Why I am Not an Arminian

Transcription

1 MARANATHA MESSENGER Weekly Newsletter of Private Circulation Only MARANATHA BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 12 Mar 2006 Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:28). Address: 63 Cranwell Road, Singapore Tel: (65) Fax: (65) Website: * Sunday School: 9.45 am Worship Service: am Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 8.00 pm Pastor: Rev (Dr) Jack Sin (HP: ) Why I am Not an Arminian Introduction Beside the common division of charismatic and non-charismatic churches today, the greater division in historic Christendom is between two contradicting systems of theological thoughts concerning the doctrine of salvation or soteriology. It came to be known to us today as the Calvinist (Reformed) vs Arminian debate. The Dutch town of Dortrecht (English Dort) may be unfamiliar to many English-speaking Christians today but it was the place where the reformed Churches of Holland, Britain, Germany and Switzerland held a great church conference where this historic debate took place. It resulted in a unanimous, historic statement concerning the doctrines of grace reflected in the clear teaching of Scripture and the orthodox faith since New Testament times. It is commonly called the five points of Calvinism under the acrostic TULIP (although the reformed faith has much wider theological implications than this). But in Church history, it is instructive to note that Five Points of Arminianism were presented first at the Synod of Dort from by the Arminian camp, led by adherents and followers of Jacob Arminus and Hugo Grotius and the following is a brief formulation of it: 1. Freewill: The first point of Arminianism was that man possesses freewill. They believed that the fall of man was not total, holding that there was enough good left in man for him to will to accept Christ unto salvation. 2. Conditional Election: Arminianism further teaches that election is based upon the foreknowledge of God as to who would believe. In other words man s act of faith is the condition for his being elected to eternal life. Since God foresaw him exercising his freewill in accepting Christ as Lord and Savior God, then elected him to salvation on that basis. 3. Universal atonement: Since it was their further conviction that God loves everybody, that Christ died for everyone and that the Father is not willing that any should perish, Arminius and his followers held that redemption (used casually as a synonym for atonement) was general. In other words the death of Christ makes all men salvable though no one is effectually saved by it. Therefore, each individual must exercise his freewill to accept Christ in order to be included under Christ s salvation. 4. Obstructible grace: Arminians also believed that since God wanted all men to be saved, He sent the Holy Spirit to woo all men to Christ. However, since man has absolute freewill he is able to resist God s will for his life. The Arminian believes that man has to exercise his own will first, and then he is born again. Although the Arminian says he believes that God is omnipotent, he insists that God s will to save all men can be frustrated by the finite will of man on an individual basis. 5. Falling from Grace: Falling from grace is the logical outcome of the preceding portions of the system. If man cannot be saved by God unless it is man s will to be saved, then man cannot continue in salvation unless he continues to will to be saved. There is no surety, assurance or confidence in our salvation in this life. The Five Points of Calvinism and Arminianism The response to the five points of Arminianism was the five points of Calvinism in defence of the Reformed faith. The following is a comparison or contrast of the five points of Calvinism and the five points of Arminianism arising out of the Dutch Remonstrance controversy at the historic Synod of Dort. The Five Points of Calvinism can be easily remembered by the acronym TULIP (the Dutch flower). This material below is adapted from The Five Points of Calvinism Defined,

