There are millions of Christians who embrace the doctrine of John Calvin. The French theologian became famous for the Christian doctrine that bears his name. It all occurred in the 1500’s.
The theology finds itself in conflict with many Christians. The popularity of Calvinism is found mostly in the western world. Europe and North America specifically.
It is a doctrine that is not without conflict. Many believers take issue with Calvinism. I’ve noticed that some find it convenient to argue opposing views of John Calvin on various social media platforms.
I try to stay clear of those discussions. I have wondered if it is useful.
What I believe
My personal views run with the Charismatics. If there are various streams in the body of Christ, I swim where the gifts of the Spirit operate. That includes healing, deliverance, prophecy, and tongues.
When you know what I believe, you’ll understand how I arrived at what I am suggesting.
Where did John Calvin get his revelation?
It’s an honest question. I may have the answer.
I am specifically interested in the concept of predestination. The idea that God, before the earth was formed, predetermined who would be saved and who would be lost.
I have little to say about John Calvin. My thoughts are not based on anything I’ve studied. I claim no authority via diplomas or academic accomplishments.
I have never read a book about John Calvin. I have read only a few paragraphs online. I have heard some of what pastors preach citing Calvin as their authority. I have heard about his theory on predestination from other believers.
It began in my time with The Father
A few days ago, I was spending time in prayer, the word, and listening for the Holy Spirit. I had no thoughts concerning John Calvin or his ideas of reformation in the church.
I heard it in my spirit.
I have spent a lot of time learning to know when the Holy Spirit is speaking to me. I spend time with Him, and I hear from Him. I am careful with my understanding when I write the event in my journal.
It’s not a ‘thus says the Lord’ sort of thing.
I wrote, “I think the Holy Spirit told me that Calvin sold out to Satan.”
Hearing it took me by surprise. It’s nothing I had ever considered. I pressed in. I prayed. I asked what it meant. It took a few days.
I was first led to Matthew 4. It is a familiar story of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. Satan tempted Christ.
They knew each other from the days before creation. Jesus is and was a part of the God head in Heaven. Some suggest that Lucifer may have been Jesus’ personal angel.
Tempting Jesus could very well be a natural thought for one who was once one of the most powerful angels in heaven. Satan likely considered it something he should at least try. His pride telling him it would work. He was wrong of course, but he tried.
That idea had worked in the Garden when Adam and Eve were tempted.
I prayed into the idea of John Calvin giving in to the temptations of evil. The more I prayed, the more sense it made.
I’m a pretty ordinary man. I try to keep things simple. I wondered how anyone could succumb to the works of Satan. But I know that it happens every day.
Men and women are routinely tempted by evil. It’s disheartening when we realize how often people succumb.
Stay with me here
What if evil tempted Calvin. Just as Satan used the serpent in the Garden of Eden, he found a spirit to attack Calvin. It could have been Beelzebub, a known liar.
He would simply cozy up to Calvin. He would spend time whispering in his ear what Satan wished to happen. False teaching would work well for the plans of the devil.
Beelzebub sits on the mountain of education. John Calvin may have spent half his life as a student.
I read that he studied law, attended the University of Paris, and that he was a trained theologian. At some point in his life, he was attracted to humanism.
Humanism is the opposite of things spiritual. It is focused on the human realm. Christianity is focused on the realm of the spirit.
One step into humanism places one at great risk of opening the human soul to evil of demons. These are the fallen angels that were swept out of heaven with Lucifer.
The portal was open. In comes Beelzebub with a wonderful idea for a new theological theory that could make John Calvin famous. It would cast Christians into a chaotic conflict that would weaken the body of Christ for centuries.
Let’s go back to the Garden of Eden for a moment.
We have all read the account of the fall in Genesis 3. Most of us easily imagine the temptation took place at a single moment in time. The whole thing may have lasted only minutes.
I wonder if that may be a modern-day rendition of what actually happened. What if the serpent, who we know was acting on behalf of Satan, spent hours, or days, or months, or longer, grooming the first couple. What if the serpent became so friendly that the final temptation was an almost natural action.
Back to John Calvin
I know nothing of the character of John Calvin. It is easy however to imagine that Satan, using a familiar spirit to persuade him into believing this new theology.
The father of lies may actually have authored the doctrine and persuaded Calvin into believing the ideas were his.
He gave into twisting a couple of scriptures. It effectively changed the Word of God. What a victory for Satan.
Don’t allow such thinking to be an excuse that gets Calvin off the hook. No, he knew the word, and he chose to change its interpretation to agree with a new doctrine.
What promises were made?
Can you here the devil? “You’ll be just like Martin Luther. The whole world will know your name.”
Adam and Eve were told they would not die. They would be just like God.
Christ was offered all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.
The adversary is a liar. He is the father of lies. There is no telling what whispers go into the ears of men.
One More Thing
The mountain of education is dominated by darkness. Wickedness has raced past the school board and is firmly intrenched in the classroom.
This certainly includes the work in our seminaries. What was conceived in the sixteenth century is now in full bloom in the schools where nearly all pastors are trained in the foundations of the Christian faith.
I’m not saying that the schools training future pastors are knowingly advancing doctrines of demons. But I do suggest that they are teaching doctrine that may have been birthed by Beelzebub.