The Calvinist Delusion: No Other Theology Has so Precisely Fit the Devil’S Deceptive, Destructive Agenda, and Deluded so Many Christians for so Long.

By Ron Craig

Each of my books has gotten more intense than the previous one. This is my third volume dealing with the general subject of Calvinism. In this book, I go into great detail on many of John Calvins ultra-deceptive doctrines, most of which have been accepted in many church circles as actual truth. However, far from being faithful to Gods inspired Word, Satan uses Calvins theology as a powerful tool to deceive and destroy Calvins naive followers. This book is filled with clear biblical evidence that Calvinism is a mere delusion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524554071

Ron Craig

I was called into the Gospel ministry in 1970, at the age of 25. I got a Bachelor of Arts degree and then attended a Charismatic Bible School. For twenty years now, I have been a home-church pastor, and have published 9 Christian books; and plan to keep writing. I also have two YouTube video channels, presenting more Bible-revelation truth.

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Copyright © 2016 by Ron Craig.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016917807

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-5245-5409-5

               Softcover       978-1-5245-5408-8

               eBook            978-1-5245-5407-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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In this book, all Scripture passages quoted by its author are basically the King James Bible Version, with some words updated for better understanding. [Bracketed words] within the quotes of the Bible and the work of one other author are this author’s explanations of words and phrases within both Scripture and that other work; making quoted material more understandable. Within both Scripture and that other work, words in italics or all CAPITALS are this author’s emphases. Certain author words also appear in italics or all CAPITALS. Quotes from both Scripture and that other author are from the WORDsearch digital library, and are used by permission. That other work is John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. Each quote from Calvin’s Institutes is identified at the end of each quote in this form: (3, 10, 7). That identifies one of the four books making up the Institutes, the chapter number, and section number, each quote is taken from.

On the church website, you can view other books by this author, as well as listen to audio podcasts by the same. The website is www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. Visit us!

Rev. date: 12/28/2016

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CONTENTS

What is this all about?

I God did NOT plan for Adam to sin and fall!

II Calvin’s perverted predestination doctrine

III Arbitrary selection and rejection?

IV God’s secret counsel?

V Add not to, or take away from, God’s Word!

VI Use many examples, few, or none?

VII God has never ceased working miracles!

VIII The devil’s real origin and purpose

IX Was God’s Word always God’s Son?

X Christians to approach God as suppliants?

XI Are Christians still sinners?

XII Are most blessings reserved for a future life?

XIII Are our trials God’s will or Satan’s will?

XIV Are our sins just covered, or taken away?

XV Is Irresistible Grace a Bible doctrine?

XVI Is the believer’s salvation guaranteed?

XVII Miscellaneous bizarre Calvinist doctrines

XVIII Time for Calvinism’s funeral!

XIX Replacement Theology

Afterthoughts

Acknowledgments

I acknowledge first of all Jesus Christ, Who is my Lord, and Who has given me the revelations contained within this volume. I also want to express thanks to my wife and all the other members of Living Way Fellowship for their sustained patience and support of this Gospel ministry in all its facets, including podcast and book publishing. Of course, I want to thank my son Brian Craig for setting up my computers and helping me learn how to operate them. Finally, I am grateful to my granddaughter Linley for taking the photograph of me on the back cover. May this work honor all of you!

What is this all about?

"Being the good Calvinist that I am,…" said the Christian Talk Radio host to his guest and his radio audience. I do not remember the issue being discussed on that radio program, but the first words of the host’s comment rang out loud and clear. Being at that time in the process of writing my second book exposing the deceptiveness of Calvinism, my ears were attuned to anything that proved the widespread influence of Calvinism. Nearly everywhere I go nowadays, I hear Calvin’s demonic doctrines escaping the lips of believers. That man’s doctrines have infiltrated literally every denomination! Even members of some churches that look unfavorably on Calvin himself push portions of his theology without realizing they are parroting him. Many believers are totally unaware of the demonic origin of some of their most cherished beliefs. They think everything taught and sanctioned in their churches and denominations has to be correct—no questions asked!

