Thread: Taking Sides ?...or About your Beliefs ?...You decide...
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Taking Sides ?...or About your Beliefs ?...You decide...
Posted : 26 Jan, 2012 03:44 PM
Survey: Are You an Arminian and Don't Even Know It?
Arminianism~ General Information
Over the centuries, Calvinists have so successfully vilified Arminianism that people who are Arminian are afraid to say so. This is true even though Arminianism is the default theological position of Christian Protestantism; indeed, many people are Arminian and don�t even know it, and even deny it. Arminianism is so widespread that even the strongest Calvinist churches are filled with Arminians. It is ironic, then, that people are afraid to say they�re Arminian; for example, many Independent and Southern Baptists are typically Arminian, but nonetheless often call themselves Calvinists!
The purpose of this survey is to help people who have an Arminian theology realize that they are Arminians and to help them understand that it is okay to be Arminian. The questions deal with the most pertinent issues which define Arminianism and distinguish Arminianism from Calvinism.
1. Do you believe that Jesus died for every human being?
� If you answered yes to the question, then at least you agree with one of the central tenets of Arminianism, and you would be generally unwelcome in Calvinist circles
� This is perhaps the most glaring issue which divides Calvinism and Arminianism
� Most Calvinists believe that Jesus died only for certain people, although there is some debate whether Calvin himself held this view
� If you believe that Jesus died only for those who would eventually believe, then you truly are a Calvinist and not an Arminian
2. Do you believe that humans are so depraved that they can do nothing to earn salvation and that they cannot choose to believe in Jesus without the intervention of God�s grace?
� If you answered yes, then you agree with Arminius and Arminianism
� Calvinists affirm the same doctrine, but often claim that Arminians do not, despite near, if not complete unanimity among Arminian theologians in affirming the doctrine
3. Do you believe that a person can resist the convicting power of God�s grace?
� If you answered yes, then again you affirm another one of the central tenets of Arminianism, as reflected in Jesus� words, �Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I have longed to gather your children together�but you were not willing� (Matt 23:37)
� Calvinists argue that God has determined which individuals will believe; to make their faith possible, he calls them to salvation in such a way that their own wills are overpowered so that they cannot possibly resist the call to salvation
� Arminians believe that God truly wants every one to believe; but when God enables a person to believe, he does so in such a way that the individual still can resist the convicting power of the Spirit--faith is not a necessary outcome of God's enabling grace
4. Do you believe that you are born again when you put your faith in Jesus?
� If you answered yes, then you hold to a major tenet of Arminianism and you probably are not a Calvinist
� Calvinists believe that God must first give a person new life to enable faith; without first being made to share the new life, they think that a person cannot believe
� Arminians argue that people are not given the gift of the new life until they believe
� Arminians hold that when a person believes, he is united with Christ and only then does he partake of the new life and is born again; a person does not share in the new life without first being united with Christ by faith, for �whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life� (John 3:16)
5. Do you believe in election?
� If you answered yes, then you might be an Arminian
� Calvinists believe in an election independent of faith
� Arminians believe that election is �in Christ;� i.e., anyone who is �in Christ� is elect, and that faith is essential to become united with Christ. Therefore, election is conditioned upon faith
6. Do you believe in predestination?
� If you answered yes, then you might be an Arminian
� Arminians assert that believers are predestined to final salvation, not that people are predestined to believe
7. Do you believe in eternal security?
� The issue is whether people who truly believe in Jesus for salvation can possibly shipwreck their faith and forfeit their salvation, or conversely, once people have genuinely put their faith in Christ, whether their final salvation is unconditionally guaranteed
� If you answered yes and do believe in eternal security, you might be an Arminian
� Arminius himself was non-committal on the issue and never actually taught that believers may make shipwreck of their faith and so forfeit their salvation
� The Remonstrants�people who sided with Arminius in the theological debates of 17th century Holland�originally took no position on this issue, though they ultimately came to the conclusion that believers can make shipwreck of their faith and so perish
� If you answered no and don't believe in eternal security, then you affirm something which many Arminians strongly affirm, and you certainly would not be welcome in the Calvinist camp
� The official statement of faith of the Society of Evangelical Arminians only affirms that "persevering in faith is necessary for final salvation," without commenting further on the possibility of making shipwreck of one's faith.
� All Calvinists believe in unconditional eternal security (some without qualification and some because they think that faith and its continuance is due to unconditional election).
