Does Calvinism Offer a Basis for the Assurance of Salvation?

Christian Post ^ | 04/11/2018 | Randal Rauser

[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I don’t think our concept of past-present-future enables us to understand how He who created time itself knows and understands. I think it’s an almost unbelievable understatement to say God “knows the future,” because He is the Alpha and Omega, He who is. He is outside of our ability to conceptualize in the sense of our understanding.

[outinyellowdogcountry]

Your reply interests me. We have been members of a newer Reformed Baptist church that teaches expositorily. We have struggled with reformed teaching on basis of what foreknowledge means. The way they interpret what you say, which is my husband’s understanding, is that foreknowledge doesn’t mean God knows the person would choose to believe because if so that puts the value in the one who believes. That isn’t possible since no one can choose God. I hope I explained what they say.

[CommerceComet]

If my salvation depended on me, I would not have a secure basis of salvation because I know that I can mess up anything. If my salvation is secured by God, then I have no worries. Because Calvinism holds that salvation is God’s work, not ours, it is the Calvinists who have a solid ground for assurance.

[boatbums]

If God did not intend for us to ever be assured of our salvation, then why did He inspire the Scriptures that say we can KNOW we have eternal life? Our salvation is not dependent on our "fruit". A good tree WILL bear good fruit - some more bountifully than others.

[boatbums]

If there is anything "scary" about it, it is that some people will not be predestined to believe. A lot of people have a problem with the idea that God chooses who will believe and that some will not be chosen.

A good example of this that helped me understand is: Imagine in heaven there is a door you enter that on the front of it says: "Whosoever will..." and once you get inside, the other side of the door says: "Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world...".

[RatRipper]

Your reply interests me. We have been members of a newer Reformed Baptist church that teaches expositorily. We have struggled with reformed teaching on basis of what foreknowledge means. The way they interpret what you say, which is my husband’s understanding, is that foreknowledge doesn’t mean God knows the person would choose to believe because if so that puts the value in the one who believes. That isn’t possible since no one can choose God. I hope I explained what they say.

Let me take a stab. Our theology says that God has perfect knowledge, including who, and who will not, follow him, but that does not affect their free will to choose to follow God/ accept Christ as Lord and Savior. All covenants between God and man were initiated by God, but the fulfillment of each specific covenant requires the acceptance by man and living out their obligation under the covenant. Covenants established by God with man started way back in the Old Testament, but Jesus as our way of salvation is the final and perfect covenant.

God does not need man, but he created man in his image because he desired a relationship with man. God would not be glorified if man had no choice but to follow him. But man's relationship with God is fulfilled, and God is glorified, when any man of his own free will chooses to accept salvation offered through the unmerited grace embodied in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. What glory and honor would there be to God if man had no choice in the matter and was compelled to follow based on a predetermined script?

I hope I answered what you were asking.

[suzyjaruki]

I find it interesting that Arminianism hasn’t a problem with God choosing the nation of Israel, but do not want to allow Him to choose a New Israel as His people.

Not all Israel was saved, because they did not have the seal of the Holy Spirit that was given when the New Kingdom was ushered in. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

[boatbums]

Many are called, but few are chosen.

One point about Israel being the "chosen nation"...we shouldn't forget that God didn't choose Israel out of all the other nations like a cosmic eeny-meeny-miney-mo, rather, God chose Abraham who had heard the voice of God and left his homeland in Ur of the Chaldees to go where God led him. It was Abraham to whom God gave the promise that: "and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:18)

From Abraham, there came Isaac, then Jacob - whose name was changed to "Israel" - and then through his twelve sons (the 12 tribes of Israel). The Messiah descended through this lineage and ALL the world has been blessed because, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. .

[WASCWatch]

I can clear up a few things for you regarding 5-point Calvinism.

The Calvin’s you are thinking about are hyper-Calvinists. For an explanation of hyper-Calvinism, google hyper-Calvinism and Philip JOHNSON. He is a Calvinist and explains the errors of the different types of hyper-Calvinism.

He also runs the site www.Surgeon.com

Sturgeon is a Calvinist hero. Go to the part that lists Spurgeon’s sermons and read sermon No. 1516. Hyper-Calvinists don’t like it when you point them to this particular sermon because it destroys their argument related to double predestination.

[metmom]

No, because Calvinism doesn’t save anyone and hence it can offer no assurance of salvation.

However, God does in Scripture.

[metmom]

There’s another way of looking at predestination besides the usual *God picking some to save and the rest to send to hell.

Scripture tells us that those God foreknew, He predestined to be saved.

