Dictionary of Calvinism
Scripture is so clear its teaching on the Doctrines of Grace, Calvin and his followers have to change the definitions of certain key words in order to force the Bible to teach their peculiar doctrines. In order to help people understand the Calvin religion, we offer this dictionary. It is impossible to find the 5 Points of Calvin in Scripture without using the Dictionary of Calvin.
All
The theological teachings of Jacob Arminius, who opposed the teachings of John Calvin in Holland. Among other things, Arminians – the followers of Arminius, believe that a Christian can lose his or her salvation if they commit enough sins to warrant it. Most Calvinists believe that all non-Calvinist Christians are Arminians. In actuality, both positions are opposite unscriptural extremes, and the majority of Bible believing Christians do not believe either one.
Arminianism
The theological teachings of Jacob Arminius, who opposed the teachings of John Calvin in Holland. Among other things, Arminians – the followers of Arminius, believe that a Christian can lose his or her salvation if they commit enough sins to warrant it. Most Calvinists believe that all non-Calvinist Christians are Arminians. In actuality, both positions are opposite unscriptural extremes, and the majority of Bible believing Christians do not believe either one.
Baptism
A confused mixture of the Roman Catholic rite of sprinkling babies to take away their original sin, and the Jewish rite of circumcision. The reference to Circumcision is used to in a desperate attempt to prove that babies need this rite. As far fetched as this is, it is the only way Calvin could justify infant “baptism” from the Bible. Also, the word baptize means to dip, or to immerse – it never means “sprinkle.”. This makes it obvious that John Calvin was holding on to Roman Catholicism for part of his doctrine.
Doctrines of Grace
The name many Calvinists use for the 5 Points of Calvinism. Most Calvinists think that Biblical Christians don’t believe fully in the Grace of God, since they are the only ones who believe in the so-called :”Doctrines of Grace.”
Double Predestination
The doctrine of Calvin that God not only predestinated his chosen few to go to Heaven, but that he also predestinated, by His sovereign will, for all the rest of mankind to spend eternity in the fires of Hell. In other words, God created them for the express purpose of sending them to Hell where they will burn forever.
Election
This means that God never loved everybody, and He never wanted everybody to be saved. According to the theories of John Calvin, God hand-picked a small percentage of the world’s population to be saved. By default, that means He wants the rest of the world to go to Hell forever. In the days of John Calvin, that meant God favored white Gentiles and a handful of Jews, because there weren’t many people of other races who were born-again Christians.
Foreknow
The standard definition, “to know beforehand,” doesn’t apply here, because it would nullify Calvin’s theology. In the language of Calvin it has to be “to have a relationship with,” otherwise Calvin’s core teaching of Unconditional Election would be null and void.
Limited Atonement
Since God did not love most people, according to the teachings of John Calvin, Jesus didn’t die for the people God didn’t love. He only died for the people that God hand picked.
Predestination
This means that God dictated beforehand whether you would be saved and go to Heaven or be lost and go to Hell for eternity. According to Calvin, God predetermined that it would stop at salvation. God never predestinated you to get married on June 18, or have a car accident on September 24, or eat chocolate cake for dessert on February 19.
Reformed Theology
To some, Reformed Theology means the belief in Calvin’s 5 Points. Others also include Calvin’s version of Roman Catholic baptism as an essential part of Reformed Theology.
Sovereign Grace
A name used by Calvinists for Calvin’s view of grace as taught in his 5 Points.
Sovereignty of God
In the mind of a Calvinist, this means the notion that it is God who chose who will and who will not be saved. Calvinists think God could not be sovereign if He gave man the ability to chose whether or not to receive Christ. Therefore, Calvinists think they are the only people who believe God is sovereign.
Unconditional Election
The notion that God arbitrarily chose some people for Heaven and some people for Hell, and that nobody has a choice in the matter.
World
It means whatever Calvin wants it to mean. The Bible says “God so loved the world” (John 3:16). Since Calvin taught that God didn’t love all the people in the world, the word is often redefined to mean something else, in order to make John 3:16 fit with Reformed teachings.