Calvinism

This is one of the protestant Christian belief that originated in the 16th century Ad.  It is equally one of the Christian denomination that claim apostolic continuity for it claim that it  represent the true faith as institued by Yahoshea Meshiyach through his assembly.

Origin Of The Group

Calvinism is a concept that originated from the Christian tradition or belief from one of the reformers named John Calvin (1509-1564) The church is equally known as Reformed church and is noted as one of the major branches of Protestantism.  The concept of Calvinism was not solely conceived by John Calvin but had a mix-up with some thoughts of other Reformative era theologians.  History record that Calvinism is not a one-man foundation but had a diverse thought from other reformers.

The history of Christian reformation adopted Calvin as existing into the second group of reformers along Hemrich Bullinger and Andreas Hypertus.  Calvin separated from Roman Catholic Church and equally developed thesis different to its belief and practice. Other Protestant reformed Churches like the Lutheranism and Arminianism share same views with Calvinism and equally differed at some areas.  For instance, Lutheran Church view  on the real interpretation of the presence of Yahoshea in the Last supper and on the methods of application of Yahweh's laws on believers had slight difference with Calvanism.

Equally, there were element of differences on methods of worship between Calvinists and Lutherans.  History prove that because of the existing differences between Calvin and Martin Luther on terms of reformations, the identical name as Calvinism was given to followers of Calvin by Lutherans who opposed them. The real name of the body which is equally preferable by converts was “the Reformed” or “Reformed Church”.

After Arminian controversy, the movement divided into two major bodies as Calvinism and Arminianism  and the Calvinists retained the identical name as the Reformed.

The works of Calvin attracted quick audience because of the already founded reformative spirit and operations in Europe before his advent.  For example, there were earlier church Reformers as Huldruch Zwingli (1484-1531) Martin Bucer (1489-1565) who have prepared ground and equally laid foundation for church Reforms.

Acceptance And Spread

As Calvin's missionary work became impressive in France, his belief was easily adopted by the French-speaking provinces of the Netherlands. The Calvinism was favoured by the rulership of Frederick III and such helped towards its formulation of the Heidelberg Catechism in 1563. This   was followed by Belgic confession which were considered as confessional standards in the first synod of the Dutch Reformed church in 1571.

Some Calvinists settled in England and produced the Westminster Confession which was adopted by some other reformative movements in Europe.  Calvinism spread fastly to North Africa, South Africa and Korea.

One of the major reason of fast spread of Calvinism is attributed to the work of John Calvin called – Institutes of the Christian Religion which was a milestone of that era.  The publications spread his ideas of a reformed church to all parts of Europe.

Although, much of Calvin's works were in Geneva but within short period, he became influential in Switzerland, Scotland, Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, French, Poland, Scandinavia etc.

In 17th century, Calvinism spread into Africa through the colonization of South Africa by Dutch Calvinist settlers who became known as Boers or Afrikaners. Equally, the Sierra Leons were influenced by Calvinist settlers from Nova Scotia who were largely Black loyalists who fought for Britain during American war of independence.

In 19th and 20th centuries, Calvinism extended to Indonesia, Nigeria and Korea where it had many converts.

Presently, the world communion of Reformed churches with some united churches has more than 80 million believers.  This record was made available in 2011 report of the pew forum on religious and public life.

Theology And Practices

The theological doctrines of Calvinism centered on priority of the Bible as a source of authority.  According to the doctrine of Calvinism, Bible is viewed as a unified whole, which led to covenantal theology of the “sacraments of baptism” and the “Lord supper” as visible sign of the “covenant of grace”.  Calvinism like other Reformative churches denies of the bodily presence of Yahoshea in the memorial Last Supper otherwise known as Lord's Supper in Christianity.  Calvin taught the doctrine of salvation by grace alone and not by works and equally practice the doctrine of “Particular Election” – the teaching that some people are chosen by Yahweh for salvation.

The Calvinism is noted by the doctrines of “Predestination” and “Soteriology” which are summarized in the five points of Calvinism.

The main focus of the five points is that Yahweh saves every person upon whom he has mercy, and that his efforts are not frustrated by the unrighteousness or inability of humans.

Those five points were enumerated as thus:

-           Total depravity: Also called “total inability” directs that by the act of fall of man, into sin, every person is enslaved by sin.  This evil nature of man deprives him the capability to love Yahweh and accept his rule but men are self-centred. The word – “Total” in the content refers to sin affecting every part of a person.

-           Unconditional election: This point asserts that Yahweh has chosen from eternity those whom he will bring to himself and not based on the unforeseen virtue, merit or faith in those people, rather, his choice is unconditionally grounded in his mercy alone. Yahweh has chosen from eternity to extend mercy to those he has chosen and to withhold mercy from those not chosen.  Those chosen receive salvation through Yahoshea Meshiyach alone.  Those not chosen receive the just wrath that is warranted for their sins against Yahweh.

-           Limited Atonement: Also called “Particular Redemption” or “definite atonement” asserts that Yahoshea Meshiyach's substitutionary atonement was definite and certain in its purpose and in what it accomplished. This means that only the sins of the elect were atoned for by Yahoshea's death.  Calvinists belief that the atonement is unlimited in its value and power rather the atonement is limited in the sense that it is intended for some people but not all.

Some Calvinists conclude it in the way – “The atonement is sufficient for all and efficient for the elect”.

-           Irresistible grace: Also  called “efficacious grace” apply that saving grace of Yahweh is effectually applied to only those whom he has determined to save (the elect) and they certainly overcome the resistance of obeying the call of the good news bringing them to a saving faith.

The doctrine hold that the elect cannot resist the call to serve Yahweh and be saved by the Holy spirit causes the elect-sinner to cooperate, to believe to repent, to come freely and willingly to the messiah.

