The
purpose of this paper is to define Arminian soteriology and defend it based on
scripture. Arminianism in general
is the views of James Arminius. Of
course, Arminius’ views span more then just salvation. They include the freewill of man,
God’s providence, the entrance of sin into the world and
foreknowledge. This paper is
specific to the topic of salvation.
Arminian
soteriology has been variously defined ranging from any non-Calvinist viewpoint
to all views that teach falling from grace (a view Arminius didn’t
hold). So how shall we define
Arminianism? I suggest we look to
the past for clarity. In order to
define Arminian soteriology we must look back to the historic
Calvinist/Arminian debate. Arminianism
was debated hotly during James Arminius’ life. After his death in 1609, his followers
summarized his views into five points in 1610. These views were debated up until the
Synod of Dort in 1619. The Synod
issued the Cannons of Dort, which were organized into five points, the five
points of Calvinism. Here is a
table contrasting the historic Arminian and Calvinist views on soteriology
quoted directly from the historic documents.
|
|
Confession
of the Remonstrants |
Cannons of |
|
Election |
That
God, by an eternal, unchangeable purpose in Jesus Christ, his Son, before the
foundation of the world, hath determined, out of the fallen, sinful race of
men, to save in Christ, for Christ's sake, and through Christ, those who,
through the grace of the Holy Ghost, shall
believe on this his Son Jesus, and shall persevere in this faith and
obedience of faith, through this grace, even to the end; and, on the other
hand, to leave the incorrigible and unbelieving in sin and under wrath, and
to condemn them as alienate from Christ, according to the word of the Gospel
in John iii. 36: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life;
and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God
abideth on him," and according to other passages of Scripture also. |
Election is the unchangeable purpose of God,
whereby, before the
foundation of the world,
He has out of mere grace, according
to the sovereign good
pleasure of His own will, chosen from
the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault from the primitive state of rectitude
into sin and destruction, a
certain number of
persons to redemption in Christ, whom He from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect and the foundation of salvation….
This election was not founded upon foreseen faith and
the obedience of faith, holiness, or any other good quality or disposition in man, as the prerequisite, cause, or
condition of which it depended; but men are chosen to faith and to the obedience of faith, holiness, etc. |
|
Atonement |
That,
agreeably thereto, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, died for all men and for every man, so
that he has obtained for them all, by his death on the cross, redemption,
and the forgiveness ef sins; yet that no one actually enjoys this forgiveness
of sins, except the believer, according to the word of the Gospel of John
iii. 16: "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life"; and in the First Epistle of John ii. 2: "And he is the
propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only. but also for the sins of
the whole world." |
For this was the sovereign counsel and most
gracious will and purpose of God the Father that the quickening and saving
efficacy of the most precious
death of His Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them
alone the gift of justifying
faith, thereby to bring
them infallibly to salvation; that is, it was the will of God that Christ by
the blood of the cross, thereby He confirmed the
new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe,
nation, and language, all those,
and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation and given to Him
by the Father; that He should confer upon them faith, which, together with
all the other saving gifts of the
Holy Spirit, He purchased for them by His death; should purge them from all
sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after
believing; and having faithfully preserved them even
to the end, should at last bring them, free from every spot
and blemish, to the enjoyment of
glory in His own presence forever. |
|
Depravity |
That
man has not saving grace of himself,
nor of the energy of his free-will, inasmuch as he, in the state of apostasy
and sin, can of and by himself neither think, will, nor do anything that is
truly good (such as having faith eminently is); but that it is needful that
he be born again of God in Christ, through his Holy Spirit, and renewed in
understanding, inclination, or will, and all his powers, in order that he may
rightly understand, think, will, and effect what is truly good, according to
the word of Christ, John xv. b: "Without me ye can do nothing." |
Therefore all men are conceived in sin, and are by nature children of wrath, incapable of saving good,
prone to evil, dead in sin, and
in bondage thereto; and
without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit,
they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to
reform the depravity of their nature, or to dispose themselves
to reformation |
|
Grace |
That
this grace of God is the beginning, continuance, and accomplishment of an
good, even to this extent, that the regenerate man himself, without that
prevenient or assisting; awakening, following, and co-operative grace, elm
neither think, will, nor do good, nor withstand any temptations to evil; so
that all good deeds or movements that can be conceived must be ascribed to
the grace of God in Christ. But, as
respects the mode of the operation of this grace, it is not irresistible,
inasmuch as it is written concerning many that they have resisted the Holy
Ghost, -Acts vii., and elsewhere in many places. |
But that others who are called by the gospel obey
the call and are converted is not to be ascribed to the proper exercise of
free will, whereby one distinguishes himself above others equally furnished
with grace sufficient for faith and conversion (as the proud heresy of
Pelagius maintains); but it must be wholly ascribed to God, who, as He has
chosen His own from eternity in Christ, so He calls them effectually in time,
confers upon them faith and repentance, rescues them from the power of
darkness, and translates them into the kingdom of His own Son; that they may
show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His
marvelous light, and may glory not in themselves but in the Lord, according
to the testimony of the apostles in various places. |
|
Perseverance |
That
those who an incorporated into Christ by a true faith, and have thereby
become partakers of his lifegiving spirit, have thereby full power to strive
against Satan, sin, the world, and their own flesh, and to win the victory, it
being well understood that it is ever through the assisting grace of the Holy
Ghost; and that Jesus Christ assists them through his Spirit in all
temptations, extends to them his hand; and if only they are ready for the
conflict. and desire his help, and are not inactive, keeps them from falling,
so that they, by no craft or power of Satan, can be misled, nor plucked out
of Christ's hands, according to the word of Christ, John x. 28: "Neither
shall any man pluck them out of my hand." But whether they are capable.
