Calvinism: Only Some People Have the Ability to Believe the Gospel

[Jerry Shugart]

According to ideas of the Calvinists only some people have been given the ability to believe the gospel and therefore the unsaved do not have the ability to believe. However, the following words of Paul demonstrate that even those who are perishing have the ability to believe:

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Cor.4:3-4).​

The gospel is hidden to those who are perishing and the god of this age, Satan, is responsible for the gospel being hidden from them. Satan blinded their minds to the gospel for one purpose, "so that they cannot see the light of the gospel."

The fact that the minds of those who are perishing can be "blinded" to the gospel proves that they have the ability to see it if their minds were not blinded to it. After all, one must be able to see before being blinded can happen.

The truth that all men have the ability to believe the gospel and therefore receive the benefits which flow from the Lord Jesus' death prove that the Lord Jesus died for every person who has ever lived on the face of the earth:

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Heb.2:9).​

 

[steko]

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being;

In all my years of dabbling in mind-altering substances, eastern mysticisms and meditation, I saw myself as seeking truth and the ultimate truth, the point of integration. During those years, I didn't know what(I should say 'who') the truth was, but I was seeking it/Him, I finally discovered.

According to the Apostle Paul, GOD intended not only me, but all 'men/humanity', to freely seek Him and find Him.

 

[Grosnick Marowbe]

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being;

In all my years of dabbling in mind-altering substances, eastern mysticisms and meditation, I saw myself as seeking truth and the ultimate truth, the point of integration. During those years, I didn't know what(I should say 'who') the truth was, but I was seeking it/Him, I finally discovered.

According to the Apostle Paul, GOD intended not only me, but all 'men/humanity', to freely seek Him and find Him.

Steko, I took a different route. My seeking originated with the fear of Hell.

 

[steko]

Steko, I took a different route. My seeking originated with the fear of Hell.

Yeah, many go that route, with the prerequisite that they already believe that 'hell' actually exists, which arises from hearsay or actually believing that what the Bible says is true, at least about hell. I was agnostic with regard to the existence of 'hell' at that point.

Either way, it comes from the absence of the peace that can only be had from being justified(declared not guilty) by faith(trust) in Christ's finished work on the cross.


I'm glad that you're my brother, GM!


GOD bless!

 

[Grosnick Marowbe]

Yeah, many go that route, with the prerequisite that they already believe that 'hell' actually exists, which arises from hearsay or actually believing that what the Bible says is true, at least about hell. I was agnostic with regard to the existence of 'hell' at that point.

Either way, it comes from the absence of the peace that can only be had from being justified(declared not guilty) by faith(trust) in Christ's finished work on the cross.


I'm glad that you're my brother, GM!


GOD bless!

I feel the same about you, Steko.

 

[MennoSota]

According to ideas of the Calvinists only some people have been given the ability to believe the gospel and therefore the unsaved do not have the ability to believe. However, the following words of Paul demonstrate that even those who are perishing have the ability to believe:

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Cor.4:3-4).​

The gospel is hidden to those who are perishing and the god of this age, Satan, is responsible for the gospel being hidden from them. Satan blinded their minds to the gospel for one purpose, "so that they cannot see the light of the gospel."

The fact that the minds of those who are perishing can be "blinded" to the gospel proves that they have the ability to see it if their minds were not blinded to it. After all, one must be able to see before being blinded can happen.

The truth that all men have the ability to believe the gospel and therefore receive the benefits which flow from the Lord Jesus' death prove that the Lord Jesus died for every person who has ever lived on the face of the earth:

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Heb.2:9).​

Your very title is wrong, meaning your presupposition is false. Therefore the rest of your statement follows a false path.
No human can believe. Why? Because all have sinned. We are all dead in our trespasses and sins. We cannot believe because we are incapable of believing.
But...
God made us alive in Christ Jesus by his providing unmerited favor to those whom he makes alive.
Upon making us alive, God gives the gift of faith (belief) so that we cannot boast about conjuring up belief by our own will power. This faith is active as we accomplish the good works God has ordained us to do.
If you understood Ephesians 2:1-10, you would see your error and thus your false presupposition.

 

[MennoSota]

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being;

In all my years of dabbling in mind-altering substances, eastern mysticisms and meditation, I saw myself as seeking truth and the ultimate truth, the point of integration. During those years, I didn't know what(I should say 'who') the truth was, but I was seeking it/Him, I finally discovered.

