musterion
Well-known member
The TULIP of Calvinism explains what the Reformed believe God does for and in the lives of those He elected (chose) to save. The "T" (Total depravity) is the only part of TULIP that applies to all mankind equally...all are so literally dead in sin that none can believe or even hear what God says unless He first enables them to do so.
But the rest of TULIP applies only to the elect. It absolutely does not apply to Reprobates -- those who Calvin said God did not want to save.
All of that is common knowledge to anyone with a basic knowledge of Calvinsim. But what is scary is that there are some on TOL who insist TULIP is itself the Gospel. I believe Charles Spurgeon, one of the most famous Calvinists ever, once said so.
But think about that a moment.
Gospel basically means "good news."
IS TULIP good news? Well if Calvinism is true, it is the worst possible news for the presumable majority of humanity.
1. Reprobates were not Unconditionally elected to be saved. They were either deliberately reprobated (singled out for destruction) or simply "passed over." It depends on which Calvinist you ask but the result is the same: no hope, only inescapable wrath and destruction.
2. That means Reprobates were not chosen to benefit from the death, burial and resurrection of Christ because God deliberately Limited the atonement to save only those He elected to save.
3. Since Christ did not die for them, Reprobates have no Irresistible grace to save them.
4. So it stands to reason that since Reprobates have none of the above applying to them, they cannot and will not Persevere in any false Christian faith they may have for a time.
In short, there is no "good news" in Calvinism for ANYONE except those who somehow convince themselves they're elect. Remember this the next time you see a Calvinist on TOL say "TULIP is the Gospel!" They're telling the truth, according to Calvinsim. It IS good news...if you're elect.
But for the rest, it's not only a condensed explanation of the unavoidable, eternal death sentence God laid upon them before they were born. It is a blasphemous mockery the Reformed have attributed to the God who loved and reconciled the world, by cynically calling the wickedness of TULIP His "good news."
But the rest of TULIP applies only to the elect. It absolutely does not apply to Reprobates -- those who Calvin said God did not want to save.
All of that is common knowledge to anyone with a basic knowledge of Calvinsim. But what is scary is that there are some on TOL who insist TULIP is itself the Gospel. I believe Charles Spurgeon, one of the most famous Calvinists ever, once said so.
But think about that a moment.
Gospel basically means "good news."
IS TULIP good news? Well if Calvinism is true, it is the worst possible news for the presumable majority of humanity.
1. Reprobates were not Unconditionally elected to be saved. They were either deliberately reprobated (singled out for destruction) or simply "passed over." It depends on which Calvinist you ask but the result is the same: no hope, only inescapable wrath and destruction.
2. That means Reprobates were not chosen to benefit from the death, burial and resurrection of Christ because God deliberately Limited the atonement to save only those He elected to save.
3. Since Christ did not die for them, Reprobates have no Irresistible grace to save them.
4. So it stands to reason that since Reprobates have none of the above applying to them, they cannot and will not Persevere in any false Christian faith they may have for a time.
In short, there is no "good news" in Calvinism for ANYONE except those who somehow convince themselves they're elect. Remember this the next time you see a Calvinist on TOL say "TULIP is the Gospel!" They're telling the truth, according to Calvinsim. It IS good news...if you're elect.
But for the rest, it's not only a condensed explanation of the unavoidable, eternal death sentence God laid upon them before they were born. It is a blasphemous mockery the Reformed have attributed to the God who loved and reconciled the world, by cynically calling the wickedness of TULIP His "good news."