through negligence, of forsaking again the first beginnings of their life in
Christ, of again returning to this present evil world, of turning away from
the holy doctrine which was delivered them, of losing a good conscience, of
becoming devoid of grace, that must be more particularly determined out of
the Holy Scriptures before we ourselves can teach it with the full persuasion
of our minds. |
But God, who is rich in mercy, according to His
unchangeable purpose of election, does not wholly withdraw the Holy Spirit
from His own people even in their grievous falls; nor suffers them to proceed
so far as t lose the grace of adoption and forfeit the state of
justification, or to commit the sin unto death or against the Holy Spirt; nor
does He permit them to be totally deserted, and to plunge themselves into
everlasting destruction. |
http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/encyc09/htm/iv.vii.cliii.htm
http://www.ccel.org/creeds/canons-of-dort.html
In short,
on election the Arminians teach that faith is a condition of election,
Calvinists disagree, on the Atonement Arminians teach that Christ died for all men
and Calvinists teach He died for the elect alone, conversely Calvinists teach
that Christ’s death was effectual and Arminians teach it was partially
provisional and partially effectual, on depravity Arminians and Calvinists
agree that man cannot save himself or do anything good without grace, on Grace
Arminians teach that grace can be resisted and Calvinists teach that it is
effectual and cannot be resisted and on Perseverance Arminians did not say
whether Christians may fall away or not, but Calvinists take the position that
they cannot fall away.
Because
there is substantial agreement in relation to depravity, total depravity is not
a Calvinist nor an Arminian distinctive.
However, man’s depravity is an essential defining element of
Arminianism and it contrasts Arminianism from other views besides
Calvinism. Because the Arminians
did not take a stance on perseverance, it is not an essential element to
defining Arminianism.
So the
essential and defining elements of Arminianism are:
1) faith is a condition for election
2) Christ died for all men
3) man cannot save himself, nor do anything
good
4) grace is resistible
I will now
attempt to provide a defense of these points from scripture. I will limit myself to three passages
per point, not because there are only three texts per point (some claim there
are hundreds for each), but in order to be concise and clear, I will force
myself to select only the three I find strongest.
Here is the Article again:
ARTICLE I. That God, by an
eternal, unchangeable purpose in Jesus Christ, his Son, before the foundation
of the world, hath determined, out of the fallen, sinful race of men, to save
in Christ, for Christ's sake, and through Christ, those who, through the grace of
the Holy Ghost, shall believe on this his Son Jesus, and shall persevere in
this faith and obedience of faith, through this grace, even to the end; and, on
the other hand, to leave the incorrigible and unbelieving in sin and under
wrath, and to condemn them as alienate from Christ, according to the word of
the Gospel in John iii. 36: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of
God abideth on him," and according to other passages of Scripture also.
The three
passages that I find support this point the strongest are Romans 8:29, 1
Corinthians 1:21-2:7 and 1 Timothy 2:1-6.
Romans 8:29 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.
The first
thing to be noted from this text is that there is a condition for
predestination (also for election see 1 Peter 1:2). Biblical predestination and election are
not unconditional, but rather are based on God’s foreknowledge. Many Calvinist argue that foreknowledge
means fore-love, but in that case love is the condition of election and
predestination. In no case are
predestination and election unconditional as Calvinists claim them to be.
The second
thing to note is that we are predestined to be conformed to Christ’s
image. That is to holiness and
glory. Strictly speaking, faith is
not part of the image of Christ.
Christ did not have to believe on Himself for salvation from sins. Rather He lived a perfect sinless
life. So likewise, we are not
predestined to believe, but rather predestined to be holy.
Many
Calvinists argue that foreknowledge is not prescience of faith, but rather
God’s loving knowledge. God
has a special loving relationship with the people to be chosen. Therefore the hint back to a pre-choice,
choice. But who, other than those
united to Christ, does God have a special loving relationship with? And who, other then believers are united
to Christ? And again, keep in mind,
this special loving relationship is the condition and not the result of
election and predestination.
