In about the 1500s Europe was going through a religious, and political, upheaval, in the form of the Protestant Reformation.  What many historians consider to be the start of the Protestant Reformation was Martin Luther’s 95 theses which he famously nailed to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.  They were basically a list of 95 things which he found wrong with the Catholic Church.

Another famous Protestant reformer was Henry VIII.  He broke away from the Catholic Church and declared himself to be the head of the church in England.  His reasons were more political than religious.  The pope wouldn’t let him divorce his wife, so he started his own church so that he could get his own way. 

Yet another famous Protestant reformer was John Calvin, who was a French theologian.  

Reformers like Martin Luther, Henry VIII and John Calvin challenged papal authority and broke away from the Catholic Church starting such churches as the Lutheran Church, the Church of England and the Reformed Church.  

John Calvin teachings’ influence Protestant thinking to this day.  He had a very high view of Scripture and tried to base his teachings solely on the word of God.  One of his best-known teachings is that of Predestination, which states that before the world began God predestined some for eternal salvation and others for eternal damnation.  What Calvin taught about predestination is wrong.  Let’s see why and see what the Bible really teaches about predestination. 

What was John Calvin’s argument?  How did he come to such a false conclusion?  What he did was to argue as follows

1) Calvin turned to the few Scriptures which mention “predestined”.  Let’s read those Scriptures now.

Rom 8:29  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Eph 1:4  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Eph 1:5  having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Eph 1:11  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

From these Scriptures Calvin argued that God has predestined us – that is Christians – to be saved from before the foundation of the world.

2) Then he turned to Romans 9 and read the following verses.  Here Paul is writing about Isaac and Rebecca and their two sons Esau and Jacob.

Rom 9:12  it was said to her, “THE OLDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER.”
Rom 9:13  As it is written, “JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED.”
Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
Rom 9:15  For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOMEVER I WILL HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOMEVER I WILL HAVE COMPASSION.”
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Rom 9:17  For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I HAVE RAISED YOU UP, THAT I MAY SHOW MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MAY BE DECLARED IN ALL THE EARTH.”
Rom 9:18  Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Rom 9:19  You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”
Rom 9:20  But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
Rom 9:21  Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Calvin focused in particular on these verses:

13 “JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED.”
18 He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
21 He makes one vessel for honor and another for dishonour.

From these Scriptures Calvin argued that God makes some people for dishonour; that is, God has predestined (predetermined) some for dishonour.  Calvin concluded that God has predestined some for eternal salvation and others for eternal damnation.

To recap Calvin’s argument:

From Rom 8 and Eph 1, he understood that God has predestined some for eternal salvation.

From Rom 9, he understood that God creates some people for dishonour.

Calvin concluded that therefore God has predestined some for eternal salvation and others for eternal damnation.

What is so wrong with Calvin’s line of reasoning?

What do the Scriptures mean when they say God has predestined us?  The word predestined is translated from the Greek word proorizo which means, determined before, or predetermined.

When the Scriptures say God has predestined us, it just means that God has predetermined us.  It’s talking about God’s plan.  From before the foundation of the world God had a plan.  He had a plan that many would be conformed to the image of His Son.  Reading Rom 8:29 again.

Rom 8:29  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

It’s saying that God had a plan.  He predetermined that many would eventually be conformed to the image of His Son, that is, become like Jesus Christ.  Let’s read the next verse, verse 30.

Rom 8:30  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; …

It’s saying that God predestined some people to be called now – in this age – as part of His plan of salvation for mankind.

But what about Rom 9, which talks about God hardening some people (such as Pharaoh) and making some people for dishonour?  Clearly, God does exactly this, because that’s what the Scriptures say.  In fact, God has hardened most people in this age.  Do you remember what Christ’s answer was when his disciples asked Him why He spoke in parables?

Mat 13:13  Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand, … LEST THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN, SO THAT I SHOULD HEAL THEM.’

Christ spoke in parables so that people would not understand Him.  He didn’t want people to understand what He was talking about!  But that’s not the end of the story for these people.  What Calvin didn’t understand is that there is a second resurrection – which is pictured by the Last Day of the Feast of Tabernacles.  The people whom God hardened, or whom God made for dishonour, in this age are not doomed to eternal damnation.  No, they will be resurrected to physical life after the soon coming 1000-year reign of Christ on earth and given their chance of salvation then.

In conclusion, Calvin’s view that God predestined some for eternal salvation and others for eternal damnation is wrong.  What Calvin didn’t understand is that God is only calling some people now to receive salvation.  The predestination referred to in the Bible is part of God’s plan of salvation for mankind.  God’s plan is that He has predestined some to be called now, in this age, and the rest later.  The rest, that is, the vast majority of mankind, are described as vessels for dishonour, or hardened.  It’s not a state of eternal damnation but rather a temporary situation.  They will be resurrected to physical life after the 1000-year reign of Christ on earth and given their chance for salvation then.