I wrote the following in response to someone insisting that they don’t do Theology but rather just follow Jesus.
Can we just quit w/ the whole, “I just follow Jesus thing?” Nobody follows Jesus w/o having an understanding of who Jesus is. That understanding of who Jesus is the result of theology. The Jesus that we are to follow is the Jesus of Scripture.
The Jesus of Scripture said that “all that the Father gives Me will come to me.” This clearly teaches what Calvinism later came to call irresistible grace. The Jesus of Scripture said, “He who believes in me has everlasting life.” This clearly teaches what Calvinism later came to call “the perseverance of the saints,” for “Everlasting life,” by definition, is life that can not be lost once gained. If it could be lost it wouldn’t be ever-lasting. The Jesus of Scripture said that “No one can can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” This clearly teaches what Calvinism came to call “Total Depravity.” People can not come to Jesus unless they are irresistibly drawn to Jesus because they are dead in their trespasses and sins and are at war w/ God. Only God can makes those who are dead in sin alive. Some he makes alive and some He leaves in their sin that they so earnestly cherish and nurture. The Jesus of Scripture said, “you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all…” and “For you (Father) granted him (Jesus) authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” This clearly teaches what Calvinism came to call “unconditional election.” God has chosen His people for reasons known only to God and nothing can alter God’s choice. The Jesus of Scripture said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” When in context of the rest of John 10, “The Sheep” is a clear reference to those who are uniquely His people. Jesus only dies for His Sheep and not sheep that are not His. This clearly teaches what Calvinism later came to call “Limited Damnation.” Not all sheep who deserve to be damned end up being damned because God, in His great mercy, sent Christ to die to save some from the mass of damnation. Now clearly Calvinism is MUCH MUCH MUCH more then what I have laid out here but it is never less than what I have laid out here, and it is this Christianity 101 that people like Michael, Renee, and others are caviling against.
Now, you can choose to refuse the name of “Calvinism” if you like. It makes no never mind to me. However, if you reject and despise the doctrines of Christianity that Calvinism champions then you have rejected the Christian faith and the blood does not cover you anymore then the blood covers a Mormon or a Jehovah Witness who invokes the name of Jesus.
Finally, people did not have to wait for Calvin to be born in order to follow Jesus. Since Calvinism is exactly synonymous w/ Biblical Christianity they only had to read their Bibles in order to follow Jesus. Some of you are avoiding all of this material, choosing instead to say that you just “follow Jesus.” I would hazard to guess that you are employing this technique because you don ‘t want to deal with the Scriptures. Your avoidance mechanism looks to be just a means by which to keep your Idol Jesus that you follow from being challenged by the Jesus of Scripture.
