Is Calvinism Biblical? | Costi Hinn

Many people ask if the tenets of Calvinism are truly biblical. In this video, Costi Hinn outlines Calvin’s 5 points (TULIP) and how they reflect the teaching of Scripture.

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[smetak]

Thanks Costi!!!

Thanks so much for clarifying this!!!

[blakeparker]

As a Christian, what value is there in believing Calvinism? Why should anyone care about Calvinism? I’m saved through faith in Christ as the Gospels clearly explain. Calvinism, from what I can tell, does nothing but create division in Christ’s church over an idea that is nothing more than a secondary issue (if you can even call it that). But again, I’m asking a genuine question. Why should I bother with it? Don’t tell me what Calvinism is. Explain to me why I should even care.

[michedaisy]

Thanks for teaching this so well. Beautiful doctrine. He Made His Grace come alive for me when He opened my eyes to it six years ago. I used to be a staunch supporter of free will and one day while I was just reading the words in Acts, He opened my eyes to Acts 13:48 which tells of those appointed to eternal life believing the gospel. Grace is alive for me. God is truly sovereign.

[NathanMell]

To any watching this, take these points he is making and pray over them. This is an extremely divisive topic in the American church. But a fun topic to discuss!
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To start, Romans 8 & 9 aren't "clear as day" but are some of the most debated chapters among scholars. I recommend listening and reading many different perspectives and commentaries and praying about them!
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There are certain points that Costi (whom I love and respect), makes that are true and backed by scripture, but others he makes that were not backed by scripture in this video. For example, "limited atonement". Of course God isn't up in Heaven with His fingers crossed. But God loves humanity in this way, that He gave his son, and whomever believes, has eternal life. (John 3) We must choose to believe this amazing gospel. For some on the mission field, this takes years! God is not forcing anyone to love him back. John 1 says that we were given "the right to be called children of God." We have the choice to receive this free gift of grace He has chosen to give. This atonement is not limited to a select few, but sufficient for all.
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Yes, God chooses whom he saves. He has chosen humanity through Christ! Praise Him. Those who respond are God's elect who He knew before the foundations of the earth. But since love is a choice, he gives us the free will to choose His great love in return. Which is why I think "irresistible grace" is not true either. The rich young ruler resisted God's grace. (Mark 10) Judas was chosen by Jesus and walked with Jesus for YEARS, yet betrayed him for 30 shackles of silver. He resisted. There are plenty more who hear the gospel and reject to receive God's grace.


Hear me when I say, I think God chooses us and we choose Him. And salvation is God's idea. lol But to be super black and white on any tertiary issue in scripture, should be approached with much patience and prayer.

[khumbomunsaka]

I'm not commenting this just the sake of it.
He did not share the crucial element about Limited Atonement. The crucial element that makes people reject reformed theology. It teaches that Jesus did not die for everyone. That is the issue. Which I have concluded is contrary to Scripture.
1 John 2:2 say Jesus is propitiation for our sins and not ours only but also for the whole world. Whole World does not mean elect friends.
I can't help but think that is a direct contradiction to limited atonement.
And when he says God looks down hoping for people to be saved.
Only Open theists believe that.

Friends, lets go where the Scripture leads.
blessings to you all.

[LawlessNate]

No, it's not. "You're burning in hell for all eternity for your sin because you rejected Christ and His forgiveness, and you rejected Christ and His forgiveness because I, God, predestined you to reject me. Therefore I predestined you to be punished for all eternity for something I ensured you were incapable of doing otherwise." That's not even remotely Biblical, but that's 100% the result of Calvinism were it true.

You can try to inject calvinist theology into some passages of scripture, but there's no way to derive calvinism from a comprehensive understanding of all of scripture. Most of the Bible becomes complete nonsense if we don't have free will and instead everything we do is a script God planned for us in advance. Why did Jesus perform miracles? Why did he have to bother proving anything to anyone when God could just have forced those people to believe him? Why is our salvation dependent on whether or not we believe in God when according to calvinism whether or not we believe in God is completely outside of our control anyways? What's the point then? Why did God bother to make the world at all? Why didn't he just not make the people who are damned to hell for something completely outside of their control and instead just make heaven and populate it with the puppets he had always planned to?