1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe….
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory
Here the scripture states that God predestined the gospel plan of offering salvation through Christ to those who believe (2:7), but that plan was formed after God in His wisdom knew that men need salvation (1:21). Without God’s plan of salvation we would not be in Christ and would not have righteousness, sanctification and redemption (1:30). Predestination is God’s decree to save believers. This passage leaves no room for an explanation of predestination that teaches that God chose to save individuals without first considering them believers.
Now someone might object, yes it is true God chose to save believers, but He also unconditionally chose whom He would save. But if this were the case, we must ask which came first. If God first chose whom He would save, this violates the text, which teaches God chooses to save none but believers. If God first chooses to save through faith, and then He unconditionally chooses whom He would save again, again this violates the text, which states that God chooses to save none but believers.
So this text, which teaches God predestined to save through faith, a type of predestination alien to the Calvinist system, is not supplementary but rather mutually exclusive to that system.
1 Timothy 2:1-6 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
God has a
universal desire for the salvation of mankind and commands us to desire and
pray for the salvation of everyone.
Should we desire the salvation of all and He only wants the salvation of
some, we would have greater love than God, which is impossible.
The text
specifically says that God wills the salvation of all men and too that they
come to the knowledge of the truth, which is to believe. These desires are inconsistent with a
choice to save only some, especially those not seen as believers.
Here many
Calvinists object that all means all kinds or categories of mankind. But all in the text isn’t
qualified by categories. But if
they persist and say the qualification is implicit, I would ask for proof and
also argue that categories themselves are not saved, but the people in the
categories are. So if the real
argument is that the text is saying that God wills people in all categories to
be saved, I would respond that this position is neither justified nor helpful
to the Calvinist claim. It is
unjustified because the text says God wants to save all men. It’s unhelpful, because if the
text were saying God wants to save people, not only would the text not be
placing a limitation to the number of people God wants to save, but also it
would be stating a general rule: God wants to save people, which is a universal
will for salvation. If the reading
were again revised to God wants to save some men in all categories, this would
cut across the grain of the text which relates all to men.
Some
Calvinists form a counter argument that, if God wanted to save all people, then
all would be saved. This argument
has some force. God cannot be
stopped from anything He wants Himself to do. God, not man, saves. So if God wants to save, He cannot be
stopped from saving. Therefore, for
the lost, God does not want to save them.
But
God’s will to save is not unqualified. He also wants them to come to the
knowledge of the truth, which is to believe. If God wants Himself to do something, it
will be done. But if He wants us to
do something, it may or may not be done.
Hence Arminians understand God’s will as either absolute or
conditional. God’s will to
save believers is absolute.
God’s will to save all men is conditional based on their
believing. He wills to save any
man, based on the condition that he believes, and He absolutely wills to save
this man once he believes.
Other
Calvinists say that God’s revealed will (or will of sign) is that they be
saved, but His secret will (or will of good pleasure) is that they be
lost. But this is a contradiction.
Other
Calvinists say that God’s revealed will is that they should believe (that
is that they are commanded to and responsible for believing). In contrast, His secret will is that
they not believe (that they not fulfill the command). This is not a contradiction, but it has
three problems. First, the text
says that He wills that they believe, not that they should believe. Second, this seems to indicate that God
does not want His commands to be followed.
Third, the text also says that God wills that they be saved, which is in
no wise a command.
Finally, some
Calvinists say that God in a divided sense wills they believe, but in a
compound sense wills that they be lost.
The sense divided out is God’s plan. So, not considering God’s plan
that they be lost, God wants them to believe. The divided sense is an accommodated
sense, one that we can understand.
The compound sense, including God’s plan, is one that we see
glimpses of from time to time, but we don’t fully understand.
I applaud
the effort, but divided senses cannot directly contradict compound senses. Rather, compound senses supplement and
provide context to what is given in a divided sense. So here, either the divided sense masks
an equivocation or a contradiction.
Here is
the article:
ART. II. That, agreeably
thereto, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, died for all men and for every
man, so that he has obtained for them all, by his death on the cross,
redemption, and the forgiveness ef sins; yet that no one actually enjoys this
forgiveness of sins, except the believer, according to the word of the Gospel
of John iii. 16: "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life"; and in the First Epistle of John ii. 2: "And he is the propitiation
for our sins; and not for ours only. but also for the sins of the whole
world."
The three
passages that I find support this point the strongest are Hebrews 2:9, Hebrews
10:26-29 and Romans 4:24-5:2.
Hebrews
2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory
and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
The
passage plainly says that Christ died for every person. If someone reads it with a
qualification, they put it there.
It’s hard to imagine how else the author of Hebrews could have
made this point any clearer.