Many Christians today are actually church-trained not to think for themselves. Many denominational church leaders discourage believers from thinking it necessary to check out what their pastor or other church leaders believe and teach. No loyal church member would dare believe that their pastor might lead them into error, so they keep a tight religious lip.

Everybody in the world system wants to be part of the in-crowd. Everybody in the church system hopes they are in the right denomination. Which is why many boast of being good Calvinists; or, members of some other brand of Christianity. All such religious boasting is somehow connected to Satan.

What is this book all about? It is about revealing the true nature of Calvinism, so that the reader will wonder why any believer would actually call him or herself a good Calvinist! I am convinced most church members making such a claim are actually unaware of the true nature of the theology of which they boast. If they realized the demonic nature of Calvinism, they would avoid it like the plague; which it actually is! They must think that believing in predestination makes them good Calvinists. That is, believing in predestination is believing in Calvinism. People not believing in Calvinism do not believe in predestination. That illustrates my earlier comment that most believers are church-trained not to think for themselves. That old saying, "Where they lead me I will follow, what they feed me I will swallow," describes many a church member today. Honest Bible study will prove beyond doubt that what John Calvin taught regarding predestination is nowhere near what the Bible teaches about it. As MORE believers become aware of the evil nature of Calvinism, FEWER will brag about being good Calvinists. They will be embarrassed they are involved!

Ironically, the very divine quality which Calvin worked so diligently to keep intact he actually brought reproach upon. His concern for God’s glory in a nutshell: "The great thing to be attended to is, that God’s glory be maintained entire, and unimpaired." (3, 13, 2) Preoccupied with God’s glory, Calvin disdained any who might threaten it—As if God’s glory could actually be damaged! In men’s minds, God’s reputation may indeed be maligned, but no one can actually touch His glory. His glory is just as immutable as He is. However, in his zeal to protect God’s glory, Calvin misrepresented and tarnished God’s untarnishable glory in the eyes of many. Unforgivable!

John Calvin’s foundational misrepresentation of God was his unscriptural contention that our Creator secretly planned that Adam would fall. He attempted to promote that demonic falsehood by appealing to God’s so-called secret will. No one could prove Calvin wrong if it were God’s secret counsel that had planned and pulled off such a dastardly deed. Although that dark doctrine has been challenged at times by different scholars over the past five centuries, it is obvious that none have successfully eradicated that satanic lie. So, I must!

Chapter One

God did NOT plan for Adam to sin and fall!

How would you evaluate some homebuilder, who decided to design and build the perfect home for himself, constructing it with painstaking labor, using the highest quality materials, trimming it out with the most precious components available; then turning on that masterpiece and demolishing it? Having planned that he would perpetrate such for his glory, the man salvaged certain of the broken pieces of that costly wreckage to use in rebuilding a smaller edifice for himself; burning the leftover pieces with a vengeance. He being owner and arbiter of material and workmanship, his action must be considered right by both what he saved, and what he burned. Whatever his personal motive for such a deed, nobody may charge him with any wrongdoing. It was right just because he willed it!

Although that might not be a perfect illustration of what John Calvin taught about our Creator and His creation, it is close enough to get the message across to honest folks.

Referring obviously to people who opposed John Calvin’s doctrines while he was developing his theology, Calvin said: "They deny that it is ever SAID [In Scripture?] IN DISTINCT TERMS, that GOD DECREED that Adam should perish by his revolt. As if the same God, who is declared in Scripture to do whatever he pleases [How might that prove God decreed the fall of Adam?], would have made the noblest of His creatures without any special purpose. [Such as sinning against God?]

They say that in accordance with free-will, [Adam] was to be the architect of his own fortune [act by his free will]; that God had decreed nothing, except to treat Adam according to his desert. If this FRIGID FICTION is received, [then] WHERE WILL BE THE OMNIPOTENCE of God, by which, according to his SECRET COUNSEL, upon which everything depends, God rules over all?" (3, 23, 7) The Calvinist lie that started it all!

