The Christ of Arminianism

A Puritan's Mind ^ | unknown | Rev. Steven Houck

[nobdysfool]

The Christ of Arminianism

The Bible warns us that in the last days in which we live there will be many false Christs-those who claim to be Christ but who are imposters. Jesus said, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matt. 24:4-5). We who profess to be Christians must take heed. We must be very careful that we are not deceived. Our calling is to trust, love, and follow the true Christ and Him only. We may have nothing to do with the false Christs who are so numerous in our day.

We know about the Christ of the cults and other religions. He is a good man, a prophet, the first creation of God, a great spirit, a divine idea, or even a god himself. But he is not true and eternal God. He receives his existence from another who is greater than he. He is not the Christ of the Bible. We are not deceived by this Christ. He is a false Christ.

We know about the Christ of Roman Catholicism. They profess that He is true God. He suffered and died for the forgiveness of sin. He arose again, ascended into heaven, and is coming again. But he is not a complete Savior. The Christ of the Roman Catholics can not save sinners without their own good works and the intercession of priests. He is not the Christ of the Bible. We are not deceived by this Christ. He is a false Christ.

There is, however, another false Christ who is much more dangerous than the Christ of the cults and the Christ of Roman Catholicism. He has deceived people for many years and he continues to deceive millions. This Christ is so dangerous that, if it were not impossible, he would deceive the very elect (Matt. 24:24). He is the Christ of Arminianism.

This false Christ is extremely dangerous because in many ways he appears to be the True Christ. They say that he is true God, equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. They say that he died on the cross to save sinners. They even say that he saves by his grace alone, without the work of man. This Christ will have nothing to do with the Christ of the cults and the Christ of Roman Catholicism.

But watch out! Be warned! The Christ of Arminianism is not the Christ of the Bible. Do not be fooled!

1. The Christ of Arminianism - loves every individual person in the world and sincerely desires their salvation.

The Christ of the Bible - earnestly loves and desires the salvation of only those whom God has unconditionally chosen to salvation. (Ps. 5:5, Ps. 7:11, Ps. 11:5, Matt. 11:27, John 17:9-10, Acts 2:47, Acts 13:48, Rom. 9:10-13, Rom. 9:21-24, Eph. 1:3-4)

2. The Christ of Arminianism - offers salvation to every sinner and does all in his power to bring them to salvation. His offer and work are often frustrated, for many refuse to come.

The Christ of the Bible - effectually calls to Himself only the elect and sovereignly brings them to salvation. Not one of them will be lost. (Isa. 55:11, John 5:21, John 6:37-40, John 10:25-30, John 17:2, Phil. 2:13)

3. The Christ of Arminianism - can not regenerate and save a sinner who does not first choose Christ with his own "free will." All men have a "free will" by which they can either accept or reject Christ. That "free will" may not be violated by Christ.

The Christ of the Bible - sovereignly regenerates the elect sinner apart from his choice, for without regeneration the spiritually dead sinner can not choose Christ. Faith is not man's contribution to salvation but the gift of Christ which He sovereignly imparts in regeneration. (John 3:3, John 6:44 & 65, John 15:16, Acts 11:18, Rom. 9:16, Eph. 2:1,Eph. 2:8-10, Phil. 1:29, Hebr. 12:2)

4. The Christ of Arminianism - died on the cross for every individual person and thereby made it possible for every person to be saved. His death, apart from the choice of man, was not able to actually save anyone for many for whom he died are lost.

The Christ of the Bible - died for only God's elect people and thereby actually obtained salvation for all those for whom He died. His death was a substitutionary satisfaction which actually took away the guilt of His chosen people. (Luke 19:10, John 10:14-15 & 26, Acts 20:28, Rom. 5:10, Eph. 5:25, Hebr. 9:12, I Peter 3:18)

5. The Christ of Arminianism - loses many whom he has "saved" because they do not continue in faith. Even if he does give them "eternal security," as some say, that security is not based upon his will or work but the choice which the sinner made when he accepted Christ.

The Christ of the Bible - preserves His chosen people so that they can not lose their salvation but persevere in the faith to the very end. He preserves them by the sovereign electing will of God, the power of His death, and the mighty working of His Spirit. (John 5:24, John 10:26-29, Rom. 8:29-30, Rom. 8:35-39, I Peter 1:2-5, Jude 24-25)

As you can see, although the Christ of Arminianism and the Christ of the Bible may at first seem to be the same, they are very different. One is a false Christ. The other is the true Christ. One is weak and helpless. He bows before the sovereign "free will" of man. The other is the reigning Lord Who wills what He pleases and sovereignly accomplishes all that He wills.

