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NASB | James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well [to believe that]. The demons also believe [that], and shudder and bristle [in awe-filled terror--they have seen His wrath]! [Deut 6:4; 11:13-21; Mark 12:29] |
Subject: Have we chosen freely? |
Bible Note: Most Reformation doctrine was identical to the Roman doctrine but then Calvin and others invented the exclusive and elitist philosophy of predestination. In it they say Christ only died for a chosen few. And if you are chosen you must accept salvation. The reformation started by men that saw the sale of indulgences, prayers for the dead, etc. as something that had to be changed. Instead of working within the church they allowed a separation to take place. However once the break was established many issues got lost in the yelling and shouting. The reformation was in trouble, the King of French was becoming less and less tolerant. The reformers hired a young lawyer with a recognized genus for word smithing. This young man was Calvin and even though he was only saved less than a few years was given the responsibility of punching glaring holes into Rome’s doctrine and to write a legal brief defending the reformers to the King of France. Calvin stumbled upon the words predestined and elected and having no formal training in the original languages picked up on these and developed what is known as Calvinism today. I believe it was an honest mistake on his part, but one that perpetuated by less honorable men in the interest of their cause. These that forward the teaching ignore or try to alter the meaning of passages that clearly state Jesus died for the sins of the world, that God desires that none should perish and that all should be saved. Overlooking basic truths such as John 3:16 which whosoever will believe. Calvin cobbled together a doctrine that only a select few are chosen by God for salvation. That those selected have to accept salvation and can not resist. That man is to sinful to know that he needs salvation therefore non elect go to their destruction unaware they have rejected God. As the word of God become available to more and more men that studied the scriptures this teaching was seen for what it is, an aberration of the truth. Today less than 28 percent of protestant believers hold to any part of Calvinism and a much smaller percentage hold to predestination and man’s forced acceptance of salvation. Today there are those that try to dress it up calling it “reformation theology”, but don’t let their attempt to rewrite history confuse you. This is not reformation theology this was a man made philosophy of known as Calvinism. EdB |