CALVINISM REFUTED 1

Calvinism Refuted
The contrast of human wisdom against the statements of the word of God

A panoramic view of Calvinism

Calvinism gets its name from John Calvin (1509 - 1564), who was a French theologian.
considered one of the fathers of the Protestant Reformation.

John Calvin did not invent or originate Calvinism, this heresy is a set of currents.
philosophical-religious syncretisms that came to merge with Christianity in the first three
centuries of our era in a slow and progressive manner.
One of the most famous and accepted exponents of Gnosticism was Augustine (354 - 430), who
He never discarded the fundamental ideas of his old Gnostic-Manichaean philosophy.
Augustine is the father of the so-called 'original sin' or 'total depravity of man' and based on
this belief employed biblical texts that, being twisted (2 Pet. 3:16), supported their belief
gnostic.
Agustín initiated the practice of what is called 'infant baptism', which eliminated the supposed sin.
original of the children. He taught unconditional election and arbitrary predestination of
individuals, denied that man possessed "free will" (for he had lost it in the garden
from Eden, according to him) and he claimed that the chosen ones could not believe until God granted them the
"capacity grace" that is, the ability to understand and believe.

The original source was Gnosticism, a heresy that existed in the first century. The
gnostics (the 'knowers') said that all matter, including the body, is
bad. At least three evils resulted from this error: 1) Asceticism (Col. 2:20-
some believed that mistreating the 'bad' body would make them more
"spiritual"). 2) Licentiousness (2 Peter 2; Jude; 2 Timothy 3:1-9, some believed that
what the body did would not affect the soul; that's why they tolerated and promoted everything
class of sin). 3) They said that Christ could not have a bad body (1 John 2:18;
4:2, 3) (Wayne Partain).

John Calvin organized and systematized the ideas of Augustine of Hippo and Martin Luther (monk)
Agustin), the result of this was Calvinism also called "Reformed Tradition", "Faith
Reformed

Calvinism consists of five basic points illustrated in the following table:

Total depravity of man

Unconditional Choice
CALVINISM 3. Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
5. Perseverance of the Saints

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By Josué Hernández
www.JosueEvangelista.com
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EXPLANATION AND REFUTATION OF THE FIVE POINTS OF CALVINISM

Total depravity of man. According to Calvinism, man is completely

depraved having inherited the sin of Adam, and being born completely corrupt by
natural inheritance cannot do good, desire good, or understand good.

REFUTATION: According to the Bible, man is born completely innocent and free of sin.
Sin is something that is committed (1 John 3:4) not something that is inherited, the very definition of 'sin'.
it is inconsistent with the Calvinist doctrine of 'inherited sin'.
According to Scripture, sin is not inherited or transferred (Ezekiel 18:20) as the attempt of
the heart of man is evil from his youth (Gen. 8:20) children are not responsible
morally (Deut. 1:39). For these reasons, the Lord Jesus Christ commands us to be like children (Mat.
they are pure and without sin (1 Cor. 14:20).

2. Unconditional Election. According to Calvinism, God chose before the foundation of the world.
unconditionally and individually to some for eternal salvation and to others for eternal perdition. This
Calvinist predestination has God determining in advance the final destiny of individuals without
that they can do something about it.

REFUTATION: According to the Bible, the choice for eternal life is found in Christ (Eph. 1:3-6).
conditional salvation, the conditions have been revealed in the gospel to the whole world (Mr.
16:15-16) for every man can obey (2 Thess. 1:8). Man's free will enables him
to decide whether to obey or not, so much so that God expects man to obey (Heb. 5:9).

The biblical election is not individual, but group (Rom. 8:29-30). God has chosen for salvation.
A unique group of people, with a particular character, these are the ones who are in Christ, His church (Eph.
1:3-6; 5:25-26). Hence, salvation is in the church of Christ and not outside of it, for
Christ is the Savior of His church (Eph. 5:23).
All the obedient are chosen by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:13-14). All men can
being in Christ (Gal. 3:26-27) if they obey the gospel (Rom. 1:16-17). Those who reject the
the word of God condemns themselves (Acts 13:46) being unpersuadable by their own
determination (1 Pet. 2:8, Jn. 3:20).
The biblical election does not involve unconditional approval; God chooses for well-defined purposes.
defined (1 Pet. 2:9; Phil. 2:15) by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:13-14). Biblical election is
conditional.

Calvinist predestination is false because it contradicts the nature of God, the nature of
gospel and the nature of man. God is just, He gives everyone the opportunity for salvation
Ped. 3:9). The gospel is for everyone, so that all may be saved (Mar. 16:15). Man has
free will, therefore can obey (2 Thess. 1:8; 2:10).

3. Limited Atonement. According to Calvinism, Christ died positively and effectively to save
a certain fixed number of sinners paying the debt for these chosen ones, making satisfaction for
they to the justice of the Father, and imputing His own justice to them so that they may be saved.

REFUTATION: According to the Bible, God sent His Son to die for everyone (John 3:16-17) and this is
precisely what Christ did (Heb. 10:5-10), for this Christ is the propitiation for sins
the whole world (1 John 2:2).

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By Josué Hernández
www.JosueEvangelista.com
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The work of Christ on the cross is effective for the salvation of the world (Jn. 6:51) for this reason he is
called by John "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29).
How can it be possible for men to limit the sacrifice of Christ to a few chosen ones?
arbitrarily according to Calvinism?

