Recently on Facebook, a Christian brother from Georgia, Paul, posted this question:
Hi Paul, You seem to feel that you are a blend of those two doctrinal extremes, Calvinism and Arminianism. Most likely you are like me, sitting in the middle between the two. I cannot accept the Calvinist version of Predestination, that the God I worship would create billions of humans "in His image" - without allowing them a choice for eternal life, that He would condemn them to hell with no opportunity to choose eternal life in Christ.
And I cannot accept the Arminian's paranoia that some unknown little sin might sneak up on me and take away my salvation. The Arminian folks have no sense of Eternal Security - because they do not believe the promises of Jesus Christ. In other words, when Jesus Christ promises Eternal Life to all who follow Him (1 John 5:12, John 10:27-29, etc.) - in what the Arminians teach, that is not true. If that Arminian doctrinal belief is true, then Christ must have lied. And there is no way I will ever believe that the Savior who died for me - is a liar.
So, doctrinally I sit in the middle. But, does that mean that I believe Calvinist and Arminians are not saved. Absolutely not. A true believer who is Calvinist or Arminian is just as saved as you and me.
The difference is their views on Eternal Security. When I ask the Calvinist, "Since you say that God chose the Elect, i.e., those who will be saved, before the Creation - and there is absolutely nothing YOU can do to be saved - HOW can you know that YOU are saved?"
I have never had a Calvinist yet, pastor or lay persons, who could, or would, give a viable answer that question.
Most often they just reply, "I just know" - and that cannot be true. For that would be "them" deciding on an issue which, according to their doctrines, God decided before the Creation. How can they truly know what God decided about them, individually, before the Creation?
The only way a person could know what God decided about him/her as an individual before the Creation - is if God has given that person a special, personal revelation. And I have never had a Calvinist confirm such a special revelation. Therefore, according to TULIP or the euphemism, Doctrines of Grace - they cannot, of their own free will, decide to follow Jesus - or know that they are saved.
And, our poor Arminian brethren spend their whole Christian lives looking over their shoulder, for fear that some unknown sin will sneak up behind them and steal their salvation. My Savior is not a liar. He made us a promise of Eternal Life when we received Him as Lord and Savior - and nothing on earth or in heaven can make Him renege on that promise.
Paul, isn't it nice to be able to KNOW that we are children of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ, and that we WILL spend eternity in His presence?
Now THAT is Eternal Security!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let me offer a blog I originally posted in February 2016 and then, at a Friend's request, again in December 2016. It is titled "Calvinism, Arminianism, And Salvation! ~ Revisited" and offers a more detailed discussion on those beliefs:
I pray that you will find this useful in your understanding of these doctrinal beliefs. And it will help you to KNOW that, if you are a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ - you HAVE Eternal Life in Christ and no one, absolutely NO ONE, can take that from you.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
I have a question to my Christian friends. I have been debating on a thread with Calvinist believers. One thing I don't seem to be able to express to them properly is that I understand all of the salvation verses to say that - we must believe in order to be saved.
The people with whom I have been debating say that Jesus makes us born-again - and THEN we believe. From the way I understand their posts, they say that God calls those whom He chooses and gives them the gift of grace. And, then they start believing in Jesus Christ. They say that we "cannot" believe unless God gives it to us.
My understanding is that we can believe or not believe. That God does not force us to choose Him. But the way they explain it, we "don't" have a choice. If God gives us His grace, we will believe ~ and if He doesn't give it to us, we won't believe because we cannot.
Any thoughts? I seem to be a blend of the two philosophies.
Hi Paul, You seem to feel that you are a blend of those two doctrinal extremes, Calvinism and Arminianism. Most likely you are like me, sitting in the middle between the two. I cannot accept the Calvinist version of Predestination, that the God I worship would create billions of humans "in His image" - without allowing them a choice for eternal life, that He would condemn them to hell with no opportunity to choose eternal life in Christ.
And I cannot accept the Arminian's paranoia that some unknown little sin might sneak up on me and take away my salvation. The Arminian folks have no sense of Eternal Security - because they do not believe the promises of Jesus Christ. In other words, when Jesus Christ promises Eternal Life to all who follow Him (1 John 5:12, John 10:27-29, etc.) - in what the Arminians teach, that is not true. If that Arminian doctrinal belief is true, then Christ must have lied. And there is no way I will ever believe that the Savior who died for me - is a liar.
So, doctrinally I sit in the middle. But, does that mean that I believe Calvinist and Arminians are not saved. Absolutely not. A true believer who is Calvinist or Arminian is just as saved as you and me.
The difference is their views on Eternal Security. When I ask the Calvinist, "Since you say that God chose the Elect, i.e., those who will be saved, before the Creation - and there is absolutely nothing YOU can do to be saved - HOW can you know that YOU are saved?"
I have never had a Calvinist yet, pastor or lay persons, who could, or would, give a viable answer that question.
Most often they just reply, "I just know" - and that cannot be true. For that would be "them" deciding on an issue which, according to their doctrines, God decided before the Creation. How can they truly know what God decided about them, individually, before the Creation?
The only way a person could know what God decided about him/her as an individual before the Creation - is if God has given that person a special, personal revelation. And I have never had a Calvinist confirm such a special revelation. Therefore, according to TULIP or the euphemism, Doctrines of Grace - they cannot, of their own free will, decide to follow Jesus - or know that they are saved.
And, our poor Arminian brethren spend their whole Christian lives looking over their shoulder, for fear that some unknown sin will sneak up behind them and steal their salvation. My Savior is not a liar. He made us a promise of Eternal Life when we received Him as Lord and Savior - and nothing on earth or in heaven can make Him renege on that promise.
Paul, isn't it nice to be able to KNOW that we are children of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ, and that we WILL spend eternity in His presence?
Now THAT is Eternal Security!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let me offer a blog I originally posted in February 2016 and then, at a Friend's request, again in December 2016. It is titled "Calvinism, Arminianism, And Salvation! ~ Revisited" and offers a more detailed discussion on those beliefs:
Calvinism, Arminianism, And Salvation! ~ Revisited http://billdory-christian-ministries.blogspot.com/2016/12/calvinism-arminianism-and-salvation.html
I pray that you will find this useful in your understanding of these doctrinal beliefs. And it will help you to KNOW that, if you are a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ - you HAVE Eternal Life in Christ and no one, absolutely NO ONE, can take that from you.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
No comments:
Post a Comment