Calvinism/Arminianism Issues (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:4)

Sermon: Calvinism/Arminianism Issues

Scripture: John 3:16; Ephesians 1:4

Date: October 20, 2019

 

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame.  (Ephesians 1:4)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  (John 3:16)

John Calvin (1509-1564) - God chooses us

Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) - We choose God

Traditional Calvinism has 5 points that can be summarized with the acronym TULIP:

• Total depravity
  
  • People are so depraved & rebellious that they are unable to trust God without His special work of grace to change their hearts so that they necessarily and willingly, freely, believe.
  • John 6:44
  • John 6:65
  • Ephesians 2:1
• Unconditional election
  • God chooses unconditionally whom he will mercifully bring to faith and whom he will justly leave in their rebellion.
  • John 6:37
  • Romans 9:11
  • Acts 13:48
  • To the non-elect God withholds this monergistic (a work that He independently does) work of grace, passing them by and leaving them to themselves.
• Limited atonement
  • John 10:15
  • John 10:27-28
• Irresistible grace
  • If God has ordained someone to be saved there is no way you will be able to resist or reject the grace of God.
  • Romans 8:30
  • 1 Peter 1:3
• Perseverance of the Saints
  • If you are a born again, true believer you will indeed persevere to the end, and you will not permanently and finally fall away.
  • John 5:24
  • Ephesians 4:30

Arminianism:

• Free will
  • Every sinner has the power to choose to believe in Jesus
  • Romans 10:13
  • Acts 2:21
• Conditional election
  • The sinner's choice of Christ, not God's choice of sinner, is the ultimate cause of salvation.
  • God has foreknown from eternity which individuals would believe in Christ.
  • Romans 8:29
  • John 5:24
  • Why do evangelism and missions if God has elected whom He will and save them regardless?
• General atonement
  • 1 John 2:2
  • John 3:16
• Resistible grace
  • A person can resist or reject the Spirit.
  • 2 Peter 3:9
  • Hebrews 3:7
  • Isaiah 55:1, NIV
  • To me, the Bible is a big invitation for us to come to God.  I hear God weeping over the people to come.  Why weep if they can't?
• Falling from grace
  • A person is in control as to if they want to be saved or not at any point.
  • Matthew 24:13
  • 2 Peter 2:20-22

There are seemingly contradictory things about God that are true that don't seem like they can be true.

We are to take no credit for being saved.  All glory goes to God.

We must choose to be saved.  It is our responsibility.

We are to be on mission with God.