Up to this point we have looked at the five points that provide the base of Arminian and Calvinistic Theology. I have attempted to show my belief on these points and I hope it will be used for God’s glory. This is just a quick short sum up post about what we have discussed.

Arminian Theology

First off man really isn’t that badly hurt by the fall and he can really make it on his own. Also man chooses his salvation thus bringing glory to man. God cannot penetrate man’s free will which gives man power over God. God is forced to let everyone have a chance to be saved, why? Because man says if it were different it would not be fair. God’s grace is not irresistible and if God calls someone they can resist Him. Last off, it is up to man to keep His salvation and also watch out because he can loose it showing that God has no ability to keep Christians on the straight and narrow path.

Calvinistic Theology

We see that God is entirely and completely sovereign and that man has absolutely no power over his Creator. Number one, man is in a completely fallen state and has a nature that only continually seeks sin and is at enmity with God. Man has no ability to choose God because of his nature and only God can bring about the salvation of a man bringing full glory to Himself. God’s call is irresistible and no man can resist it, if it is God’s will that someone will be saved that person will be saved no matter what. If a man is saved then he can never loose his salvation showing God to be a God of His word and promise!

Which Theology sounds like the one preached in Scripture? It comes down to one question in my mind, who is Sovereign? Is Man Sovereign, or is God? Who deserves to be glorified, the creation, or the Creator.

Ok I won’t rant anymore on this post. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Season! God Bless! Andrew

We have now come to the last of the “five points” of the Calvinistic faith, “Perseverance of the Saints.” The Arminians have an opposing view, which is called “Falling from Grace”. It appears that all Arminian doctrines glorify man and diminish God. Is “falling from grace” different? Perhaps this Arminian doctrine will finally give glory to God? However, the opposite is true – man is again glorified while keeping his salvation. As I have said before, you can sum up the Arminian faith in four simple words; “Man first, God Second.” Here are the definitions of these two doctrines, taken from http://www.the-highway.com/compare.html:

Calvinistic View

Perseverance of the Saints

All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end.

Arminian View

Falling from Grace

Those who believe and are truly saved can lose their salvation by failing to keep up their faith, etc. All Arminians have not been agreed on this point; some have held that believers are eternally secure in Christ - that once a sinner is regenerated, he can never be lost.

Again, we go back to the very same point, how do these doctrines fulfill man’s primary purpose, which is to “Glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Let’s look at the Calvinistic view; God makes His elect to persevere through their whole Christian walk and thus brings glory to himself by showing His faithfulness to the elect. Look at John 10:27-29:

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. –John 10:27-29

Now let’s look at how the Arminian doctrine “supposedly” brings glory to God. The some-what powerful God, who is forced to submit to His creations choice, cannot assure anyone that he or she will always have the salvation that they have accepted. He can only tell them that they better sit up straight and follow His laws or else they will lose their salvation. If man makes it through life, and still has faith in Christ, then he should be praised that he made it on his own without falling away. So, show me where God receives glory in that? It’s basically God, leaving it all up to man, hoping, just hoping that they will remain on the narrow path or otherwise He can’t take them to heaven with Him. It also shows that God isn’t powerful enough to bring them all the way home like He promises. Why? Perhaps, because His power is limited by man’s power (Free Will)? I believe this is absurd!

Also, how do you know when you have become “un-saved?” Where is the yardstick which tells us when we are no longer one of God’s children? I can’t find it anywhere in Scripture. Where is it? And what about Hebrews 10:10, which says:

10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. –Heb 10:10

We see here that Christ died once for all. So what about the backslider who loses his salvation? Does he get to receive God’s salvation over and over again? It seems to me here that Christ died once for all the elect, and so how can one receive the gift again if he has already thrown it away? Arminians contradict their view and try to draw these backsliders to Christ, even though to remain consistent with their view every one should only get one chance at the Christian Walk because Christ died for everybody once.

Some Arminians believe that the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints “spells” disaster. They believe that this doctrine opens up the idea “Once saved always saved.” This statement is true, even though it’s not the statement I would choose to represent this doctrine with. It gives the impression that once you’re saved you can do whatever you want because once you’re saved you’re always saved. This is the ground on which Arminians attack perseverance of the saints. Of course, if God changes someone’s heart then that person will have a heart that wants to please God. This is because whatever God does, He does well and therefore none of the people He changes will still have a nature that craves after sin. Those who profess faith, but do not live according to His statutes and laws however were never saved. Look at Matt 7:21-23:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” –Matthew 7:21-23

Notice God says “I never knew you.” Not “I knew you and then because you failed to keep my law I ceased to know you.”

Finally here are some Scripture verses supporting this doctrine:

“‘He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.’” -1 Samuel 2:9

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” –Psalm 23:6

“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel , your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.” –Isaiah 43:1-3

“‘For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” –Isaiah 54:10

“And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.” - Jeremiah 32:38-41

“And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.” -Luke 8:13

In the next post I will give a sum up over-view of both Reformed Theology, and Arminian Theology.

If you have any questions or objections you can contact me at andrew32693@yahoo.com. God Bless!