Recovery

This letter came from an old friend who had been directed to my blog. I'll let it stand for itself:

[Usagi],

As you know, I am a minister, and have been in the ministry for nearly 50 years. As you also know, I am a former Calvinist. There was a day when I would have debated you for hours on doctrine. I would have taken offense to many of the scriptures you quoted.

Secretly, I'd have despised you for using those scriptures. At times, I used to get angry at God for putting them in the Bible in the first place. On more than one occasion, I asked God: "why?!?! Why did you put those in there? It gives the anti-Christians fuel to say the Bible contradicts itself. Why???"

The change did not happen overnight. It happened over a couple of months. Part of the inspiration came when I saw [the late] Dr. Adrian Rogers give the very sermon you linked to in your blog posts. That was what I like to call a preliminary turning point. The main turning point came a few months later.

I was reading Genesis. The story of Adam and Eve. God did not predestine that they would fall, so why would He predestine that others would be saved? That thought hit me, and it was if a light had been switched "on."

I immediately flipped over to Exodus 20. I realized something. God placed it on my heart that those who hold to predestination and Calvinism are violating the first two Commandments:

1. You shall have no other gods before me. 
2. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

 [Blog author's note: I typically prefer to use the Common English translation. Pastor S. here used the NIV. The idea is not lost in translation as you will see.]

The way God showed it to me, Calvinists are making idols for themselves. The idol is themselves. They are so proud that God chose them. They become their own idol. This is a direct violation of the Second Commandment.

The Calvinists violate the First Commandment by having a god placed before Jehova. Jehova is a loving God, and offered a free gift of salvation to any who would choose to accept the gift. The god that Calvinists paint has chosen that some will live and some will die, and that is not loving at all. That is quite spiteful, in fact. (I particularly like how you drew a reference to a small boy playing in the back yard with toy soldiers on this one) Conditional love to a few select people is not love at all!

The way you can tell my analogy is true is this: The Second Commandment comes with a warning: those who do not obey will be punished, as will their heirs to the third and fourth generation. When you read of Calvinism online, and see their words, and hear them, you see nothing but hate for the other side. They have no tolerance, except at the end, when all of their suppositions are proven to be unscriptural, and then they only say: "well, both sides have merit." 

We see many times in the Old and New Testament where God and His prophets warn of the danger of sins. The sin of heresy as you have claimed, [Usagi], is a steep one. But you have leveled that claim justly. I am a former Calvinist. Every time I espoused any of the five points (TULIP) I was engaged in heresy, and that was a sin. I am most sorrowful that I did that from the pulpit as I know that those of us who teach will be held to a higher standard by God. 

You may post this, if you wish, or any part of it. Good to talk to you, and I enjoy reading your blog. Your religion heading is most interesting. But I would expect that of you, given the training your mother gave you and your brother and sister. Tell her that E and I send our love. 

Pastor E.S.





Pretty neat stuff, I thought. 



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