A critique of an anti-reformed article Part 2

In this part, my continued desire to reveiw the next part of the article I was considering in part 1. And in this examination, I turn to to the second doctrine which is Predestination or election.

This gentlemen starts this setion out by making this statement:

By unconditional election Calvin meant that some are elected to Heaven, while others are elected to Hell, and that this election is unconditional. It is wholly on God's part and without condition. By unconditional election Calvin meant that God has already decided who will be saved and who will be lost, and the individual has absolutely nothing to do with it. He can only hope that God has elected him for Heaven and not for Hell.

We don't even get far into this aseessment before getting to another misrepresentation of the real facts. Notice he says that "Calvin meant by election that some were elected unto heaven, while others are elected to hell." It not the case, the first part of this statement is true... God's graceous election is the positive act of God. Whereas the second part of this statement is false, Calvinism like calvin teaches that God simply passes over those he leaves in sin and there end result is just.

And yes indeed God has already chosen who will believe and come to faith before creation itself (Romans 8:28-30, Ephesians 1:3-11). And it is also true that the person does not have a thing to do with it .. it is all Gods work (Romans chapters 3-5, John 3:1-15, 6:44-45 and john 1 :12-13) But consider these amazing words from Ephesians 2:

  And you were dead in the trespasses and sins n which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10).

Man being dead in trespass and sin (spiritual bankrupt, and dead);cannot and will not turn to God on his own. He loves and revels in his sinfullness and depravity; it is his only natural inclination. All his life he hate and despise the truth, but basks in lies and falsehood. He has no reason to turn away from it and come unto God.
But God in his infinite wisdom and mercy, takes each of the elect and radically transforms that once depraved nature into a new nature that has it obect of faith in Christ.  They only wish to do that which is please to God - that is their sole desire.
We at this point, need to consider a few words in verse 8: "For by graceyou have been saved through faith. And not of your own doingIt is a gift of God" this gives us the one clue that is needed to settle the issue ... Everything about the new position in Christ is a work of God alone.
There is at this point, no other way to even begin to understand this passage.. other than it saying what it says man is incapable due to sin, therefore, God does it all.

Now this gentlemen then goes onto say this:

 This teaching so obviously disagrees with the oft-repeated invitations in the Bible to sinners to come to Christ and be saved that some readers will think that I have overstated the doctrine. So I will quote John Calvin in his "Institutes," Book III, chapter 23,

"....Not all men are created with similar destiny but eternal life is foreordained for some , and eternal damnation for others. Every man, therefore, being created for one or the other of these ends, we say, he is predestined either to life or to death." 

So Calvinism teaches that it is God's own choice that some people are to be damned forever. He never intended to save them. He foreordained them to go to Hell. And when He offers salvation in the Bible, He does not offer it to those who were foreordained to be damned. It is offered only to those who were foreordained to be saved.

Now this is interesting; this gentleman seems to think that his interpretation of scripture is correct and that John calvin's is in error. Or in reality it would be more fitting to say he is making scripture conflict with scripture; which as we know lead to tremendous error in ones faith. 
He seems to think theology can be built on historical narritive such as found in acts or else where; rather than getting his beliefs from the doctrinal teachings in the epistle and gospels. 
To try and make his case, he quote (and partially) something from Calvins writings "the institutes" and yet does not give a full passage; even one that seem to be found in the location that is offered.
After looking else where in this wonderful work; I have found its location, it is in Chapter 21 it reads:

 All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.

While this seems to be saying what is claimed; but is it as simple as quote one section (and as I said a partial quote). Let us do some examination of these sections from John Calvin to gain some insight. To understand any authors point, one must allow him or her to make his point... and not have other assume meanings onto the statement. And when we do this, this is what we find from Calvins writings:

The predestination by which God adopts some to the hope of life, and adjudges others to eternal death

This is the very first line of this section from book 3, chapter 21, section 5; and it reads and mean .. in one sense that God adopts, and in another sense "he adjudges" meaning declares. Therefore when John says that some are predesined unto eternal life he is saying that God has chosen them for adoption in Christ; while the ather he has predestined to eternal damantion by his declaration of that that fact.
Also notice what John says a few chapters later one this point:

The human mind, when it hears this doctrine, cannot restrain its petulance, but boils and rages as if aroused by the sound of a trumpet. Many professing a desire to defend the Deity from an invidious charge admit the doctrine of election, but deny that any one is reprobated, (Bernard. in Die Ascensionis, Serm. 2.) This they do ignorantly and childishly since there could be no election without its opposite reprobation. God is said to set apart those whom he adopts for salvation. It were most absurd to say, that he admits others fortuitously, or that they by their industry acquire what election alone confers on a few. Those, therefore, whom God passes by he reprobates, and that for no other cause but because he is pleased to exclude them from the inheritance which he predestines to his children. Book 3, chapter 23, section 1.

It is clear that John Calvin taught and believed as most calvinist do today that God election and his reprobation are not on equal ground; even to the clear fact, that one he is active in the process, bring the chosen in Christ to faith. Whle on the part of other the other he is in the passive role, allowing their just deserts being based on their action .. all the evil that they commit; They are justly condemned for.

Now lets consider his key objections at hand:

Nowhere does the Bible teach that God wills for some to go to Heaven and wills others to go to Hell. No. The Bible teaches that God would have all men to be saved. Second Peter 3:9 says that He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." First Timothy 2:4 says, "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."
Those who teach that God would only have some to be saved, while He would have others to be lost are misrepresenting God and the Bible.
Does God really predestinate some people to be saved and predestinate others to go to Hell, so that they have no free choice? Absolutely not! Nobody is predestined to be saved, except as he chooses of his own free will to come to Christ and trust Him for salvation. And no one is predestined to go to Hell, except as he chooses of his own free will to reject Christ and refuses to trust Him as Saviour. John 3:36 says, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

It would appear that this gentlemen is running out of biblical text(full or partial) to support his thesis, that "God does not predestine many in Christ" this is evident in the fact, that he has to go to text that have no primary revelence to salvtaion.
For example, we have 2 peter 3: 9 which when read in full context, we find this important fact being igored.

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 peter 3:1-13)

This is a passage not about savation, but the second coming of Christ. Never forget that as it is important and it is a foundation to the passage. Next who is Peter speaking to ... every single person to ever live. Hardly, it is in fact the elect believer in Christ. We know this from the great in verse 1 .. "This is now the second letter I am writing to you, beloved." But also notice the first book states this, "To those who are elect exiles," this tells us that Peter had a specific audience in mind .. the believers only .. and this is seen in verse 9 of 2 peter3 as well .. As it says "do not over look this one fact BELOVED .... but is patience towards YOU , but that all (the elect believer) shall reach repentence." Meaning that the elect believers .. all the Christian shall be saved before the second coming. 

And this gentleman finish this with these words:

Does God really predestinate some people to be saved and predestinate others to go to Hell, so that they have no free choice? Absolutely not! Nobody is predestined to be saved, except as he chooses of his own free will to come to Christ and trust Him for salvation. And no one is predestined to go to Hell, except as he chooses of his own free will to reject Christ and refuses to trust Him as Saviour. John 3:36 says, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
Nothing could be plainer. The man who goes to Heaven goes because he comes to Jesus Christ and trusts Him as Saviour. And the man who goes to Hell does so because he refuses to come to Jesus Christ and will not trust Him as Saviour.

Of course,  nothing could simplier! If you actually accurately represent what Calvinist believe and teach;instead of refusing to actually learn something that could benefit your studies. (Granted the original man who wrote the book has since passed on, but still someone put the article out i am referring to) Therefore, it is this person i am speaking of. 
Firstly, you are mixing divine election and robrobation with equal ultimacy; and not recognising the distinction that even Calvin himself made by lining up all he taught. Secondly, you are scrapping a clear biblical truth for sake of your pride in coming to these truths with a open mind, and you have a tradition in your veiw that is unbiblical. Thirdly, you are force a greek pagan concet of freewill upon the scripture and falsely intereting the bible through that lens. The bible no where speak of such a thing .. Jesus sa all men are slave to sin (John 8:31-39). And finally, even the act of belief has to granted to a person, you cannot exercise it freely. (John 6:44-45,65 and Philippians 1:25-29)