Notice in that quote from Calvin’s Institutes the suspicious absence of Scripture passages Calvin said teach in DISTINCT TERMS that the Creator preplanned Adam’s fall. Why did he not just overwhelm us with those unquestionable references? Was Calvin so sure of his doctrinal position that he perceived no need to mention them? Or, do they simply not exist?

Moreover, how dare he accuse his theological opponents of clinging to a FRIGID FICTION, when Calvin offered not one Scripture passage in support of that demonic doctrine? What determines if some theological doctrine is fictitious, or real? Doctrines based on plenty of supporting Scriptures are real. Those based on no Scripture at all (Calvin’s) are fictitious.

Furthermore, where in the Bible is there even a hint that Adam’s fall was somehow connected to God’s omnipotence? Obviously, Calvin’s heretical concept that Deity orchestrates every occurrence in the angelic, human, and material realms forced him to believe and teach that God was behind Adam’s fall as well as all other events. Calvinism is a mere delusion: Satan’s greatest stroke of evil genius! Why do so many pride themselves in being good Calvinists? It boggles the mind!

Calvin’s erroneous concept concerning God’s omnipotence became the foundation of his entire doctrinal monstrosity. We can see such in that first quote from his Institutes. Convinced that every human event occurs because Deity’s omnipotence planned such, and makes sure such occurs, Calvin assumed that Adam’s fall had to have been planned, and perpetrated, by God’s omnipotence. What Deity had willed had to occur! If Divine Omnipotence was not the reason for Adam’s fall, God must not be omnipotent after all. That is Calvinism; not Bible. Not even one Scripture backs even one tenet of Calvinism!

Remember, Calvin asked that if God had not been behind Adam’s fall, "WHERE WILL BE THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD, by which, according to HIS SECRET COUNSEL, upon which everything depends, He [God] rules over all?" Obviously, the reason Calvin felt no pressure to offer Scripture passages for that dark doctrine was that he believed God had predestined Adam’s tragic demise by His SECRET will. That SECRET will would NOT be recorded in Scripture because it was SECRET. What a convenient excuse for Calvin. And what a camouflage for Satan to use to hide his destructive agenda. Inexcusable!

Calvin providing no Scripture passages corroborating that claim, yet insisting that it WAS supported by Scripture, what argument did he use to prove his theological point? The man literally wrung his doctrines out of other Scripture passages by distorting them, then read back into Adam’s history what he had supposedly established through such passages. That practice was one of John Calvin’s secret realm resources.

(To make sure I get my point across, I reiterate that John Calvin said that Adam’s fall was proof of God’s omnipotence; Deity having secretly planned Adam’s fall before creation.)

Lest any reader suspect that I am putting words in John Calvin’s mouth, let us consider yet more tell-tale words that proceeded out of Calvin’s mouth. "Whether they will allow it or not, predestination is manifest in Adam’s posterity. It was not owing to nature that they all lost salvation by the fault of one parent [Adam]. Why should they [my opposers] refuse to admit, with regard to one man, that which against their will they [will] admit with regard to the whole human race? Why should they in caviling [arguing] lose their labour? Scripture proclaims that all were in the person of one made liable unto eternal death. As this cannot be ascribed to nature, it is plain that it is owing to the WONDERFUL COUNSEL OF GOD [?]. It is very absurd in all those worthy defenders of the justice of God to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel [Calvin himself swallowed many theological camels in his time!]. Again I ask how Adam’s fall involved so many nations, even their infant children, in eternal death, and that without remedy, UNLESS IT SEEMED PROPER TO GOD?" (3, 23, 7) CANNOT be true!

"Here the most loquacious [excessively talkative] tongues must be dumb. The decree, I admit, is dreadful; and yet it is impossible to deny that Deity foreknew what the end of man would be BEFORE he made him, and FOREKNEW BECAUSE HE HAD SO ORDAINED BY HIS DECREE [that Adam would fall]." (3, 23, 7) ZERO proof of that falsehood in Scripture!