If you believe and serve the Christ of Arminianism, you must recognize the fact that you do not serve the Christ of the Bible. You have been deceived! Study the Scriptures and learn of the True Christ. Pray for grace to repent and trust Christ as your sovereign

[CCWoody]

3. God perfectly knew that ALL men were sinners, and ALL men would reject him, yet he created Man anyway, and then sent his only Son to them so that his Son would save ALL men. ~ dangus

Ahhh, I see. You are a Universalist heretic. I feel obliged to warn you the Anathema of the Book of Revelation applies to your heresy. If you deny the prophecies of that book to your dying day, then you will burn forever in the Lake of Fire. And those prophecies specifically declare to us that there will be men who will be cast into the Lake of Fire, where they will be tormented into the presence of the Lord and His angels forever.

There, my conscience is clear. Your blood is on your own head.

Woody.

You might be an Arminian if....

You think Calvinists are wicked for warning people of the dangers of their own sins and the consequences of not repenting, but you are a swell dude for simply luving everyone everywhere all the time.

[conservonator]

So, let the Catholics 'stick up for themselves' if they feel it necessary, but I doubt most of them feel threatened by this article.

Frankly, I'd feel slighted if a Calvinist author didn't take the time to knock "Romanist's" in some manner.

[Gamecock]

***You know, it really irritates me the way that Calvinists always think that the reason you don't agree with them is that you choose to ignore them, or you haven't read something simple. Understand this: I READ ROMANS 8 & 9. I THINK WHAT YOU PREACH IS A PERVERSION OF ITS MEANING that comes from your own ignorance. There are people (not necessarily myself) who know 1,000 times more on the subject than you do, who disagree with you***

Well, I see you are overflowing with the fruits of the spirit!

***There are people (not necessarily myself) who know 1,000 times more on the subject than you do, who disagree with you***

And I could use the same argument the other way. What does that prove?


Anyway, I'll bite, please explain this to me:


Romans 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) ***Him that calleth, not their own choice??***
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. ***God can do what he wants, He is God***
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. ***What, not willith, not free will?***
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. ***God created Pharoah for the purpose of displaying His power?***
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? ***God made people for his Glory, to carry out his will, didn't you say this isn't in here?***
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory"

[dangus]

>>Awwwww we do not believe that . Calvinists like all other men are created in original sin.

>>No one is "created Godly" . We can do nothing to earn our salvation , we are only worthy of it because God has declared up worthy

Right, Translation: You're simply better than everyone else. He made us all evil, but then he took a few and made them "worthy."

[CCWoody]

Is truth defined by majority opinion? ~ Fru

No, you silly Proddy; it's defined by Papal opinion.

Woody.

[dangus]

O, forgot this:

>> Only One paid the price for your salvation. The man Christ Jesus God incarnate

>>" Pray that over and over again, and its difficult to subscribe to the heresy that your own good works were the CAUSE of your salvation.

>>On one hand you say it is the work of others and then you say it is not by works..which is it??

You having a real hard time wit the concept of being save THROUGH works vs. being saved BY works, aren't you?

[dangus]

Then tell me how you get predestination out of Romans 8 & 9!!!

[RnMomof7]

Sad that they actually think this is the "gospel."***
Sad that you think that we say that. I have never made, nor would I dare make such a proclamation.

Fellow Calvinists?

Corin I think maybe you are hearing what you want to hear.

The Gospel is the repent and believe . That has always been clearly presented by the Calvinists to those that do not know God .

It is a doctrinal stand on the how that happens that the family hashes out between themselves . We have no expectation that the unsaved would even "get" the heart of the doctrinal differences we banter about.

Corin most of us were not Calvinists when we were saved. We know very well the difference between the Gospel and a doctrine.

Unlike most Charismatics that declare that someone that does not speak in tongues is unsaved or lacks the Holy Spirit .

We view Calvinism as a view of salvation ( the biblical one) as opposed to a "test" of ones salvation as the Pentecostals do.

Nor do we judge the holiness or the full working of the Holy Spirit in a brother by if they are "totally sanctified " ( Having all the Holy Spirit and being sinless) as the Wesleyans do .

So as Jesus once said..Let he that is without sin caste the first stone

We simply assume that the brother is stiffed necked, stubborn or unable to read what is in the Bible..*grin*

[Frumanchu]

Then tell me how you get predestination out of Romans 8 & 9!!!

The simple answer is to look at chapter 8 verse 29. The word is there in plain English (and, I would assume, plain Latin as well).

Since you feign such knowledge of our own doctrine, my request stands: please provide us with your understanding of those passages.

[CCWoody]

***Then tell me how you get predestination out of Romans 8 & 9!!!***

You might be an Arminian if....

You don't think that Romans 8-9 is talking about Predestination, even though the word is expressly used.

Woody.

[RnMomof7]

Right, Translation: You're simply better than everyone else. He made us all evil, but then he took a few and made them "worthy."

