Implications

     Talking about doctrinal differences can be akin to entering an arena of gladiatorial engagement and it's imperative to be well armed. Adherents to a particular doctrine are easily offended when you wont pay homage or rather bow down to pet their sacred cow. I'm at odds with more than one of these cows, though at the present with reformed theology. Just the title causes me questions. Doesn't reformed insinuate changed or altered as inferred by the title. The question that follows is altered from what. If it's in response to Catholicism, or any of the other Gnostic apparitions there is a need and or call for examination of origins. I think going back at least to the first and second century writings of the church fathers is required. In the case of Calvinism we must do the same.  Calvin resurrected the teaching of the Valentinian gnostic idea that some people are destined for hell and others to heaven as individuals rather than groups. Attached to this teaching of Valentinus is the teaching that the predestined for salvation don't need to practice good works. I understand that the Bible teaches salvation comes thru faith; but I have to acknowledge what Jesus said, in Mathew 25, to those who didn't do the works of believers. "Then shall he answer them saying, verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go  away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." I'm bringing this up just to show the way people can throw out a verse to under-gird their position. Paul may say, and rightfully so, that faith leads to salvation. Jesus can also say I don't know you, because it came to naught. A good Calvinist will point to a scripture like Ephesians 2:8-9. "For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." I would then be compelled to quote 2 Peter3:9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise; but is longsuffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." The Calvinist would argue that we had no choice and a universalist would respond we'll all be saved in time. This brings me back to a time in my childhood when it was popular to respond when we did something naughty; "the devil made me do it." At my most immature period of life I knew this to be utter nonsense. To attribute that same thinking to God would be the same. Free will is the most self evident realization I've encountered in life.To imply otherwise is nonsensical. What we're really good at is moving the chess pieces around on the board to entrap an opponent hoping for a victory; a dance of side-stepping consequential abdications.  I choose to think that we are better than that.

     I do have an understanding of creation. Time, space, and matter had to come into existence at the same time. This too is self-evident. God is outside of time so that everything is "now" to Him; beginning and end. This also means He has all the time in existence to be with you. We're the ones stuck in time and every day we awake with choice. It follows us everywhere we go and God wants not so much  to be a part of our life but for us to join in His. He sees the redeemed and those not redeemed. He works in peoples' lives with us and hopefully through us. This may give you an uneasy feeling knowing that you have a place in the harvest by your vested purpose in propagating the gospel and it's only because we have free will that we can join Him and be His children. God made the choice to create. That is not only who and what He is, but why He can be Love. Love has to have an objective and so do we. Our choice is simply with or without. The thought of being absolved of guilt because we throw up our hands thinking God has already picked some souls for hell is repugnant to the deepest part of my soul. If that is true, life has no purpose for me!

     Jesus always had a crowd about Him. Some curious, some astonished, others detractors, and some followers. Me, I have always wanted to be the the one to reach through the crowd and touch the hem of His garment, to be healed, and to be chosen, because I chose to believe, to be known by God because I chose to follow His commands. God is a covenant person, which demands a response [obligation] and a part in "His" purpose .

A disclosure: When researching, pay close attention to the "whens." For an example, Augustine was a Manichean eight years before becoming a christian. Mani among other things was a dualist and taught that man does not have free will among several other erroneous doctrines. What I'm saying is we all have previous influences that we have to shed along the way. There may still be some lights that need to be turned off and others to be turned on. Discern the times and note the changes before elevating any man's teachings above Jesus.