Note to the reader

Many of the writings here are essentially in an e-book format with chapter subdivision and they are downloadable in a Microsoft Word document form. In case you want to follow the hyperlinks and read selected chapters (which are also hyperlinked) without using the Ctrl key (which is the default setting in Word), please see the following instructions here on how to make hyperlinks in Microsoft Word clickable.

Next, please note that when in my writings I use the term Calvinism, I am not referring to the sum total of what John Calvin wrote and taught because that is not what the term means (nor ever has meant), though some have misrepresented it in this light, and constructed a straw-man argument in order to slander those like myself, who designate themselves as Calvinists, as though we were some cult-followers of John Calvin. What they’ve done is simply intellectually very dishonest because what the term Calvinism has historically always referred to is no more and no less than the summary of the doctrines of sovereign grace (i.e., as embodied in the acronym TULIP), as opposed to the doctrines of “free will” Arminianism. And therefore, what those who call themselves Calvinists believe is that all humans by nature are Totally depraved, and that the election to salvation is therefore Unconditional, atonement Limited (i.e., particular not universal, as well as unconditionally effectual), that saving grace is Irresistible (i.e., all-powerful and infallible), and finally, that the Perseverance of God’s children is sure and inalienable. In short, we call this teaching TULIP and we believe it is the very teaching of Scripture (Job 14:4; Job 15:14-16; Job 25:4; Psalm 14:1-3; Psalm 65:4; Psalm 110:3; Isaiah 48:8; Isaiah 53:4-6, 8, 10-12; Isaiah 64:6-7; Jeremiah 13:23; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Matthew 20:28; John 3:3-7; John 6:37-40, 44-45, 63-65; John 8:34-36; John 10:11, 15, 27-29; John 17:2, 6, 9, 19; Acts 13:48; Romans 3:9-12, 23; Romans 5:12, 16, 18-19; Romans 8:1-8, 30-39; Romans 9:11-24; Romans 11:5-8; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Ephesians 1:3-11; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 2:10-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; Titus 3:3-7; Hebrews 9:11-12, 28; Hebrews 10:9-18; 1 Peter 1:2-5; Revelation 5:9). The teaching therefore that is the exact polar opposite of that is nothing less than a FRAUD: Free-willism, Rigged (i.e., “free will”-manipulated) election, All-inclusive atonement, Universal resistible grace, and Dubious perseverance (i.e., the core doctrines of Arminianism).

Finally, if you do venture to read some of the writings posted here you will notice that I have a very strong negative and intolerant attitude towards false doctrine and false teachers. However, I do not harbour such a sentiment towards those who unwittingly follow false doctrine, first, because the best Christian will err in part, not only because to err is human but also because on this side of heaven we only know in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). Moreover, as J. C. Ryle rightly noted, “Just because God has sanctified your heart does not mean that He has totally sanctified your brains and taught you all the truth in one instant.” Nonetheless, every true Christian ought to strive to grow in the knowledge of God’s Word, for to know the Word is to know Him Who is the living Word (John 1:1, 14; Revelation 19:11-13). Knowing true doctrine therefore is very important because doctrine not only influences how we view redemption (e.g., are we giving God all the glory that is rightly due to Him for our salvation or are we ascribing some of the glory to ourselves?), but also, it defines the very substance of our faith. Reverend John Kennedy was thus correct in saying that Truth revealed in the Scripture about Christ as Redeemer is the only legitimate object of Christian faith. And therefore we ought to strive all the more to come to the right knowledge of that Truth, lest our faith be misplaced.

Now the second reason why my quarrel is not with the professing Christians who have been misguided by false doctrine is because I was once one of them. In fact, for a very long time I walked in darkness of prideful ignorance, until God straightened my thinking according to His Word. As an immature Christian I thought I knew and understood much of Scripture and yet I knew nothing yet as I ought to have known (1 Corinthians 8:2). For this reason also I believed many grievous heretical and pernicious errors which I now strongly condemn, and my only desire and hope in writing all these posts is that those who are presently caught in similar errors would by the grace of God come out of them.