I find it difficult to understand how you got that translation out of what I said " My words. "No one is "created Godly" . We can do nothing to earn our salvation , we are only worthy of it because God has declared up worthy"

I am not worthy , I was not born worthy nor can I do anything to earn Righteousness. I am a sinner saved by the gracious mercy of God..simply a beggar showing other beggars where to find bread.

Remember the story of Abram? He was the son of an idol maker , yet God made a covenant with him and He preformed both ends of the covenant . Abram was declared righteous by a Holy God That is Mercy . It is that kind of Mercy that God extends to the elect

[RnMomof7]

>> Only One paid the price for your salvation. The man Christ Jesus God incarnate
>>" Pray that over and over again, and its difficult to subscribe to the heresy that your own good works were the CAUSE of your salvation.

I have not said my good works led to my salvation , but you have credited others that went before, and your church as the source of salvation..I believe I am saved by the Grace and Mercy of God. Nothing my mother did, nothing my church did , or Mary did or a saint did. You have said that you are saved by others . That is not biblical , for if that be so you are not saved by Gods Mercy

>>On one hand you say it is the work of others and then you say it is not by works..which is it??
You having a real hard time wit the concept of being save THROUGH works vs. being saved BY works, aren't you?

I am saved Through the works of only one man , Jesus Christ, works are proof of our salvation not it's cause.

Sola Fide ,Sola Deo Gloria

[nobdysfool]

Well, see that's where the whole thing about not judging comes in. CALVINISTS believe they're simply created better than other people; they're good, everyone else is evil.

No, that's what YOU THINK Calvinists think, but that is not what Calvinists think.

Catholics recognize that that they have been saved by God, but through the workings of the Church. Not becuase they were created Godly while others were created evil, but because others suffered for their salvation.

All who are saved are saved through Jesus Christ alone, and no other. Not the Church, not the Saints, not other Christians. "For there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we must be saved". That name is the name of Jesus Christ. "Others suffered for their salvation"? Which "others" are those?

Pray that over and over again, and its difficult to subscribe to the heresy that your own good works were the CAUSE of your salvation.

Repetitious prayers avail nothing. You will not be heard for your much speaking. No Calvinist thinks that they are saved by their own good works, and none are. Good works do not save. They count nothing toward salvation, for salvation is by faith, and that faith is the gift of God. God bestows the faith on whom He wills.

[nobdysfool]

No, you silly Proddy; it's defined by Papal opinion.

Would that be...a Papal BULL?

[Gamecock]

LOL!

[Corin Stormhands]

Sigh...I really do have other things to be doing...

Example one is the posted article. Here's a few more. Granted in recent weeks discussion here has focused more on the KJV and other versions. If you really need me to, tonite when I have more time I will go back further and post for you multiple references to the "weak Arminian god."

The swarm is far too tricksey to come out and say quote "My Jesus is better than your Jesus" end quote. But the thought is there.

Actually I do not think that calvinism makes God any bigger than He is.I think Arminianism makes Him the once great shrinking god ..brought down to mans level . "Honey I just shrunk God down to my size"

Posted by RnMomof7 to winstonchurchill
On Religion 08/22/2003 3:38 PM EDT #107 of 176 here

The thoughless Arminian is actually denying the ontological NAME of God. Whereas God has declared to us "I am that I am," meaning that "I am what I have been" and "I will be what I am," the Arminian is declaring that God is not even faithful to Himself. This is a fundamental denial of the Most High Himself. It's like saying, "Well, the Father is faithful and true to the Godhead and the Holy Spirit is faithful and true to the Godhead, but that bratty Son is just out there thwarting the will of God."
115 posted on 09/08/2003 2:50 PM EDT by CCWoody Here

You treat God's Grace so casually, so flippantly, and turn God into a hand-wringing wimpy shadow of a God, pining away for the love of man, because He needs man to love Him so bad
758 posted on 08/21/2003 1:45 AM EDT by nobdysfool Here

Whilst you're at it, take a look at the taglines for Woody and nobdysfool.

[dangus]

>>We can refuse God's mercy. That does not say that God is not all-powerful; it says that God chooses NOT to use all his power because if he did use all his power, we could not choose to love him (and then it would not be love.)

>What makes love possible? >>

Free will. (And of course, Christ's love for us, but I'm answering your question in context.)

[dangus]

>> Obviously you believe you are able to do some parts on your own (otherwise you aren't doing those parts on your own). >>

All I can do is receive.

[Gamecock]

You said "Sad that they actually think this is the "gospel.'"

We say the Gosel is repent and believe! We say you belittle God. You are confusing the two...

[Gamecock]

Well said, except for one little thing, show me freewill in the Bible as it pertains to salvation. I'll wait, I have all eternity.


(When you give up I'll show you predestination/elect etc)