Preterition is the Calvinist doctrine which addresses God’s relationship with the alleged “non-elect,” who are unconditionally omitted from God’s salvific will.440 These would be those who were not chosen to receive God’s “Irresistible Grace,” but…
Coords. Richard
Video: Romans 9 – Jacob and Esau
SEA members Dan, Richard Coords, and Christopher Bastedo discuss election in Romans 9. They discuss the national election found in the Old Testament texts Paul cites in Romans 9 and the way Paul applies them…
Richard Coords, “Circular Logic”
Calvinists often assume Calvinism in order to prove Calvinism, which is “Circular Logic.” Circular Logic involves presuppositional thinking. As an example, while it would be perfectly fine for two Christians who are debating Calvinism to…
Richard Coords, “Presupposition”
A presupposition is something you carry into any discussion, dealing with what you already presuppose to be true, and if you’re presupposition is accurate, then there is no problem, but if it’s false, then you…
Richard Coords, “Predestination”
Predestination is a biblical term, referring to anything that God, in advance, has purposed and planned to bring about. Here are some examples found in the Bible: Luke 22:22: “‘For indeed, the Son of Man…
Richard Coords, “Prayer”
Prayer is communicating with God, and prayer changes things. It changes both us and God. It changes us because it centers our attention around Him and it changes God because God is an emotional Being…
Richard Coords, “Perseverance”
Is it a “work” to continue believing in Christ? What do Calvinists believe? You were saved by the grace of God through faith. So, are you now kept saved through the rest of your life…
Richard Coords, “Permission”
Knowing that evil would come to pass, why didn’t God prevent it? Calvinists use that question to infer determinism, meaning that God must have secretly wanted evil, or else otherwise He could have stopped it,…
Richard Coords, “Perfection”
Is the Calvinist concept of God the greatest conceivable Being? William Lane Craig responded to a Muslim’s question and concluded that Islam’s conception of God was not the greatest conceivable Being and so, naturally, one…
Richard Coords, “Patience”
Throughout the scriptures we see evidence of God’s patience and long suffering with mankind: Nehemiah 9:30: “For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. Yet they…
Richard Coords, “Parables”
Why did Jesus speak in parables? Jesus answers by saying: “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand”…
Richard Coords, “Orwellian”
“Orwellian” is a term based upon a book entitled “1984” written by British author, George Orwell. It refers to the dystopian oppression imagined in a future totalitarian government which suppresses liberty and freedom. So, how…
Richard Coords, “Omniscience”
Divine omniscience is the characteristic of an all-knowing God, and although we believe that God knows everything, we candidly admit that we do not know how God knows anything. The same perplexity also exists concerning…
Richard Coords, “Omnipotence”
Being omnipotent means being all-powerful. But what does it mean for God to be all-powerful, and more specifically, what does it mean for God to govern all-powerfully? Many imagine how they might govern the universe.…
Richard Coords, “Mystery”
The general perspective of Calvinists is that since we know that God is sovereign, who determines whatsoever comes to pass, and since we know that man is free, we must simply accept the mystery in…
Richard Coords, “Middle Knowledge”
Middle Knowledge is the knowledge of contingencies (i.e. the knowledge of the what-if’s), which exemplifies an extreme sense of divine omniscience. [Editor’s note: This is often how “middle knowledge” is thought of popularly. But more…
Richard Coords, “Love”
Omni-benevolence is the basis for a universal atonement, which is also the basis for asserting a universal salvific will, which is then the basis for giving a universal offer of the gospel. However, before Calvinists…
Richard Coords, “Lottery”
The Calvinist doctrine of Unconditional Election seems to turn salvation into the luck of a lottery. In Calvinism, those who are born saved are far more fortunate than those born non-elect and un-savable. What do…
Richard Coords, “Logic”
If you’ve ever had a discussion with a Calvinist where you thought you had made a strong argument about the necessary implications of Calvinism (i.e. God being made into a divine tempter and puppet master…
Richard Coords, “Lazarus”
The essence of the Calvinist gospel is this: I was dead and in need of a resurrection. (This combines the Calvinist doctrines of Total Inability and Irresistible Grace.) Naturally, then, Calvinists feel that Jesus’ raising…
