The Providence Debate Issues - Research Paper Example

? Providence Debate Outline This paper covers the following Introduction 2. God Announced Salvation After the Fall 3. God's Thoughts Are Higher Than Our Thoughts 4. The Arminians and Calvinists Views i. The Arminians View ii. The Calvinists View iii. Calvinism vs. Arminianism 5. Summary of some doctrines viewed differently by Calvinism and Arminianism 6. Conclusion: Which Doctrine to Believe? 7. Bibliography PROVIDENCE DEBATE Introduction Based on biblical texts and other scholarly discourse on the subject, the Arminian and the Calvinist views are evaluated to determine the merits of each doctrinal position. The author considers that a balanced mixture of these two views offers a better perspective. The author proposes that God’s truth as revealed in the Holy Scriptures is reflected in some parts by the Calvinists view and in some parts by the Armininans and God’s truth regarding salvation is not monopolized wholly by just one of these two views. God Announced Salvation after the fall On the sixth day of creation, after forming everything which included the light, the firmament, the plants and the animals, God created man in His own image and put him in the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it; later Adam was joined by his wife Eve, the woman whom God formed from one of Adam's ribs.1 Adam and Eve had everything they needed and lived very close to God and just like in a fairy tale, they could have lived happily ever after. But they disobeyed God’s commandment: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die”.2 Thus the first man and woman fell to sin and the whole creation fell with them.3 The loving Almighty God, after the fall of man, even in the dawn of human history, had already announced the forthcoming salvation, as He said to the serpent: “ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel.”4 The Holy Bible abounds with several verses which teach the way to salvation. In fact the whole Bible, with its old and new testaments, shows “ God's way of having people come to know Him and His plan for mankind, His chosen and special people...who by faith will form the true family of God throughout eternity.”5 God's Thoughts Are Higher Than Our Thoughts Despite the so many verses pertaining to salvation (or maybe due to such great number), even the so-called 'faithfuls' have found themselves in opposite camps. This providence debate has been going on for centuries and perhaps, Christians will finally get the correct answer when they come face to face with our loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our God is a very great God. He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. He is the first and the last. We may come to know Him, but not yet as fully as we would have wanted. As it is written, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”6 The Arminians and Calvinists Views A careful and prayerful study of the Holy Bible will reveal chapters and verses which support both the Arminian and Calvinist views. The Arminians View. The Arminians believe that salvation is brought about by the combined efforts of God who initiated the process and man who must respond to God's call. God has provided salvation for everyone, but His provision becomes effective only for those who, of their own free will, 'choose' to cooperate with Him and accept His gracious offer of salvation. Thus man's response becomes the determining factor for the attainment of salvation. At the crucial point, man's will plays a decisive role; in this perspective, man, not God, determines who will be recipients of the gift of salvation.7,8 Arminianism emphasizes conditional election based on God's foreknowledge, man's free will through prevenient grace to cooperate with God in salvation, Christ’s universal atonement, resistible grace and salvation that can potentially be lost. The Calvinists View. The Calvinists believe that salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the Triune God. God the Father chose His people. Then Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified and died for His people; and the Holy Spirit makes Jesus Christ's death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance, thereby causing them to willingly obey the gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and happens by the grace of God alone. In this sense, God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation. Calvinism centers on the supreme sovereignty of God, predestination, the total depravity of man, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace and the perseverance of the saints.9 10 11 Calvinism vs. Arminianism. A summary of doctrines and points of contention of both Calvinism and Arminianism is shown in the following paragraphs. These positions are supported by verses found in the Holy Scriptures. Doctrine on God's sovereignty. 