Matt 12 & 13 Calvin

Calvinism affected the Church of Christ in England when in the 1600's a small group of congregations split off and became Baptist. The Baptist church was really just COC turning to Calvinism.

It started over a disagreement in Matthew 13 concerning parables. Calvinists believed God picked those who would be saved beforehand based upon Matthew 13.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

The Calvinist point was God had predetermined their fall. Yet, if you go back to the previous chapter they had formally rejected Christ's miracles and teaching and held a council to find a way to have him put to death.

Mat 12:14  Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

Mat 12:15  But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

He knew they had formally rejected him so that his choice to use parables so they would not understand wasn't arbitrary, but based upon their rejection. Matthew makes this principal clear.

Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

They had closed their hearts and committed blasphemy of the Spirit by accusing Jesus of working through Beelzebub.

God allowed them to close their hearts before the parables, thus Calvinism falls apart theologically.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

God simply refused them to have the knowledge to come back to belief before the cross.