Calvin continued his case regarding Adam’s planned fall, stating: "If there is any just or plausible complaint, it must be directed against predestination [Calvin’s theoretical brand of predestination, not Bible predestination]. Nor should it seem absurd when I say, that God not only foresaw the fall of that first man, and in him the ruin of [all of] his posterity; but also AT HIS OWN PLEASURE ARRANGED IT. For, as it belongs to his wisdom to foreknow all future events, so it belongs to his power to rule, and govern them, by his hand. This question, like all others, is SKILLFULLY EXPLAINED by Augustine." (3, 23, 7) Calvin appealed to Augustine as much as he did to the Bible. Augustine’s words often even overshadowed the Bible!

Anytime John Calvin appealed to Augustine’s SKILLFUL EXPLANATION of some Calvinist doctrine, you know you are about to be fed another demonic lie. Scripture is much easier to understand WITHOUT John Calvin’s and Augustine’s help! The purpose of this book is not so much to enable people to comprehend Scripture as it is to expose the demonic nature of John Calvin’s erroneous theology. The Holy Spirit Himself is our True Teacher—Neither John Calvin, Augustine, nor I. My part is providing Scripture. The Holy Spirit’s part, helping seekers to understand it. Theirs, to desire to understand it.

Read what had been "…skillfully explained by Augustine: Let us [all] confess with the greatest benefit what we believe with the greatest truth, that, the God and Lord of all things, Who made all things very good, both foreknew that EVIL was to ARISE out of good, and, knew that it belonged to His most omnipotent goodness TO BRING GOOD OUT OF EVIL, rather than not permit evil to be, and, so ordained the life of angels and men [so] as to [reveal] in it, first, what free-will could do [angels and people sinning]; and second, what the benefit of His grace and His righteous judgments could do." (3, 23, 7)

It is easier to understand Scripture than Augustine! That is because Augustine’s skillful explanation was nothing more than an outrageous lie—Claiming that DEITY BRINGS GOOD OUT OF EVIL. While many might be persuaded by his words, according to Romans 3:8, Augustine fed us a falsehood. (Yet, Calvin claimed that was true just because Augustine said it!) In Romans 3:8, Paul referred to what people had said about his Gospel message: "(As we are slanderously reported, and, as some affirm that we [I] say,) ‘Let us do evil, that good may come’…whose condemnation is just." Paul made it very clear in that verse that claiming good comes out of evil is slander. Therefore, John Calvin and Augustine slandered the Creator. Thus, both John Calvin and Augustine subjected themselves to condemnation by teaching such heresy. Should we believe their demonic lies, or the truth? Their word, or God’s Word?

In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is to be established. Isaiah 5:20 is an additional witness: "Woe unto them that call evil good [just what Calvin did], and good evil [flip side of that coin]; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" How can it be any plainer? This is Bible evidence of Calvin’s and Augustine’s DISHONESTY, HERESY and BLASPHEMY!

(Quoting from, and agreeing with, another author of that day, Calvin, offering comfort (?) to all of the elect said: "…in a wondrous manner, not only their good but their bad qualities work together for good. (3, 24, 4) Both Calvin and the other author obviously had in mind Romans 8:28, which does say …all things work together for good…" However, those things that work together for good do NOT include what Satan does; or people; just the Holy Spirit. Read that in context. Nothing is recorded there about the devil’s activities. Neither does the passage mention people’s BAD qualities. Again, note that the apostle Paul did not specify both good AND BAD qualities of people (us or others), but Holy Spirit actions. Instead of God bringing good out of our bad qualities, He destroyed our bad qualities in Christ on the cross. He then raised us up to walk in newness of life in Christ. In Christ we died to sin and bad qualities. That is the Gospel; the very opposite of Calvinism! Calvin linked bad qualities, good qualities, everything to the omnipotence of God. Something Scripture does NOT do.)

