Most of the time this question is asked by those who do not believe the truth; those who do not believe that God is absolutely sovereign in salvation; those who care nothing for the truth of God nor the glory of God.  And most of the time our (my) response is to quickly qualify what is meant by a Calvinist and  quickly say, that, the doctrine did not originate with a man (Calvin), nor do we follow the teachings of a man, but the doctrine of scripture alone.  But I, for one, am tired of qualifying everything for the sake of rebels; I want to quit apologizing, as it were, to people who hate God and hate those who stand for the truth, namely John Calvin.  

    Our dear brother John Calvin was a man of God, sent by God, called by God to preach and write the Truth of God, and did so faithfully and truthfully in his generation.  While I may not agree with everything he said or wrote, I agree with him in the main, in the essentials of the faith and heartily endorse this man and love him in the Lord.  Brother John’s preaching and writings glorified the Lord, abased proud man, and pointed sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinners only hope. He laid down his life for the gospel and those to whom he preached.  For what my endorsement is worth, I stand with the man, behind the man, follow the man (as Paul told us to follow him as he followed the Lord), and would like to be just half the man that brother John Calvin was.   Put all the silly, foolish, ignorant,  modern day false preachers together and, like the Pharisees before Stephen, they would not stand for a moment before the knowledge of God’s Word, wisdom, understanding of human nature and zeal for the truth of God’s glory that our dear brother Calvin was given.  Brother Spurgeon once said: “Calvinism is the gospel and the gospel is Calvinism.” 

    Am I a Calvinist?  Yes sir I am!  And don’t say anything more of my dear brother unless it is in love and appreciation for the dear man.  Brother Calvin is one,  of whom the world was not worthy.  I count it an honor to be associated with him and other men just like him.