Calvinism, masculinity and niceness
In some ways, this isn’t really about Calvinism. That’s just how the conversation started. It’s about Christianity abandoning masculinity, and thus replacing love with niceness.
Why are some not drawn?
A cautious response to a difficult question.
Love is love
Even in the secular world, not all love is good—and in Christianity, love of evil entails hatred of God.
What is love? Part 6: revisiting the standard definition
What does it mean that God is love, that he loves us, and that we are to love him? In part 6, I return to the broader definition of love, to demonstrate how to presupposes onetogetherness, but also points us to other biblical concepts.
The rod in Proverbs is not metaphorical
It is increasingly fashionable to argue that corporal punishment is uncivilized and out of step with a God of love. It’s not, and it isn’t.
What is love? Part 5: the nature of our love for enemies
What does it mean that God is love, that he loves us, and that we are to love him? In part 5, I consider what loving our enemies means in light of onetogetherness, and whether it entails pacifism as some Christians think.
What is love? Part 4: the nature of our love for God and neighbor
What does it mean that God is love, that he loves us, and that we are to love him? In part 4, I move into examining what God means when he commands us to love him, and each other, in light of love as onetogetherness.
What is love? Part 3: the nature of God’s love toward us
What does it mean that God is love, that he loves us, and that we are to love him? In part 3, I delve into the notion of triune love as “onetogetherness”, and what it therefore means when God says he loves us.
What is love? Part 2: the nature of triune love
What does it mean that God is love, that he loves us, and that we are to love him? In part 2, I sketch out some of the important characteristics of God’s love.
What is love? Part 1: how to find the right answer
What does it mean that God is love, that he loves us, and that we are to love him? In part 1, I explain how we should approach this question, and why.
How Arminian groupies betray their theology
Tut tut.
The incoherent love of Jerry Walls
An example of the muddled thinking about God’s love that passes for good theology in some circles.
The Molinist/Arminian ideal of fatherhood
If God is the “author” of sin under Calvinism, what does that make him under Molinism/Arminianism?
Is Roger Olson actually a Calvinist double agent?
It almost seems more plausible than thinking that such a theological lightweight could become so popular.
Does God hate the sin but love the sinner?
A response to Stuart’s assertion that God’s wrath and hatred is exclusively reserved for sins, rather than sinners.
A simple argument against God’s universal salvific intent
A basic argument, with commentary, in favor of the Calvinist view of election, and against the view that God purposes to save all people without exception.
God and goodness: a second reply to Victor Reppert
Victor has posted a further response in our ongoing discussion regarding the nature of good as presented in the Bible, and how it compares to our moral intuitions. I invite you to read it in full; it is not very long. I will quote only pertinent segments here. The gist is that (I) Scripture only indirectly addresses the question in which we are interested (is predestination good?); (II) it is only authoritative once we already believe in an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent God, so a preexisting conception of goodness is logically necessary to belief in the Christian God; and (III) it is unclear the extent to which we can get precise meaning out of Scripture via historical-grammatical analysis.
God and goodness: a reply to Victor Reppert
A couple of weeks ago, Victor Reppert posted an argument against compatibilism, and invited a general critique. This argument looks as follows (I’m paraphrasing since Victor’s original formulation had some typos):
1. If compatibilism is true, then God could have created the world in such a way that everyone freely does what is right.
2. If God is omnipotent and perfectly good, then, were it possible, he would have created the world in such a way that everyone freely does what is right.
3. But God did not create the world in such a way that everyone freely does what is right.
4. Therefore, compatiblism is false.
Does God desire the salvation of all?
This article is the culmination of some discussion with hyper-Calvinist Ron Di Giacomo on the nature of God’s intentions towards the reprobate. In it, I argue that there is a sense in which God desires all people without exception to be saved, even though he has determined that he will only save his elect.
God Is Love
One of the blogs to which I subscribe is ‘The Reformed Baptist Thinker’, who recently posted an article entitled ‘Bishop Carlton Pearson, “The Way I See It”‘. Briefly described is the announcement by this Pentecostal bishop that no one goes to hell. In his own words, In reality, hell is not such an intention of […]