12,13,14,15 For the Calvinists, God's sovereignty is unconditional, unlimited and absolute. All things are predetermined by the good pleasure of God's will. God foreknew because of his own planning. God is sovereign ( Psalm 33:11); He predetermined His people: “... as many as were ordained to eternal life believed...” (Acts 13:48); “...and were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia...” (Acts 16:6); He alone cleans our heart and renews our spirit (Psalm 51:10); He chose His own inheritance (Psalm 33:12); He chose us before the foundation of the world ( Ephesians 1:4-12, 18; 2:5, 10); Christians have been born again to eternal life by His will ( John 1:13; 3:3; 6:44; 15:16); He turns to repentance those on whom He bestows mercy ( Jeremiah 31: 18-20); He gives us the Holy Spirit and predestinates us to be His children, according to His mercy ( Romans 5:5; 8: 27-39; 9:18-26; 11:33-36); He delights in His people and chose their seed after them and protects them ( Deuteronomy 10:14-15; 29:29; 33:27, 29); Isaiah 44:3; 45:1-14;46:10; 53:10; Matthew 11: 21; 11: 25-26;,20:15; Jeremiah 31:33; and Ezekiel 36:26). 16 Contrary to the message of the quoted verses, the Arminians believe that God has limited his control in correspondence with man's freedom and response. God's decrees are associated with his foreknowledge of man's response. Doctrine on man's depravity and original sin.17,18,19,20 Calvinists believe that because of the Fall, man is totally depraved and dead in his sin. Man is unable to save himself and, therefore, God must initiate salvation. After the fall, God saw the wickedness and evil imagination of man, that all are under sin; no one is righteous and “no one doeth good” (Genesis 6:3,5; 8:21;Job 14:4; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 13:23; 17:9; John 3:4,5; Acts 8:23; Romans3:9-18, 23;5:6, 12, 16; 8:7; Ephesians 2: 1-5; 4:18;2:1-5; and Ezekiel 36:26). As declared in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. 21 On the other hand, the Arminians also believe that because of the Fall, man has inherited a corrupt, depraved nature. But unlike the Calvinists' view, they maintain that through “prevenient grace” God removed the guilt of Adam's sin. Prevenient grace is defined as the preparatory work of the Holy Spirit, given to all, enabling a person to respond to God's call of salvation. There is no specific verse to support this concept of prevenient grace. There is no specific verse pointing to this concept of “prevenient grace”. The Holy Scriptures talk about God's grace with no qualifier. Doctrine on election.22,23,24,25 For the Calvinists, God has unconditionally chosen some to be saved even before the foundation of the world. Election has nothing to do with man's future response ( Matthew 13:11; 20:16; 24: 22; 11:25-26; John 6:16,37,39,44; 10:14,15; 26-29; 15:16; 17: 6, 9-20; Romans 8:29-30; 8: 31, 33; 9: 11-18; Ezekiel 16:6; Acts 2:39; 13:48; Ephesians 1:4-12; I Thessalonians 1:4; Revelation 21:27; Luke 18: 7; Mark 13:22; II Timothy 1:9; 2:19; I John 4:10; Psalm 147: 19-20; and Deuteronomy 33:27, 29).26 Clearly, Romans 8: 29-30 tells us of predestination, “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestinates, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” According to Arminians, election is based on God's foreknowledge of those who would believe in him through faith. In other words, God elected those who would choose him of their own free will. Conditional election is based on man's response. Again, there is no specific verse which supports this concept. Based on the list of verses on election, it seems that the Calvinists' view on election is more biblical than the Arminians'. For example, a reading of all the eleven verses in John 5:37-47 (KJV) would reveal to us that our Heavenly Father chooses us first and then we come to know him and believe in Him. Verse 37 says, “ All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”. And then verse 47 says, “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” Doctrine on Christ's atonement/Reconciliation with God. 27,28,29,30 For the Calvinists, Jesus Christ died to save only those who were given to him (elected) by the Father in eternity past. Since Christ did not die for everyone, but only for the elect, his atonement is wholly successful. By God's grace, He has justified the elect, through the redemption brought about by the works, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ ( Romans 3:24-25; 5:8-11; 8:33-34; and Galatians 2:20). For the Arminians, Christ died for everyone. The Savior's atoning death provided the means of salvation for the entire human race. Christ's atonement, however, is effective only for those who believe. This Arminians' view on Christ's atonement, is not necessarily in contradiction with several verses in the Holy Scriptures. Indeed, those who believe in Christ and in His death and resurrection for our salvation, will be saved and inherit eternal life (John 3:16; 6:37;5:24). Doctrine on grace.31,32,33,34 The Calvinists believe that, while God extends his common grace to all mankind, it is not sufficient to save anyone. Only God's irresistible grace can draw the elect to salvation and make a person willing to respond. This grace cannot be obstructed or resisted. This is declared in Philippians 2:13, “ For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” God's grace is revealed in several verses in the Holy Scriptures (Acts 13:39, 48; Psalm 51:10; 119:18; Ephesians 1: 4-6; 1: 13,18; 2:5, 8, 10; John 1:13; 3:3; 6:44;15:16; Jeremiah 31:18; Acts 11: 15-17; Galatians 3:14; Romans 3: 21,22, 25; 3:27-28; 5:1; 12:3; I Peter 1:5; II Peter 1:3; I Corinthians 2:5; 10:13; 12:9; Hebrews 12:2; II Timothy 1:9; and Philippians 2: 13). 