According to the Apostle Paul, GOD intended not only me, but all 'men/humanity', to freely seek Him and find Him.

Ouch. You misread the Apostle Paul. Best for you to apologize to him asap.

 

[steko]

Ouch. You misread the Apostle Paul. Best for you to apologize to him asap.

Nope, I'm not a programmed machine, such as you.

 

[MennoSota]

Nope, I'm not a programmed machine, such as you.

You didn't address the fact that Paul doesn't agree with you. He doesn't teach what you claim he does.

 

[steko]

You didn't address the fact that Paul doesn't agree with you. He doesn't teach what you claim he does.

You didn't address how you think that I misread the Apostle Paul.

 

[Tambora]

Nope, I'm not a programmed machine, such as you.

Me neither, brother!

 

[MennoSota]

You didn't address how you think that I misread the Apostle Paul.

You wrote:
"According to the Apostle Paul, GOD intended not only me, but all 'men/humanity', to freely seek Him and find Him."
Yet Paul says this:
10 As the Scriptures say,

“No one is righteous—
not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”

 

[steko]

You wrote:
"According to the Apostle Paul, GOD intended not only me, but all 'men/humanity', to freely seek Him and find Him."
Yet Paul says this:
10 As the Scriptures say,

“No one is righteous—
not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”

So, you found an apparent contradiction.
Now, what are you going to do with it?

 

[MennoSota]

So, you found an apparent contradiction.
Now, what are you going to do with it?

I don't have to do anything. You have to prove your point.

 

[Jerry Shugart]

Your very title is wrong, meaning your presupposition is false. Therefore the rest of your statement follows a false path.

As usual you talk big but when it comes to providing anything to support what you assert you come up empty.

Can you not even understand that before a person can be blinded to the light of the gospel he must first be able to see its light?

According to your ideas we must throw our reason to the wind and imagine that someone who cannot see the light of the gospel can be blinded to its light.

 

[glorydaz]

So, you found an apparent contradiction.
Now, what are you going to do with it?

I'm betting he doesn't go back and read the scripture that is being quoted. If he did, he might know what Paul is saying. What fool is not seeking God?

 

[MennoSota]

As usual you talk big but when it comes to providing anything to support what you assert you come up empty.

Can you not even understand that before a person can be blinded to the light of the gospel he must first be able to see its light?

According to your ideas we must throw our reason to the wind and imagine that someone who cannot see the light of the gospel can be blinded to its light.

Can you not understand that a dead man cannot see, cannot hear and cannot believe until he is first made alive in Christ?
Can a dead man make themselves come to life...or must God make them alive? What sayeth the Bible?

 

[MennoSota]

I'm betting he doesn't go back and read the scripture that is being quoted. If he did, he might know what Paul is saying. What fool is not seeking God?

I'm betting that you think Paul is teaching free will when he speaks to the Athenians? I'm betting you ignore the rest of scripture to force your philosophy into scripture.

 

[MennoSota]

Let's go back to the original premise:
"Only some people have the ability to believe."
This presupposes that humans conjure up their own belief. It presupposes their own effort and work so that they can believe. It is like saying: Only some people have the ability to swim. It's all about the human will and effort to accomplish something. It also presupposes that some other power is holding back and keeping the human from successfully training itself to do the work of believing.
Such a presupposition denies grace from God and demands that each person work for salvation based upon their ability to do so.
Reformed theology notes that the Bible says we all fall short. We are all dead in our trespasses and sins. We all are entirely dependent upon the mercy of the King of Kings. God makes the choice. God does the work. God is Sovereign.

 

[Jerry Shugart]

Can you not understand that a dead man cannot see, cannot hear and cannot believe until he is first made alive in Christ?

Faith is what causes being made alive in Christ:

"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (Jn.20:30-31).​

The Calvinists cannot even understand this simple fact. Life comes as a result of believing and not before believing, as they imagine.

This presupposes that humans conjure up their own belief. It presupposes their own effort and work so that they can believe.

A person has to hear the gospel before he can believe and be saved. Perhaps you haven't gotten around to reading the tenth chapter of the epistle to the Romans yet (Ro.10:13-17)?

Since the gospel comes in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Pet.1:12) anyone can be saved if they don't resist the Spirit.