The Bible is just a bunch of incoherent nonsense, that is unless we do genuinely have free will. Then it makes perfect sense. Why did God make the world? To give us a place to use our free will to either accept or reject Christ. Why did Jesus perform miracles? To convince people of his time to believe in Him. Why is faith important? Because its us using our free will to true in Christ instead of in ourselves.

[BornTimes]

I definitely respect Costi for all that he is doing for the kingdom of God. But it seems to me that the dark underbelly of the overall teaching of Calvinism (predetermined eternal condemnation of pre-selected individuals) seems to seriously contradict verses of scripture that express that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, that whosoever believes will be saved, and that God is not willing that any should perish. Also, the mangling of certain proof-texts (like Romans 9) seems dishonest. I know the category "Calvinism" is meant to encompass a group of teachings, but it can get a little weird when one labels oneself under anything other than Christianity, because it can be perceived to overshadow the fact of simply being a Christian. No disrespect to Calvin or any other theologian or believer in our risen Lord.

[culpepper]

Calvinism is Pagan philosophy read into scripture. That’s a fact.
Augustine was a zealot for pagan philosophy for 10 years before becoming a Christian…. And he carried that fatalistic determinism with him.
Calvin was a big fan, citing Augustine over 4, 100 times in his writings.
I recommend The Foundation of Augustinian Calvinism by Dr Ken Wilson, the worlds leading scholar on Augustine.

[j.johnson]

I would rather die following the principles of a book that is over 2000 years old then live following a man who didn’t even write his own principles.

[stevenconrad]

I like that very much, I've always believed that before the foundation of the world was established he new me, he's sovereign he is God knows everything at all times, the very hairs of our head are numbered and all of our days were established before they were made, what a wonderful loving savior and Lord we love adore and obey.

[TAdler-expx]

How do you KNOW that you’re elect? If salvation wasn’t offered to everyone then it wouldn’t be offered to me. I know that I’m the chief of sinners. It’s only seeing the perfect love of my Lord that drew my heart. If he doesn’t love all, how do I know He loves me? The Word confirms my invitation. All sinners may come! This is my comfort. He will I no way cast off the penitent sinner. He’s Gentle and Lowly. Not rejecting.

[biblicalunderstanding]

Why you should care about Calvinism.
It’s doctrines are not Biblical
1)Calvinism = Men are unable to choose God *** Christianity = “Choose you this day whom ye will serve” Joshua 24:15
2) Calvinism = Salvation by lottery *** Christianity = For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26
3) Calvinism = Christ died for the elect *** Christianity = “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29
4) Calvinism = You are a puppet with no free will *** Christianity = “ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” Acts 7:51
5) Calvinism = Once Saved, Always Saved *** Christianity = “that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith” 1 Timothy 4:1

Of course, Calvinists have excuses for every one of these points. They will twist Scripture in many ways to justify their unBiblical theology. Calvinism has crept into mainstream Christianity in many ways, most notably in point number 5, taking away any responsibility from the Christian to keep the faith which is the only condition in the promise of Salvation. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

But why should anyone care? “For I am the LORD, I change not;” Malachi 3:6 Changing the nature of God in such a fundamental way means you are no longer worshiping the God of the Bible. This fact has eternal consequences. Do not be deceived by those who post the likes of Pink, Sproul, and others. Study the Bible, Look to Christ, not to Calvin.

[thepaulallennetwork]

If I can ask an honest question,
How can some be predestined for Hell when 1 Timothy 2:1-6 demonstrates that God desires that all should be saved? If I am misunderstanding the belief of predestination please correct me.
I am new to genuine Christianity, so I am trying to learn. Thanks!

[robertpeterson]

Calvinists pick and choose Scriptures they like merely to support TULIP... the rest (which are MANY) they call a mystery, and they thusly ignore. Calvinism cannot escape being a version of fatalistic determinism, where God is the author of evil as well as good. Run.