35 For the Arminians, through the preparatory (“prevenient”) grace given to all by the Holy Spirit, man is able to cooperate with God and respond in faith to salvation. Through “prevenient grace”, God removed the effects of Adam's sin. Because of "free will" men are also able to resist God's grace. How can man, a created being, possibly resist God's amazing grace! A good example is Paul, a Pharisee who had a history of persecuting believers. He was not able to resist God, when He called him. II Timothy 1:1 introduces Paul, thus “ Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus.” Again, the prevenient grace posited by Arminians does not have any biblical reference. God loves us and shows the exceeding riches of His grace. Ephesians 2:7-9 says, : ”That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” I John 4: 10 tells us of His love, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Doctrine on man's will.36,37,38,39 Calvinists believe that all men are totally depraved and this depravity extends to the entire person, including the will. Except for God's irresistible grace, men are entirely incapable of responding to God on their own (Genesis 6:3,5; 8:21; Job 14:4; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 13:23; 17:9; John 3:4,5; Acts 8:23; Romans 3:9-18; 8: 7, 33; and Ephesians 2:1-5). Indeed, we are dead in sin ( Ephesians 2: 1), but by His grace God saves us (Ephesians 2:1-10). 40 Arminians believe that because prevenient grace is given to all men by the Holy Spirit and this grace extends to the entire person, all people have free will. Verses in Romans 10:9-13 tell us that those who believe and call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, but we can only call on Him, if God quickens us by His grace ( Ephesians 2:5). The Holy Scriptures tell us that some people do not believe because they are not “His sheep”. Verses in John 10:26-27, say : “ But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. 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. ” Doctrine on the perseverance of the saints/believers. 41,42,43,44 This author concurs with the Calvinists' belief in the security of the believers-in the assurance of salvation with the help of God who will see to it that the believers will persevere to the end. Believers will persevere in salvation because God will see to it that none will be lost. Believers are secure in the faith because God will finish the work He began, as promised in the Holy Scriptures : Romans 5:8-9; 8: 30,32-35; John 6:39; 11:42;10:28-29; 17:20; Ephesians 1:14; 4:30; Jeremiah 32:40; II Timothy 2:19; Matthew 24:24; I John 5:18; 2: 19; 3: 2-3,9; 5:18-20; Philippians 1:6; I Corinthians 1:8; and I Peter 1:23.45 Arminians maintain that by the exercise of free will, believers can turn away or fall away from grace and lose their salvation. There is a sin which leads unto death that is mentioned in I John 5:16. Another set of verses , II Peter 2: 20-22, talk about a “dog” and a “sow” referring to erring persons who once professed belief, but then sinned, with an end worse than the beginning. However, I Corinthians 10:13 tells Christians that God will equip them even in times of temptation that they may be able to bear it. What a wonderful love from a wonderful God! Conclusion: Which Doctrine to Believe? As mentioned earlier in this paper, this providence debate has been going on since the 16th century. Calvinism was named after John Calvin, a French theologian who lived from 1509-1564, while Arminianism was named after professor and preacher James Harmensen (in Latin, Arminius), a Dutch theologian who lived from 1560-1609.46 At present, the believers are a mixture of these two views. There are five-point Calvinists and five-point Arminians; some are three-point Calvinists and two-point Arminians. Both advocates, Calvin and Harmensen, are human beings. A serious study of the Word of God will reveal that their views fail in some aspects. This is expected since finite human minds and souls can not fully grasp the infinite wisdom of our Almighty God. While here on this earth, let us live with the assurance that God loves us and He has given us His amazing salvation by God's grace through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This