--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To suggest that the merciful…" description: "\"To suggest that the merciful, longsuffering, gracious and loving God of the Bible would invent a dreadful doctrine like Calvinism, which would have us ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/tim-lahaye-2446_believe_to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsufferi_3075711.png" --- # To suggest that the merciful, longsuffering, gracious and… ![“To suggest that the merciful, longsuffering, gracious and loving God of the Bible would invent a dreadful doctrine like Calvinism, which would have us believe it is an act of 'grace' to select only certain people for heaven and, by exclusion, others for hell, comes perilously close to blasphemy.” quote by Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/tim-lahaye-2446_believe_to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsufferi_3075711.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/tim-lahaye-2446_believe_to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsufferi_3075711.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/tim-lahaye-2446_believe_to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsufferi_3075711.png) > “To suggest that the merciful, longsuffering, gracious and loving God of the Bible would invent a dreadful doctrine like Calvinism, which would have us believe it is an act of 'grace' to select only certain people for heaven and, by exclusion, others for hell, comes perilously close to blasphemy.” [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that Calvinist predestination contradicts the biblical image of a loving, merciful God, bordering on blasphemy. **In simple terms:** Calvinism seems at odds with a loving God. Key Takeaway Question the fairness of predestination. Themes theology predestination blasphemy Mood thoughtful critical Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal study - faith discussions - academic debate Key Concepts Christian doctrine interpretation of grace church teachings Questions to Reflect On - Do you think divine selection can be loving? - How does this view affect personal faith? A Different Perspective Some view predestination as a mystery rather than injustice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Blasphemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blasphemy/) [Calvinism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calvinism/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Loving god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-god/) [Merciful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merciful/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Calvinism emphasizes divine sovereignty and free grace; Arminianism emphasizes human responsibility. The one restricts the saving grace to the elect; the other extends it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-schaff/calvinism-emphasizes-divine-sovereignty-and-free-grace-arminianism-2/) [Philip Schaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-schaff/) > [It is interesting to me that the secularizers bend over backward in our federally controlled schools to keep atheists from being offended by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-is-interesting-to-me-that-the-secularizers-bend-over-backward-in/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [For the Arminian, salvation is possible for all but certain for none. In the Calvinist position, salvation is sure for God's elect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/for-the-arminian-salvation-is-possible-for-all-but-certain-for-none/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Calvinism that does not humble has missed its mark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-chantry/calvinism-that-does-not-humble-has-missed-its-mark/) [Walter J Chantry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-chantry/) > [“Jonathan Edwards, the dear old soul, who, if his doctrine is true, is now in heaven rubbing his holy hands with glee, as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/jonathan-edwards-the-dear-old-soul-who-if-his-doctrine-is-true-is-now/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [During my academical life, and from this time forward, I was indefatigable in my search after truth. I read all the authors of greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/during-my-academical-life-and-from-this-time-forward-i-was/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [I would rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-would-rather-believe-a-limited-atonement-that-is-efficacious-for/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [ What I am trying to argue here \[Save Calvinism\] and in other works before this one is that the Reformed tradition as I have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/what-i-am-trying-to-argue-here-save-calvinism-and-in-other-works/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [The alternative of hypothetical universalism, according to which Christ's work is sufficient for all but efficient only for the elect, was alive and well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/the-alternative-of-hypothetical-universalism-according-to-which/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [Calvinism is the consistent endeavor to acknowledge the Creator as the Lord, working all things after the counsel of His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/calvinism-is-the-consistent-endeavor-to-acknowledge-the-creator-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [“Ah! Gentle, gracious Dove, And art thou grieved in me, That sinners should restrain thy love, And say, “It is not free: It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/ah-gentle-gracious-dove-and-art-thou-grieved-in-me-that-sinners/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon/my-hope-arises-from-the-freeness-of-grace-and-not-from-the-freedom-of/) [Charles Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon/) > [Lutheranism restricted itself to an exclusively ecclesiastical and theological character, while Calvinism put its impress in and outside the church upon every aspect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/lutheranism-restricted-itself-to-an-exclusively-ecclesiastical-and/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [My Calvinism persuades me that we are open to God, in the sense that we are not delimited, not organisms with fixed attributes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/my-calvinism-persuades-me-that-we-are-open-to-god-in-the-sense-that/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“Finally, the Reformers also agreed that worship should be in the vernacular and that the twofold structure of Word and sacrament be maintained. Zwingli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-webber/finally-the-reformers-also-agreed-that-worship-should-be-in-the/) [Robert E. Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-webber/) ## More by Tim LaHaye > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [If Jesus is the Son of God in human flesh, He's one of a kind of the 13 billions of people who have ever lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/if-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-in-human-flesh-he-s-one-of-a-kind-of-the/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [There is something therapeutic about doing for others that lifts a person out of the rut of self-thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/there-is-something-therapeutic-about-doing-for-others-that-lifts-a/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [After I'd preached a message on Sunday night, I'd print it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/after-i-d-preached-a-message-on-sunday-night-i-d-print-it-up/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“When people mistakenly believe a lie, we have a responsibility—even a commission (Matthew 28:18-20)—to gently and lovingly point them to God’s truth. What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/when-people-mistakenly-believe-a-lie-we-have-a-responsibility-even-a/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [If you are worrying about tomorrow, you can't possibly enjoy today. Think about it: you can't really give God tomorrow; you can give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/if-you-are-worrying-about-tomorrow-you-can-t-possibly-enjoy-today/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“Fear is the paralyzing emotion that inhibits or restricts normal feelings of love, confidence, and well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/fear-is-the-paralyzing-emotion-that-inhibits-or-restricts-normal/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [Christianity is the only faith whose founder died for His followers in order to enable them to escape the consequences of their sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/christianity-is-the-only-faith-whose-founder-died-for-his-followers/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [The removal of religion as history from our schoolbooks betrays the intellectual dishonesty of secular humanist educators and reveals their blind hostility to Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/the-removal-of-religion-as-history-from-our-schoolbooks-betrays-the/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“No one knows for sure whether that precedes or follows the Rapture; a case can be made either way. One thing is apparent: Russia’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/no-one-knows-for-sure-whether-that-precedes-or-follows-the-rapture-a/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [And then I met Jerry and he's such a creative fiction writer, and I don't know if there's ever been a team put together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/and-then-i-met-jerry-and-he-s-such-a-creative-fiction-writer-and-i/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“Philippians 3:10: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/philippians-3-10-that-i-may-know-him-and-the-power-of-his/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”   Matthew 24:38-42”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/watch-therefore-for-you-do-not-know-what-hour-your-lord-is-coming/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [I think God has chosen to use this as a tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/i-think-god-has-chosen-to-use-this-as-a-tool/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“Just thinking about them brought a sob to her throat. Chloe pressed her back against the wall and lowered herself to the cold floor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/just-thinking-about-them-brought-a-sob-to-her-throat-chloe-pressed/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) [Explore all 166 Tim LaHaye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To suggest that the merciful, longsuffering, gracious and loving God of the Bible would invent a dreadful doctrine like Calvinism, which would have us believe it is an act of 'grace' to select only certain people for heaven and, by exclusion, others for hell, comes perilously close to blasphemy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tim LaHaye" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsuffering-gracious-and-loving-god-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsuffering-gracious-and-loving-god-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/tim-lahaye-2446_believe_to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsufferi_3075711.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/tim-lahaye-2446_believe_to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsufferi_3075711.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/tim-lahaye-2446_believe_to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsufferi_3075711.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To suggest that the merciful, longsuffering, gracious and loving God of the Bible would invent a dreadful…” — Tim LaHaye", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tim LaHaye", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To suggest that the merciful, longsuffering,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsuffering-gracious-and-loving-god-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/to-suggest-that-the-merciful-longsuffering-gracious-and-loving-god-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```