What are unique aspect of Calvinist?

Question

Calvinist is a branch of Christianity

Answer 1

Calvinism vs. Arminianism

Introduction
Great theological minds have debated the issues of free will versus the sovereignty of God for centuries without ever being able to reconcile the two. Arguing for one side at the expense of the other is foolish because it is by nature not provable, and therefore is an argument which no one can win. Humility demands that we bow in the presence of a God who is beyond our intellectual comprehension and confess the wisdom of Deuteronomy 29:29: "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever..."

What is Calvinism?
Historically, the doctrine we call Calvinism arose out of the teaching of the reformer John Calvin, although five point Calvinism as it is espoused by its followers today was not taught by Calvin, but instead implied by those who carried his teachings to what they considered to be their logical conclusions. Calvinism is often called Reformed theology, as distinct from Lutheran or Anabaptist theology, and is founded upon John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. The Puritans and independent Presbyterians of Great Britain were heavily influenced by Calvin's writings, but some of its greatest followers were Dutch (Bavinck, Kuyper, etc.) In The Canons of the Synod of Dort in 1619, a response to the teachings of James Arminius, the five points of Calvinism were stated as follows:

Total Depravity, the belief that man is dead in trespasses and sins and totally unable to save himself. Many adherents of Calvinism carry this a step further, claiming that man cannot even desire a relationship with God apart from His working in their hearts. In fact, it is claimed that God must regenerate a person before they can even desire to come to Christ

Unconditional election is the belief that in eternity past God chose or elected certain people to obtain salvation. Some Calvinists (although not all) carry this belief further and teach what is referred to as "double election", or "reprobation", the teaching that God, in eternity past, selected some people to go to heaven and others to go to hell, and there is nothing anyone can do to change God's election; i.e., if you are elected for heaven, you'll go to heaven regardless of what you do, and if you're elected for hell, there is no possibility of your ever being saved. John Calvin taught this, but called it a terrible doctrine.

Limited atonement is the Calvinist teaching that Jesus did not die for the sins of the entire world, but that He instead only died for those that He elected to go to heaven. The argument is that Christ's work on the Cross must be "efficacious," that is, it must work for all for whom He died, that He could not have shed His blood for those who are lost. Some Calvinists have gone to great lengths to explain away limited atonement, saying, for example, that Jesus died for all, but does not pray for all, or that His death theoretically could save everyone, but is effective only for the elect. The end result is the same in each case - the belief that Jesus only died effectively for some people, not all.

Irresistible grace is the doctrine that teaches that God will draw to Himself those whom He elected regardless of their rebellion against Him. It is the belief that man cannot resist the drawing of God to Himself.

Perseverance of the saints, or eternal security, is the doctrine that often attracts people to Calvinism because it is the belief that a true born again Christian cannot lose or give up his salvation because salvation is entirely God's work, not man's.

What is Arminianism?
Jacobus (James) Arminius was a Dutch theologian who lived from 1560-1609. Arminius taught that man is not guilty for Adam's sin, but only when he chooses to sin voluntarily. Arminius started out as a strict Calvinist, but later modified his views, views which were expressed in a document called The Remonstrance in 1610. Arminianism teaches:

Election based on knowledge, the belief that God chose those who would be saved in eternity past based on His foreknowledge of those who would respond to and receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Arminianism rejects the concept that God elected anyone for hell.

Unlimited atonement is the belief that Jesus died on the Cross for all people, that His blood is sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of every man, woman, and child who has ever lived. Thus, all mankind is savable.

Natural inability is the teaching that man cannot save Himself, but that the Holy Spirit must effect the new birth in him. Strict Arminians do not believe that man is totally depraved and condemned as a result of Adam's sin.

Prevenient grace is the Arminian belief that the prepatory work of the Holy Spirit enables the believer to respond to the Gospel and to cooperate with God in the working out of that person's salvation.

Conditional perseverance is the belief that man can choose to reject God, and therefore lose his salvation, even after he has been born again. Rather than the "once saved always saved" doctrine of the Calvinists, the Arminian believes that you must abide in Christ to be saved, and that you can choose to walk away from God.

Answer 2

Calvinism isn't exactly a "branch" of Christianity as much as it is a strain of thought shared by several denominations (Presbyterians, Reformed, many Southen Baptists, some Anglicans). John Calvin was one of Luther's contemporaries who believed in pre-destination. Calvin wrote that God has a foreknowledge of who gets saved and who doesn't; who sins and who is virtuous; etc. It doesn't mean that God arbitrarily handpicks Christ's followers and ignores others--that would be nihilistic! But it does mean that God knows ahead of time who will accept His Son.

It differs from Arminianism--which asserts that
God offered a free gift of salvation which can freely be accepted or declined by coming to Christ. Many Methodists and evangelicals believe this. Calvin was also less enthusiastic about having "born again" conversion experiences. He believed that God would choose YOU and it will shake you up. But he didn't think you could wake up one day and decide to get born again.

Since the Puritans were almost all Calvinists you can imagine how much it affected the way Americans think about things today. You often hear President Bush talk about "America's destiny" and how we've been chosen by God for our mission in the Middle East. Though he is a Methodist many people think he's a Calvinist. It's pretty fun to ponder!

Answer 3

Some animals do seem to pine away in captivity, refusing to breed, which is their mark of fitness in the wild. The lemming thing is a hoax, perpetrated by a Disney film crew that literally chased the creatures off a cliff. They do NOT commit suicide intentionally, especially for "the greater good," as has been suggested. I think a better argument could be made that some animals lose the will to live, than for suicidal thoughts. Interesting question.

Answer 4

Erin has the best answer. I will just say that some people think that Calvin is rotting in hell at this moment. He was not among the "elect". And his idea of the total depravity of the human being is just wrong. This is what you get when you stray from the truth of the early church. If you want truth. look to the liturgical Churches.

Answer 5

Good question!! Obviously, Calvinism is a form of doctrinal belief of the Prostestant Church. The major difference that I can see is that one of Predestination. In this doctrine, some of us are predestined to go to Heaven after death, and those that arent are destined for hell. This completely by passes the idea that man can do Anthing to elect where he goes after death. It is all by the will of God and man can do nothing/ As this can see, this is kind of a gloomy idea of looking at eternity amd leads to fatalism. Other Prostestant denominations like the Lutherans, Espicopalians, Anglicans, hold that we are not predestined. That man does have some control over where he goes after death, and that is a belief in Jesus Christ who won victory over hell that man was prestined to because of original sin, becasue of Christ's death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Christ did not say, He who believes in me shall have eternal life" for nothing. Hope this helps

Answer 6

The Sovereignty of God. Calvinism teaches that God meant what He said in the garden that if Adam sinned they would surely die. This is now the reality that as Adam died (spiritually) so he could only bear children who also were unrighteous and dead in sin. However God choose to save a great multitude in Christ from every nation on earth and sent Jesus as Savior to save them. Jesus being God in the flesh saves every one of those chosen by God and brings them from death to life. However God does not coerce men but all who are saved come to Him willingly and all who aren't reject Him willingly.

Answer 7

They believe that either God chose you to be saved from the beginning or chose you to be condemned. They believe everything is God's will, nothing is of mans own free will. If someone opens fire in a Mc Donalds and kills everyone, it was God's will.

Calvinism gives me hives.