God has given humanity certain things (like creation per Psalm 19:1-2; Rom. 1:19-21) to point our eyes, minds and hearts to him. Some heed the call of God…but most reject it and go their own way.

Acts 7:51 When Steven, “full of faith and power” is explaining the prophesies of Jesus from the Old Testament to the Jewish council, he informs them that, just like their fathers, they resist the Holy Ghost.   Steven would not need to waste his time preaching this message to the Jews if it were predetermined who would and wouldn’t be saved. He also makes it very clear that their forefathers chose to resist the Holy Spirit, which is of course a voluntary act. In both Deuteronomy 30:19-20 and Joshua 24:15, God commands His people to choose…this day life or death, blessings or curses…thus, even in Old Testament days, God gave men the choice as to whether or not they would follow Him. Most of them chose the golden calf, Molech, the queen of heaven or Ashtoreth worship over the Living God, just most people today choose their idols over salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. We all have the ability to resist or accept the unchanging truth of our great God. He speaks to our hearts through His eternal word and through the glory and beauty of creation, so that all of us are without excuse. See, Psalm 19:1-4 and Romans 1:19-20.

Acts 10:34-44 When Peter was sharing the gospel with Cornelius, he stated that God is not a respecter of persons, and that every nation that feareth Him and works righteousness, is accepted by Him(we saw that with Nineveh in the OT when they repented after hearing the word from Jonah) . In verse 43, Peter teaches that through God’s name, whoever believes in Jesus shall receive the remission of sins. We also see throughout Acts and the epistles that Peter, Paul and many other Apostles spend their lives relentlessly preaching the gospel throughout the world knowing that all men everywhere have an opportunity to hear the truth of Jesus Christ and be saved.

*****Acts 17:24-31 In this powerful passage, where Paul is preaching to the philosophers on Mars Hill in Athens, he lays out, in very clear terms, the fact that God, who made everything, created each person at a specific time and in a specific place that “they should seek the Lord and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.” So even the godless Greek philosophers were placed on earth at a specific time and in a specific place, so that perhaps they too might seek God, find Him an be saved. This is true for every person ever created…says Paul: Acts 17:24-31

24” “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring…30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

Romans 1:16 This verse is self explanatory. The power of the God unto salvation is NOT predestination. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ransoms men from the flames of hell:  16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” The great passage on Grace in Ephesians 2:8-9, also makes it clear that we are saved by “grace through faith,” not by “grace through predestination.”

Romans 1:19-23 Paul essentially restates what David said in Psalm 19, that all men are without an excuse when it comes to knowing God because God has revealed Himself to everyone from the dawn of time, through the glory and power of creation. Yet men choose to ignore what God has placed right in front of their five senses, and instead choose to degrade each other and embrace the darkest of sins.

**Romans 4:5 The calvinists claim that choosing to believe the gospel is a work, thus, true believers don’t choose to trust Christ but he alone chooses them. This verse makes it as clear as is possible, that choosing to believe is NOT a work because Paul contrasts belief with works:

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans‬ ‭4:5‬ ‭KJV

Romans 5:18 Just as judgment came upon all men by Adam’s sin, so by the righteousness of Jesus, the free gift of justification unto life came to all men.

***Romans 8:29 In this verse Paul explains predestination as “foreknowledge,” just as Peter defines the “elect” as those God “foreknew,” in 1 Peter 1:2. The point is, that God did not preselect men to go to heaven or hell, but he, in his omniscience, “foreknew” who would choose to believe on his name, and those who would reject him. See below:

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ….” 1 Peter 1:2

 Romans 8:32 Paul states that God the Father delivered His Son to death “for us all.”

Romans 10:4 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone that believes.

