Calvinism’s doctrine of predestination teaches that God predestines people to heaven or hell through a process of “unconditional election.” In other words, God chooses to create some people who are predestined to go to heaven, and chooses to create others who are predestined to go to hell; moreover, the people themselves have no choice in the matter, because, according to Calvinism, humanity has no “free will” or freedom of choice. God has predestined everyone and everything. Some have the good fortune to have been created with a one-way ticket to heaven, but most have the misfortune to have been created with a one-way ticket to hell, because Jesus said that “many” go to hell, whereas only “few” go to heaven (Matthew 7:13-14). Fortunately, numerous scriptures contradict Calvinism’s doctrine of unconditional election. The following texts, as well as dozens of others that could be listed, clearly reveal that people do have “free will” to choose to accept and obey God’s invitations and commandments, or to reject and disobey them.
Deacon Stephen accused the religious leaders of his day, and his ancestors, of always “resisting” the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). If they were rebuked for “resisting” the Holy Spirit, they obviously had the power to choose to do so. Furthermore, the Bible instructs all people to “resist” the devil (James 4:7). Therefore, it is evident that we all have the “free will” to do so! Furthermore, Luke claims that the Pharisees and lawyers had “rejected the will of God” for themselves because they had not been baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:30). Once again, the Scriptures make it clear that people have the freedom and ability to reject or resist God’s will for them.
The prophet Joel declared that the multitudes are in the “valley of decision” (Joel 3:14). And, the book of Acts says that the people on the island of Malta “changed their minds” (Acts 28:6). If we don’t have a “free will” with the power to choose, how did these people “change their minds”; furthermore, how can multitudes be in the “valley of decision” if they do not have “free will” to choose or decide?
The Lord Jesus Christ told the Jews of His day that He had wanted to gather them to Himself as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but they “would not” (Matthew 23:37). According to Jesus himself, these people obviously had “free will” and chose not to come to Him.
Also, keep in mind all of the following texts that undoubtedly teach that people have “free will.” Hosea proclaimed that the people of Ephraim were oppressed because they had “willingly” walked according to human precept (Hosea 5:11). Nehemiah recorded that the people smote all the men who had “voluntarily” offered to dwell in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:2). In Judges 5:9, the Bible states that there were rulers in Israel who “voluntarily” offered themselves to the Lord. The Bible records in Exodus 35:29, and in many other passages, that the children of Israel brought “freewill” offerings to the Lord. The Apostle Paul declared that the Macedonian believers had been “freely willing” to minister to the needs of the Saints (2 Corinthians 8:3-4). In Hebrews 10:26, the Bible states that if we sin “willfully” after receiving the knowledge of the truth, then there is no longer any sacrifice left for our sins. The Apostle Peter proclaimed that scoffers “willfully” forget that God is the Creator (2 Peter 3:5). All of these texts, as well as many others that could be cited, teach clearly and unequivocally that people have “free will” with the ability to make their own decisions.
Many Calvinists suggest, however, that if people have the ability to “choose” to accept or deny God’s gift of salvation; then the people themselves would be responsible and would get the credit for their own salvation. I must ask the Calvinists a question. If someone knocks on your door with an unexpected gift that he bought and paid for with his own money, and you decide to accept the gift; Who is responsible for that gift and deserves the credit for it? I’m sure you’ll agree that the person who spent their own money to buy his gift is responsible and deserves the credit for it. You know you would never take credit for that gift. It is certainly the same principle with Jesus’ gift of salvation. He also bought and paid for that gift with His own blood, and your decision to accept the gift He paid for does not make you responsible for it, or worthy of credit for it, any more than having accepted the gift from the person in door did. Jesus is obviously responsible and deserves credit for your gift of salvation. Whether people accept or reject Jesus’ gift, He is still the one who paid for it, and He is the one who gets the glory for it. If there are any Calvinists who still try to dispute this point, while at the same time claiming to be honest and consistent; then each Christmas they must publicly announce that they are responsible for all gifts bought for them and that they take credit for them. And, if and when they do, I’m sure their friends and family, who paid for the gifts with their hard-earned money, will set them straight in this matter.