Augustine’s skillful explanation continued: "Though their [those God arbitrarily designated sinners] perdition depends on the predestination of Deity, the cause and matter of it is in themselves. [If their perdition was predestined by God, THEY CANNOT BE THE CAUSE of their perdition; predestination is! Augustine and Calvin had the habit of making up their own rules of Bible interpretation. However, Deity did not send His Word to be interpreted, but, to be obeyed. Bible interpretation being neither needed, nor permitted, such means Augustine’s and Calvin’s interpretations were false. Augustine continues his skillful explanation.] THAT FIRST MAN FELL, BECAUSE THE LORD DEEMED IT MEET [OR PROPER] THAT ADAM SHOULD: WHY GOD DEEMED IT PROPER WE KNOW NOT. [He knew WHAT had occurred, but not WHY it had occurred; neither being revealed in the Bible. Suspicious! Why has the church at large accepted as true Calvin’s theology, which is obviously a falsehood?] It is certain, however, that it [Deity’s predestination of Adam’s fall] was just [right—Refer back to that homebuilder illustration.], because [Deity] saw that his own GLORY would thereby be displayed. [How could Adam’s fall possibly GLORIFY his Creator?] When we hear the glory of God mentioned, understand that His JUSTICE is included. For, that which deserves praise has to be JUST [righteous]. ADAM THEREFORE FALLS [with] DIVINE PROVIDENCE SO ORDAINING [such tragedy. Therefore, it must be considered JUST, because God had ordained it (?).], BUT, ADAM FALLS BY HIS OWN FAULT. [God predetermined Adam’s fall, but it was Adam’s own fault? Augustine’s argument!] Deity had a little before declared that all things which he had made were very good (Genesis 1:31)." (3, 23, 8) Augustine’s explanation of Adam’s fall supposedly relieved God of all guilt. But, how could Deity Himself not be guilty of some crime (sin) He had ARRANGED for Adam to commit? That defies common sense!

Next, look at John Calvin’s skillful explanation: "Why He [Adam’s Creator] did not sustain him [Adam] by the virtue of perseverance is HIDDEN IN HIS COUNSEL; it is ours to keep within the bounds of soberness." Which means we better not question Calvin’s theology; which he somehow discovered in some secret realm. Although it appears nowhere in Scripture, Calvin expected us to take HIS WORD for it. Hypocrite!

See if you can figure out this wisdom from John Calvin: "Man [Adam] had received the power, if he had the will, but, he had not the will, which would have given him the power; for this will would have been followed by perseverance. Still, after he [Adam] had received [from God] so much [So much what?], there is no excuse for [Adam] having spontaneously [?] brought death upon himself [by his sin]. No necessity was laid upon God to give him more than that intermediate, and even transient, will, THAT OUT OF MAN’S FALL HE MIGHT EXTRACT MATERIALS FOR HIS OWN GLORY [?]." (1, 15, 8)

No one in their RIGHT MIND can believe that God planned that Adam would fall, then withheld His grace from Adam so he could not keep from falling! However, Calvin believed that to the point that he brazenly preached it; then lambasted all who challenged his theology. Therefore, JOHN CALVIN WAS NOT IN HIS RIGHT MIND. The man was thoroughly deluded!

Again, remember my homebuilder illustration. I think you will see the absurdity of Calvin’s and Augustine’s arguments about God deliberately trashing His crowning creation (man), in order TO EXTRACT MATERIALS FOR HIS GLORY! Calvin’s theology makes God look like either a fool, or a monster. That omnipotent Deity could have used His omnipotence to assure that His creatures both started out good, and remained good. Such would surely have provided Him much more glory than planning that His creation would rebel, and become lost; and then salvaging only a remnant of the wreckage by arbitrarily redeeming them, while deliberately withholding all salvation benefits from everyone else, destroying them with eternal fire as payment for rebelling, who had no choice but to fulfill His arbitrary plan for them! Where did Calvin find that theology? Not in the Bible, but in the secret counsel of God, which is not recorded in the Bible. Calvin fell victim to demonic doctrines mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:1; then victimized many others by those same delusions. GOD DID NOT PLAN ADAM’S FALL!

