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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What are Calvins and Arminians? | Bible general Archive 1 | Makarios | 10499 | ||
From the Holman Bible Dictionary.. "Election and the Christian Life Paul admonished the Thessalonians to give thanks because of their election (2 Thess. 2:13), while Peter said that we should make our “calling and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10). However, in the history of Christian thought few teachings have been more distorted or more misused. The following questions reveal common misperceptions. (1) Is not election the same thing as fatalism? Predestination does not negate the necessity for human repentance and faith; rather it establishes the possibility of both. God does not relate to human beings as sticks and stones but as free creatures made in His own image. (2) If salvation is based on election, then why preach the gospel? Because God has chosen preaching as the means to awaken faith in the elect (1 Cor. 1:21). We should proclaim the gospel to everyone without exception, knowing that it is only the Holy Spirit who can convict, regenerate, and justify. (3) Does the Bible teach “double predestination,” that God has selected some for damnation as well as some for salvation? There are passages (Rom. 9:11-22; 2 Cor. 2:15-16) which portray God as a potter who has molded both vessels of mercy and vessels of destruction. Yet the Bible also teaches that God does not wish any one to perish but for all to be saved (John 3:16; 2 Pet. 3:9). We are not able to understand how everything the Bible says about election fits into a neat logical system. Our business is not to pry into the secret counsel of God but to share the message of salvation with everyone and to be grateful that we have been delivered from darkness into light. (4) Does not belief in election result in moral laxity and pride? Paul says that God chose us “to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit” (2 Thess. 2:13). We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, even though to be sure, it is God who is at work within us both to will and do His good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-13). The proper response to election is not pride but gratitude for God’s amazing grace which saves eternally. Election, then, is neither a steeple from which we look in judgment on others, nor a pillow to sleep on. It is rather a stronghold in time of trial and a confession of praise to God’s grace and to His glory." |
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2 | What are Calvins and Arminians? | Bible general Archive 1 | Norrie | 10554 | ||
I want to thank all of you for enlightening me on this subject. I guess I do think that Arminian fits more with my ideas of what the Bible says than Calvin. However, I won't take the label of either one even if I do agree w/one over the other. Saying you're a Calvinist or Arminian seems like you're saying you're following that person instead of Jesus and I never really heard of either one of them really, I did hear John Calvin before as a name to do w/Protestentism but never knew exactly what he thought. I guess if someone never heard of either of these people and there was a split about whether they believed this or that, then maybe they could say they're the "ites" of whoever leads the discussion, that just doesn't seem right to me. I prefer to just still have my only label be a Christian or follower of Christ. If you say you are a Calvinist or an Arninian, isn't that saying you are following that particular person? Even if you say you're a Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc. it seems that is saying the denominiation is more important than Christ is. Maybe it would be OK to say I'm a Baptist Christian or Calvin Christian if you wanted to expound further but Christian is still the important label to me. :) Thank you all again for your help. I take it you have already discussed this in depth and the Calvins won't change their minds and the Arminians won't change theirs either? :) It's kinda like are you pretrib, midtrib, post trib or no rapture period. Or maybe it's like is the earth 6000 yrs old are 20 billion. I guess these are things you can argue with till the cows come home and nobody will change their position no matter how convincing the other side is. I guess there are some things we won't know till we die and go to heaven. Of course we might be alive to find out about the rapture tho-then we might know who was right. Personally, I hope it's pretrib but as long as I go, who cares!!! |
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3 | What are Calvins and Arminians? | Bible general Archive 1 | Makarios | 10555 | ||
Norrie, You're welcome! When you stated, "argue with till the cows come home" and "already discussed this in depth", you were exactly correct and this was what I was precisely trying to avoid! :) That is why I gave you my e-mail address so that these types of "fights" could be kept off of the Forum. However, since others were already proceeding to give you information and their own interpretations, then I also proceeded to do so likewise. I'm glad that you enjoy the Forum. Nolan |
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