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Theo350_B05_201020
Calvinism vs Arminianism
I reject both extremes of the Calvinist and the Arminian systems. Both the Calvinists and
the Arminians have fallen into a trap set by human wisdom, which tries to explain and
systematize every act of God. These scholars have studied to be able to explain the many
details of God and have reached wrong conclusions about God. God clearly has not told man
everything about Himself or given us the explanation for all He has done. But what He has
plainly revealed is that we are to believe Him, trust Him, accept Him and live. It is unthinkable
that God would leave us in a state of confusion over the matter of salvation. Yet, that is what
the Calvinist concludes. All this confusion is not in God's word, but in the unsound reasoning
of some men.
God made salvation so simple and clear that even a little child can believe, be saved and
become a witness to others. What is the value of spending countless hours developing
theological systems which seek to second guess all God has done? What is the fruit of
Calvinism and Arminianism? They have both led to confusion, division and false teaching.
Therefore both systems should be rejected because both produce unbiblical results. At this
point I would like to point out that genuine and good intentions do not have to end in good
results. Both the Calvinist and Arminian teachings contain some truth, but they go further than
God does, making them erroneous. I thank those that taught me that the first distinctive of a
New Testament believer is to accept the Bible as my sole authority for faith and practice. The
Bible is the authority, not the theological systems of man. I am a Christian, a believer in Jesus
I am not a Calvinist nor am I an Arminian. I reject both titles and systems. Both are
heretical and cult-like systems of fallible men. I choose to call myself simply a Bible believer. I
identify myself with my Savior and His word. I take no pride in the fact that I am saved; yet I
am eternally grateful. I am absolutely blown away by the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ died
on Calvary's cross for my sin. I am eternally grateful to God who loved a sinner such as I that
much. I totally reject the idea that I received salvation on any merit of my own. I was, as God
said, a sinner, dead in trespasses and sin, sold unto sin, a child of sin, with no righteousness of
my own. I was saved by the sovereign act and plan of our loving God, who came to the earth,
incarnate in man and totally paid my sin debt. I did not merit salvation and was totally in
bondage to my inherited sinful nature. I had no desire to seek the mercy of a Holy God. Yet,
God loved me, His created being, and suffered for me while I was yet in my sin. He provided
the way and the means of my salvation, by His grace, through faith. I do not try and put
Almighty God in a box and try to systematize God's act of saving the sinner. After all I was the
one in need of His salvation. I just believe His word and thank Him for loving me, the sinner
that I am, and forgiving my sin and giving me eternal life. This stance in no way diminishes His
sovereignty, the fact that I need not explain His sovereignty should lead to a larger view of the
sovereignty of God.
Man cannot take pride or boast of any part of his salvation. "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
Man cannot attain salvation by good works. "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on
him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:5).
Man has no goodness or righteousness in him upon which to base his salvation. "But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
(Romans 5:8) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Many in history have fallen into the trap of going further than Scripture goes; trying, with
human reasoning, to explain and systematize God's actions. The result of such reasoning is
extremism. Finite men with finite minds cannot explain an Infinite God. It is an extreme and
false view that says God predestined some men to be damned to hell, not offering them
salvation. It is equally an extreme view that states that man can in any way merit his salvation
Each view, Calvinism or Arminianism, violates clear biblical teaching, and therefore
cannot be truth. I reject the extremes of both the Calvinists and the Arminians and do not use
either name in identifying my stand on accepting what the Bible clearly teaches.
There was a time when I did not think that these issues were important. I have since
changed my mind, because I have seen the effects of Calvinism and Arminianism. Over the
past three years I have had the opportunity to pastor two churches. At both of these churches I
had the pleasure of following a Calvinistic pastor. The confusion and pain that these churches
went through have convinced me that something has to be wrong with me turning a blind eye to
these issues.
Calvinism has cast a shadow over some people's assurance of salvation, because they
wondered if they were elected or rejected by God. I had the experience of hearing a man tell me
that one of the pastors that preceded me had said he could not be saved because he was not in
the elect. If the thief on the cross could ask Jesus for salvation and it be granted, why could this
man not be saved? He must have been a part of the “whosoever” plan. It was at that point that I
through many hours of study came to understand that one is classified in these two classes. In
modern theology you are either Calvinist or Arminianistic, there is no middle ground. It is my
belief that there must be a classification for those that believe as I do, let’s try CHRISTian. If
you are saved it was by the grace of God. If you desire to be saved it is possible by the grace of
God. If you do not ever get saved it can not be blamed on the grace of God. He died for the sin
of the world. He commanded those that are saved by Him to share Him with the whole world.
The stance that all will be saved were already saved, makes the Great Commission given by the
Savior to become irrelevant. Believing this could cause one to think that Matthew 28:18-20 is
just uninspired wording. At the end of this position paper I would like to pose a couple
questions that hold the same answer. Who has the most to gain by making believers feel that
only a few people are elected to be saved? Who has the most to gain by making believers feel
that the God that saved them needs help from them to keep them saved? The answer is Satan
better known as the serpent or the deceiver. It would do us all some good to quit being pawns in
Through my studies of this topic I have been lucky to have many friends, seminary professors
and systematic theology books to offer resources for my study. This paper is a revised edition
Boyd, Gregory A. & Eddy, Paul R. Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in
Hovey, Alvah. Manual of Christian Theology. Second edition Memphis, Tenn.: Mid-America
Hovey, Alvah. Manual of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics. Philadelphia, Penn.:
Millikin, Dr. Jimmy A., Christian Doctrine for Everyman. Southhaven, Mississippi: The
Towns, Elmer L., Theology for Today. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning, 2002,2008
Wilmington, Dr. Harold L., Doctrine of Salvation. Liberty Home Bible Institute, 1988