Matt Slick Failure: Calvinism *NOTE:  All quotes from John Calvin's commentaries are copied from Christian Classics Ethereal Library online. Matt Slick Failure: Calvinism

From CARM: Calvinism from CARM.org section "What is Calvinism?": It (Calvinism) also maintains that within the Bible are the following teachings: That God, by His sovereign grace, predestines people into salvation and that Jesus died only for those predestined and that God regenerates the individual to where he is then able to and wants to choose God and that it is impossible for those who are redeemed to lose their salvation.

CARM Calvinism (continued) Basically, Calvinism is best known by an acronym: T.U.L.I.P. Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin) Unconditional Election Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement) Irresistible Grace Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved)

CARM Calvinism: Critical Review Matt Slick is a Calvinist.  But apparently earning a Masters of Divinity from a Calvinist seminary was not  enough preparation for him to learn about Jean Cauvin's  (John Calvin) theology. Not only is the above description an incomplete (and therefore, inaccurate) description of Cauvin's theology, it is also a description that doesn't do justice to the rich and varied tradition we now refer to as "Calvinism".

CARM Calvinism: Critical Review(Continued) When Matt Slick says of Calvin's theology: Jesus died only for those predestined.

CARM Calvinism: Critical review (Continued) Apparently Matt Slick has not read Calvin's Bible commentaries very well. Consider the following from Calvin's commentaries:

Calvin's Commentaries John 1:9: This passage is commonly explained in two ways. Some restrict the phrase, every man, to those who, having been renewed by the Spirit of God, become partakers of the life- giving light. Augustine employs the comparison of a schoolmaster who, if he happen to be the only person who has a school in the town, will be called the teacher of all, though there be many persons that do not go to his school. They therefore understand the phrase in a comparative sense, that all are enlightened by Christ, because no man can boast of having obtained the light of life in any other way than by his grace.

Calvin's Commentaries But since the Evangelist employs the general phrase, every man that cometh into the world, I am more inclined to adopt the other meaning, which is, that from this light the rays are diffused over all mankind (emphasis mine), as I have already said. For we know that men have this peculiar excellence which raises them above other animals, that they are endued with reason and intelligence, and that they carry the distinction between right and wrong engraven on their conscience. There is no man, therefore, whom some perception of the eternal light does not reach.

Calvin's commentaries John 3:16: For God so loved the world. Christ opens up the first cause, and, as it were, the source of our salvation, and he does so, that no doubt may remain; for our minds cannot find calm repose, until we arrive at the unmerited love of God. As the whole matter of our salvation must not be sought any where else than in Christ, so we must see whence Christ came to us, and why he was offered to be our Savior. Both points are distinctly stated to us: namely, that faith in Christ brings life to all, and that Christ brought life, because the Heavenly Father loves the human race, and wishes that they should not perish.(emphasis mine)

Calvin's Commentaries John 3:17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world. It is a confirmation of the preceding statement; for it was not in vain that God sent his own Son to us. He came not to destroy; and therefore it follows, that it is the peculiar office of the Son of God, that all who believe may obtain salvation by him. There is now no reason why any man should be in a state of hesitation, or of distressing anxiety, as to the manner in which he may escape death, when we believe that it was the purpose of God that Christ should deliver us from it. The word world is again repeated, that no man may think himself wholly excluded... (emphasis mine)

Calvin's Commentaries Romans 5:18: Christ, in order to remind us that he was not as an individual just for himself, but that the righteousness with which he was endued reached farther, in order that, by conferring this gift, he might enrich the faithful. He makes this favor common to all, because it is propounded to all, and not because it is in reality extended to all; for through Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world, and is offered through God’s benignity indiscriminately to all, yet all do not receive him. (emphasis mine)

Calvin's Commentaries And finally, from John 1:29: Who taketh away the sin of the world. He uses the word sin in the singular number, for any kind of iniquity; as if he had said, that every kind of unrighteousness which alienates men from God is taken away by Christ. And when he says, the sin Of The World, he extends this favor indiscriminately to the whole human race (emphasis mine).

CARM Calvinism: Review Clearly, Matt Slick is representing Calvin's theology neither accurately nor completely.

CARM Calvinism: Additional Questions When Matt Slick asserts (from above): Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)

CARM Calvinism: Critical Questions This is also an incomplete (and inaccurate) description.  There are many outside the Calvinist scope of theology (Arminians, Orthodox, and Roman Catholics, et al) that believe in Original Sin, but not Calvinist "Total Depravity", to associate the 2 terms is an inaccurate description.         Also, there are many within Calvinist theology that do not see Total Inability and Total Depravity as identical terms. (Indeed the Canons of Dordt only uses the phrase "Total inability" and never "Total Depravity".)        

CARM Calvinism: Critical Questions Within the scope of Calvinist theology, there are many variations.  There are 1,2,3,4 and 5 point Calvinists.  There are 5 point Calvinists that affirm (or deny) one part of "double predestination" (the notion that God predestined some to heaven, the rest He predestined to hell).  There are 5 point Calvinists that believe (or deny) “common grace”. There are 5 point Calvinists that asks:  "Are we totally depraved because we are IN sin, BY in, FOR sin, or OF sin?"  And each of the answers effects how the rest of TULIP is described.

CARM Calvinism: Critical Questions Once again, we see Matt Slick not taking his tasks seriously.  And we must ask:  What does Matt Slick take seriously if not his own theological tradition?

CARM Calvinism: Critical Questions Additional questions challenging Matt Slick's competence as an apologist: Since Matt Slick is (apparently) not adequately prepared to accurately represent Calvinism (which is his own tradition and training): How much less is he adequately prepared to accurately represent other Protestant theologies?

CARM Calvinism; Critical Questions How much less is Matt Slick adequately prepared to accurately represent  Christian theologies outside Protestantism? How much less is he adequately prepared to represent theists' positions outside Christianity? How much less is he adequately prepared to accurately represent atheists' or agnostic positions?

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