Subject: Is Limited Atonement Bibical? |
Bible Note: Hank; I personally doubt that Calvin would recognize what Calvinism has become. Consider the following: on John 3:16, Calvin said: ". . . The Heavenly Father loves the human race, and wishes that they should not perish.''11 Concerning the term whosoever in the same verse, he said: "And he has employed the universal term whosoever, both to invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the impact of the term world, which he formerly used; for though nothing will be found in the world that is worthy of the favour of God, yet he shows himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all men without exception to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else than an entrance into life.'' John Calvin, Commentary on the Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1949), I, p. 125 The fact is the limited view of atonement was not popularly held until the Synod of Dort (1619) and the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) long after Calvin’s death. I also don't consider myself to be an Arminian or a Calvinist. I would prefer to be called a Christian Bibilcist. one says I'm an Arminian, another says I'm Reformed, still another says I'm Baptist, another I’m Wesleyan. Was Christ divided, or were you baptized in the name of Calvin, or Arminius (my paraphrase of 1 Cor.1:12-13). Peace in Christ's name zach_† |