I have listed below some names that should be familiar with almost everyone who visits this site. The list is not exhaustive by no means.
These names are some of the greatest preachers, theologians and missionaries the world has ever known.
There is a common thread to all these names. Among other things, these men believed in the absolute sovereignty of God in all things.
Would you consider any (or all) of these men heretics and false teachers?
Jonathan Edwards
Charles Spurgeon
A.W. Pink
John Flavel
J.I. Packer
Thomas Watson
John Bunyan
William Shedd
John Owen
J.C. Ryle
Martyn Lloyd Jones
John Eliot
J.P.Boyce
Cotton Mathers
John Knox
George Whitefield
John Newton
William Bradford
Thomas Brooks
Isaac Watts
John Piper
Matthew Henry
Thomas Boston
R.C. Sproul
Phil Johnson
John MacArthur
John Brainerd
Augustine
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18 comments:
This is a very good list. I think "we" will be surprized who our Lord will count as "great".
Some of the names I don't recognize, but most look super solid. This is an unusual post for you. Ike is right, we will probably be surprised by who God esteems, but many of these men are very learned in scripture and the old should counsel the young. That's the way it was intended.
You know, I've said it before in a post on my site, or at least in emails to friends, many of the people I look to for guidance and counsel, virtually all of the authors and pastors I respect as wise and discerning hold to some version calvinism, including my two best friends. I fail to convert because it doesn't resonate with me as truth. i pray that God will reveal the truth to me, and us all, but for now it remains an open-handed issue, meaning it's not something we should divide over. The closed handed issues of the gospel, penal substitution, etc are the ones we should unite and stand firm on. I think we will all be surprised with what we don't know, but what will seem so obvious once we "arrive" in heaven with our Lord.
So,
Ike, Jonathan......
They are not heretics and false teachers?
Just for the record, after a few more thoughts from passers by, I will give my reason for doing this.
Yes Jonathan, this is unusual for me. Bear with me.
Jonathan....
You said, "i pray that God will reveal the truth to me, and us all, but for now it remains an open-handed issue, meaning it's not something we should divide over."
Amen.
Thank you.
You are forgetting the most abominable heretic of them all: the Calvinist, John Calvin. Wink, wink.
He wasn’t forgotten Joe, he was intentionally left off.
I can only guess that the Roman Catholic Church called these men heretics and false teachers.
^ Actually, many baptists have considered them such.
I'm sure they did Ike.
But now there are many within a very large southern denomination who are doing the same.
I have heard a few sermons by different pastors lately who, in essence, are calling these men heretics and false teachers.
Although I have not heard a pastor directly call these men heretics and false teachers, they are indirectly doing so when they call their reformed theology heretical and false doctrine.
In fact, according to a post from Founders.org, there is a "How to smoke out a Calvinist pastor in your church" circulating among SBC churches in Tennessee. It seems this memo is not connected with any official denominational worker, but by zealous folks who view the doctrines of grace as heresy and false teaching.
Although this memo is from lay folks within the SBC after reformed theology pastors, it seems to coincide with a surge of pastors denouncing the reformed faith as heretical and false teaching.
Arminianism and Calvinism cycle back and forth, as do our Republican and Democratic majorities. In a way it's helpful as it provides a second view of the same coin. My venture into Calvinistic perspectives has given depth to my understanding of grace. I appreciate both for the meat they have to offer.
Voddie Baucham has taken a lot of heat from the SBC.
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/11/12_The_SBC_and_Calvinism:__A_Personal_Perspective.html
The link was cut off Ike....
I think this is it....
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/11/12_The_SBC_and_Calvinism%3A__A_Personal_Perspective.html
Wayne,
On another note, I believe I've broached this topic on your site before...I was elated to read on DesiringGod that John Piper agreed with me today on the topic of infants and their eternal home should they die. He even used the same scripture references I've used to justify my position on that topic. And this from an authoritative calvinist, according to your list above.
read it here...http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2287_what_happens_to_infants_who_die/
I think I'm overjoyed because every person I have these discussions with disagrees with me. Sometime I wonder why I even read the Bible if I interpret it differently or wrong, you know? Finally, an encouraging agreement from prominent and solid pastor.
Thoughts?
hopefully this one isn't cut off.
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2287_what_happens_to_infants_who_die/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DGBlog+%28DG+Blog%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
oh well. gotta figure that one out.
Jonathan -
I had the same question asked of me when I was on my mission trip to New Orleans.
I believe that infants are Heaven bound too.
I like Pipers explanation from Romans one.
I have always used King David's proclamation that he would see his infant child again. David had comfort in that.
I can't remember if I ever introduced that subject here, but I know I've encountered opposition for similar views. The important thing is that the overwhelming opposition from all around me, not just here, has caused me to dive deeper into these studies and I've grown because of it, and for that I'm thankful, no matter who's right or wrong (though it's nice to have support on an issue at least once every couple of years :)
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