Romans 10:9-10  “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead (NOT” If thou art randomly preselected by Jesus for heaven before time began”), thou shalt be saved. For it is with the heart that man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Romans 10:12-17 Paul teaches us, without any limiting language, that the Lord is rich toward “all” who call upon him (vs. 12) and goes on to state that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (See also, Joel 2:32) Paul then implores the Roman church to preach the gospel, since the only way that people can believe in Jesus is by hearing the word of God. He states, “How shall they believe in him of whom they haven’t heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans10:14).  This point is emphasized again in verse 17: “So then faith cometh by HEARING, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

Paul does NOT say that people believe in Jesus Christ because they are part of the “elect.” He makes it clear that people will not, and cannot believe…unless we preach, and they hear…the word of the living God.

In summary, Paul is telling us in Romans 10, with clear and powerful language, that salvation wasn’t accomplished at the pre-creation whim of God, but instead he exhorts us to go out into the world and preach the gospel in order to give more people an opportunity to hear the story of Jesus Christ, who ransomed us from hell with his blood, and perhaps, through hearing the truth, might be saved.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

***1 Corinthians 5:11 “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”

The passage above is one that motivates me to evangelize perhaps more than any other. Not only is the terror of the Lord on the day of judgement very real, but Jesus Christ has called us to labor tirelessly to “persuade” people, via the gospel, to repent. If the false, Calvinist understanding of predestination were indeed true then this scripture(along with many, many others) is a lie because no one could be persuaded.

2 Corinthians 5:14-17 Christ died for all (it says that twice), thus if any man be in Christ he is a new creature and all things become new.

2 Thessalonians 2:12 Those are damned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.

Who is damned? Those who choose not to believe.

1 Timothy 3:6-7 God’s wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, for He gave Himself as a ransom for all.

 1 Timothy 4:10  We labor and suffer reproach because we trust God, who is the savior of all men.

1 Timothy 4:16 We must be careful how we live and with our doctrine for in doing so we shallsave both ourselves and our hearers.   Clearly, our words and actions may have a bearing on who is and isn’t saved.

Titus 2: 11-12  11″For the grace of God which bringeth salvation has appeared to ALL men, 12 teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world….” The grace of God THAT BRINGS SALVATION has appeared to everyone. This is one of many passages that could not possibly be any more clear on the fact that God offers his grace to everyone, and he offers it for free.

Hebrews 2:9 Jesus, was made a little lower than the angels and was crowned with glory and honor so that He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.

James 5:19-20 James tells us that many of our sins will be covered if we, through the truth, convert a sinner from the error of his ways, saving him from death. Jude 1:22-23 also emphasizes that by our actions, as followers of Christ, men can be pulled from the fires of hell.

2 Peter 2:9 God is long suffering toward us and is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:15 “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation….”

‭Peter makes it clear once again – God’s long suffering towards us actually leads to salvation. How? It his patience with our wickedness…his long delayed judgement, that gives us all the time we need to consider his gospel and repent. He wouldn’t need to be long suffering towards us – and his long suffering certainly wouldn’t lead to salvation – if each of us didn’t have a choice to make with our hearts. That choice is…the short term pleasures of sin, or the blood of Jesus Christ? Choose this day who you are going to serve.

1 John 2:2 Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 5:1  “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God….”

Once again, the apostle whom Jesus loved, teaches us exactly who is saved. It is those who believe that Jesus is who He said He is.

Revelation 22:17  “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”  At the very end of the Bible, THIS is what Jesus Christ wants us to know: whosoever is thirsty, whosoever will, let him take the water of life…freely!  The offer of salvation to everyone, without limitation is being made abundantly clear one last time. Please, come to him and choose the saving blood of Jesus Christ, as the clock of of time…winds down.

Jesus Christ, the one who was with God in the beginning and through whom all things were made; the one in whom is life and that life is the light of men; the one who gave us grace and truth; the one who bore our sins in His body on the tree; the one whose head and hair are white like wool as white as snow and whose eyes are like blazing fire; The one who holds the keys of death and hell; the one who someday will appear in an open sky, riding on a white horse wearing a robe dipped in blood with a name written on Him which no one knows but He Himself; the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; and the author of such a great salvation, makes it clear, through His own words and the words of His Apostles, that He wants every single person born on this planet to be saved from the flames of hell. Why would He waste so much time teaching the jews about the dangers of hell if it was already predetermined who would and wouldn’t go there? Why would he give us the great commission or have us pray for the salvation of others, if everything was already set in stone? Why would he have allowed his son to be brutalized and murdered if we are all simply preprogrammed, predestined robots?

