Chuck
Smith Attacks Calvinism, Even Calls it Almost Demonic!
Please listen to the following by Chuck Smith, his belief on Calvinism. The following was taken from a Calvary Chapel radio program.
calvinism_almost_demonic_chuck_smith.mp3 Listen to James White’s response to Chuck Smith.http://www.sounddoctrine.net/Feedback/james_white_corrects_chuck_smith.mp3 Please send your feed back to sounddoctrine@gmail.com
It is amazing how a senior pastor of Calvary Chapel, hates and attacks Calvinism, and have a twisted knowledge on reform doctrine. How we need to be like the Bereans. When they heard apostle Paul preaching they did not just believe Paul although he was an apostle but searched the scriptures to see what Paul was telling the truth. Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. How many people listening to Chuck would simply believe what ever he says because he is Chuck Smith. Christians wake up! The final authority is the BIBLE, not emotions, feelings, stories, but scripture. If the scripture says something, which is against our notion and our will, then we are wrong and the word of God is right. We are to test everyone in the light of scripture. We have nothing against Chuck Smith personally. However, we are to test all things, including Chuck Smith. When it comes to Calvinism, Chuck WRONG. He is ignorant in Church history.
Chuck Smith said, Calvinists cannot
convert the lost. What he means to say
is Calvinists cannot evangelize.
This is not true. True Calvinists are always obedient to the Great Commission. We do not know the elect but we are to preach the gospel to all nations, to the lost. Our goal is to convert the lost souls to the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of the greatest Evangelists were Calvinists. George Whitefield was one of the greatest evangelist’s who ever lived. He was a Calvinist. The following is a small portion from Wikipedia the online Encyclopedia. You can check yourself.
“Whitefield preached his first sermon
in the Crypt Church in his home town of Gloucester. In 1738, he went to
America, becoming parish priest of Savannah, Georgia. Returning home in the
following year, he resumed his evangelistic activities, with open-air homilies
when other denominations' churches refused to admit him.
He parted company with Wesley over the
doctrine of predestination; Whitefield
was a follower of Calvin in this respect. (Wikipedia the online
Encyclopedia)
Charles Spurgeon is called the prince
of preachers, one of the greatest preachers who ever lived next to the
apostles. He was a soul winner, a Calvinist.
Check for yourself in Spurgeon’s sermons. www.spurgeon.org
Jonathan Edwards was a Calvinist. He
was the greatest American theologian. Jonathan Edwards like other Calvinists
preached to the Christians and to the lost, he preached that very famous
sermon, “Sinners at the hands of an angry God.” Edwards a strong Calvinist and a soul winner.
William Carey was a Calvinist. He had a
passion to convert the lost and went to India as a missionary, he was in India
for 58 years witnessing and making disciples and he never came back. He was
called the father of the protestant missions.
John Bunyan who wrote Pilgrims Progress
was a Calvinist. John Newton who wrote “Amazing Grace” was a Calvinist. Some of
the other great Calvinist missionaries were David Brainerd, John G. Paton,
Henry Martyn and a host of others. Then how can Chuck Smith say that Calvinists
cannot convert the lost? Chuck Smith
the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel movement, the founder of Calvary Chapel is
very ignorant of Church History!
Whatever Chuck says all the other Calvary Chapel pastors believe. This
is extremely sad.
Chuck Smith said, “Calvin in his Five
Points.”
Again, we see the ignorance of Church
History. John Calvin never founded the “Five Points.” It was in later years
after Calvin’s death, the five points were made but it was not the Calvinists
who made the five points first but the Arminians. The Arminians made their five
points first. In November 13, 1618, 39
pastors, 18 ruling elders, 5 professors and 19 delegates were invited to settle
this issue at Synod of Dort. It lasted for seven months. What was the result?
Arminianism was unanimously rejected and condemned. The five theological points
of Calvinism were formulated to answer the five points of Arminianism.
Chuck Smith said, Calvinism is almost
demonic!
Chuck has gone too extreme here; it is sickening to the stomach to hear a respected pastor’s comments on Calvinism. Who was responsible for the Protestant Reformation?
The
protestant Reformer Martin Luther said Martin
Luther said, "It is not
irreligious, idle, or superfluous, but in the highest degree wholesome and
necessary, for a Christian to know whether or not his will has anything to do
in matters pertaining to salvation. Indeed, let me tell you, this is the hinge
on which our discussion turns, the crucial issue between us; our aim is,
simply, to investigate what ability "free will" has, in what
respect it is the subject of Divine action and how it stands related to the
grace of God.
If we know
nothing of these things, we shall know nothing whatsoever of Christianity, and
shall be in worse case than any people on earth! He who dissents from that
statement should acknowledge that he is no Christian; and he who ridicules or
derides it should realize that he is the Christian's chief foe"
(The
Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther)
Who is John
Calvin?
The dominant figure of the Protestant
Reformation was John Calvin. The Protestants were persecuted and Geneva
Switzerland became a haven of refuge to Protestants. Almost the whole city came
to hear the Word of God. On Sundays, there were services at daybreak, noon and
afternoon, and there were services on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In addition
17 sermons a week in a city of 13,000 people! Luther came and completed solid
new structure resting on the Word of God. The completion of the building,
however, was left to John Calvin, a master theologian. He did not compromise
the Word of God, what scripture taught Calvin believed. Students came from all
over the world to listen to his lectures. About two or three years before he
died Calvin became very sick. His friends advised him to rest in his labors.
However, Calvin replied to them, “Do you want the Lord to find me idle?”
If Calvinism
is almost Demonic, Spurgeon, Bunyan, Jonathan Edwards, William Carey, George
Whitefield, John Owen and all the great Reformers, the Puritans who brought
Christianity to America believed in an almost Demonic religion?
Check the
following link
“Nothing
in my hands I bring,
Simply
to thy cross I cling;
Naked
come to Thee for dress;
Helpless
look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.”
(From the Hymn: ʺRock of Ages written by a Calvinist A.M.Toplady
1740-78)
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