IOW, He knew before hand who would accept His gift of salvation and then determined that those whoso responded would be given eternal life and He guaranteed it by predestining them to be saved (not go to hell) as opposed to choosing by some fathomless criteria, to save some and damn the rest.

I hope that explained it because it’s another meaning to those very same words and it’s difficult to say*He predestined some to be saved* without people thinking that it means picking and choosing for people instead of giving them the choice, which Scripture is pretty clear he does.

[Iscool]

Here is what Jesus said on this topic:
This is what James taught about Faith and Works:

But what did Jesus tell Paul, the lone apostle who was to create and teach the Gentile church??? You guys are lost in the days before the church...And reject what Jesus taught Paul and the church...

[Iscool]

For a person to "want to be saved" takes a unilateral act of God to change the person's nature; to change his heart of stone that is incapable of desiring salvation to a heart of flesh that realizes his wretched condition and responds with repentance and faith (regeneration precedes faith).

Why would you have to repent since God forced you to desire salvation??? You didn't have any choice in the matter...You're a robot...

[suzyjaruki]

Interesting to me that you quoted John 3:16, because I am studying the book of John and have just begun chapter 3. What do you believe John means in verse 16, in light of verses 1-15? Is there a need for regeneration before someone will have faith to believe?

[boatbums]

I think that it is when someone believes/receives Jesus Christ as Savior they are born again/born from above. The new birth where the spirit nature comes alive in Christ can't happen until faith in Christ happens. How immediate it is I don't think is relevant. For we have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (I Peter 1:23)

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (I Peter 1:3-9)

[armydoc]

Why would you have to repent since God forced you to desire salvation???

Because God ordains both the end and the means to the end. He has ordained repentance and faith as the means to salvation. I find it fascinating that someone would find the concept of God's complete sovereignty so repulsive.

[suzyjaruki]

I sat down with my pastor to ask his advice before I started an in-home, neighborhood women’s bible study. I said, “I am concerned about opposition to my facilitating the study because I am a Calvinist and will have that lens when I lead,” He assured me that I would not be teaching Calvinism, but I would be teaching what the Bible says and that is what John Calvin taught. 😁

[suzyjaruki]

Some things are more or less important to each of us. The Ordo Salutis is important to me and brings me to my knees in praise when I contemplate how God worked in my life. I would have never come to Him.

I have seen your posts from time to time and respect you. Thank you for your reply.

[Just mythoughts]

There’s another way of looking at predestination besides the usual *God picking some to save and the rest to send to hell. Scripture tells us that those God foreknew, He predestined to be saved. IOW, He knew before hand who would accept His gift of salvation and then determined that those whoso responded would be given eternal life and He guaranteed it by predestining them to be saved (not go to hell) as opposed to choosing by some fathomless criteria, to save some and damn the rest. I hope that explained it because it’s another meaning to those very same words and it’s difficult to say*He predestined some to be saved* without people thinking that it means picking and choosing for people instead of giving them the choice, which Scripture is pretty clear he does.

The 'elect', 'chosen', or 'saints' stood against the devil when he rebelled. They are those 'predestined' before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4) (World means 'age', that Peter describes in IIPeter 3.) First place the results of this rebellion is described is Genesis 1:2. The 'elect' have already demonstrated their love and loyalty to the Creator.

The devil and his disciples, called 'sons of God', in Genesis 6, fallen angels in Jude are the only entities to date have been judged to death. (Isaiah 14:12- and Ezekiel 28:12- describe in detail the sin and judgment Lucifer has already received.)

Hebrews 2:14 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Psalms 22 indicates that those that do not believe in God/ Christ were 'planted' to play a particular role to demonstrate the truth of the Word... However, there is no place that states that high priest that made sure Christ was crucified has been judged to hell. Pharaoh is another such planting.. I suspect that Cain was another planting of the negative role. But again even though we might think some have been condemned to 'hell', it is none of our business, because it is between each individual and the Creator of their soul, to render that final judgment.

Nobody goes unwillingly or in ignorance to the lake of fire... 'hell' and only God will make that judgment.

[Iscool]

Because God ordains both the end and the means to the end. He has ordained repentance and faith as the means to salvation. I find it fascinating that someone would find the concept of God's complete sovereignty so repulsive.

Really??? So be repulsed then...

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So how does that work with you guys??? God picks you to be saved...God then tells you to repent of your bad stuff so you can actually get saved afterward...What if you don't repent enough??? What if you decide it's too much work on your part???

Or maybe if God picks YOU, you're going to become a saved Christian whether you want to or not??? And God brought your parents together, and their parents and all the parents before them, so they could create the unique you who God chose before the foundation of the world???

I know I'm a born again Christian...I called out to God and he saved me, and before I repented of anything...