Book 3/Chapter 22 Election or foreknowledge (section 1) 1. What do some do because God chooses some and passes over others? 2. What do Calvin’s opponents needs to explain and answer? 3. Who is the principal beneficiary of election? Prior distinction (section 2) 1. What distinction can be made among those who do not yet …
Two Degrees of Election
Book 3/Chapter 21 The second degree (section 6) 1. What is the second, more limited degree of election? 2. What then are the two degrees? Election proper (section 7) 1. What is only half explained? 2. How does Calvin explain what makes up this individual election? 3. What enables the elect to persevere to the …
Unleashing Your Inner Fundamentalist
Suppose that John R. Rice, during his Sword of the Lord days, accidentally took a couple hits of acid, and prophesied wildly about what would happen down the road if women quit wearing their hair in a bun, and started wearing slacks like crazy. Suppose he got really out there, and promised us all that …
Audio Reading of Post
What Shall We Then Say?/Romans 30
INTRODUCTION: We come now to the beating heart of what has been nicknamed Calvinism. But of course, Calvin—a faithful servant of God—did not concoct these doctrines. He taught that where Scripture is silent, we ought not to pry (Dt. 29:29). But he also taught, following Augustine, that Scripture is always a safe guide. The same …
Calvin on Young Earth Creation as a “Chief Doctrine of the Faith”
[Speaking of predestination], Calvin says, “But if their shamelessness deters us, we shall have to keep secret the chief doctrines of the faith, almost none of which they or their like leave untouched by blasphemy. An obstinate person would be no less insolently puffed up on hearing that within the essence of God there three …
Throwing Rocks at Heaven
Book 3/Chapter 21 Alleged peril (section 4) 1. What will obstinate people do with the doctrine of predestination? 2. Should this prevent us from teaching it? 3. What are several of these other doctrines? 4. Why can we safely follow Scripture in this? 5. In what way do opponents of this doctrine accuse God of …
No Doctrine Monger
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) “. . . . which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. …
Health Care Hoot
The administration’s health care dreams are in enough trouble that the White House had to answer an old video clip of Obama that showed up on Drudge. You can look at the clip and the White House answer here. What cracks me up about this is what it reveals about what the White House thinks …
Balance and Predestination
Book 3/Chapter 21 Predestination (section 1) 1. What reveals the wonderful depth of God’s judgment? 2. What are two characteristics of the doctrine? 3. What tears humility up by the roots? 4. What are the three benefits? 5. What happens if men pry too deeply into the subject? The rule for discussion (section 2) 1. …
Like Jello on a Plate
C.S. Lewis once wrote a short story (I think it was called The Shoddy Lands), in which a female character reveals herself to be utterly uninterested in anything but (I think it was) jewelery. I bring this up because I recall reading a reference to that story by someone else who took it as clear …