Deconstructing Calvinism Episode 13: Pillar Proof Text Acts 13:48

This lesson covers one of the most critical Calvinist proof texts for unconditional election.

[mariemilycraig]

Thank you for brilliantly deconstructing the tenets of Calvinism, and, what's more, demonstrating and teaching us sound methods of Scripture interpretation in the process! Your work is much appreciated. God bless!

[kennymacclure]

Another excellent video on this issue. Context clearly makes their view an ineffective proof text. Thanks, Hutson.

[kyloooooo]

Yup, Acts 13:48, a verse that says what it means and means what it says. Same as Acts 16:14. Not 'calvinist' verses but God's verses. Salvation belongs to God.

[joshpeterson]

Where in the New Testament does the middle voice appear without a reflexive pronoun? Acts 13:48 does not include a reflexive pronoun. Therefore, it's not a middle voice verb, but rather a passive voice. Who did the action? God, it's a divine passive. When did He appoint them to eternal life? In the past, because the verb tense is perfect, meaning the action took place in the past, but has massive implications in the immediate context. Therefore, here's the meaning:

As many Gentiles as God had already appointed to eternal life in the past believed the gospel in the present. AKA Calvinism.

[aletheia]

Greek it says they were (orderly) arranged into eternal life. You changed it to mean prepared themselves for eternal life.

My Greek interlinear says “appointed to eternal life”

So you would disagree with my interlinear Bible, and you would change it to “appointed themselves to eternal life”

That would be like saying they saved themselves.