Calvinism vs. Arminianism?

Question

Show what you know! Give us a defense of your position... Best answer is posted on our website.

Answer 1

I'd kind of like to visit your web site and see some of the apologetics, because I believe that Arminianism has far too many logical errors in it to be considered a serious theology. Arminianism requires a leap of faith. Calvinism requires only a step. I have seen many questions about free will and predestination on Yahoo answers that have no logical answer, and yet people would rather cling to their theology than take a serious look at what they're saying.



1saintofGod, for instance, says that neither Calvinism nor Arminianism is correct, and yet he contradicts himself immediately by saying that TULIP holds no water. He says he does not hold Arminian beliefs, but when he really means is that he doesn't like the label that he is aligning himself with. Lion of Judah presents a slippery slope fallacy, telling us that if one point falls, then all the points must fall. He also uses an emotive appeal of his years of research as proof of his correctness. That doesn't wash with me.



Sakurachan makes assumptions about Arminianism and Calvinism that are simply not true. The theologies do not try to separate the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ at all. They are simply divided on his atoning for the sins of some, versus atonement for the sins of all. Will J gives us yet another argument by emotive appeal and an ad hominem attack (bad Calvin...bad, bad Calvin!) except that I agree with these "doctrines of men." Every one of the verses he quotes can be used in support of Calvinism.



Brian's proof texts are only a smidgen of Biblical proof of Calvinist thought, but either side comes from a priori beliefs of ability versus inability to look to God for salvation. For me, to give Man even a spark of ability, elevates us to the level of God himself, and even above God if we would be telling the Almighty himself whether we will be saved or not.

Answer 2

this gorgeous plenty boils right down to the skill to benefit Heaven by a sufficiently holy existence, and Calvinism stands on my own in denying it. think of roughly it, if we've unfastened will, then one might desire to have faith first, and in straight forward terms then are you stored. honest adequate for people who do no longer desire to think of previous this component. What on the subject of the toddlers although? nicely, in accordance to the Arminian, toddlers do no longer sin, for this reason they get a unfastened pass in the event that they die until now a made-up "age of duty" which lies undefined and has 0 scriptural help. Catholics are worse, with indulgences and baptism that definitively saves. Lutherans are no longer far in the back of with saving grace utilized to the infants like a existence insurance. Calvinism rocks as a theology. It rips the rug out from decrease than Arminian hubris and throws the believer in his knees until now The Lord. God on my own saves, by skill of grace on my own by Christ on my own!

Answer 3

Neither. As far as I can understand Armenianism rejects the two natures of Christ (http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=3977) & Calvinism, although accepting that Christ Jesus has two natures, tries to separate the two. Neither of these views are truly biblical as they allow mere human reason to stand in judgment over God's Word. Lutherans in the 16th century hashed this very controversy out, so the best answer is in The Lutheran Confessions or Book of Concord. This can be found online at: www.lcms.org >Belief & Practice >Lutheran Confessions. Most relevant to this topic, which I believe is at the foundation for any other controversy, is in The Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article VIII The Person of Christ.



A new edition of The Book of Concord has been published in which helpful notes that do not occur in the online version appear. Prior to Article VIII of the Formula of Concord, Epitome, in Concordia The Lutheran Confessions: A Reader's Edition of The Book of Concord appears: "Note: Many objections to the Lutheran doctrine of the Lord's Supper are based on faulty understanding. These misunderstandings concern the relationship of Christ's divine and human natures. The issue confronting the writers of the Formula of Concord was this: Does the human nature of Christ share in the divine attributes so that Christ, according to both natures, is present everywhere, even under the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper? The biblical position, explained in this article, is clearly Yes. The doctrine of the incarnation--Christ the Son of God taking on human flesh--is a powerful comfort and treasure for Christians, and Article VIII explains why. Many ancient heresies about Christ are rejected by this article, and along with them the Christological errors of Reformed theology. Appended to many editions of the Book of Concord was a listing of various quotation from Scripture and Early Church Fathers demonstrating that the Lutheran doctrine concerning Christ's two natures is the same as the Early Church. A translation of this document, The Catalog of Testimonies, is included with this edition (pp. 623-45). (See also Apostles' Creed; Nicene Creed; Athanasian Creed; AC III; Ap III; SA I; SA II I; SC II; LC II; FC SD VIII)."



(The Catalog of Testimonies can also be found online in the Lutheran Confessions.)

Answer 4

I don't wanna show what I know.



All I know I have been shown by God.



Opportunity and grace unto salvation are the only things that separate me from Adolf Hitler.



