soteriology

OUR VIEWS ON CALVINISM & ARMINIANISM

We are defenders of salvation by grace through faith in Christ ALONE, not by works of righteousness lest any should boast. (Tit. 3:4-5; Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:20-28; 4:1-8; 11:6; Gal. 2:16,21; 3:11-14,22-25; Acts 13:38-41; 15:8-11) This alone is the basis for our right standing before the holy God.

We believe in neither the extremes of Calvinism nor Arminianism. We view in Calvinism a denial of the free-will which God sovereignly gave man; this system of theology portrays God as the author of evil (I Tim. 2:3-6; 2 Pet 3:9; Ps. 5:4; Hab. 1:13; James 1:13-16; 4:8-10; John 3:16-18; 4:13-14; 6:40; 7:17,37-39; 11:40; 12:32,36,40; Is 1:19-20; 30:15; Josh. 24:15; Mat. 11:28; 23:37; Luke 13:34; Acts 17:30,31; Rom 4:1-5; Heb. 11:6,24-26; Gal.2:6). We believe that the saints' names were written from the foundation of the world (Rev.13:8; 17:8; Lk. 10:20; Mt.25:33,34; Eph. 1:4-5) and in predestination but according to the foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23; 15:18; Rom 8:29-30; I Pet. 1:2). Furthermore, we believe that man can resist grace and the Holy Spirit. (2 Tim. 3:8,9; Acts 7:51; Gen. 6:3; Rom. 1:18-23; 2:1-5; Jn. 16:8-11; Is. 30:9-15,19; 53:3; 55:6; 63:10; 65:2-3; Heb. 2:1-4; 3:6-19; 4:1-2; 10:29; 12:25; Lk. 7:30; Jer. 7:13,25,26; 14:27; 32:33,34; 2 Pet. 2:1,17,21,22) Thus, faith is before regeneration. (Eph. 1:13; Mk.16:16; Jn. 1:12; 6:47; 11:25; 20:31; Acts 16:31; 18:8; Rm. 1:16; 4:4,5; 10:9; I Cor. 1:21; Heb. 10:39; I Jn. 5:1; Lk. 7:50; I Tim. 1:16) Also, the atonement is available for all, but it is efficacious only to regenerated believers; not all have saving faith. (*I John 2:2; 2 Cor. 5:14,15,19; Heb.2:9; John 1:29; 3:16-18; I Tim. 1:15; 2:3-6; 4:10; 2 Pet.2:1) *It should be noted that the word "world" in First John cannot mean the �elect of every nation� since it is always used in contrast to the saved. (Check it out!: I John 2:2; 5:19; 2:15-17; 3:1; 4:4,5,14,17; 5:4,5)

Here is the balance: The Spirit draws all people by giving them a conscience. (Jn. 12:32; 16:7-11; Rom. 1:20-25; 2:4-5; Mat. 22:8-10,14; Lk. 8:12; Acts 17:30-31; Is. 45:22) but the majority will draw back unto perdition (Heb. 10:39; Jn. 6:66; Lk. 9:62; Ac. 20:30; 2 Pet. 2:21,22; Jam. 5:19-20). These are merely drawn and do not truly repent (Mat. 13:19-22). Others sear their conscience in unrighteousness. So, it is not that people lose their salvation but that they were never saved to begin with. They have a false profession of faith. (Jn. 2:23-25; 6:64,66; I Cor. 15:2; Jms. 2:14,19; I Pt. 1:7; 2 Pt. 2:17,22; Jude 12,13,18,19; Col. 1:23; Heb. 3:14; Jer. 17:7-8; I Tim. 6:21; 2 Tim. 2:5; Tit. 1:16) These are the ones whom God will say, "I never knew you." (Mat. 7:23; I Jn. 2:18-19,24-27) But God knows His sheep and they hear His voice and follow Him. They have eternal life and will never perish because God is greater than all that no one can snatch them out of His hand. (Jn. 10:27-30; 2 Tim. 2:19; Eph. 4:20-24; Mat. 25:11,12,32,33,41; Lk. 13:24-25; I Jn. 5:9-13,18-21)
We also see in Arminianism denying the fact that God has imputed righteousness of Christ to those who believe bringing peace with God through the shed blood of Christ at the cross.(Is. 9:6; 26:12; 32:16-18; 40:2; 53:5,10,11,12; 54:10,17; 61:10; 64:5-6; Col. 1:12-14,20; 2:13-15; Eph. 1:7; 2:13-18; Heb. 8:12; 9:12,20-26; 10:9-14; Dan. 7:24; Ps. 22:31; 55:18; 79:8-9; 85:9-10; 143:2; Matt. 5:20; Rom. 3:22-26; 4:1-12; 5:1-11,17-19; 9:30-33; 10:3-4,10-11; Philp. 2:8-11; 3:9; Gal. 2:16-21; 3:6,13,14; 5:5; I Cor. 1:17-25,29-31; 2 Cor. 3:5,9; 5:21; Rev.12:10-11) Also, God preserves his saints and has definitely sealed them with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ps. 37:28; 121:7,8; 145:20; 2 Tim. 1:12; 4:18; 2 Thes. 3:3; Jude 1,24; I Pet. 1:3-5,18-23; Titus 1:2; Eph. 1:13-14; I Cor.1:7-9; John 3:17-19; 4:13-14; 5:24; 6:35,39,54; 10:9,27-30; 11:25-27; 12:46-50; 14:16; 15:4,5,10,11; 17:3,12,15,17,20,21; Rom. 8:1,28-39; Col. 1:12-14; 2:10).

