Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Christ of Arminianism
A Puritan's Mind ^ | unknown | Rev. Steven Houck

Posted on 09/07/2003 6:36:06 PM PDT by 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


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 781-787 next last
To: nobdysfool
>>The Christ of the Roman Catholics can not save sinners without their own good works and the intercession of priests.>>

That's like saying YHWH couldn't lead the Israelites out of the Desert without an old man and a staff, or that Christ couldn't feed 5,000 people without seven loaves and two fishes, or that He couldn't make himself known to the Romans without Paul.

Christ can do whatever he wills. He wills us to be a Church, not just a mob of like-minded individuals. You know, the Church even does teach of the "sacrament of desire," by which Christ moves extraordinarily to give the blessing of his sacrament, when one sincerely wishes to receive the sacrament, but there is no-one to administer it to him.

Why do I bother responding to such an ignorant statement? Simply to not let the constant, droning lies of the enemy (meaning Satan, not nobdysfool) be mistaken for the truth by mere repitition.


81 posted on 09/08/2003 10:22:07 AM PDT by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xzins; Corin Stormhands
The author neglects to mention that many Calvinists are "saved" through the preaching of this "false" Christ. How can a "false" Christ save?
82 posted on 09/08/2003 10:33:35 AM PDT by ksen (HHD;FRM)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: RnMomof7
Check out this verse we went through in Sunday School class yesterday...

II Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

So our salvation AND calling were given to us in Christ before the world began.

83 posted on 09/08/2003 10:38:59 AM PDT by ksen (HHD;FRM)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: Texas_Dawg
>>He commands us to do what he commands because what he commands is the RIGHT and holy thing to do.>>

SO it is the RIGHT thing to do to vainly offer the promise of salvation to everyone, baptising the pathetic fools in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, even though you know that they are damned to Hell, before they were even born?

Some God you have, who would create people for the sole purpose of watching them suffer, forever tormenting them in Hell, just so he could impress his chosen few with what a great guy he is! (Or do you hold that Satan created the sould afflicted with a lack of grace?)

No, I'll take my Catholic God, who calls us all to do What Jesus Would Do. He DID offer himself as propitiation for sins, but he calls us to become like him by sharing in his suffering and sacrificing ourselves for others' sin, so that we may also share in his glory.
84 posted on 09/08/2003 10:40:23 AM PDT by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: nobdysfool
In your passage from Romans, I see nothing saying, "I chose certain people to be evil." Even the people who were crucifying him were offered forgiveness.

He KNOWS before we are born what we WILL do, and prepares us so that what we do fits into his great plan.
85 posted on 09/08/2003 10:45:04 AM PDT by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: dangus; Texas_Dawg
Some God you have, who would create people for the sole purpose of watching them suffer, forever tormenting them in Hell, just so he could impress his chosen few with what a great guy he is! (Or do you hold that Satan created the sould afflicted with a lack of grace?) ~ dangus Woody.

You Might Be an Arminian If....

You think that "Calvinism" is arrogant for saying that God elects some and not others, but you think you are really humble for saying that God elected you because He knew you'd think He was a pretty swell dude for offering you a life preserver even though you were only in the shallow end of the pool anyway, and that in your niceness, you'd accept His offer of your own "free will".
86 posted on 09/08/2003 10:54:26 AM PDT by CCWoody (Recognize that all true Christians will be Calvinists in glory,...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: dangus
SO it is the RIGHT thing to do to vainly offer the promise of salvation to everyone, baptising the pathetic fools in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, even though you know that they are damned to Hell, before they were even born?

Huh? How do I know if they have been "damned to Hell" or not?

He DID offer himself as propitiation for sins, but he calls us to become like him

Well, have you succeeded in being like Him yet? Good luck with that.

When you die and stand before Christ, I hope you have a better reason for His accepting you to live in eternity with him than that you at least partially deserve it. (Not that He still won't accept you anyway... which I hope He does, of course.)

87 posted on 09/08/2003 10:54:30 AM PDT by Texas_Dawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: webber; CCWoody; nobdysfool; Wrigley; RnMomof7; drstevej
"The LORD is patient, not willing that ANY should perish, but "EVERYONE" to come to repentence." 2 Peter 3:9b. If God "chose" who will be saved and will "not be saved" "Sovereignly, then why did Jesus tell his disciples to "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to EVERY CREATURE, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, baptizing them in the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost"?

Let me turn that around on you. If God is, as you put forth, not willing that any individual person should perish, but that every individual person should come to repentence, then how do you explain Christ's words in Matthew 11:

"At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Matt 11:25-27

Or the fact that Jesus deliberately spoke in parables to prevent men from coming to repentance:

"And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." -Mark 4:11-12

Going back to Matthew 11, just prior to thanking the Father for hiding such things from men, Christ revealed that repentance and salvation was possible for Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom...and yet the miracles which would have brought about such repentance were withheld from them:

"Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee." -Matthew 11:20-24

Is there disunity among the Godhead? Are the First and Second Persons of the Trinity in disagreement over desire, intent and purpose? How do you explain such contradictions, webber?