Additional demonic falsehoods from Calvin’s pen: "Let no one here clamor that Deity might have provided better for our safety by preventing Adam’s fall. This objection, which, from the daring presumption implied in that objection, is odious to every pious mind, [because] it [such objection] relates to the mystery of predestination." (2, 1, 10) Avoiding the real issue!

Calvin considered it ODIOUS (detestable) to pious (sacred) minds to express opposition to his theology, for that would be the same as attacking Scripture. ANY opposition would be an affront to God, because it questions predestination. However, Calvinism is the actual affront to God, because it blasphemes Him. Calvin’s predestination THEORY bears NO resemblance to real Bible predestination. Our Creator is not the capricious monster Calvin made Him out to be. Calvin was the monster!

Shall we continue? There is no lack of material recorded in John Calvin’s own writings. His Institutes of the Christian Religion is a full thousand pages. In this book, I am covering only the essentials of Calvin’s blasphemous theology. While I do not desire to overwhelm the reader with information, I do have to present enough material to adequately portray John Calvin’s theology for what it is—A satanic delusion! Calvin’s theology repudiates Bible revelation, his doctrines being built upon some supposed secret counsel of God. Such information being secret (not appearing in Scripture), no one could prove Calvin to be in error. However, neither could he prove that he was right, except by appealing to some source of knowledge nobody else had access to, then intimidating all opposers by claiming that by attacking him they were attacking the Bible.

Once again, lest the reader believe I am putting words in Calvin’s mouth, let us consider some more words coming out of his mouth. Appealing again to Augustine, Calvin stated: "I say with Augustine, that the Lord has created those who, as he certainly foreknew, were to go to destruction, and, he did so because he so willed. Why God willed it is not ours to ask, as we cannot comprehend, nor can it become us even to raise a controversy as to the JUSTICE of the divine will. [Why were Augustine and John Calvin privileged to know the WHAT of God’s ARBITRARY will, whereas, it is neither religiously nor politically correct for anybody to ask the WHY of God’s will?] Whenever we speak of [God’s divine mysterious will], we are speaking of the supreme standard of justice." (3, 23, 5) How could God predestining some to be lost, and then punishing them for being lost, be called JUSTICE? Surely, you see the devil lurking behind that SUSPICIOUS theological argument! How can any INTELLIGENT person believe in Calvinism?

Calvin brazenly contended that Deity predestined some to go to hell and suffer forever for no other reason than His own pre-creation arbitrary decision concerning the eternal destiny of those unlucky reprobates. Moreover, Calvin said that their suffering is to bring glory to Deity, thereby demonstrating His omnipotence. Calvin said Scripture actually teaches such, as the next quote from Calvin’s Institutes reveals: "The Lord has made all things for himself; yea, even the wicked for the day of evil (Proverbs 16:4). Now [because] the arrangement of all things is in the hand of God, [and,] since to him belongs the disposal of both life and death, he arranges all things by his sovereign counsel, in such a way, that individuals are born, who are doomed from the womb, to certain death, and are to glorify him by their destruction." (3, 23, 6) Sick! Sick! Sick!

In Proverbs 16:4, the Hebrew word translated made does not mean to create, but, to work with what has already been created. Comparing Proverbs 16:4 with the rest of the Bible, which Calvin obviously did not do, we learn that God meant His sovereignty will see to it every creature will ultimately fit His ultimate plan. He did not preplan the demise of anyone, but will hold EACH creature accountable, and will eventually bring ALL into judgment. Even His punishment of the wicked will fit His ultimate plan for creation. Proverbs 16:4 does not teach that the Creator created certain human beings wicked so their punishment will bring Him glory. He will be glorified by seeing to it that no creature will thwart His ultimate plan! The