If the
Gospel asks you to believe that Christ died for your sins, and Christ did not die
for your sins, should you be held accountable for not believing what
isn’t true? But if Christ did
taste death for every man, then every man may be required to believe the truth.
Hebrews
10:26-29 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of
the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful
looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the
adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three
witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought
worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood
of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done
despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Christ died
even for those who will ultimately perish.
The phrases “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” and
“the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified” make no
sense if Christ didn’t die for them.
How could Christ’s blood sanctify someone for whom it was not
spilt and doesn’t continuation in the sacrifice imply commencement in the
same?
If someone
argues that this speaks of loss of rewards and not eternal judgment, therefore
this passage is talking about the elect, he should explain the phrase
“judgment and fiery indignation” and the scriptural principle that
without holiness no man will see God.
Romans
4:24-5:2 But for us also, to whom
it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from
the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our
justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Christ’s
work on the cross is imputed to our account, if and only if, we believe. Only then does Christ’s grace take
effect and only then are we justified and forgiven. Are those that believe forgiven on the
cross at 33 AD or when they come to faith?
Resoundingly, the scriptures answer, when we believe based on the
cross.
Hence the
cross has both a provisional and an efficient component. Calvinists only see the efficient
component, but if the cross is only efficient, then the elect are born forgiven
and not the enemies of God as the scriptures declare. Limited Atonement is incompatible with
justification by faith.
Here is the Article:
ART. III. That man has not
saving grace of himself, nor of the energy of his free-will, inasmuch as he, in
the state of apostasy and sin, can of and by himself neither think, will, nor
do anything that is truly good (such as having faith eminently is); but that it
is needful that he be born again of God in Christ, through his Holy Spirit, and
renewed in understanding, inclination, or will, and all his powers, in order
that he may rightly understand, think, will, and effect what is truly good,
according to the word of Christ, John xv. b: "Without me ye can do nothing."
The three passages I find most supportive of this point are:
Romans 8:7-8 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
1Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Since there is substantial agreement on this point, I will not get into too much detail. But these passages plainly speak of man’s inability to do good without grace.
Here is the Article:
ART. IV. That this grace of God is the
beginning, continuance, and accomplishment of an good, even to this extent,
that the regenerate man himself, without that prevenient or assisting;
awakening, following, and co-operative grace, elm neither think, will, nor do
good, nor withstand any temptations to evil; so that all good deeds or
movements that can be conceived must be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ.
But, as respects the mode of the operation of this grace, it is not
irresistible, inasmuch as it is written concerning many that they have resisted
the Holy Ghost, -Acts vii., and elsewhere in many places.
The three passages that I find support this point the strongest are Mathew 11:21-23, Isaiah 5:4 and Hebrews 6:4-6.
Mathew 11:21-23
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee,
If the same Divine call would yield different
results among different people, then the difference is in the people and not
the call. The passage says that the people in
Calvin argued that this was a general comment and
far more of an indictment against the citizens of Chorazin and
Others have said that the repentance was only legal,
something like the repentance of Judas.
But how is this an indictment against the citizens of Chorazin and
Isaiah 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
If grace were irresistible, and God wanted it bring forth grapes, it would. God provided sufficient grace for them to bring forth grapes, and they didn’t. If God was withholding the only grace suitable to bring forth grapes, and then asking what more He could do, we would have to question His sincerity. Was what God did to bring forth grapes, unsuitable to the task?
Some respond that the passage is merely anthropomorphic. Anthropomorphic for what? What is being represented via a comparison to human characteristics? God’s displeasure with their lack of response at His doing all He could? That wouldn’t escape the difficulty. Does the anthropomorphism represent God not do all He could, and still being displeased? In that case the truth doesn’t match the representation.
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
These people were partakes of the Holy Ghost, yet they fell away. No need to get into the question of if they lost their salvation or were “almost Christians”. If grace were irresistible, they would not fall away. Per 1 Corinthians 2:14, the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. These men did. Therefore the Spirit was working in them and yet they fell away.
Arminians teach prevenient grace. That is God, through the Holy Spirit, enables man to accept the Gospel. Calvinist teach that God doesn’t just enable, He effectually calls. But if this is the case, what is the Holy Spirit doing with those whom are rejecting?
Calvin claimed that the Holy Spirit reveals the Gospel to some, in order to increase their condemnation after He deserts them. Aside from the emotional response many would have to this view, we must ask the question of what is grace? If grace is God’s unmerited favor, this operation is not grace. If the purpose of the revelation of the Gospel is greater damnation, it’s not good for them. But the passage says the “good” word of God and the Gospel is the good news.
Arminians are those who hold that election is conditional on faith, and Christ died for all men, and man cannot save himself or do good without grace and that grace is resistible. Since volumes have been written on each of these points, sometimes the simplest of points gets lost in the complexity. Each of us must search the scriptures for ourselves to ensure that our theology is consistent with the word of God.