2 Defended and Documented, by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas Philipburg: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1963 (more biblical references and quotes in parenthesis are added here by the author). The Five Points of Arminianism vs The Five Points of Calvinism. 1. FreeWill or Human Ability Although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness. God graciously enables every sinner to repent and believe but He does not interfere with man s freedom. Each sinner possesses a free will and his 1. Total Inability or Total Depravity Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature, therefore, he will not, indeed he cannot choose good eternal destiny depends on how he uses over evil in the spiritual realm. it. Man s freedom consists of his ability to choose good over evil in spiritual matters; his will is not enslaved to his sinful nature. The sinner has the power to either cooperate with God s Spirit and be regenerated or resist God s grace and perish. The lost sinner needs the Spirit s assistance but he does not have to be regenerated by the Spirit before he can believe, for faith is man s act and precedes the new birth. Faith is the Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ; it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God s gift of salvation; it is God s gift to the sinner, not the sinner s gift to God. (Gen 6:5,Jer 17:9, Jn 3:19, Mark 7:21-23, Eph 4:17-19,Rom 3:9-12,1 Jn 1:8-10). sinner s gift to God; it is man s contribution to salvation. 2. Conditional Election God s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world was based upon His foreseeing that they would respond to His call. He selected only those whom He knew would of themselves freely believe the gospel. Election therefore was determined by or conditioned upon what man would do. The faith which God foresaw and upon which He based His choice was not given to the sinner by God (it was not created by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit) but resulted solely from man s will. It was left entirely up to man as to who would believe and therefore as to who would be elected unto salvation. God chose those whom He knew would, of their own freewill, choose Christ. Thus the sinner s choice of Christ, not God s choice of the sinner, is the ultimate cause of salvation. 3 Universal Redemption or General Atonement Christ s redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved but did not actually secure the salvation of anyone. Christ died for all men and for every man but only those who believe on Him are saved. His death enabled God to pardon sinners on the condition that they believe but it did not actually put away anyone s sins. Christ s redemption becomes effective only if man chooses to accept it. 2. Unconditional Election God s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response or obedience on their part; such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause of God s choice. Election therefore was not determined by or conditioned upon any virtuous quality or act foreseen in man. Those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Thus God s choice of the sinner, not the sinner s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation (John 15:16, Eph 1:4,5, Deut 7:6,7, Rom 8:28-30, 1 Pet 1:1,2 Rev 17:14, Tit 1:1, Act 13:48). 3. Limited Atonement or Particular Redemption Christ s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary atonement for the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners (although it is potentially able to save the whole world if God wills. The phrase by Augustine, Sufficient for all, efficient for the elect can be accepted here if properly understood). In addition to

3 putting away the sins of His people, Christ s redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, therefore guaranteeing their salvation (Matt 1:21, 20:28, 26:28, John 10:11,17,20, 24-26, 11:50-53, Gal 1;3,4,Tit 2:14, Eph 5:25,26, Heb 9:28, Rev 5:9). 4 The Holy Spirit Can be Effectually Resisted The Spirit calls inwardly all those who are called outwardly by the gospel invitation; He does all that He can to bring every sinner to salvation. But inasmuch as man is free, he can successfully resist the Spirit s call. The Spirit cannot regenerate the sinner until he believes; faith (which is man s contribution) precedes and makes possible the new birth. Thus, man s freewill limits the Spirit in the application of Christ s saving work. The Holy Spirit can only draw to Christ those who allow Him to have His way with them. Until the sinner responds, the Spirit cannot give life. God s grace, therefore, is not invincible; it can be and often is, resisted and thwarted by man. 5. 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. REJECTED by the Synod of Dort This was the system of thought contained in the Remonstrance (though the five points were not originally arranged in this order). It was submitted by the Arminians to the Church of Holland in 1610 for adoption but was rejected by the Synod of Dort in 1619 on the ground that it was unscriptural. 4. Irresistible Grace or The Efficacious Call of the Spirit In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) and non-discriminational (ie the offer of the gospel) can be and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man s will, nor is He dependent upon man s cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God s grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended (John 6:37,44,64,65 Rom 8:14, 1 Cor 6:11,Eph 2:1,5, 2 Tim 2:25,26, Heb 9:15, Phil 2:12,13). 5. Perseverance of the Saints All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ and given faith by the Spirit are (preserved) eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end. (Isa 43:-3, Matt 18:12-14, John 10:27-30, Rom 8:35-39, Eph 1:5,13,17, I Thes 5:23,24, Jude 24,25, 1 John 2;19,25). REAFFIRMED by the Synod of Dort This system of theology was reaffirmed by the Synod of Dort in 1619 as the doctrine of salvation contained in the Holy Scriptures. The reformed church at that time formulated the response into five points (in answer to the five points submitted by the Arminians) and has ever since been known as the five points of Calvinism. A Closer Scrutiny Firstly, the word foreknowledge needs some explanation as it is a significant word that divided the two camps. The word is used in Rom 8:29-30 and 1 Pet 1:1,2. It has been claimed that the

