Calvinism Makes Atheism Look Good!

Calvinism Makes Atheism Look Good

Christianity, a faith that emphasizes salvation through belief in Christ, often faces challenges from atheistic perspectives. Yet, in this discussion, a compelling argument emerges: Calvinism, a specific theological branch of Christianity, inadvertently strengthens atheism by presenting a distorted image of God that drives many toward disbelief.

The Problem of Calvinism's God

Calvinism depicts God as a sovereign being who predestines individuals to salvation or damnation without their consent or free will. The idea that God chooses some for eternal life and others for eternal punishment inherently clashes with the concept of divine love found in biblical Christianity. Calvinism portrays a deity more concerned with exerting control than offering grace, leading many to reject this God as unjust and capricious.

Seven Reasons Why Calvinism Pushes People Toward Atheism

1. A Two-Faced God: Calvinism presents a God who says He is not willing that any should perish:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9, KJV)

Yet, it simultaneously preordains some to eternal condemnation. This contradiction confuses believers and makes God appear double-minded.

2. False Love: The universal love expressed in John 3:16, which states:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(John 3:16, KJV)

Under Calvinism, this love becomes limited to only the elect, diminishing the meaning of the gospel message.

3. Lack of Assurance: In Calvinism, salvation comes with no guarantee. Believers are expected to persevere, but without the promise of security, many feel hopeless. As a result, atheism, with its rejection of divine judgment, seems preferable.

4. Predestination of Loved Ones: Calvinism teaches that individuals, including one’s loved ones, could be predestined to hell. This notion is especially troubling since it suggests that no matter how sincere someone’s faith may be, their fate is beyond their control.

5. Convenient Elect: Calvinists rarely see themselves or their families as among the non-elect, creating an elitist mindset. This hypocrisy further alienates those seeking genuine spiritual truth.

6. Dependence on Man-Made Writings: Like atheism, which often relies on thinkers such as Richard Dawkins or Bertrand Russell, Calvinism depends on human-made confessions like the Westminster Confession of Faith and writings of figures like Charles Spurgeon. By failing to make the Bible the sole authority, Calvinism aligns itself with secular ideologies.

7. Works-Based Salvation: Although Calvinism denies it, the requirement to persevere in good works for final salvation resembles a works-based system. This blurs the line between Calvinism and secular humanism, which asserts that morality arises from human effort.

The Impact of Misrepresentation

Calvinism has led to numerous "deconversions," where individuals abandon their faith due to the repugnant image of God it presents. By distorting biblical truths, Calvinism creates caricatures of God that make Him appear cruel, arbitrary, and unloving—characteristics that align more with an authoritarian tyrant than the God of grace found in Scripture.

Biblical Rebuttal

The Bible consistently emphasizes human responsibility and God’s desire for all to come to repentance. John 5:39-40 highlights the importance of human volition in coming to Christ:

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
(John 5:39-40, KJV)

Unlike Calvinism, which asserts that only the predestined can come to God, biblical Christianity teaches that people reject God out of their own will, not because they were eternally barred.

Conclusion

Calvinism inadvertently makes atheism appear more appealing by portraying a God that seems unloving and unjust. If this distorted view of God were true, many argue, atheism would be a more reasonable worldview. However, the God of the Bible is not the Calvinistic caricature. Instead, He is a God of love, justice, and grace, offering salvation freely to all who believe.

Final Thoughts

Rejecting Calvinism is not a rejection of Christianity but rather a rejection of a theological system that misrepresents the character of God. True faith recognizes God’s love and desire for salvation for all, standing in stark contrast to the limited and harsh doctrines of Calvinism.