From the Desk of Jeff King

I really appreciate your view on this, Jeff...it's really rare in the blogosphere. Many of my online friends are Calvinists, but we disagree mightily about it.

Kristen, Paul's sermon was very powerful and convicting, but I looked on his website and saw that he supports Calvinism. My heart sank. I don't know how well-meaning believers can be so easily deceived. God does have foreknowledge of who will receive and reject Him, but that doesn't forfeit their free-will choice.

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many verses in scripture that state clearly God sovereignly calls His people to repentance. Many verses in scripture also reference man responding to God's call. Trying to reconcile these seemingly opposing views has caused much division in the body of Christ. Even some of the spirit-filled evangelists during the great revivals in history disagreed on this issue. However, they never allowed their differences of belief on this or other doctrines to interfere with the working of God. They would never publically disparage another of God's servants. By your own admission, Brother Washer's sermon was "one of the best you have ever heard." Yet because you disagree with him on sovereignty, you have in essence broken fellowship with him, and led others to do the same. What test did Jesus give unbelievers to identify His followers? That they "love one another." (John 13:34-35) We have heard Brother Washer preach on many occasions and it is obvious that the hand of God is upon him and God's Spirit is in him. Please do not stand in the way of what God would do through him. If ever there was a time for the church "to make your calling and election sure" (II Peter 1:10) it is now.

Because HE Lives
Keith and Sheila Nichols

Keith and Sheila,

While God is indeed sovereign, He does not abuse that power by electing some to be saved, others to be damned to hell apart from their free will, as Calvinism teaches. I see the opposite in Scripture – a merciful God extending grace and salvation freely to all men. 1 John 2:2 says Yeshua "is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the WHOLE world (emphasis mine)." Consider Titus 2:11 – "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to ALL men." The five points of Calvinism violate Scripture and the very nature of God. The "once-saved-always-saved" mentality associated with this doctrine gives people a false sense of security and leads them down the broad road of destruction, the very path Paul Washer warned youth to avoid with his sermon on Matthew 7. Yet he supports Calvinism.

Free will not only is a concept supported in the New Testament, but Judaism as well. In Deuteronomy 30:19, God sets before the Israelites life and death, blessings and cursing. He encourages them to choose life. Because God does not change, He still sets before men spiritual life and death as a personal choice. If predestination is true, why do Calvinists even bother evangelizing? Why preach the gospel? And how do they know they are even the elect? That is an arrogant doctrine.

Any supporter of John Calvin, the movement's founder, should do a background check. He was a tyrant and murderer. He praised the works of Roman Catholic bishop Augustine, who was greatly influenced by the heretical teachings of the Gnostics. Calvin threatened citizens of Geneva with punishment if they missed church. Michael Servetus, a Spanish scientist and Bible scholar, was executed by Calvin in 1553 because Servetus challenged him on the trinity and infant baptism. He was burned at the stake, literally baked alive from the feet upward for 30 minutes. Calvin strapped a theology book Servetus had written to his chest. Flames from the burning book rose against his face as he screamed in agony. Calvin, who considered himself the pope of Geneva, allegedly never repented. He actually bragged about and celebrated Servetus' death. Does this sound like a man filled with God's Spirit? If not, what spirit is speaking through him?

Paul says in Ephesians 5:11 to "have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Although Washer delivered a good sermon, his Calvinist background should be a red flag to true followers of Messiah. A little leaven spoils the whole loaf. That is why churches are floundering today – mixing truth and error leads to compromise and eventually destruction. If exposing Washer means I have broken fellowship with him, so be it. I fear God more than man. By the way, Christian fellowship is not all warm and fuzzies. The apostle Paul openly rebuked Peter over an issue of doctrine. In other words, he got in his face. I admire Washer's heart for soul winning and he seems like a sincere, nice man, but I will not, cannot, stop warning anyone who has ears to hear.

Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

God has made provisions for people to come unto Him: called, chosen or "whosoever will."

Regarding predestination, I think we've all missed the whole point of that word. It's not the 'who' of predestination, but rather the 'what' - Yeshua haMashiach is THE ONE who was predestined for the end accomplishment of paying the penalty for our sin, and redeeming us. He willingly was predestined for you and for me.

I could not serve a God who creates human beings, only to 'predestine' them for eternal torment. This is diametrically opposed to the very core nature of the God we serve. God does not want anyone to perish: 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

OTOH, hell enlarges and opens her mouth without measure, for those who have rejected The Son: Isaiah 5:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

And none of this detracts from the sovereignty of God one iota. Hopefully, a committed heart also hands their heart over to God, and asks Him to be Sovereign in their life, then live accordingly.

Sorry for such a long post, Jeff, but this is a very passionate topic for me, as you can well see. Thanks for affording me this opportunity to voice my views on this matter.

Hi, I am a Calvinist, and I just wanted to share why. Basically, I watched many people have the whole Calvinist-Arminian debate and this is what I noticed. The Calvinist was willing to discuss any Scripture, whether it talked about election (as indeed many Scriptures do!) or the ones that seemed to affirm human choice. They were willing to hold up both realities. The Armininians, however would only speak about certain texts and would often deny the concept, saying that "God couldn't possibly be like that"! Who are we to say what he is or isn't like. Thus, at the end of the day I knew I had to submit my heart to all the teachings of the Bible (and not just the bits I like!) He is God and I am not. I cannot make him in my image, but must submit to his revelation!