Calvinism also teaches that Jesus Christ has only provided a “limited atonement” because, according to Calvinists, He did not die for everyone, but only for those whom He had predestined for heaven. Once again, this contradicts numerous scriptures.
Jesus Christ said that he would draw “all people” to himself, and declared that “everyone” who believed in him would have eternal life (John 12:32; John 3:16). Jesus declared that he had come to seek and save the “lost,” period, not just “some” of the lost (Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10). He invited “everyone” to come to Him for rest, not just a special few (Matthew 11:28-30). Furthermore, the apostle John declared that Jesus offered himself for the sins of the “whole world,” and is the Savior of the “world” (1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:14).
The apostle Paul clearly states that God wants “everyone” to be saved, and that Jesus gave himself a ransom for “everyone” (1 Timothy 2:3-6). The apostle Peter agrees that God wants “everyone” to come to repentance, because He does not want “anyone” to perish (2 Peter 3:9). Also, in Matthew 18:14, Jesus placed a little child before his disciples and declared that it is not God’s will that even “one” of these little ones perish. And, Hebrews 2:9 tells us that Jesus tasted death for “everyone.” Finally, the Apostle Paul leaves no doubts when he exhorts Christians not to put a stumbling block in front of a weak “brother” making him violate his conscience and “perish” or be “destroyed”; furthermore, Paul states that Christ also “died for the weak brother” who is made to perish or be destroyed (1 Corinthians 8:9-11; Romans 14:13-15). These two passages state clearly and unequivocally that Christ “has also died” for people who violate his conscience and who are “destroyed.”
Calvinism also maligns the character of our merciful and loving God by portraying him as someone who is prejudiced and practices “favoritism” because he arbitrarily chooses “favorites” to be saved while allowing everyone else to go to hell. This clearly contradicts numerous biblical texts, and also results in Calvinists portraying their God as a hypocrite and a liar. Why? The Bible repeatedly states that God is not a “respect for people” and not not practicing “partiality or favoritism” (Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9). The Scriptures also declare that God’s wisdom comes from above and is “without partiality” (James 3:17). Therefore, if the Calvinists’ teaching is correct, that God favors only “certain individuals” to be saved from hell, then God would have lied in all these passages where he stated that He did not not practice “favoritism or partiality”. Calvinists present God as a liar. And they also describe him as a hypocrite. Why? The Bible instructs us that we (God’s people) are to not practicing “partiality or favoritism”; also, that “it is not good” that we show “respect for people, partiality or favoritism”; Furthermore, that such conduct it is sin (1 Timothy 5:21; Proverbs 28:21; James 2:9). Thus, when Calvinists assert that God only saves certain “favored individuals” from Hell, while simultaneously telling us that we should not practice such favoritism ourselves, because it is not good to do so and is sinful; so, Calvinists certainly represent their god as a hypocrite! The Calvinist god says: “Do what I say, not what I do.” The God of Christianity is not a liar or a hypocrite! Calvinists must stop this outrageous slander of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. It is time for the Christian Church to rise up and denounce this Calvinist doctrine of predestination.
I would like to ask Calvinists to look at one of their precious children or grandchildren and reflect on their destiny. What if that precious little child is one of those predestined to “eternal torture” (as Calvinist doctrine teaches) in hell? Keep in mind that there will be many more people going to hell than to heaven, as indicated in Matthew 7:13-14. Therefore, there is actually more chance that his precious little one is destined for hell. Remember, you believe that God has decided his fate before you were born, and there is nothing, including his prayers, that can be done to change that fate. If you have a family with five children, it is very likely that three or four of them are predestined to hell. Can you imagine them tormented and tortured for all eternity without ever having a chance to avoid their horrible fate? Can you feel the supposed “love” taught by Calvinism’s doctrine of predestination as you ponder your children’s future in hell? If this doctrine were correct, most loving parents would not bring more children into this sinful world, because most of them would be predestined to “eternal torture” (as Calvinists teach) in hell. Any reasonable Christian, who knows Jesus intimately, must be fully aware that He is not the author of this Calvinistic doctrine of predestination. This teaching comes straight from the “pit of hell” and slanders the character of our gracious and loving God.