88 posted on 09/08/2003 11:04:15 AM PDT by Frumanchu (mene mene tekel upharsin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: ksen; xzins
How can a "false" Christ save?

Maybe they think he's a temporary one until the real one gets there.

89 posted on 09/08/2003 11:05:25 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (HHD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: CCWoody
>> but you think you are really humble for saying that God elected you because He knew you'd think He was a pretty swell dude for offering you a life preserver even though you were only in the shallow end of the pool anyway, and that in your niceness, you'd accept His offer of your own "free will". >>

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. 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. And they offer prayers and sacrifices so that all may be saved:
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven ESPECIALLY those in MOST NEED of your MERCY." 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.
90 posted on 09/08/2003 11:07:21 AM PDT by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: ksen
Yeahhhh.... Catholics and Calvinists agree on that. It just takes time for people to RESPOND to their purpose.
91 posted on 09/08/2003 11:09:09 AM PDT by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: dangus
In your passage from Romans, I see nothing saying, "I chose certain people to be evil." Even the people who were crucifying him were offered forgiveness.

He does not have to choose them to be evil. The are so of their own accord. He need only choose which to save.

He KNOWS before we are born what we WILL do, and prepares us so that what we do fits into his great plan.

If God is merely reactionary, then why does Scripture portray Him as taking an ACTIVE role in bringing people to salvation?

92 posted on 09/08/2003 11:09:21 AM PDT by Frumanchu (mene mene tekel upharsin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: dangus
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.

Umm...you do know what the U in TULIP stands for, yes? Either you forgot, or you're swinging away at the Scarecrow.

93 posted on 09/08/2003 11:12:03 AM PDT by Frumanchu (mene mene tekel upharsin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: Corin Stormhands
Maybe they think he's a temporary one until the real one gets there.

Jesus.tmp until they get Jesus.Sav downloaded?

94 posted on 09/08/2003 11:18:25 AM PDT by ksen (HHD;FRM)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: ksen
Jesus -- beta version?
95 posted on 09/08/2003 11:19:25 AM PDT by drstevej
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 94 | View Replies]

To: dangus
SO it is the RIGHT thing to do to vainly offer the promise of salvation to everyone, baptising the pathetic fools in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, even though you know that they are damned to Hell, before they were even born?

Can you please explain to me where you got the notion that Calvinists somehow possess the knowledge of a man's heart and whether or not he is among the elect?

Some God you have, who would create people for the sole purpose of watching them suffer, forever tormenting them in Hell, just so he could impress his chosen few with what a great guy he is! (Or do you hold that Satan created the sould afflicted with a lack of grace?)

So God was powerless to stop men from falling. Surely God had the choice to begin with as far as whether or not He would create men, knowing that He would watch them suffer and forever torment them. Poor man. But God can suppress His conscience by 'impressing' us with His brutality.

Again...tell me what led you to believe that Calvinists hold this view, because you certainly didn't get it from us.

96 posted on 09/08/2003 11:19:54 AM PDT by Frumanchu (mene mene tekel upharsin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: drstevej
Jesus -- beta version?

I'll stick to my alpha/omega version :)

97 posted on 09/08/2003 11:21:39 AM PDT by Frumanchu (mene mene tekel upharsin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: CCWoody
I choose:

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.

See, I am forbidden by God to presume apon his mercy, so I must work out my own salvation in fear and trembling. At the same time, I am commanded to forgive EVERYONE and judge no-one, in the confidence that Jesus calls ANYONE to him.

Even though I know of my salvation, I must hate my sin, with perfect contrition (repentence for the sake of hating sin, rather than out of fear).

There is a logical trap to the question of whether we are saved or not, that requires a third condition: Partly saved, partly in sin. Souls in this state go to purgatory. And the only reason you don't have prugatory in your bible is that you followed Martin Luther in desecrating God's Word. (The Jews removed passages they didn't like in the Council fo Jamnia, in AD 90, after the gospels were written. Luther followed the reasoning of the Jews, and not the Christians whem he removed 7 1/2 books from the bible.)
98 posted on 09/08/2003 11:21:47 AM PDT by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: dangus
There is a logical trap to the question of whether we are saved or not, that requires a third condition: Partly saved, partly in sin. Souls in this state go to purgatory. And the only reason you don't have prugatory in your bible is that you followed Martin Luther in desecrating God's Word. (The Jews removed passages they didn't like in the Council fo Jamnia, in AD 90, after the gospels were written. Luther followed the reasoning of the Jews, and not the Christians whem he removed 7 1/2 books from the bible.)

LOL! A logical trap indeed.

I'll lump that under the same heading as 'partly dead' and 'partly pregnant.'

99 posted on 09/08/2003 11:25:16 AM PDT by Frumanchu (mene mene tekel upharsin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]

To: Corin Stormhands; RnMomof7; CARepubGal; jude24; irishtenor; drstevej
***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?
100 posted on 09/08/2003 11:25:59 AM PDT by Gamecock (Why TULIP? Because the Bible teaches it as the inspired word of The One Holy Sovereign God!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 781-787 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson