Posted on 10/29/2006 6:20:51 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg
One major debate within Christian circles is the question of whether or not a Christian can lose his or her salvation. Arminians argue that true believers can sin so much that they lose their faith and perish. Some Christians respond by arguing that once a person professes faith in Jesus, he is eternally secure in his salvation and—even if he commits complete apostasy (“falls away”) and vocally rejects Jesus Christ—will still go to heaven, for “once saved, always saved.” In light of the biblical doctrine of predestination, how should we understand the security we have under God’s care? There have been three main approaches to the question:
1. Classic Arminianism
* One must persevere in faith to be saved.
* True believers can lose their faith.
* Those dying without faith in Christ are condemned.
2. Antinomianism
* One need not persevere in faith to be saved.
* True believers can lose their faith.
* Those who lose their faith are saved, since they once believed.
3. Classic Calvinism
* One must persevere in faith to be saved.
* True believers cannot lose their faith, since it’s God’s gift.
* Those dying without faith in Christ are condemned.
* Those who “lose” their faith never had it to begin with.
* God will preserve true believers and they will be saved.
Proponents of the first two approaches quote biblical references, but each must strain to explain away the other group's biblical data. How can an Arminian read Romans 8, then tell true believers that they may screw up and go to hell??? Then again, how can Charles Stanley read Hebrews 6 and 10 and tell unbelievers who once professed faith not to worry, that they will be saved??? Any true biblical teaching must “fit” with ALL the biblical data, without pitting one text against another and without having to explain away a single “jot or tittle” of God's inerrant Word. I believe that only the classical Calvinist model takes into account all of the biblical data.
Arminians are right when they say the Bible teaches that only those who persevere will be saved, and they’re right in accusing Antinomians of easy-believism and cheap grace. Antinomians (they wouldn’t use the term) are right in telling committed believers that they are secure in Christ and “once saved, always saved.” But both of these views are wrong in assuming that a true believer can lose his faith and fall away from Christ. Faith is “a gift of God—not by works, lest any man boast.” Paul was confident that, since Christ had begun a good work in believers, He would continue that work until completion (Phil. 1). John said that those who fell away were never really true Christians, since true believers don't leave the faith (1 John 2:19).
Scripture teaches that believers must persevere until the end, but also that believers will persevere until the end by God's grace. As the Westminster Assembly concluded, Christians might temporarily yield to Satan's temptations, even to excess, but like Peter when he denied Christ three times, God will still restore and preserve the faith of the Christian, a faith which God gave in the first place! Peter went on to be chief among the apostles!
1. You Must Persevere until the End: God's Requirement of His People
God does not merely command us to begin to believe for a time, and then fall away. He requires us to continue to believe until the end, living lives of repentance and covenant faithfulness. Granted, He does not ask for a perfect faith, but He does ask for a real faith, one that produces real, lasting change.
* Colossians 1:21-23
* Hebrews 10:26-31
* 1 John 1:5-10; 3:3-6
* Hebrews 12:1
2. You Will Persevere Until the End: God's Preservation of His People
We will persevere because God preserves us. God will keep us from falling—not one will be lost of all those who belong to the Son. True believers are not able to leave Christ, for Christ is at work within them.
* John 6:38-40
* John 10:28-29
* Romans 8:28-39
* Philippians 1:4-6
* Philippians 2:12-13
* 1 John 2:19
This first set of texts cannot be used to refute the second (Arminianism); nor can the second set of texts be used to refute the first (cheap grace). The point that makes the two compatible is the biblical teaching that faith (while commanded of everyone) is a gift from God to His elect. If faith is simply a human action of a free will, then it can be lost. But if saving faith is God's gift, then it cannot be lost. Can professing Christians fall away? Yes, and they will perish. Can true Christians fall away? No, for they are kept by the invincible power of God in Christ. The Bible teaches us that professing Christians who leave the faith were never truly believers (1 John 2:19; and notice the qualification even in Hebrews 10:39).
"Do" something oppossed to the Ten Commandments. You'll lose it.
Was there a reason that Martin Luther chose October 31 to post his 95 Theses? or just a coincidence that it happened to be All Souls Day?
Thanks for the ping!
Thanks, Doc! Happy Reformation Day!
Is this satire, Doc?
Generally speaking, Calvinists are meaner and angrier than Arminians. Clearly mean and angry are not fruits of the Spirit. So I always find that curious. It isn't an across the board charge. Some aren't. But generally, that has been my experience.
Calvinists sometimes take some of their excellent points to a hyper degree and thereby end up just as off as Arminians. Of late I've been frustrated with the point they take the Total Depravity issue. Now I'm just going to leave that hanging and not elaborate. I believe all 5 points of Calvinism myself, so don't take this as an attack on the doctrine itself. I just think even true Christians can take God's truth and let their carnal selves fashion a weapon for fighting or build a barrier that obstructs their view of other equally valid truths. So they miss the bigger picture because they are so puffed up about knowing this one thing. Obviously a true Christian will not persist in such sin (calvinism), but to the person on the receiving end at the time -- damage done.
