I really hadn't noticed how many Calvinists there are. I didn't even know that my pastor was a Calvinist until I overheard him mention something about free will. I immediately decided that was wrong. I've thought about it, and it does make sense in a backwards sort of way. But the there's a big problem with Calvinism that I think supersedes most of the other problems. Calvinism is a neat little, five-point summary of everything about God and us. It lays out an exact doctrine that defines everything, even things far beyond the realm of Salvation. Calvinism seems to claim that it has all the answers.
The problem with that is that we cannot ever define everything like that. We don't fully understand ourselves or God or the relationship between us and God. Calvinism explains all of that in a way that mostly makes sense. That should be a hint that something is wrong.
I understand that people want things to make sense, but not everything makes sense. God can't be put in a little box, or in this case a TULIP (an acronym for the five points of Calvinism). He is much bigger than we can ever understand. I don't have a problem with people seeking to know God better; I just have problem when people act like they have it all figured out.
The problem with that is that we cannot ever define everything like that. We don't fully understand ourselves or God or the relationship between us and God. Calvinism explains all of that in a way that mostly makes sense. That should be a hint that something is wrong.
I understand that people want things to make sense, but not everything makes sense. God can't be put in a little box, or in this case a TULIP (an acronym for the five points of Calvinism). He is much bigger than we can ever understand. I don't have a problem with people seeking to know God better; I just have problem when people act like they have it all figured out.
It is so exciting to see a young person brought up under such circumstances who is still so capable of independent, rational thought. You have astutely summed up a complicated belief in 3 short paragraphs. I wish I could do that!!
ReplyDeleteYou just keep right on thinking and writing! The older folks need to hear about the effects selling out to 'movements' such as certain home school movements have on the young ones subjected to them.
Cindy@Baptist Taliban and Beyond
Thanks for the support! It makes writing seem more worthwhile.
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