About Following John Calvin And Calvinism

“As it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” [1 Corinthians 1:31]

Recently, one of our website visitors sent us some noteworthy comments in an e-mail in which she wrote:

> So, do we really know if Calvin even preached the 5 points??

> For we do know that it is not good or right to attach any
> man’s name to the Gospel. Yet, we do know that the 5 points are
> taught to us in the Bible. Therefore, it would be far better to not
> attach Calvin’s name to the Gospel considering that we may be
> accused of following Calvin?? As I surely have been accused of
> following Calvin. God forbid that we would follow any man.

To which I gave the following reply (with some additional clarification):

“As for Calvinism, I agree, we don’t want to follow a man. It’s best to use the term “doctrines of grace”, or “election and predestination”, or simply the real gospel versus the false free-will gospel. Also, the free-willers follow a man – many men for that matter – but mainly the theology of one man, Jacobus Arminius, hence the term “Arminians”. I have not read Calvin’s Institutes but I found this pertinent quote online:

“There is no soul living who holds more firmly to the doctrines of grace than I do, and if any man asks me whether I am ashamed to be called a Calvinist, I answer—I wish to be called nothing but a Christian; but if you ask me, do I hold the doctrinal views which were held by John Calvin, I reply, I do in the main hold them, and rejoice to avow it.” – Charles Spurgeon

Another reason why it is a good idea to avoid using the term or label Calvinism, is simply because the free-willers often don’t even know what it is. They typically have an erroneous view of one or more points. However, having an opportunity to explain all this to an Arminian can certainly bear fruit when speaking with those who have ears to hear but have been led astray by others. Bear in mind, people who look down on us or criticize of for being Calvinists may just be parroting what some misguided preacher has told them … and they just don’t know enough about what the Bible has to say about these – to trust what we say – us much as they may have grown to trust the Arminian preachers they have been listening to.  Of course, no one should trust what anyone says about Bible doctrine without comparing that doctrine with related scripture.

Have a blessed day in the Lord,

brother RM Kane
http://ComingInTheClouds.org

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