Doctrine is important. But so is love and kindness to your fellow Christians.
Romans 8:28-30
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
-Doctrine is important. But so is love and kindness to your fellow Christians.
Amen, and AMEN!
Though I have not seen the 'mean' Calvinists, I have seen those that take the doctrine as a flag to rally to rather than trying to emulate Christ and showing lovingkindness to those without the insight.
Not to say I haven't seen Arminians that are not doing the same, calling Calvinists "people that damn babies to Hell, etc etc."
I always thought that Total Depravity was more of a starting place for loving your brother-sinner. Being totally tainted yourself, not 'special' in any way, should bring one to be more likely to offer a helping hand to a fellow piteous creature.
Reformation Day is October 31 of every year. That is the day in 1517 when Dr. Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. It was Luther's act that caused the initial furor that resulted in the Reformation. Luther had earned his Doctor of Theology degree in Wittenberg and was a respected professor there, as well as the assistant pastor of the Castle Church. Luther chose October 31 because it was the day before All Saints' Day. The Castle Church's front door opened on a main street of the city, and it was a good place to post a notice for public viewing. Luther knew that on the next day, November 1 — All Saints' Day — the church would be filled with worshipers, many of whom were educated and literate. His act of posting his Ninety-Five Theses on the door was the equivalent of publishing a journal article, taking out a newspaper ad, or putting up an Internet website today. Reformation Day is most often observed today on the Sunday prior to October 31...
Timing is everything, I guess. Ripeness is all.
Calvinists are predestined to spend a long time pondering this paradox in Purgatory!
But don't worry, we'll all be praying for you on All Souls Day!
(runs for cover...)
BTW, I love Charles Stanley (Then again, how can Charles Stanley read Hebrews 6 and 10 and tell unbelievers who once professed faith not to worry, that they will be saved???) Listening to his "In Touch" television show taught me so much about what Jesus accomplished at the cross on my behalf. I hope as time has goes on, Pastor Stanley continues to grow in knowledge, just like the rest of us.
Total depravity doesn't excuse the sinner. Human responsibility is not eliminated by the truth of human depravity. Calvinists can err when they go so far "loving the depraved sinner" that they think outside being regenerate, the truth about right and wrong is irrelevant.
I've seen mean arminians too. I'm just saying in the discussions I've witnesses, the Calvinists are the mean ones with the cheap shots most of the time. Misunderstanding about God's sovereignty doesn't make you a non-Christian. And even if it did, shouldn't the "unregenerates do what unregenerates do" kick in? Ah...but there is the thing. A Calvinist can't be outraged, theologically speaking, at even the most horrible things like child sexual abuse. Unregenerates will do what unregenerates do. He can only be outraged at bad doctrine. There's the thing I'm talking about.
I think sometimes calvinists drive people to bad doctrine because of their meanness and callousness. Perhaps God sovereignly brought arminians to calvinists to teach them about love and patience. If nothing else, God wants us to obsess over and focus intensely on these matters. You can't help but draw that conclusion. Those who think we should ignore doctrine because it causes conflict have it exactly backwards. So don't misunderstand me. I also think God wants us fully focused on the gospel so we can fully understand it. It's so simply yet we mess it up so easily. You've got to think He has a purpose in some of these perpetual conflicts. We sure are willing to study a lot of Scripture because of it. Much good comes from it. And like I said, it is training camp for how to love your brother AND the truth at the same time. It also keeps the elect (calvinism again) protected from false teachers who would come in and lead us astray. I say that not so much because I think arminians are wolves (though wrong), but because along the way to understanding these doctrines, we learn other vital things -- we learn to use our armor.
Which is a far cry from your earlier statement "Generally speaking, Calvinists are meaner and angrier than Arminians."
In my own personal experience, I'd rather be good friends with an arminian than a calivinist.
Oh, maybe you mean to point out that I narrowed the point to an observation about debates instead of an overall observation about temperment. These things are not contradictory. I hold to both generalizations.
True, as far as it goes... but we must go farther.
A Calvinist isn't outraged at the most horrible things, but he is heartbroken.
Due to the life I chose, I've had the chance to witness some of the worst things that humans can do to each other. I've seen total depravity up close and personal. Was I surprised? No. Did it break my heart? Yes.
I suspect Jesus sees the sin in the world the same way - appalled and heartbroken, but not surprised.
Unregenerates will do what unregenerates do -- but I must still have sympathy and compassion for their victims.
We're all just beggars, showing other beggars to the place where we were given bread.
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