4. Irresistible Grace. According to Calvinism, man is incapable of obeying the call of

gospel, since it is corrupt and depraved from the womb of its mother, therefore God
uses the call of the Spirit through the irresistible grace in the hearts of the elect which does not
It can be frustrated and will always result in the salvation of the predestined.
Calvinism asserts that when the Holy Spirit calls by His grace, that calling is
irresistible, unable to be frustrated, as it is the manifestation of the irresistible grace of a
Sovereign God.

REFUTATION: According to the Bible, grace can be resisted by man (Gal. 2:21) and the
believers can fall from it (Gal. 5:4). So much so that the apostle Paul admonished the Corinthians.
So, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Cor. 10:12) and affirmed of himself 'not
that having been a herald for others, I myself should be eliminated" (1 Cor. 9:27).

Calvinism views God's grace as 'a force' or 'energy that moves man', this
the premise is completely wrong. The sovereignty of God does not undermine the free will of the
men.
According to the Scriptures, grace is the love, goodness, and mercy of God expressed to
man who does not deserve it (Titus 2:11; 3:4-5). Grace teaches (Titus 2:11-12) those who listen
to her (Acts 13:43). Grace is conferred through the gospel and is inseparable from it (Acts.
20:24, 32). For this reason, everyone who rejects the gospel discards grace and he who
persevere in the gospel persevere in the grace of God (Acts 13:43; 15:11; 2 Tim. 2:1; Heb.)
12:15; 2 Peter 3:18).

The gospel is an understandable message that must be preached and taught to men.
The reception of the gospel depends on the type of
heart of the listeners (Luke 8:15). The gospel is the power of God 'for everyone who believes'
(Rom. 1:16) and for this reason acts powerfully in the believers (1 Thess. 2:13) but is
harmless to the unpersuadable (1 Peter 2:8).

5. Perseverance of the saints. According to Calvinism, man cannot save himself,

then, God has to save him and will provide the means for those already saved to never fall from the
grace and will also preserve them for eternal life. That is to say, once saved, always saved.

REFUTATION: According to the Bible, the believer can fall from grace and be lost (Heb. 6:4-8) or
to remain in it according to his personal determination and decision (1 Peter 5:12).
Man has not lost free will, but rather always, according to his free will, man
reason, choose and act (Matt. 7:13-14).
Never did the Lord Jesus Christ teach that individuals once saved would always be saved.
on the contrary, the Lord admonished his disciples to persevere in faith (Matt. 10:22, Rev. 2:10)
doing the will of the Father who is in heaven (Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46).
Three apostles of Jesus Christ make it clear that there is the possibility of apostasy and that the people of
God must ensure to adhere to the Scriptures (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Peter 2:15; 2 John 9-11).
Do you remember how the apostle Paul admonished the Corinthians? 'Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed'
Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Do you remember what the apostle Paul said about himself? “lest

having been a herald for others, I myself may be eliminated” (1 Cor. 9:27). For the

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By Josué Hernández
www.JosueEvangelista.com
CALVINISM REFUTED 4

for the reasons previously stated, the Christian never relaxes but awaits the coming of the Lord.
purifies himself, perfecting holiness (1 John 3:2-3; 2 Corinthians 7:1).

THE TRIPLE IMPUTATION OF CALVINISM

TRIPLE ALLOCATION

SIN OF ADAM SIN OF HUMANITY JUSTICE OF CHRIST

charged to charged to charged to

HUMANITY CHRIST BELIEVER

IMPUTE: To attribute blame, a crime, or an action to someone else (Larousse).

The triple imputation is the logical consequence of Calvinism, a product of the belief in the five
Cardinal points systematized by John Calvin (described and refuted above). If the five
the cardinal points of Calvinism are false (and this is precisely what they are) then the
Triple imputation is also a lie, a doctrine unknown in the Scriptures (1 Peter.
4:11).

According to Calvinism, humanity inherits the sin of Adam, being born with original sin.
with a corrupt and depraved nature (what Catholicism calls 'sin')
original). So when Christ dies on the cross, he becomes a sinner as the
the sin of humanity is attributed (imputed) to him. According to Calvinism, then, Jesus
dies like a sinner suffering the hell of separation from the heavenly Father. This is not
Biblical, there is no mention of such "imputations" in the Scriptures.

According to Calvinism, the believer never truly becomes 'just', for in reality they have
about his injustice and sin the 'personal justice' of Christ that covers him, hence comes the belief
wrong that man is 'saved by the personal righteousness of Christ' or by 'the merits of Christ'.
And as a logical consequence of all of the above, comes the erroneous and popular idea that "no one is
perfect”, but remember that God demands perfection from his children (2 Cor. 13:9, 11; Phil.
2:12; 3:15.

According to the Scriptures, man is responsible for his conduct, having the power to choose between
the good and the bad being fully capable of discerning the gospel (Mark 16:15-16). If the
sinners cannot understand, learn, and believe the gospel. What then did Christ send to
Preach it? Let us also remember that children are not sinners in any sense (Ez. 18:20;
Rom. 7:9; Deut. 1:39; Gen. 8:21; Ec. 7:29; 12:1) children are not responsible for sin, but
they must be instructed in discipline and admonition (Prov. 13:24; Eph. 6:4).

Man does not have the capacity to establish what is good and what is bad; this is done by God (Jer. 10:23;
Prov. 14:12), but man can learn to do good (Rom. 6:17-18; 1 Tim. 2:7) the
man can indeed obey (Heb. 5:9) and this is precisely what God expects of man
Haga (2 Thess. 1:8).

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By Josué Hernández
www.JosueEvangelista.com