In our time of troubles, you often come across people who preach this or that direction in Christianity, considering it the only right and true one. When talking, they often appeal to the Bible, but we know that Scripture can be interpreted in different ways. It's no secret that if you wish, you can justify almost any direction in Christianity.
Protestantism, and in particular Calvinism, today is very widespread throughout the world. Let's see what this teaching is and how it differs from others.
Historical background
Protestantism itself emerged in Europe in the first half of the 16th century as a powerful movement to purify the church. Indeed, the sale of indulgences, extortion and extortion, as well as the obscene behavior of Catholic priests, could not but arouse the indignation of the common people. As a result, Lutheranism arose and grew stronger over time in Germany, Anglicanism in foggy Albion, and inSwitzerland, the Frenchman Calvin founded his reformist direction in Christianity - Calvinism. Subsequently, it found many adherents also in the Netherlands, Scotland, USA, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Hungary, New Zealand and South Korea. Reformation, Congregationalism and Presbyterianism are considered to be the main branches of this Protestant movement.
Distinguishing features of Calvinism
In 1536, J. Calvin published a work en titled "Instructions in the Christian Faith", in which he described what this trend in Christianity actually consists of. In this book, he outlined not only the basic principles of this trend, but also his approach to understanding the Christian calling of a person, his destiny and goals in life. According to Calvin, each person has a purpose from God. Everyone must realize their own destiny, which cannot be changed. Its definition occurs through the gift of Faith. The happiness of some people is predetermined even before their birth, while others are forced to eke out an existence full of sorrow and suffering. And all this will continue after death. Thus, it turns out that God determines in advance for a person the final sentence, which cannot be changed either by sacrifices in the name of loved ones, or by all kinds of good deeds.
You can recognize the will of the Creator by the following signs: if a person sincerely believes in his Creator, understands the essence of his destiny in life, works hard and acquires materialwell-being means that he is chosen for heavenly life. Otherwise, if he mismanages fate and loses he alth and well-being, he is destined for eternal torment. Those who profess this direction in Christianity believe that a person is responsible to the Creator through several categories: he alth, time and property. Calvin considered them great gifts of God. Therefore, a person is responsible to his Creator for every minute of his life. In the first place of his life, Calvinism puts work - both for the public good and for the good of his family. It is easy to see that this Protestant direction in Christianity made the service of God more mundane, such that it concerns only the material world. Labor appears as a kind of prayer to the Creator, and labor means fulfilling the sacred commandments of love for one's neighbors. The essence of the doctrine can be expressed in one thesis: God helps those who take care of themselves. Whether this is true or not, let everyone decide for themselves.
