Unpopular Bible Doctrines #1: The Biblical God No One Wants To Know
In this follow-up post, I will expose some of the horrible beliefs of hardcore Calvinists Larry Wessels and Rob Zins that portray God as a monster. In my last post, I demonstrated that Zins' teaching regarding 2 Peter 3:8-9 is incompetent and misrepresents the scriptures. (1 John 4:1). Despite boasting of their thirty-four-year tenure hosting CAnswersTV as "biblical experts, in reality, they have yet to grasp the basics of Koine Greek, elementary hermeneutics and the importance of honest research. Zins proposed that 2 Peter 3:8-9 was addressed to "the reading community" to whom Peter was writing. In other words, Peter was telling the "reading community" that God was not willing for them to perish (ἀπόλλυμι). This is an absurd interpretation of the passage since ἀπόλλυμι implies permanent (absolute) destruction. Below is an excerpt from my previous post exposing Zins' mistranslation of the verb boúlomai as "a command that can be disobeyed".
"Note: Not willing that any should perish; rather, not wishing or desiring (μὴ βουλόμενος). Zins throws an unnecessary spanner into the works by suggesting that boúlomai could mean either 'God's eternal decree' or 'the will of God's command'. In the New Testament, 'entolé' refers to a commandment or directive, often of divine origin. Zins cites 1 Thessalonians 4:3 as an example of God's 'will of command' aka God's 'perceptive will'. For this is the will (θέλημα) of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; Note that Paul used the noun θέλημα in this verse, not the verb boúlomai. 'θέλημα = will, desire, purpose.'9 The lexical interpretation of boúlomai is '..to plan with full resolve (determination). Strong's 1012 boulḗ – properly, a resolved plan, used particularly of the immutable aspect of God's plan – purposefully arranging all physical circumstances, which guarantees every scene of life works to His eternal purpose.10 The interpretation of boúlomai should be obvious to any competent bible teacher. (2 Timothy 2:15).. boúlomai refers to God's decretive will, i.e., it is not a command that can be disobeyed.."1
The obvious qualification for bible teachers and debaters is that they have sound doctrine and are able to teach. (Titus 1:9; 1 Timothy 3:2,4:2-3). However, Calvinism (Reformed theology) is demonstrably a different gospel. (2 Corinthians 11:4). Limited atonement is a message of utter hopelessness to the majority of humanity. Calvinism twists the scriptures so that all/everone/any/the world/every creature does not actually mean what it says. Those who teach this wicked doctrine often have an appearance of superior wisdom, while in reality, they deny the universal application of the gospel itself. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1). Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is an inclusive invitation directed towards all sinners in the world who are willing to repent and put their faith in Him. (1 Timothy 1:15).
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent (μετανοειτε) for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”(Matthew 4:17 cf. Mark 1:15; Luke 5:32). Jesus used the imperative; in other words, He commanded all to repent.
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.. (Acts 3:19).
Wessels' horrible theology
Wessels seems to relish his perverted doctrine of limited atonement: "God hates the wicked.. he abhors them.. but he has a love for some that he has put his mercy on..." (41:00 mark). The horror of Wessels' theology is that he teaches that God puts His mercy on very few people (the elect) arbitrarily, but that the vast majority of humanity cannot be saved because they are not granted repentance. In Calvinism, repentance is considered a "work". However, Romans 4:5 debunks this false assumption: And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness..
Wessels: "God sends evil spirits to men.."
1. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: MY RESPONSE TO HARDCORE CALVINISTS ROB ZINS & LARRY WESSELS