The Calvinists contend that elects can adequately testify how at a point in their life, they felt overwhemingly compelled to believe in Yahoshea as if they have no choice but to follow him.  This is what the Calvinist term as the effectual calling of Yahweh.

-           Perseverance of the Saints: asserts that since Yahweh is sovereign and his will cannot be frustrated by humans or everything else, those whom Yahweh had called into communion with himself will continue to faith until the end.  Those who apparently fall away either never had true faith to begin with.

By submission of the above five points of Calvinism, it is certain that the central point of view is about predestination of people on earth.

Some of these views are shared by Arminianism and Lutheranism or other reformative churches. Other areas of Calvinism is on baptism in which it accepts infant as well as believer’s baptism. Original Calvinists do not associate music instrument with their worship although later days liberal Calvinists have started introducing music equipments into worship.

Political Effects And Influence

Politically and socially, Calvinism contributed a lot towards development of Europe and wider societies. For example, Calvinism was one of the early reformative churches that fought the Roman church over  separation of the church from state.  The sect encouraged free – society, helped to institute democracy as well as freedom of religion.  It equally influenced social reforms such as abolition of slavery and obnoxious cultural laws, women suffrage and prison reform.

The movement equally provided social amenities to communities and engaged in work of pietism.

Equally, some Calvinists used the option of free society provided by the movement negatively.  For example the Africaner Calvinists used some Calvinist terms to perpetual apartheid in South Africa. Up to 1974, majority of the Dutch Reformed church in South Africa was convinced that their theological stance (including the story of Tower of Babel) could justify apartheid.

In 1990, the Dutch Reformed Church document – Church and Society maintained that although they were changing their stance on apartheid, they believed that  apartheid was under Yahweh's sovereign guidance and that everything was not without significance but was of service to the kingdom of Yahweh.

The view was never universal in the Calvinists especially those of outside of South Africa who put pressure against the regime to set the evil policy aside

By true nature, Calvinists were totally against absolutism but favoured democracy and Aristocracy which might be blended in a liberal way.

Focus Of The Body

Calvinism is one of the claimants of processing of the staff of Yahoshea Meshiyach as his continual assembly but evidences prove that it is one of the reformers bodies that fought with Catholic Church over some certain social irregularities.

Greater part of reforms by the protestant churches in the middle age bordered more on politics and society with little reference to reformation of the religious irregularities that were put in place by Roman Catholic Church. All reformed churches or protestants observed the vertical set laws in line with Catholicsm and that is the reason they cannot adequately represent Yahoshea who stood on the foundation of Hebrew model of vertical laws.

For example, majority of the Reformer Churches of the middle age were Sunday observants, they kept with all festivals accredited by Roman Catholic Church and such attitude deny them the status of being a succeeding assembly to the early apostles.

Yahoshea Meshiyach and his early followers or assembly were fully cultured on both spiritual and religious matters.  They had nothing in common with politics of the world, though they respected people on authority and obeyed their orders that were in line to the  ordinances of Yahweh, yet they were not of the world.

They heard from Yahoshea who was a direct link to Yahweh and obeyed his teaching.  Those teachings were known as the scriptural truths that majority of the reformers avoided to observe.

            As Greek and Roman empires truncated the mission of Yahoshea, majority of the doctrine became of Greek and Roman pagan traditions.  The assembly that was based on such tradition saw nothing good from the practices of the Hebrews from which Yahoshea draw its root. For such reason, all practices of the Hebrew syncretism were removed and replaced by Roman Pagan methods.

Conclusion

A worthy protestant to Roman Catholic church must resist and avoid all appearances of Roman pagan traditions in the assembly. Since Calvinism and host of other Reformer churches were unable to go that way, they are therefore termed as mere daughters of Roman Catholic church who as a mother breed and fed all of them form her milk of impure passion.

Truthfully, Calvinism is one of the numerous grounds that men searched for Yahoshea Meshiyach but he must not be found in a premise of pagan observing congregation.  Those who have ear must hear what the spirit of Yahweh is saying there.

Calvinism is entirely noted for its belief of pre-destination, a thought that do not provide level playing ground for all mankind but evolves on the advantage of the elect against others that must certainly be damned from procreation ordained.

By the doctrines of Yahosheanism, predomination is unacceptable but all mortals must enjoy or benefit the salvation as provided by the ministry and death of Yahoshea Meshiyach.

To Yahosheans, there are some people that were Yahweh's special vessels or elects whom he sends from time to time to teach the general public with the intension that all peoples will hear and be convinced of the word and come back to Yahweh who created them all.

Yahosheans of the early days believed that from Yahweh all things emerge and to him, all things will return being that there must not be a loss in the spiritual world.

According to the teachings of  Yahoshea Meshiyach that made the foundation stone of his assembly, conversion of sinners to Yahweh  is the most important mission of the chosen. Those people that are referred as sinners must in the future repent and accept the word as it is compulsory for all. To Yahosheans, salvation is cnmpulsory and not voluntary. No exemption of  any soul from the kingdom of Yahweh. So the doctrine of predestination is a religious fraud of  the modern man. 

Yahweh is never an impartial father, his foundation is built on top of justice and fair play and no power can act to contravene such nature.

Predestination doctrine of Calvinism was one of its major disagreement with Lutheranism and other reformer's churches.  As Lutheranism focus on Biblical doctrines and prescriptives alone, it believed more of the existence of Satan as a source of evil. Those of the Calvin's concept hold that sinners are predestined to be sinful from eternal past and must end as sinners and be confined to hell fire.

So since Calvinism believe in predestination, it cannot claim to be supported by the Bible that entrusted temptation of sinners to the Satan the devil. It neither relate with Yahosheanism that prescribed for wholesome redemption for all mortals.