4 word means that God knows in advance who is going to choose Him and therefore He chose them first. This interpretation makes man the author of his salvation and it is not biblically sound nor correct (cf Eph 1:4,5 God s sovereign will and good pleasure is at stake). The word foreknowledge here means it also include a relational concept of God sovereignly fixing his regard on us or take note of us in time past in a saving relationship and not merely an intellectual knowledge in advance of what is going to happen in the future. Herein lies a significant point of theological understanding and discernment where God is exalted in our redemption (cf Rogers, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, 331). The second main concern is Heb 6:4-8 which apparently seems to suggest or teach on the surface, a falling from grace (ie hence against perseverance of the saints) but a closer study reveals that the person under scrutiny is a non- redeemed man or a so-called Christian outwardly (Matt 7:21-23). Verses 7 and 8 further describes such men as thorns and thistles to be rejected and also the use of the adversative but when the author referred to brethren or redeemed man in contrast to unsaved men (cf Matthew Henry s Commentary on this section, ). The third concern is that Calvinism is a deterrent to evangelism. There is nothing further from the truth. Properly understood, biblical election is the strongest motive for biblical evangelism and missions and this is borne out in church history as some of the finest missionaries of all times are devoted Calvinists. Consider men like George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, William Carey to India, the father of modern missions, Adoniram Judson who went to Burma (or Myanmar today) and William Burns to China and Robert Murray McCheyne to Palestine and others. Read Rom 10:10-17 for a biblical response on the call to missions and evangelism. The God who elects men to be saved is the same God who summons us to go forth and preach the gospel to all men and there is no contradiction with God. The final concern has to do with the freewill or moral responsibility of men and that Calvinism is inconsistent with man s free agency. A vital principle of interpretation of Scriptures is that there is no contradiction in the word of God (even if it may defy our human intellectual prowess if any at all). The Bible speaks clearly of human responsibility in Mark 14:21, Luke 16:16, Matt 11:28-30, Isa 55:6,7 and Heb 2:3,4 and many others. When we are not saved, the Bible says we neglect so great a salvation (Heb 2:3). God is responsible for our salvation and we are accountable for our damnation and there is no contradiction with God. (read Lorraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination for a study of objections and its reply, ). A Word of Caution on Hyper Calvinism This is an extreme and unbiblical form of Calvinism, to which true Calvinists do not subscribe. It essentially does not believe in the free offer of the gospel to all men but a preaching only to the elect. This is defective and unsound as the Lord clearly instructs us to propagate the gospel to all men (Rom 10:10-17) for the simple reason that it does not belong to us to try to distinguish the elect from the non-elect in our preaching or witnessing but that it is wholly the work of the Spirit in regeneration (Tit 3:5). (For a deeper study on this, read Iain Murray, Spurgeon vs Hyper Calvinism, Banner of Truth Trust). Let none confuse biblical Calvinism (represented by TULIP) from the unsound teachings and practices of Hyper Calvinism which is to be avoided. The Bondage of the Will The whole faulty system of salvation as taught by modern liberal and neo- evangelicalism rests upon the dogma of freewill. Arminians argue that man s ability to will spiritual good and hence choose Jesus Christ as Saviour themselves was left unaffected by the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden. Question: Is the will of man able to choose God with man s totally depraved heart or sinful nature? Consider the following verses: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life (Prov 4:23). Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil (Jer 13:23). For from within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders... (Mark 7:21). Jesus says that the source of sinful thoughts and acts have affected the