� Most Independent and Southern Baptists base their claim to be Calvinists on this sole issue; however, in light of historic agreement among Arminians to allow for disagreement on this issue, eternal security is not a determining factor in the question of whether one is an Arminian or a Calvinist
8. Do you believe in the penal satisfaction view of the atonement?
� If you answered yes or if you answered no, you might be an Arminian
� The penal satisfaction view of the atonement asserts that Jesus� death entailed a payment for sin. It assumes that the justice of God requires that sin be punished and that the just wrath of God was diverted away from deserving sinners and poured out instead upon Jesus as their substitute
� This view is held by most Calvinists and by a majority of Arminians (especially those who claim the nomenclature �Reformation Arminianism�), although some Arminians reject the notion that God punished his Son Jesus
� Arminius affirmed the penal satisfaction view of the atonement
9. Do you believe that God exhaustively knows the future?
� If you answered yes, you might be an Arminian
� Calvinists and most Arminians believe that God exhaustively knows the future.
� Some Arminians think that a denial of this doctrine is a rejection of basic Christian Theism, and that those who deny the doctrine cannot therefore be Arminian
� The Society of Evangelical Arminians affirms the doctrine, and one cannot belong to the society unless one is in agreement with it
10. Do you believe in the sovereignty of God?
� If you answered yes, then you might be an Arminian
� All Calvinists and all Arminians affirm the sovereignty of God, but they differ on God�s endowment of freedom to human beings
� Some Calvinists define sovereignty as God ordaining and predetermining all things and events, so that human choice is merely an illusion
� Some Calvinists don�t explicitly deny human freedom, but attempt to redefine it to fit their view of sovereignty
� Arminians affirm basic free will and that humans really do make genuine choices, undeniably affirming human culpability in sin
� The Arminian view of Sovereignty is that God has the power and authority to do anything he wants, and nothing can happen unless he does it or allows it;
� Arminians believe that God is sovereign enough to endow his creatures with free will
� The Arminian view of Sovereignty and human freedom is motivated by its understanding of the character of God as being holy so that 1) God is not the author of evil; and 2) humans are culpable for their sins
In summary, you can be an Arminian and believe
� the doctrine of unlimited atonement (Jesus died for everyone)
� the doctrine of total depravity (people are incapable of believing in Jesus apart from the intervention of God�s grace)
� the doctrine of resistible grace (God dispenses grace in such a way that people may resist his convicting grace)
� the doctrine of election (all those who are �in Christ� are elect)
� the doctrine of predestination (believers are predestined)
� the doctrine of eternal security
� the doctrine of the penal satisfaction atonement (God punished Jesus for the sins of the world)
� the doctrine of omniscience (including that God foreknows the future perfectly)
� the sovereignty of God (God can do whatever he wants, including endow humans with a free will)
As I stated earlier, the default position of Christian evangelicalism is Arminianism. And as can be seen in this brief outline, it is okay to be Arminian.
For more reflection on these issues, read Roger Olson�s Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities, which sets forth classical Arminian theology and debunks 10 myths about Arminianism.
Sourced ~ arminianbaptist.blogspot.com
*** Always GOOD to supply Information�Perspectives�Truth when posting and/or discussing the Facts about Religion�especially Christianity and the Progression of it�After all a person can not take lightly all that people post here�Let the Spirit of Truth Guide all your ways�for He is the Holy Spirit of GOD�Be Blessed Yall�xo
Taking Sides ?...or About your Beliefs ?...You decide...
Posted : 26 Jan, 2012 03:58 PM
:applause: Jesus died for ALL, FOR ALL, FOR EVERY PERSON IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD THAT HECREATED... so that He might redeem us including the earth and all things back to Himself at the end of this age> Even os the earth groans to be redeemed back to God.:yay: I wanna be ready when He comes, and get my rewards lving with the King of all kings in the new Jerusalem!:party::party::yay::dancingp::dancingp:
Taking Sides ?...or About your Beliefs ?...You decide...
Posted : 26 Jan, 2012 03:59 PM
I am a man that was saved because I said If you are then I guess I will, I knew no scripture, I did not believe there was a God but I know this in his goodness that was given to all men, As one in him, I knew the the tag's men put upon mankind mean absolutely nothing with God.
His mercy is far greater, far reaching than man can define and the father will never change.
As for one in Christ, I am committed to not allow the baggage man put upon the word of God in truth limiting the father.
It matter's not if I know if I am a sinner or not, what matters is that I answer the call in the light or commitment that he is lord, and I am not
Taking Sides ?...or About your Beliefs ?...You decide...
Posted : 26 Jan, 2012 08:20 PM
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto Us which are "Saved" it is the power of God.
I Cor. 1:18
The Thessalonians were told to live right in view of Jesus' coming return. With the passage of two thousand years, don't you think it's more important for Us today?
