First off, if John Calvin were the guard at the entrance to heaven the Bible would have to be rewritten. So that “God so loved the world” would say “God so loved a very small part of those who live in the world. And the rest He hated.”
If John Calvin was the guard at the pearly gates anyone who believed in and followed Jesus who was not chosen by God to do so before they were born, would be denied entry. If he was the guard at the pearly gates that we had to convince to allow us entry we would have to first acknowledge that I was fortunate not to have died as a baby because babies who die go to hell. there are babies in hell. And if they were not predestinated by God’s will for hell they would not have died.
Face it, those who believe that men have free will, and are saved when they choose of their own free will to believe the gospel, would all be in really big trouble if Calvin was the pearly gates keeper.
But, what’s the hardest part of that soteriology is the fact that like Roman Catholics we could not know whether we are saved or not until we get there. Because in Calvin’s view our choosing to believe has nothing to do with our being saved. But, only if we are one of the very few that God chose to be saved before we were born.
Do you see what a lie this makes of “For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever would believe in Him would not perish, but, would have eternal life.”? And the lie this teaching makes of Peter’s words in 2Peter3:9 where he tells us that it is not God’s will for any to perish. But, rather that all men would come to a saving faith.
If John Calvin was chosen by God to guard entry through the pearly gates, entry would not be for everyone who chose to turn from idols to believe in Jesus. Nor would it be given to the innocent who die as babies who do not yet possess the knowledge of good and evil.
Because of his perverted belief in what the sovereignty of God means salvation would only be for those who were chosen by God in eternity past to be saved. And most, regardless of whether they believe in Jesus or not, would be predestinated for hell.
The same is true for everyone who has believed the sin nature doctrine. Because whether they realize it or not they too have rejected free will and would guard entry through those gates just as Calvin would. Because their understanding of grace would force them to the same conclusion he came to.
Because no one would be righteous except those to whom God imputes Jesus’ good works righteousness. And this through no choosing of their own. But, by force does Calvin believe men are saved.
Calvin and those who believe his sin nature and original sin doctrine believe everyone is born separated from God because of an inherent nature that passes from parent to child. So that beginning with Adam after he ate the fruit an evil nature has passed from every parent to every child.
Calvin described this nature as making man totally depraved. So that apart from God’s imparting of grace, forcing His salvation upon men, a man will never choose to trust in Jesus for eternal life.
This is why Calvin and anyone who believes the sin nature doctrine reject that men have free will. Because if he did have free will then in thier view men could save themselves. Or at least play a large role in being saved.
This is why Calvin came up with his acronym TULIP.
T for total depravity.
U for unconditional election.
L for limited grace.
I for irresistible grace.
And P for perseverance of the saints.
It is through this acronym that Calvin codified these beliefs that his instruction under the tutelage of Augustine of Hippo gave to him. And since churches and seminaries have adopted these tenants of their faith they have shown their trust in these men for the truth about salvation. Rather than the apostles and prophets with Jesus being the chief cornerstone the Bible says the body of Christ is to be built upon.
So everyone who comes to believe in Jesus has a choice to make. Will you believe Augustine, Calvin, and Luther? Or will you believe the apostles, prophets, and Jesus? It is a very consequential choice because they are not the same thing. Consequential because they do not lead to the same Jesus, the same atonement, or the same God we find written about in the Bible.
You must choose whether you will believe the sin nature and original sin doctrine that is a perversion of the true gospel. Or if you will believe what the Bible plainly says as recorded through the apostles, prophets, and Jesus.
To make the wrong choice here will most likely mean you will go through your life living by some religious code apart from the presence of God and without the Holy Spirit indwelling you. But, make the right choice and you will have both eternal life and immortality with the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Thankfully Calvin will not be standing guard at the gates of heaven. Sadly it is likely that he will not only will he not be standing guard at the pearly gates, but he will also not have made it into heaven at all because of his beliefs that joined him to a false Jesus. A false atonement. And a false god.
But, if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus who joined with man in our mortality and death. And who by His resurrection conquered death. And believe in your heart that He has raised from the dead. You will be saved.
Not because God forced salvation on you having chosen you and not most others before you were born. But, because you used your God given free will that Calvin, Augustine, and Luther denied men have, the way God wants everyone who has ever been born to use it.
By saying yes to the gospel when you hear it. And trusting in Jesus for eternal life. This way we can know that we are saved in the here and now. Just as John said in 1John5:11-13 where he wrote, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
Do this and you will know that you are saved. Do this and you will know you have eternal life now. And immortality at the resurrection. Do this… and I will see you there or in the air!
This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v7cmnr0-if-john-calvin-replaced-peter-at-the-pearly-gates-a-biblical-test-of-belief.html