Furthermore, God is not a man that He should relent/repent or lie. (Num. 23:19-20; I Sam. 15:29; I Kings 8:56; Tit. 1:2; Rom. 11:29; Heb. 6:18; Jam. 1:17; Is. 14:27; 43:11-13; 2 Cor. 1:20,22; Luke 21:33) Still, God has created the believer to walk in good works (Tit. 2:11-14; 3:8; Eph:2:10; I Cor. 1:2; I Thes. 4:7). This is because the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleansed the saint's conscience from dead works to serve the living God.(Heb. 9:14; 13:21; Rom.6:14-18; 7:6; 8:11-15; 15:16; Ez.36:25-32; 37:14; Jer. 32:39-40; Eph.3:20-21; Phlp.2:13; 2 Cor.3:2-6,8; 4:6; I Pet.1:2; 2 Thes. 2:13-14; Col.1:29) Thus, ETERNAL salvation is present to those who bear fruit of obedience (Heb 2:10-18; 5:9; 6:9-12,17-20; 7:24-28; 9:12-15; 10:10-14,39; 12:24,28-29; 13:12,20-21). These are those who bear fruit of repentance. (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20) We reject the doctrine of perfectionism and "second work of grace" (Gal. 3:3; Philp. 3:3, 12; John 6:63 2 Cor. 3:4-6). We view it as legalism. No one can claim that they do not sin (I John 1:8,10;). Yet, this does not mean that we can continue to live carelessly. (I John 2:1-6) Thus, we also reject the idea of a carnal Christian which leads to antinomianism/licentiousness. (Is. 5:20-23; Jude 4,17-18; Titus 1:15-16; 2:11-14; 3:3,8; 2 Tim. 2:19; Rom. 3:8; 6:1-2,12-18; 8:6-9; I Thes. 1:9-10; 4:3,7,8; 2 Thes. 3:6,14,15; Jam. 1:21-25; 2:20; 4:4; I John 2:15-17; Col. 2:6-10; 3:1-10; I Pet. 1:13-23; 4:3-5; I Cor. 6:8-11; 10:1-13; Gal. 5:22-26; 6:7-10; Eph. 4:17-32; 5:1-21; Luke 7:46; Mat. 5:27-30; Jn.14:23,24; 15:9-14) The law reveals how sinful we are and how God hates sin (I Tim. 1:8-11); but also it demonstrates that man is hopeless without faith in Christ's atoning blood and cannot be justified by keeping the law. (Heb.9:22-27; 10:5-18; Gal.2:21; 3:23,24; Rom.3:19-31; 7:7) Of course we are not to sin. (Rom. 3:31; 6:1,15-18) We keep the commandments not to be saved but because we are saved. To thus be saved, we would have to keep the law perfectly. (James 2:10; Gal.3:10-14; 6:13-14) The problem is that even if that were possible (which is not!), you could not erase your past; And there is no one that can claim they have not sin. (Rom 3:10,23; I John 1:8-10; Eccl. 7:20; Gal. 3:22; 2 Chron. 6:36; Prov. 20:9; Psalm 130:3-4; Is.64:6) But thanks to Jesus who gives us victory because of His fulfillment at the cross. (I Cor. 15:56-57; Rom. 5:20-21; 7:24-25; 8:3-4,37-39; 11:36; Jn. 1:16-17; 2 Cor. 5:21; 9:14,15; Jam. 1:16-18; 4:6-10; Col. 2:13-15; Rev. 12:10-11; Gal.6:14-15)

If you still have not trusted in Christ alone for your righteousness and salvation or do not have the assurance of where you will spend your eternity, you can right now come to the Savior in repentance and admit you too are a sinner. If you want to escape hell and condemnation, forsake your sins (repent) and put complete trust on the precious blood of Christ which pays for sins (Acts 20:21). A good example of how to humble yourself before God to find forgiveness of sins is found in Psalm 51:1-10 and Luke 18:13-14 & 15:18,19. To know the biblical way of coming to genuine faith, read: Luke 13:3; John 1:12-13; 3:3; 8:11-12; Rom. 10:9-13; Acts 3:19-20; 10:43; 17:30-31; 20:21; I John 5:10-13; Isaiah 1:16-20; 55:6-8; Mat. 11:28-30; Rev. 21:5-8; 22:17; Ps. 32:5; 86:5; Pro. 28:13,14; 2 Cor. 5:14,15,17; Jam. 4:7-10; Heb. 10:22-25.To know the what the gospel means, please go to the following link: www.geocities.com/nemuelsoto/besaved.html (c) Nathan Soto 2001