What Does Calvinism Really Teach?

Hank Hanegraaff, the host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, addresses the question, "Does Calvinism teach that we are predestined to heaven or hell no matter what we do?"

To read the articles Hank references in the Christian Research Journal, see the following:

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Connect with the Christian Research Institute (CRI):

#hankhanegraaff #bibleanswerman #calvinism

[AlanaL]

Unfortunately this “in-house debate“ has allowed Calvinism to take over the church. Calvinism should not be an in-house debate because it is actually another gospel in another God. I was a calvinist for 17 years and my life was flipped upside down when I realized I had been missed lead for that long. The Bible open my eyes to the truth and that is that God creates all with hope for eternal life and offers it to anyone who believes not just a select special few. This changes the character of God as well as the work of Jesus because he died for the whole world not just for those select few. It is not an in-house debate everyone to stop just settling for that! We must proclaim the accurate character of God to the world and the accurate work of Jesus to the world!

[davidf]

What about Luke 13:34
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.

Shouldn’t we take Christ own words instead? God longing to gather his children and giving them so many opportunities but they were (key word) “not willing”

To me that’s free will

[CanadianOrth]

As a Calvinist, it used to give me goosebumps too.
Now, having been corrected by proper Christology, it gives me goosebumps to think that Calvinist's affirm that God also chose the baby to be ripped from the crib and violently raped by a pedophile who has no other choice available to him because of the decree....all for the glory of God, who cannot be fully glorified unless he ordains such.
Forgive my vivid example, but it highlights the reality.

[cranmer]

Anyone who believes the Gospel can be assured of salvation: For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." (Romans 10:10-11 NKJ)

[robertm]

If you look at Calvinism historically, you find that Calvin's teachings are from Augustine of Hippo. a 4th Century bishop from Africa. If you look at Augustine, he was a member of the Manichean Gnostic sect for 10 years before he became a Christian. If you compare what Mani, the originator of Manichean Gnosticism believed, you find that it is nearly identical to what Augustine came to believe, and what John Calvin claimed! Also, if you look at the early Church Fathers before Augustine, you do not find a single one of them who believed anything even close to Augustine's beliefs. I studied Gnosticism for 10 years, never committing to believing it, but fascinated by the belief system that they had. Gnosticism was the first major heresy that the Christian church had to contend with, and I find that the fatalism that Calvinism projects is at complete odds with what the Bible teachers. In fact, I would go so far to say that Calvinists and I do not worship the same God.

[Believer]

Also, clarifying what Calvinists actually believe and removing misconceptions is a lot different from defending Calvinism.

[davidf]

If it was predestined, then what’s the point of God sending prophets to them? He might as well not have done anything if he knew they were never going to listen and reject them.

[cba]

Calvinist believe God's grace is finite while the Bible teaches God's grace is infinite.

[believeinjesus]

God does not want ANYONE to perish! NUFF said!

[Wolttizm]

You did what I had predicted. Instead of saying "I know Jesus died for my sins because this passage says so" and then providing the verse, you first pointed to 'all who truly believe... and find Christ.' I ask 'truly believe what?' How can you believe what you have never heard of; that is, Christ's death on the cross for YOU? You immediately went to an analysis of your own action. You know because you believe. But in your theology you never first heard a gospel with you as its direct object.

[CanadianOrth]

Romans 9 is not talking about creating pots for damnation. Read all the OT references that are quoted in Rom 9. Pharoah is not raised up "that I might damn him" but that God's name is declared in the earth. Esau's birthright is turned on it's head not because he is elect for damnation, but God is pleased to bring the savior by promise through Jacob. "Two nations are in thy womb" says the OT ref. The very ones said to be hardened, blinded, fallen, broken off are able to be grafted back in Rom 11.

[colegest]

I’m sure since Hank has transitioned to orthodoxy he would answer this question very differently now. Calvinism is not an in house debate. It’s a direct assault on the goodness and nature of God. Calvinism makes God the author of evil and He gets great pleasure in doing so. This is very twisted and not orthodox Christian understanding of the nature of God. Read the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Calvinism is modern day Gnosticism.

[jyhoke]

Romans 9:18-23 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

[Wolttizm]

Oh, that's right. Your bible stops at Romans 9. If it contained Romans 10, it would say, "But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down) or ‘Who will descend into the deep? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming."

[CBALLEN]

Acts 13:48 ...and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.Non Calvinists teach what it doesn't say, it doesn't say "as many as believed were appointed to eternal life".You can't change the Bible just because you don't like what it says people.

[Wolttizm]

Jesus said to me that my sins are forgiven. Who am I to dispute his declaration? Ob, by the way, that's what faith is.

[zionred]

What is the purpose of this video?! Hank doesn't answer anything. He just refers the caller to other 'articles.'

[bobbyadkins]

If you don't know that God is not the author of evil, then you don't know God. God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If God was the author, as the Calvinists believe, of all things, then why does the Bible say he's not the author of confusion? Anyone who believes that God ordained everything that comes to pass even our sinful desires, doesn't know God. If Calvinism is not a cult, then could someone other than a Calvinist explain to me how it could not be?

[CanadianOrth]

I understand and appreciate your sincerity. I left evangelicalism for Calvinism because of it's seemingly lofty view of God. God was no longer a buddy. But theres a reason this was rejected by the ancient church, it violates proper Trinitarian and Christological truths. Calvinism has only the unchangable decree for all causation, which leaves no human freedom, even in Christ. Every atomic movement is by decree. Every sin is decreed for his glory. Evil is necessary for God in Calvinism.

[leadee]

Why do some Calvinists deny that they believe that God is responsible for evil? If you believe that for God to be completely sovereign he must have pre-ordained (pre-scripted) everything that happens then he has to be responsible for sin. The bible is clear that God's will is that man be holy and righteous so his "secret council or will" can only mean that he contradicts his revealed will. The God of Calvinism has to be a schizophrenic.