author concurs with Dabney’s comments against the points expressed in the paper handed in by Prof. James Harmensen, which led to the holding of the famous Synod of Dort, or Dordrecht, where not only Holland ministers, but delegates from the French, German, Swiss and British churches met in 1618: “Let any plain mind review these five changes and perversions of Bible truth and he will see two facts: One, that the debate about them all will hinge mainly upon the first question, whether man's original sin is or is not a complete and decisive enmity to godliness; and the other, that this whole plan is a contrivance to gratify human pride and self-righteousness and to escape that great humbling fact everywhere so prominent in the real gospel, that man's ruin of himself by sin is utter and the whole credit for his redemption from it, is God's.” 47 In the Presbyterians’ confession of faith, the following definition of “Original Sin,” “Total Depravity,” and “Inability of the Will”, is: “Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man being altogether averse from that good and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.” 48 This confession refers to original sin as having wholly lost the ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation. Several biblical verses fully support the concept of original sin and man's total depravity, as listed in the previous table. The doctrine of election is fully supported by several chapters and verses in the Holy49 Bible. One example is given in the letter of Paul to the Romans, chapter 8 verse 30, which clearly says: “Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” With regard to the perseverance of the saints, Dabney’s point is very acceptable: “that we do not ascribe this stability of grace in the believer to any excellence in his own soul, even regenerate, as source and cause, but we ascribe it to the unchangeable purpose and efficacious grace of God dwelling and operating in them.” 50 This author is neither a Calvinist nor an Armenian, but rather, a firm believer in Christ: once fallen in sin and deserved spiritual death, but now saved by the Almighty and loving Creator who sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ – crucified, died and after 3 days, rose again - assuring me that, by His grace through faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, all my sins have been paid for and my inheritance is eternal life. Just like the other committed believers in Christ, I am confident of the fulfillment of His promise in Philippians chapter 1 verse 6: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."51 Bibliography Arminian-Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Available from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arminian Accessed 16 July 2012. Barlow, Jonathan. “Five Points of Calvinism”. Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics. Available from http://www.reformed.org/calvinism/ Accessed 16 July 2012. Barry, William. 1908. “Calvinism”. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Available from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03198a.htm Accessed 16 July 2012. Calvinism vs. Arminianism - which view is correct? Available from http://www.gotquestions.org/Calvinism-vs-Arminianism.html Accessed 7 July 2012. Fairchild, Mary. Calvinism and Armininanism. Available from http://christianity.about.com/od/denominations/a/calvinarminian.htm Accessed 6 July 2012. Genesis Chapters 1 & 2 of the King James Bible (Denver, CO, USA: Worldwide Leadership Council, Inc., 1998), 3-6. Genesis chapter 2 verse 17, The King James Bible (Denver, CO, USA: Worldwide Leadership Council, Inc., 1998), 5. Genesis chapter 3 verse 15, The King James Bible (Denver, CO, USA: Worldwide Leadership Council, Inc., 1998), 6. Isaiah chapter 55 verses 8 & 9, The King James Bible (Denver, CO, USA: Worldwide Leadership Council, Inc., 1998), 1070. Johnson, Phillip R. 2001. An R. L. Dabney Anthology. Available from http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/dabney/5points.htm Accessed 7 July 2012. Johnson, Phillip R. 2001. The Canons of Dort, The Synod of Dordrecht, November 13, 1618- May 9, 1619. Available from http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/dort.htm Accessed 7 July 2012. Romans chapter 5 verse 12, The King James Bible (Denver, CO, USA: Worldwide Leadership Council, Inc., 1998), 256. Society of Evangelical Arminians. Available from http://evangelicalarminians.org/ Accessed 16 July 2012. Steele, David N. and Curtis Thomas. “A Brief Comparative Study of Arminianism and Calvinism”. The Five Points of CALVINISM - Defined, Defended, Documented. Available from http://www.the-highway.com/compare.html Accessed 5 July 2012. The King James Bible. 1998. Denver, Co, USA: Worldwide Leadership Council, Inc. 898. Theopedia, an encyclopedia of Biblical Christianity. Available from http://www.theopedia.com/Calvinism Accessed 16 July 20 Read More