And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48 KJV)
Calvinism:
No Calvinist can walk up to an unsaved person and say “Jesus died for your sins.”
Jesus, according to the Calvinist, died for the elect. They may not be one of the elect.
The Calvinist holds that God has elected certain individuals to eternal life, and all the means and conditions thereof, on the ground of his sovereign good pleasure. He chooses them to faith and repentance, and not because of their faith and repentance
Archibald Alexander Hodge, A Commentary on the Confession of Faith: With Questions for Theological Students and Bible Classes (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School Work, 1869), 101–102.
Here is the opposite:
Not one statement in all these passages [on ordination] teaches that God or man’s will is arbitrary in any plan for others who were appointed. God has ordained that all who believe will receive eternal life. He has ordained that there be human governments but He does not force men to have them or He does not directly impose His will in every detail of human governments
Finis Jennings Dake, God’s Plan for Man, n.d., 616.
Choice Quotations:
"Calvinism is hard-pressed to account for sin and evil in a way that is morally plausible. For if God determines everything that happens, then it is hard to see why there is so much sin and evil in the world and why God is not responsible for it."
— Jerry L. Walls, "Why I Am Not a Calvinist"
“God sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil. When he chooses to do evil, he does not thereby countervail the sovereign will of God but fulfills it, inasmuch as the eternal decree decided not which choice the man should make but that he should be free to make it. If in His absolute freedom God has willed to give man limited freedom, who is there to stay His hand or say, 'What doest thou?' Man’s will is free because God is sovereign. A God less than sovereign could not bestow moral freedom upon His creatures. He would be afraid to do so.”
― A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
Problematic Quotations:
"I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else." [C.H. Spurgeon]
"God is the ultimate cause of all things... God foreordains everything that comes to pass, including all sin and all evil." [John Piper]
"God not only foresaw the fall of the first man, and in it the ruin of his posterity; but it was his own will to arrange it... [Some] are pre-ordained to eternal death... from their mother's womb, [they] are born devoted to certain death, that his name may be glorified in their destruction."[John Calvin]
What does this passage indicate if ordination is not before the foundation of the world?
These “God fearers” would have been saved in the old dispensation of conscience.
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, (Rom. 2:6-8 KJV)
NIV (1984):
Romans 2:7
7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
For there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) (Rom. 2:11-15 KJV)
This is illustrated by Cornelius’ salvation:
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (Acts 10:1-4 KJV)
• Compare with Acts 10:35-
But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. (Acts 10:35 KJV)
• God’s operation in this age: Acts 11:14
Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. (Acts 11:14 KJV)
In this age of grace if a man follows his conscience it will condemn him.
The Holy Spirit will point to his need of Christ
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (Jn. 15:26-27 KJV)
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (Jn. 16:8-11 KJV)
How do we know that the Gentiles of Antioch were not predestined before the Foundation of the World in Genesis 1:1?
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46)
It is an act of free-will. They chose to reject Jesus as the promised Messiah.
And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. (Acts 13:49)
This book, the Bible, is the Living word of the Living God.
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. (Acts 13:50 KJV)
The results of preaching in Pisidian Antioch:
And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. (Acts 14:19-20 KJV)
Read 2 Corinthians 12
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. (2 Cor. 12:2-5 KJV)
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. (Acts 13:51 KJV)
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. (Matt. 10:14 KJV)
This is an element of the Gospel of the Kingdom
Luke 10:1–16 (KJV 1900)
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. 7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. 15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. 16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
