Pyatcast

Category: Calvinism

  • Defining "Responsibility" for Leighton Flowers

    I was listening to Professor Leighton Flowers talk about “responsibility,” (mp3 – around 29 minutes into the debate) and he noticed that he tried to define it as “able to respond,” as in being able to respond positively to God’s commands and exhortations. That definition is just fanciful. The term “responsible” actually means “answerable” or…

  • Ultimate Destination Isn’t Only Purpose

    Some people think that “God created the reprobate just to torture them in Hell for all eternity,” is an accurate picture of one aspect of Calvinism. I’ve heard it used a number of times as an attempt to criticize Calvinism. What’s a good answer when someone asks you if that’s what you believe – or…

  • The New Living Translation (NLT) and Calvinism

    Introduction  The Scriptures teach Calvinism. There should not be any particular surprise in this – it’s the reason Calvinists believe Calvinism. That said, it has been alleged that the New Living Translation (NLT) even more clearly teaches Calvinism (link to allegation). In fact, the allegation at “Traditional”(FN1) Baptist Chronicles is that there is some kind…

  • Keep it Simple: STUPID

    TULIP is a great acronym for the doctrines of grace. But it’s not very American. Here’s another that may be easier to recall, next time people tell you that election, predestination, or Calvinism is “stupid.” You can respond, yes: Sovereignty: God is in charge – we are not. All things happen according to his foreordinate…

  • The Potter’s Precedent

    In Romans 9, in response to the most frequent objection to Calvinism, Paul provides an answer from a potter analogy: Romans 9:19-23 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed…

  • Cheung and Olson

    Daniel has posted an interesting response to Roger Olson’s attempted use of material from Vincent Cheung.  On this topic of God being the “author of sin,” the one positive point that Cheung has brought to the table is that he makes (or ought to make) folks like Olson stop and try to explain why it…

  • Failure to Understand both Calvinism and One’s Own Doctrine …

    I saw the following comment from a lay apologist of the Roman communion recently, directed at one of my fellow Calvinists: If I am going to hell and presdestined to do so, then you don’t have to pray for me or even have any love at all, according to your warped, hideous, grotesque version of…

  • Reviewing Roger Olson’s "Against Calvinism"

    Dr. James White reviewed Roger’s Olson’s “Against Calvinism” on the November 3, 2011, Dividing Line.  Meanwhile, independently Paul Manata has prepared a detailed written review. I think both reviewers would agree with the following from Manata: In any event, Olson’s book leaves much to be desired. It isn’t anything like a “case” against Calvinism. Rather,…

  • Calvinism is Wrong Because Love Must Be Free?

    I’ve heard an objection to Calvinism along the lines of the title of this post many times.  The argument is that “irresistible grace” is at odds with the nature of God, since God wants us to love Him freely.  Paul Manata has a succinct answer to that kind of argument. I would like to build…

  • Why it is Important to Go Back to the Sources, Illustrated.

    The following is a transcript of about four minutes from an informal radio debate from the Bible Answer Man program (source): James White: I think it was God’s purpose to preserve the children of Israel alive in Egypt. So it was his purpose to send Joseph and he did so by having him sold into…