Why I'm a Calvinist

[@TheMaineSurveyor]

I grew up in Dispensational churches, having no idea what Dispensational meant, except that the Old Testament had little to do with me. But one day, it occurred to me that Abraham was saved by grace through faith, and David was saved by grace through faith, and I'm saved by grace through faith. And the Two Adams illustration had a lot of impact, as well. There was suddenly a thread of continuity from Genesis to Revelation, to today. Reformed theology made a lot of sense once I started looking into it. Calvinism was simple, as I found out I already agreed with its doctrines.

[@Richard_Rz]

I disagree with Calvinism as a former teacher of Calvinism for years myself. I landed as a Traditionalist and I think you're a super cool dude and interesting to listen to! Lots of love and keep studying scripture while keeping scripture the absolute ultimate authority. 👍

[@Underdogtheology]

Appreciate that Richard!

[@jessehudson1611]

Just found you guys. Im a IFB pastor just having his eyes opened to the wild world of abuse when having to deal with pedophiles of the previous administration. Threw out everything and started studying everything all over. Im considering changing to reformed. Had to resign my forst church within one yr because they didnt like me reporting those monsters. Trying to find time to binge your vids. I want to start a podcast to tell my story and give the victims a voice. Help?

[@vanessadesirechavez]

I am not a calvinist but I am open to learning.. I just want the truth. Thanks for being cool, brother.

[@josephbenzjr.2849]

Hey Dean- I wouldn’t consider myself calvinist or reformed however I’m open to it and will listen. Love learning about the Bible and theology! Thanks for all you do for the Kingdom.

[@Underdogtheology]

Thanks Joseph! It’s good to be open to new ideas. It shows we’re always willing to lean!

[@pappywinky4749]

I grew up in a church in Quebec, my dad was the pastor. We were calvinistic, but I think it was a mix of calvinists and baptists, you could even find pentacotals in our midst. The way our organization was made was a main church with "sister" churches (This is a loose translation, church in french is feminine). You could say it was missional as a system. I remember our mother church was very fundamentalist, the older I got, the more I saw it. Not all the 'sister' churches were. I quickly found out that our province was sort of sheltered compared to the rest of Canada and even more compare to the states. It's worlds apart. My brother left the faith after going to our mother church for a while. It was so dogmatic and legalistic, my father (who did his training there) fought with them for years on a lot of aspects of church life and dogma. My brother went there for a while and eventually left the faith due to the awful things he experienced. I myself left the church for several years because of various trauma and bad experience with fundamentalists. I never rejected my faith, but even my father, who holds fast to his faith, cannot go back to a church after what we went through. After years, I'm finally building back my relationship with God and found a church I will go back to that looks faithful and good, welcoming.

[@Underdogtheology]

Those hurts are hard to overcome. They run deep, I know. But good on you for continuing!!! Keep going! I’m rooting for you!

[@pappywinky4749]

@@Underdogtheology It's only by the grace of God, I couldn't stay away from Him. Even when I filled with anxiety and fear because of my life when I was away from God, I felt His calling. It's impossible to imagine life without Him. I was afraid of His punishment, afraid I was part of the people in Hebrews 6 and 10. My father tried to explain these passages to me several times but I still can't reconcile certain things said in those passages. Eventually though, I think that God used fear to make me understand how much I need Him and His grace. I still doubt my position in God, but I try to let go and trust in Jesus. My greatest fear is to be rejected by Him like those in Matthew. I can't think of a single thing that would be worst than His rejection.

[@GuitarManDanDanDan]

Not a Calvinist. Not any label. Labels divide. I reject them all. Love God, love others. That’s it. Be kind. Be faithful.

[@SoldierofChrist9]

I know I am late to the party but I wanted to say I enjoyed the show. I am a brand new Christian by the Sovereign Grace of God. I spent 35 years practicing traditional witchcraft and ancestral paganism as well as debating Christians and Christianity internationally. I am proud to say that I am Reformed and a Calvinist.

[@Underdogtheology]

Thanks! Glad you found the channel!

[@davidxinidakis4119]

Hello Dean...been watching youre videos for a while. Really enjoy them. I think the supra/infra explanation was a litlle confusing though. The way i understand it in concise form is that in infra..God decrees election an reprobation with a view to the fall. In supra He decrees withlut a view to the fall. Hodge in His sys. theoogy says this has to do with the order of Gods thought, which Hodge then deems as relatively not that imporatnt. I disagree. Supra has God creating for destruction , while infra allows for benevolent intent in creation, and reprobation only decreed with a view to sin. As such i believe supra is Satanic and a false pic of God to the mind....your thoughts?

[@KennethSaul]

I'm a theological determinist (monergist), not really a calvinist or a reformed theologian. But blessings y'all.

[@user-yv2bd7qm4p]

Love the intro music! Once I spoke to a local Baptist pastor, after he explained, "Some Baptists are Arminian. Others are Calvinist." I told him, at that time, that I thought both were right. He got really quiet then said something like, "No... can't do that." I almost believed him...until I read the late, Norman Geisler.🤔

[@Underdogtheology]

Yeah I hear ya. Also thanks for the compliment on the music.

