Calvinism Made Me Doubt My Salvation

[Regulus]

I am going through an amicable divorce that was requested by my wife. I felt lost and did not know how I could ever feel right with God knowing that I broke my vows and knowing that I am causing her to commit adultery if she ever remarries. Sins that are so egregious that, even though I profess Christ as my savior, I cannot possibly have ever been regenerated by God and predestined to salvation.

I recently attempted to reach out to two well-known Calvinist theologians for spiritual advice, and it seems that they wanted to dismiss my cries for help and have my local church deal with it. That hurt me. I felt the need to reexamine why I'm experiencing such hopelessness.

Could it be that God really is not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance? Could it be that God wants all people to be saved and come to know the truth? If He does, then I have comfort knowing that forgiveness is available for me. If not, then I have no reason to believe that I'm one of the elect and might as well give up my faith entirely.

 

[Derf]

I am going through an amicable divorce that was requested by my wife. I felt lost and did not know how I could ever feel right with God knowing that I broke my vows and knowing that I am causing her to commit adultery if she ever remarries. Sins that are so egregious that, even though I profess Christ as my savior, I cannot possibly have ever been regenerated by God and predestined to salvation.

I recently attempted to reach out to two well-known Calvinist theologians for spiritual advice, and it seems that they wanted to dismiss my cries for help and have my local church deal with it. That hurt me. I felt the need to reexamine why I'm experiencing such hopelessness.

Could it be that God really is not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance? Could it be that God wants all people to be saved and come to know the truth? If He does, then I have comfort knowing that forgiveness is available for me. If not, then I have no reason to believe that I'm one of the elect and might as well give up my faith entirely.

Do you have a question we could help answer? God hates divorce, and it wasn't His plan for you. But now that you're dealing with it, deal with it according to scripture, not according to some theological system.

 

[Regulus]

Do you have a question we could help answer? God hates divorce, and it wasn't His plan for you. But now that you're dealing with it, deal with it according to scripture, not according to some theological system.

I don’t necessarily have a question, just wanted to share my thoughts.

 

[Derf]

I don’t necessarily have a question, just wanted to share my thoughts.

Then I recommend you think through your post and try again. I couldn't tell what you were getting at. The title talks about Calvinism and your salvation, but the OP only talks about Calvinists who gave you some advice. Can you explain WHY you think Calvinism almost made you lose your salvation?

 

[Regulus]

Can you explain WHY you think Calvinism almost made you lose your salvation?

Many Calvinists will say that if you do this sin or sin this much, then that must mean you aren’t predestined to salvation because it doesn’t reflect the life of someone who has been regenerated.

So with every sin I stumbled into, I questioned if I was even elect instead of trusting in the Savior. I hope that makes sense.

 

[Derf]

Many Calvinists will say that if you do this sin or sin this much, then that must mean you aren’t predestined to salvation because it doesn’t reflect the life of someone who has been regenerated.

So with every sin I stumbled into, I questioned if I was even elect instead of trusting in the Savior. I hope that makes sense.

Do you feel like you are stumbling into less sin than you used to?

 

[Idolater]

Many Calvinists will say that if you do this sin or sin this much, then that must mean you aren’t predestined to salvation because it doesn’t reflect the life of someone who has been regenerated.

So with every sin I stumbled into, I questioned if I was even elect instead of trusting in the Savior. I hope that makes sense.

Only retarded Clavinists think that. Christ obv died for ALL your sins if you're elect, no matter what ones they are, and how many—even if they are entirely deliberate and premeditated.

Clavinism didn't make me doubt my salvation—it led me first to unitarianism, and then to atheism.

 

[Regulus]

Do you feel like you are stumbling into less sin than you used to?

I don’t carry a log around with me, so I can’t say. I do know that I feel convicted when it does happen.

 

[Clete]

I am going through an amicable divorce that was requested by my wife. I felt lost and did not know how I could ever feel right with God knowing that I broke my vows and knowing that I am causing her to commit adultery if she ever remarries. Sins that are so egregious that, even though I profess Christ as my savior, I cannot possibly have ever been regenerated by God and predestined to salvation.

I recently attempted to reach out to two well-known Calvinist theologians for spiritual advice, and it seems that they wanted to dismiss my cries for help and have my local church deal with it. That hurt me. I felt the need to reexamine why I'm experiencing such hopelessness.

Could it be that God really is not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance? Could it be that God wants all people to be saved and come to know the truth? If He does, then I have comfort knowing that forgiveness is available for me. If not, then I have no reason to believe that I'm one of the elect and might as well give up my faith entirely.

PLEASE read this....

First Principles: Thinking Through the Doctrine of Divine Immutability and the Character of God​

It's quite a long read but when you finish it, you'll not only know why Calvinists teach what they teach but you'll understand WHY they are wrong.

Your intuition is correct. Calvinism feels wrong because it is wrong. That's not because you're any wiser than anyone else, but because you haven't fully learned to suppress that part of you which knows intuitively what words like "righteousness" and "justice" mean.

Trust me, it'll be well worth your time to read that essay! DO IT!

 

[Clete]

Many Calvinists will say that if you do this sin or sin this much, then that must mean you aren’t predestined to salvation because it doesn’t reflect the life of someone who has been regenerated.

So with every sin I stumbled into, I questioned if I was even elect instead of trusting in the Savior. I hope that makes sense.

By their own standard, they cannot know whether they (i.e. whichever Calvinist is telling you this stuff - doesn't matter which one) are predestined to salvation. How could any of them know whether God had predestined them to eventually fall away or not? They might insist that they would never turn from Christ but, by their own teaching, whether they do or don't isn't up to them.

 

[Derf]

I don’t carry a log around with me, so I can’t say. I do know that I feel convicted when it does happen.