[joanschutter]

My pea brain has been trying to grasp this for a long time!
Limited Atonement: Studying Malachi in Precepts last year I was forced to think about predestination in the book of Malachi, "Jacob I have loved." God isn't saying He loves some and not others. John 3:16 says God loves the whole world. The Malachi passage is talking about God choosing a nation to bring forth the Messiah. I can't buy Limited Atonement!!
Unconditional Election: I like Frank Turek's explanation of free will and God's sovereignty. We are not robots. It is our free will that makes love possible. Unconditional election denies our choice in choosing Christ because that would be a work. But, Romans 3:28 says that faith is not a work.
Irresistible Grace says you must say yes if you are elected. But, we have a free will. So, I don't understand!

I guess I'm writing this just to sort out my thoughts. No one will respond but I am hungry for understanding God's Word and I'm so thankful I found your channel!

[htebazileeilsel]

It says "Those who He FOREKNEW, He predestined" since God is outside of time He knows already who would repent and who wouldn't. God doesnt arbitrarily just chose some to save and some to destroy for no reason, that is a perversion of what Paul is actually saying in Romans...if you take the FULL council of Gods Word you will see that calvinism is only half true.

[kaioken]

If you're trusting in your works to "prove you're elect" then are you truly trusting in Christ alone?
Calvinism is dangerous doctrine

[youvegotmailed]

For anyone wondering, back ground beat is Eshon Burgundy The Healthy

[franklee]

8 Calvinistic Beliefs vs.The BIBLE :
What's The Difference???...

Calvinism : Jesus Died ONLY for the Elect alone.
BIBLE : Jesus Died for ALL (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, cf. John 1:29, 6:33, 6:51, Colossians 1:20-23, 1 Timothy 2:6, 4:10, Hebrews 2:9, 1 John 2:2, cf. 5:19),
including those who DENY Him (2 Peter 2:1, cf. Luke 22:14-21, Hebrews 10:26-29, Jude 1:4).

Calvinism : Jesus is The Propitiation ONLY for the Elect alone.
BIBLE : Jesus is The Propitiation NOT ONLY for the Elect alone,
BUT ALSO for the WHOLE WORLD (1 John 2:2, cf. John 1:29, 6:33, 6:51),
which includes ALL UN-BELIEVERS (1 John 5:19, Revelation 3:10, 12:9, 16:14).

Calvinism : God Gives Saving Grace ONLY to the Elect alone.
BIBLE : God Gives Saving Grace to ALL (Titus 2:11, cf. Isaiah 45:22, Luke 3:6, 1 Timothy 2:4-6, 4:10),
but some Receive It in Vain (2 Corinthians 6:1),
and Fall Short of It (Hebrews 12:15),
and Pervert It (Jude 1:4-19),
and Reject It (Galatians 1:6, Hebrews 10:29).

Calvinism : God has Mercy ONLY on the Elect alone.
BIBLE : God has Mercy on ALL (Romans 11:32, cf. Psalm 145:8-9).

Calvinism : God does NOT Want All to be Saved.
BIBLE : God DOES Want ALL to be Saved (1 Timothy 2:4-6, cf. Isaiah 45:22, Ezekiel 18:23, 18:32, 33:11, Matthew 23:37, Acts 17:30-31, Romans 10:21).

Calvinism : It is God's PLEASURE to Doom the Wicked to Destruction.
BIBLE : God takes NO PLEASURE in the Death of the Wicked (Ezekiel 18:23, 18:32, 33:11, Matthew 23:37, Romans 10:21).

Calvinism : God has Decreed ALL Things.
BIBLE : God has NOT Decreed All Things (Jeremiah 19:5/ESV, cf. Isaiah 10:1, 30:1, 55:8-9, Hosea 8:4, 1 John 2:16),
but He has ALLOWED All of the Nations to Walk in their OWN Ways (Acts 14:16, 17:30).

Calvinism : Election is According to a Mysterious Secret Un-Conditional DECREE of God.
BIBLE : Election is According to The FOREKNOWLEDGE of God (1 Peter 1:2, cf. Jeremiah 1:5, John 6:64, Acts 2:23, Romans 8:29, 11:2).

[TheBibleStory]

Great explanation. I didn’t used to believe in Calvinism but Ephesians 1 and Romans 9 and verses in John are pretty clear and convinced me. Some things in scripture may be more difficult for us to accept but ultimately if we have a problem with something God’s word teaches the problem is with us, not God. We need to not make up our own theories that we like better but just conform to what God’s word says.