[@stevefraley4283]

Hey Dean, just finished going back and listening. Are you interested in hearing any pushback on this issue? There are a number of things I could say in reply, but I want to be sure you would be interested in that discussion.

[@Underdogtheology]

I’m not looking for a debate, but if you’d want me to clarify something I’d be happy to do that.

[@stevefraley4283]

I was a bit confused on your discussion of infralapsarianism. I guess I didn’t see the connection to the logical order of God’s decrees. As an infralapsarian, you reject that God determined the Fall?

[@Underdogtheology]

I would use the word “allow” and that yes it was part of his decreed plan of redemption.

[@stevefraley4283]

@@Underdogtheology What do you mean by “decreed?”

[@Underdogtheology]

@@stevefraley4283 I mean it the same way as the 1689 chapter 3. Google that and you’ll see what I mean by it. 👍

[@Jawond34]

I lean towards Calvinism myself. Limited atonment is the only thing im wrestling with

[@Underdogtheology]

Yeah it’s the hardest point.

[@BrownGuyGaming91]

Well that's all good. Because John Calvin himself never taught that anyways.

[@KennethSaul]

Redemption was always the intention

[@Twiceborn_by_grace]

Still learning, and leaning toward reformed.

[@Underdogtheology]

Keep diving in the Scriptures and let them guide you. This was just my story, however you land if you can be at peace with the Scriptures that’s the right spot FOR YOU.

[@Twiceborn_by_grace]

@@Underdogtheology Right now, I’m stuck on the “big church words”. I lived long enough to have faith that is “good enough”. I want to learn why I believe the things I do.

[@Underdogtheology]

Rad.

[@ajbags305]

*Leighton Flowers enters the chat*

[@user-yv2bd7qm4p]

"Came out as a Calvinist..." I love it! 😆All kidding aside, though...what a tragedy, all this business of Christians trying to proselytize other followers of Jesus. My father ministered for awhile in a denomination that actually takes away a pastor's credentials/ ordination for teaching any view that challenges Dispensationalism. Talk about cutting it fine! It gets crazy out there.

[@Underdogtheology]

Soooooo crazy! Thanks AP!!

[@rejoicingbones]

I’d like to see you tackle Mike Winger’s objection to Calvinism. (Love the guy and his content!) His objection in his video centred on whether faith is a work. I was surprised at how long he expounded upon that and I don’t think it’s the problem he thinks it is.

[@Underdogtheology]

I’ll have to check it out.

[@Richard_Rz]

Mike's view is that Faith isn't a work but many Hyper Calvinists insist that Faith is a work which and would say that Mike is a Synergist contributing to his own salvatoon. Monergism is a divisive theological term created by Calvinists to differentiate themselves from Synergist in the 1870s. In reality, it seems to me a word game as we all in some way cooperated with God in our salvation unless someone forced us to sit still and listen patiently to a well meant offering of someone preaching the Gospel. Syntax, not semantics. I think we are all more alike than we are comfortable admitting.

[@pappywinky4749]

I would love to see you tackle that too. Mike Winger is really awesome, I love is channel, his love for God is palpable, you both have this warmth and love for God that feel contagious.

[@lukedailey]

I think you just said that you’re reformed because you’re reformed. Block that.

[@Underdogtheology]

Words are hard sometimes Luke. 😂

[@classicchristianliterature]

Fundamentalist baptist -> 1689 baptist -> Westminster (Presbyterian)

[@classicchristianliterature]

That’s my story

[@Underdogtheology]

Rad. Way to go!

[@bobhall3535]

You're right, Dean! Another area I like to look at concerning predestination and Calvinism is in prophesy: When I see that the New Jerusalem is already measured out to be 1,400 square miles, that tells me that God ALREADY KNOWS the number of believers who will be there to fit those measurements. In other words, if "whosoever will come" is actually the case... then God wouldn't know until the last minute how large to build the new city. God's foreknowledge is based on his sovereignty. Not the other way around.

[@Underdogtheology]

I wouldn’t interpret Revelation so literally, but I get your point and agree that God knows His people.

[@bobhall3535]

@@Underdogtheology Thanks for your reply, Dean. I agree that prophecy contains much not to take literally. However, when it comes to God's elect, I think some info in prophecy stands as presented, like measurements (as mentioned above). And numbers too, like the 144,000 Jews saved during the tribulation period, 12,000 from each Jewish tribe, to spread the Gospel for the elect's sake. Thanks for your KZbin page, Dean. I, too, am a Baptist. I've been in both the Southern Baptist camp and the Independent camp. I attended Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee, when the Independent movement was quite strong in the '70s and '80s here in the US. Today, that school no longer exists.

[@Underdogtheology]

Small world. Temple was absorbed by Piedmont, right? I think I technically graduated from that Seminary.

[@bobhall3535]

@@Underdogtheology Yeah, Dean! A small world indeed! That's pretty cool! You are correct! On April 30, 2015, TTU packed up its bags and made the move.

[@Ashwin2584]

Hi Bob, God knows the end from the beginning. He doesn't have to determine everything in order to have knowledge of the future. He is greater than that.

[@tommywitte9916]

Hey Dean, when you became a Calvinist did you get A much clearer view of your fleshly depravity?Well I did.

[@Underdogtheology]

Yes, I did.