I deserve death for my sin, yet He imparted Grace unto me, in accordance with His divine will.



I have been elected unto salvation by the vehicle of faith.(which is not of myself)



God will most certainly keep me in the fold, as He has promised.



Keep the "L". No point in addressing that right now. Here's a lyric from one of my songs.



"Yeah, You struck me down and turned me around..

Opened my eyes now I see,

that while I was still running and hiding from You--

You came and died for me."

Answer 5

Calvinism? TULIP? No,





Calvinism Hangs or falls on any of it's 5 points, if yoy want a complete answer it will take me a long time to type it out, I have researched this for 3 years, so I will send you this link to what I think of this without having to do all this cut-n-paste stuff.



http://www.jesusfamilies.org/Articles/ForfeitSalvation.htm

Answer 6

Personally I am against Calvinism. I find it better to just study the Bible and not the doctrines of one man. Calvin’s life was not a role model for Christianity. He preached predestination but then used terror to force people to attend church and believe in his system of beliefs. His own actions stand as a clear condemnation to his belief of predestination.



Lets just loot at the concept of “limited atonement” and see how it compares to the following verses.



1 Timothy 2:3-6

For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For [there] [is] one God and one Mediator between God and men, [the] Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.



1 Timothy 4:10

For to this [end] we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is [the] Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.



1 John 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.



2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again





Some people will list several “proof texts” for limited atonement, but one often has to read in to the verse to come away with limited atonement. Take for example John 10:11

“ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” This verse does not in anyway say “the good shepherd giveth his life [only for his] sheep” Yet that is the exact what many believers of Calvinism see in this verse.



When scripture is read with scripture (and not Calvin’s notes) the doctrine of “limited atonement” clearly falls flat. Either “God so love the world” or “God so loved part of the world”

Answer 7

One eats other human beings and the other has many upper extremities

Answer 8

I pick



NEITHER.



By the way, TULIP holds no water to the Bible test.

Answer 9

I was predestined not to be a Calvinist

Answer 10

Calvinism.



I will define the doctrine in the standard format by going through the acronym TULIP.



*T* U L I P

We can tell that there is a problem with the world. We open up the newspaper and see many acts of rape and murder and corruption. The "T" in TULIP stands for total depravity which is sometimes referred to as total inability. God looks at our hearts (something we can not do) and tells us that we are "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked" (Jer. 17:9) The Bible uses some of the ugliest language about the condition of man. The Bible compares our sin with leprosy, blindness and death. Many people get confused by this doctrine because they make the mistake of comparing themselves with other people. However if you want to understand the depravity of man you need to compare yourself with the perfect holiness and glorious God Almighty. (Remember God is to holy to look upon evil and He hates the workers of iniquities. Habakkuk 1:13, Psalm 5:5)



T *U* L I P

The "U" stands for unconditional election. This means that God chose His people from the foundation of the world. That they can do nothing and they have nothing in them that merits salvation. This teaching makes sense after one understands total depravitiy. If people are so depraved that they would truly seek the Lord on the Lord's terms, they it only follows that God must do something to change man's will.



Proof Text(s):

John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."



T U *L* I P

The "L" stands for limit atonement which is sometimes referred to as particular redemption. This means that Jesus’ atonement was only for his people and not for the those that are not His elect. The view that Jesus died for the whole world is not logical or Biblical. If Jesus died for someone and then they went to hell then that persons sins would have been paid twice. No Jesus only died on the cross for his people.



Proof Text(s):

Matt. 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.



T U L *I* P

The "I" in irresistible grace means that God gives his elect during there life a new heart whereby he changes a person’s will, whereby they will love him. No one can resist God. After God elected a person they will become saved without any doubt.



Proof Text(s):

John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."



T U L I *P*

The "P" stands for perseverance of the saints. This means once someone is truly saved they are always saved. This is why the Bible talks about peace and rest in Christ. We are secure in Christ and can never lose or salvation.



Proof Text(s):

John 10: 27-29 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."



In summary, salvation is through faith, and that without the works of the law, that a person is justified. This faith is a gift (by grace) given to his elect from God. Justification is a legal declaration of God in which a person’s past, present, and future sins were imputed to Christ’s atonement work and Christ's righteousness from his active and passive obedience is imputed to the person. Justification is a work that God does in a person, in which, he is completely passive. It is not a process of lawful obedience in which someone become right with God. Justification is a declaration and this does not mean that we are without sin in ours members.

Answer 11

I pick Calvanism, because I'm a big fan of him and Hobbes.