Tag total depravity

God is not for CALVINISM

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God Is Not a Calvinist

The Bible presents a God of boundless love, genuine invitation, and impartial justice. Yet Calvinism (through its doctrines of unconditional election, limited atonement, and irresistible grace) paints a different portrait: a God who sovereignly chooses some for heaven and others for hell, apart from their response. This article examines nine biblical truths that directly contradict core Calvinist claims. God is not a Calvinist because…

1. He Teaches Man Is Free to CHOOSE

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness… And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve…” (Joshua 24:14–15, ESV)

God does not mock His creatures with illusory commands. Joshua’s charge assumes real moral ability to choose between serving God or idols. Calvinism’s unconditional election denies this freedom, claiming the unelect cannot choose God. But Scripture places responsibility squarely on human shoulders.

2. He Desires ALL to Be Saved

“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3–4)

Paul roots evangelism in God’s universal salvific will. Calvinism redefines “all” as “all kinds of people” (i.e., the elect from every nation). But the Greek pantas anthrōpous means every human without exception. God’s desire conflicts with their decree that guarantees most will perish.

3. He LOVES the Whole World

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Calvinism limits Christ’s death to the elect. Yet “world” (kosmos) here is all-encompassing (every sinner, not a pre-selected subset). Salvation hinges on whoever believes, not whoever was chosen before time.

4. Jesus Is the Propitiation for the Whole World

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1–2)

John destroys limited atonement in one sentence. Christ’s blood satisfies God’s wrath for every sin of every person. The offer of forgiveness is universal and sufficient—though not universally applied (due to unbelief, not divine decree; see Romans 1:20-32).

5. Jesus Was Willing, but ISRAEL Was Not

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… How often would I have gathered your children… and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37)

Jesus’ lament exposes the myth of irresistible grace. Divine will (“I would”) clashes with human refusal (“you were not willing”). Grace woos, but does not compel. The same crowd that rejected Christ could have repented; if they had been willing.

6. He Is NOT Willing That Any Should Perish

“The Lord is… not willing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Peter ties God’s patience to a universal hope for repentance. Calvinism inserts “any of the elect” and “all of the elect,” but the text says any and all—period. God delays judgment to give every sinner opportunity (2Peter 3:15).

7. He Warns Believers of the Possibility of Falling

“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Calvinism’s perseverance of the saints teaches true believers cannot fall away. Yet Paul warns the Corinthian church—regenerate Christians—of real spiritual danger. Apostasy is possible; perseverance is commanded, not guaranteed. The Bible is full of warnings against apostasy.

8. He Says Baptism Saves

“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience…” (1 Peter 3:21)

Calvinism often treats baptism as a mere symbol with no saving efficacy. Peter disagrees: baptism saves—not magically, but as the God-ordained moment of calling on the name of the Lord (cf. Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 10:13; Mark 16:16). It is the normative entry into Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom 6:3–4; Colossians 2:11-12).

9. He Teaches Babies Are Safe—We Do Not Inherit Adam’s Guilt

“The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father…” (Ezekiel 18:20)
“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)

Calvinism’s total depravity includes inherited guilt—infants are “vipers in diapers,” born condemned. But:

  • David said of his dead infant, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Sam 12:23)—implying the child was saved.
  • Jesus held up children as models of the kingdom, not objects of wrath.
  • Ezekiel rejects transgenerational punishment.

Sin’s consequence is death (Rom 5:12), but guilt is personal. Babies are safe until the age of accountability.

Conclusion: A God Worth Proclaiming

The God of Scripture loves every sinner, died for every sin, and pleads with every heart. He does not play favorites (Acts 10:34–35). He does not mock with insincere offers. He does not damn the innocent.

Calvinism’s God decrees reprobation before birth of certain individuals and spares selected individuals.


The Bible’s God says, “Choose this day… Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!” (Isa 45:22)

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The Restoration Plea

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IT’S BEEN WRITTEN, BY THOSE WHO lived closer to the time, that there were 6 causes leading up to the RESTORATION MOVEMENT in the United States.

  1. DISSATISFACTION with human creeds: The first was a product of the REFORMATION movement that sought to transform the Catholic church. The Protestant denominations and their leaders had been forcing creeds upon the world as tests of fellowship. These creeds became sources of strife and were at best the opinions of men. Many of the creeds contained ideas that were objectionable to thinking people. The creeds set aside the authority of Christ and kept Christendom divided.

“Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” [1Cor 1:12-13]

  1. TEACHING babies were lost because of the false teaching of total depravity. The error was taught that a person was born a sinner. That meant that babies were lost spiritually from birth. Infants were doomed at birth if ‘unbaptized.’ The dogma goes onto teach that a person was eternally lost or eternally saved as God elected them regardless of their faith. This made man a mere toy in the hands of his Maker.

“Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” [Mark 10:14]

III. THE MYSTICAL conception of conversion. Calvinistic theory teaches that every conversion had to have ‘miraculous accompaniments,’ such as a dream, vision or some other sort of mystical occurrence. It can be easily seen that this mystical theory of conversion appealed only to people who were temperamentally emotional.

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” [Acts 8:35-36]

  1. NEGLECTING BIBLE STUDY. Strange as it is to say, but Protestants knew very little about the bible. JD Tant, a Presbyterian preacher before becoming a Christian, was criticized for using too many scriptures in his sermons. The protestants had effectively hidden the scriptures behind their speculations as did the Roman Catholic church did with her traditions. The average denominational exhorter would more likely send you to the Psalms of David or Jeremiah to find out what to do to be saved over the book of Acts.

“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” [Acts 22:16]

  1. RAMPANT SECTARIANISM. Not only were they ignoring the Lord’s prayer for unity, they were defending denominationalism. The arguments were that denominations were needed to suit the style preferences of the people. They became blind to the theological mess their reasoning had created.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” [1Cor 1:10]

  1. RELIGIOUS STAGNATION and a widespread decline of morals. Perhaps because of the aforementioned problems in denominational religion, the world grew skeptical and attacks against the bible and against the Christian faith increased. Skepticism was seen in the colleges & universities of the United States and the spread of irreligious activity was enhanced. Public morals dropped, intemperance, gambling and even debauchery prevailed to an alarming degree, even among their own clergy.

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up,” [1Cor 5:1-2a]

WHAT WAS THE SOLUTION?

The pioneers of the RESTORATION movement stood on plain & simple high ground, the word of God.

  • “Where the scriptures speak, we speak; where the scriptures are silent, we are silent.”
  • They opposed anything that could not be supported with the Authority of Christ.
  • They rejected all sectarian names and creeds. During a debate over creeds, they petitioned an unbiased Frenchman who had heard the entire debate to decide who was right. The Frenchman asked the man with the New Testament who made his creed. “Jesus Christ” was the answer. Turning to the man debating for a creed he asked the same question. The creed holder said, “it was adopted in the city of Philadelphia, in the year 1742.” The Frenchman said, “Very well gentlemen, that is enough. If you follow your creed, Mr. Christian, when you die, it will take you to Jesus Christ. Follow yours, Mr. Baptist, and when you die, you will go to Philadelphia.”
  • “Nothing ought to be received into the faith or worship of the church, or be made a term of communion among Christians, that is not as old as the New Testament.”

The ‘pioneers’ of that day were only coming to the truth that many others had already been practicing in this country. Whenever someone takes the seed of the Kingdom, the word of God [Matt 13:19] and understands it, they too can become just a CHRISTIAN when they obey the Gospel of Christ.

References: adapted from, “Sermon Outlines on The Restoration Plea” by C.C. Crawford, 1927 second edition 1956.