At some point you should be able to "put off the old man". But your faith is based on your belief in Christ, not your ability to stop sinning. Do you believe Christ came in the flesh, died on a cross, was buried, then rose from the dead?

 

[Regulus]

Do you believe Christ came in the flesh, died on a cross, was buried, then rose from the dead?

Yes.

 

[Derf]

Yes.

Then there's no salvation to lose. But don't walk in darkness. Make sure your life is lived in light. If you can't do what you want to do in front of your pastor, or parents, or wife, or whoever, then you should consider not doing those things.

 

[Idolater]

Only retarded Clavinists think that. Christ obv died for ALL your sins if you're elect, no matter what ones they are, and how many—even if they are entirely deliberate and premeditated.

Clavinism didn't make me doubt my salvation—it led me first to unitarianism, and then to atheism.

Clavinism offers just two options, it's very neat and simple and logical like that. You're either saved, or you're lost, and it's for eternity. So I just figured logically it makes no sense to fret, just assume you're elect and do as you wish, follow your bliss. It's the only option, if you don't want to drive yourself insane anyway. (idk why anybody would opt for some other plan than this one.)

If you're elect, or if you're not elect, has nothing to do with you, as your election, or the negation of your election, happened or didn't happen, well before you were even conceived, you can't do anything about it.

You can't change it. And your election, or the negation of your election, is the sole determining factor in whether you are saved or lost forever. And you can't change it.

So just follow your bliss. Either way just follow your bliss, but I chose to decide that I was one of the elect, I didn't have any reason to think otherwise unless I was an imposter. It SEEMED like I believed in Christ, so it was at least a plausible guess. I suppose I could have been fooling myself, but it doesn't really matter, since that time is long behind me now anyway.

 

[Derf]

Clavinism offers just two options, it's very neat and simple and logical like that. You're either saved, or you're lost, and it's for eternity. So I just figured logically it makes no sense to fret, just assume you're elect and do as you wish, follow your bliss. It's the only option, if you don't want to drive yourself insane anyway. (idk why anybody would opt for some other plan than this one.)

If you're elect, or if you're not elect, has nothing to do with you, as your election, or the negation of your election, happened or didn't happen, well before you were even conceived, you can't do anything about it.

You can't change it. And your election, or the negation of your election, is the sole determining factor in whether you are saved or lost forever. And you can't change it.

So just follow your bliss. Either way just follow your bliss, but I chose to decide that I was one of the elect, I didn't have any reason to think otherwise unless I was an imposter. It SEEMED like I believed in Christ, so it was at least a plausible guess. I suppose I could have been fooling myself, but it doesn't really matter, since that time is long behind me now anyway.

Your clarification at the end is helpful, but almost too late. I didn't understand you were talking about when you were a Calvinist.

 

[Clete]

Clavinism offers just two options, it's very neat and simple and logical like that. You're either saved, or you're lost, and it's for eternity. So I just figured logically it makes no sense to fret, just assume you're elect and do as you wish, follow your bliss. It's the only option, if you don't want to drive yourself insane anyway. (idk why anybody would opt for some other plan than this one.)

If you're elect, or if you're not elect, has nothing to do with you, as your election, or the negation of your election, happened or didn't happen, well before you were even conceived, you can't do anything about it.

You can't change it. And your election, or the negation of your election, is the sole determining factor in whether you are saved or lost forever. And you can't change it.

So just follow your bliss. Either way just follow your bliss, but I chose to decide that I was one of the elect, I didn't have any reason to think otherwise unless I was an imposter. It SEEMED like I believed in Christ, so it was at least a plausible guess. I suppose I could have been fooling myself, but it doesn't really matter, since that time is long behind me now anyway.

You’re right! Calvinism leads to fatalism. If your eternal fate was fixed before you were born and you can't change it, then why worry? Just assume you're elect and "follow your bliss". That’s the only consistent response that doesn’t drive you insane.

The problem for you is that Catholicism doesn’t actually escape this trap. It just dresses it up in sacraments and mystery.

Catholicism affirms predestination. Augustine taught that God elects some to eternal life, and your Church has never rejected that. Calvin just followed it through to its logical end. You still believe God predestined everything. You still believe He foreknows all outcomes. You still affirm that grace is infused at baptism apart from your will. It’s just a softer (i.e. less consistent) determinism that's wrapped in ritual and called mystery instead of decree.

So, if Calvinism leads to “follow your bliss,” why doesn’t Catholicism? If your fate is eternally known and decreed by God, and your free will is just part of the plan, as Catholicism clearly teaches, then what, exactly, are you doing that a Calvinist isn’t?

Same trap. Different door.

 

[Derf]

You’re right! Calvinism leads to fatalism. If your eternal fate was fixed before you were born and you can't change it, then why worry? Just assume you're elect and "follow your bliss". That’s the only consistent response that doesn’t drive you insane.

The problem for you is that Catholicism doesn’t actually escape this trap. It just dresses it up in sacraments and mystery.

Catholicism affirms predestination. Augustine taught that God elects some to eternal life, and your Church has never rejected that. Calvin just followed it through to its logical end. You still believe God predestined everything. You still believe He foreknows all outcomes. You still affirm that grace is infused at baptism apart from your will. It’s just a softer (i.e. less consistent) determinism that's wrapped in ritual and called mystery instead of decree.

So, if Calvinism leads to “follow your bliss,” why doesn’t Catholicism? If your fate is eternally known and decreed by God, and your free will is just part of the plan, as Catholicism clearly teaches, then what, exactly, are you doing that a Calvinist isn’t?

Same trap. Different door.

The difference is that a recognition of free will allows some meaning to their choices, even if it is less logical with the presupposition of exhaustive foreknowledge.