5 heart and not the will and we are totally and completely depraved and incapable of saving ourselves at all. This doctrine of total inability explains why the Bible never attributes salvation to an act of the human will (Tit 3:5, Eph 2:8,9). Consider the following verses, So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy (Rom 9:16). Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). You did not choose me, but I chose you (John 15:16). John 8:43-44 say, Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. When Jesus said, Without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5), He really meant nothing and that applies to our efforts in salvation as well. Arminians and Salvation Are Arminians saved then? Salvation is based on a saving relationship by faith in Christ alone which is all of God s sovereign mercy and grace and not men at all (Ps 1:17). Anyone who believe and confess in Christ as his personal Saviour and Lord will be saved (John 1:12, Rom 10:9,10) and while one may differ in point of doctrine, one must not disparage and discredit others unduly in terms of the salvation whose only God is the sovereign Judge. Arminians (and the Calvinists) are saved if they sincerely believe and receive Christ alone as their personal Saviour and Lord and repent of their sins just like any other (Rom 19:9,10). True Calvinists will cherish no ill will against the Arminian brethren as George Whitefield epitomised in his magnanimous relationship with John Wesley when asked if he will see John in heaven, he replied no. When pressed further for the reason, he said, O, John will be so close to God and I will be so far away from Him that I will not get to catch a glimpse of John in heaven. Such was the high regard and benevolent spirit that Whitefield had for his brother, notwithstanding some disagreements in matters of doctrines in their earlier years. May we also cultivate this God-honouring attitude in our disputes with one another in the fear and love of God (though it is our sincere desire and humble prayer that our Arminian brethren will come to a correct biblical understanding of the doctrines of sovereign grace that would be a great blessing along life s pilgrimage). Salvation is of the Lord (Jon 2:9) and not of man. Conclusion It is important to note that the all five points of Calvinism represents a coherent and integrated doctrinal system of soteriology (or salvation) and may not be truncated into just two or three points (or even four) where one may please. One points logically and doctrinally leads on to the other. Every doctrinal point or principle is significant and necessary and it will not theologically untenable or in complete without the other four or the rest accompanying. It is either all of it or nothing at all. As we close, it is instructive to be reminded that in the mind of the reformed believer, he humbly acknowledges that all men are dead spiritually (Eph 2:1-5), are either ignorant of or are against the truth and have no love nor seek Jesus Christ (John 3:19-21), dwell in darkness (John 1:4-5), have a heart of stone (Ezek 11:19), are helpless to save themselves (Ezek 16:4-6), cannot repent on their own (Jer 13:23), are slaves of Satan and sin (Act 26:17-18) and cannot see or comprehend divine truth (1 Cor 2:14). This biblical fact may be offensive to the natural man but is unavoidable unless one is willing to ignore the word of God. Will you acknowledge your sins and come to believe in Christ today? The doctrine of total depravity of man is important, for when it is properly understood, it proves that salvation is totally of God s grace and not of man s doing, to which all biblical Christians must readily assent and that is why the author and Maranatha BPC are not Arminian. Jack Sin ******** from Australia We send you greetings in Jesus blessed name & thank you for keeping us updated on the needs and rejoicings of your fellowship. We continue to pray for Bro David Poh, Bro Boon Wah & families. May the Lord comfort and strengthen them through this very difficult time as they await the Lord s calling home. It is a timely reminder to us all that our times are in His hands and we must keep our eyes fixed on the prize in eternity as we serve out our time here on earth. Truly we must rest in Him

6 and claim His promises as we seek to do His will and accept His plan for our lives. Praise God for His Word and the comfort and encouragement it brings. Praise Him that He supplies all our needs both spiritual and temporal not according to our emptiness but according to His fulness, not according to our poverty but according to His wealth. May He continue to Bless you all abundantly and meet your every need as you faithfully serve Him. In Jesus Love and service Harold & Georgina Rom 8:37-39 Faith Presbyterian Church ******** At the Pulpit Theme for the Quarter: Proclaiming the Pure Gospel & Godly Living (Galatians) Dr Jack Sin Spirit-Filled Living (Gal 5:14-26) *These hyperlinks work with Word 97 and later version. [End of MM]