I’ll be interested to hear everyone’s thoughts on this one. One of the cruxes of Calvinism, if you don’t know, is that God chose us, we did not choose Him, the Bible calls it predestination. This is a very controversial topic in the body of Christ and I’m not going to necessarily enter the debate and break down every point of TULIP on my blog, that would be long and hard, but I had an interesting thought about how worship reflects reformed doctrine in this sense.
When we worship God, we say things like, “Thank you God for loving me, thank you for rescuing me, thank you for redeeming me, etc.” These, I think are pretty reformed statements about our relationship with God. From an Armenian perspective I would have to think songs would go like this, “Thank you God that I chose you, thank you God that I am good enough to not be totally depraved so that I could pick you.” I don’t think we would sing songs like that but that is what that theology sounds like.
How is it that we would not be audacious enough to sing a song to God to thank ourselves for choosing Him, but we would still have theology that would allow us to practically think that way. Shouldn’t our theology line up with our worship of God? Let the theological mudslinging begin, just keep it clean.
I said on another blog just the other day that I might be arminian (I didn’t even know these terms until just this past year). I must have made that comment in error, because the way you characterize it certainly doesn’t describe my theology.
Its all good, if the people want it, I can give a little primer on Calvinism and at least explain the 5 points of it. It would obviously be very, very basic but at least it would give a basic undetstanding.
Well I know I am not Calvinist either. Uh oh, where does that leave me?
Arminianism holds to the following tenets:
1. Humans are naturally unable to make any effort towards salvation
2. Salvation is possible by grace alone
3. Works of human effort cannot cause or contribute to salvation
4. God’s election is conditional on faith in Jesus
5. Jesus’ atonement was for all people
6. God allows his grace to be resisted by those unwilling to believe
7. Salvation can be lost, as continued salvation is conditional upon continued faith
Not quite the self-centered though presented. Maybe a deeper study of Arminianism is warranted before generalizing it too much?
(For the record I don’t consider myself one.)
Ross, we need to hang out more. If you drink beer, I’ll buy you one.
Oohh, the stinging criticism from Donny, I expected that from my boy:) This is not the first time:) I’ll post more about Calvinism and Armenianism soon.
Sam, all I got to say is what was Jesus’ first miracle?
Don’t keep the people waiting too long! Before you start of your compare and contrast though, let me remind you that both Calvinism and Arminianism hold to the total depravity of an individual.
Oh and for everyone reading this. An ArMENian is someone from ARMENIA. An ArMINian is someone who holds to the theological teachings of Jasobus ARMINIUS.
Just wanted to clarify in case anyone from Armenia stubbles across this blog.
Gramer and speling hav nevr bin my strong sute
Jesus turned water into beer? Sweet.
I kid, I kid.
@Donny, I’d take it easy on him. He’s Clayton Bell’s blogging protege, which I think is more than enough to explain the grammar issues.
btw Donny, May of 08 has arrived…
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Truth Must Be Told From The Word of God Alone
5/30/2008
I for one am not an intellectual like many I seen in my life truly are, and good ones too.
To be able to reach in, draw out and place the truth in a perspective that is understandable with out seeming to be a want-a-be, which I do not mind you, seems a daunting task, but, and isn’t there always a but, but I have also found that God the Holy Spirit deals with my need to know the truth on His level, and time, not mine.
We who believe need not really worry about whether or not our rendition of the grace of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ meets all the literary Scriptual periods or comas, God meets the requirments. He makes us alive and moves our feet and mouths, and it is He and He alone who brings the results. A young child or an aged man or woman may find words of Christ coming from their mouths, and in their daily walk that God alone will bring to fruitation’ the gospel spoken from our hearts and lips. If you are God’s child then God will place in your mouths the truth and will save many according to His desire and will.
About the time after much study and I think I have a grasp on a piece of truth from God’s word, the Holy Spirit humbles me by showing me that I have not even scratched the surface, let alone being ready to exhibit my grand world shaking finds from the word of God.
What happens is the Holy Spirit takes me turns me back to the scripture and takes me back to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and often takes me to Paul’s statement in 1st Corinthians 2:2 ‘For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified.’
‘1st Corinthians 15: 1-8 ‘Now I make know to you, brethren, the gospel (the goodnews from God) which I preached to you, that you also received, by which you also stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeard to me also.’
When I become so wound up in the controversial things in Scripture, the Holy Spirit comes along side to me and guides me, moves me back to what I am to be doing in this life. Then I go about my daily life and live in liberty in Christ and the Spirit of God places me where He can exibit through me, ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control..’ that way the Holy Spirit demonstrates the life of Jesus Christ through this mortal body of mine and reaches out with gospel and saves those whom God chose before the foundations of the world.
When I speak of Jesus Christ I do not worry if no one responds to me, because it is not for me to really know, ‘only God knows the heart of a person’. I am content that God will according to His will, and His will alone save those who He will. I have faith in that.
I also know that in these last days, we may not see results in the preaching of the gospel, but God the Father sees and is accomplishing His purpose for saving mankind.
I will not grieve for those who remain lost, but I will pray that God reaches them, knowing full well, God will reach whom He wills and no other, ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.. and I will harden whom I will harden’. God knows more than me about His Just and Righteous purpose and attributes.
After all brethren, we are finite, and He is infinite. I would not dare to question Him about what He does or does not do. I may ask Him why and He may tell me, maybe, maybe not. More likely not, as I really am not in the need to know, He will just release into me, my trust in Him and there I am satisfied.
Believe Him, for He loves you and has a purpose for your life. ‘Always be ready to speak of the hope that lies within you.’ It is the power of salvation to those who have been saved in Jesus Christ the Son of God.