Because of His surpassing love, He gives all people everywhere an opportunity to repent and turn to Him. He even sends the gospel to pagans who are searching for the one true God (Cornelius, Lydia, and the Ethiopian Eunuch). However the road is narrow…and few find it because few want it. Let us all seek the kingdom of God through His everlasting word, unpolluted by the doctrines of demons and men, and let us joyfully share it with others who might also choose the glorious gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.

EPILOGUE

I strongly recommend that each one of us ask God to tear down ANY man-made belief system, which we have placed on His glorious word, no matter who taught it to us. Jesus promises us in John 14:26 (and John says essentially the same thing in 1 John 2:27), that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things, so I humbly suggest that we pick up our KJV Bibles, and ask the Spirit to destroy any preconceived notions we have about anything related to God…and then simply read.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.   Revelation 3:20

*A note on freewill and the Old Testament: As John 3 and Romans 10 indicate so clearly, salvation is and has always been accomplished in the heart of a man who hears and responds to the word of God (see, 10:17). Since Jesus came to earth, in order for us to be saved, we must believe in our heart that he, fully God and fully man, paid for our sins with his blood, and was raised to life by his Father. There is nothing in these verses (or John 3) that implies anything else. Hebrews 11 also makes it clear that it was always faith that saved, even in Old Testament times(see also, Romans 4:2-5 and Hebrews 4:1-7). Wicked pagans and harlots, such as the citizens of Ninevah, Nebachadnezzar, and Rahab were saved – not because they were jews (because the weren’t), but because they believed in the true God of heaven, and it was credited to them as righteousness. Anyone who has read the major prophets and the books of Moses can see that most jews didn’t care one bit about the God who chose them and redeemed them from slavery time and time again, therefore, they were not saved even though they were God’s chosen people. God, through his prophets, begged them to choose Him and turn their hearts back to the one who delivered their forefathers from Egypt…but they would not. Their hearts were hard and they refused to exercise their God-given freewill to “choose this day” and “turn their hearts….” Therefore, God have them over to his enemies time and time again.

Ezra 6:19-21 is another excellent passage illustrating that even pagans who separated themselves from the filthiness of their heathen gods and turned to the God of Israel, were accepted by Him.

No verse quite sums up the tenor of the entire Old Testament, and the freewill-rejection by the elect Israelites, of a God who loved them deeply, and pursued them with all of his heart, like Luke 13:34:

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

God longed to gather them to Himself, as a mother hen does with her chicks…BUT THEY WOULD NOT. No passage could ever summarize freewill, and how 99% of the world uses its freedom to respond to God than this one.

Faith in the one true God has always been the only factor that saves. Even the Magi, who came from somewhere in the far eastern regions of the known world, traveled thousands of miles to honor the baby Messiah prophesied about in the Jewish scriptures. These distant pagans did what few Jews did. They read and believed the word of God… and were rewarded not only with eternal life, but by meeting in person the God who could save them.

God has always been available to the hearts of those who want to find him, no matter where they are. Cornelius, Lydia, Apollos and the Ethiopian Eunuch are more examples of New Testament gentiles who wanted to know the one true God and sought him with their hearts, so God sent his gospel to them. That…is how He works.

One more for the road:

“Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭1:24, 29‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Excellent Article: A Brief History of John Calvin and his Theology

All 5 Points of Calvinism Refuted

An Excellent sermon on Romans 9: Adrian Rogers

The Bible version controversy analyzed and explained

Piercing The Darkness: Preaching the Gospel in Key West, Florida

What Exactly is the Gospel?

ECUMENICISM: Jesus Christ as He is in the Word, Is the Only Way to God

Tithing and the New Testament Church