blogONEI’ve never seen these two words in my life, until today.
Nothing like WikiPedia to increase my limited knowledge!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arminianism
So what are these two things?
Well, they’re kind of two ways to look at Christianity <b>[EDIT: Two systems of doctrine]</b>.
One view, Calvinism, basically states that you can’t do ANYTHING to be saved; God CHOOSES who He wants saved.
The other perspective, Arminianism, is where you need to believe that Christ has saved you, in order for you to be saved (duh).
Calvinism’s five points (TULIP):
<blockquote> * Total depravity (or total inability): As a consequence of the Fall of man, every person born into the world is enslaved to the service of sin. According to the view, people are not by nature inclined to love God with their whole heart, mind, or strength, but rather all are inclined to serve their own interests over those of their neighbor and to reject the rule of God. Thus, all people by their own faculties are unable to choose to follow God and be saved.
* Unconditional election: God’s choice from eternity of those whom he will bring to himself is not based on foreseen virtue, merit, or faith in those people. Rather, it is unconditionally grounded in God’s mercy.
* Limited atonement (or particular redemption or definite atonement): The death of Christ actually takes away the penalty of sins of those on whom God has chosen to have mercy. It is “limited” to taking away the sins of the elect, not of all humanity, and it is “definite” and “particular” because atonement is certain for those particular persons.
* Irresistible grace (or efficacious grace): The saving grace of God is effectually applied to those whom he has determined to save (the elect) and, in God’s timing, overcomes their resistance to obeying the call of the gospel, bringing them to a saving faith in Christ.
* Perseverance of the saints (or preservation of the saints): Any person who has once been truly saved from damnation must necessarily persevere and cannot later be condemned. The word saints is used in the sense in which it is used in the Bible to refer to all who are set apart by God, not in the technical sense of one who is exceptionally holy, canonized, or in heaven (see saint).
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Arminianism’s counter points/beliefs:
<blockquote> * Conditional Election: God has decreed to save through Jesus Christ, out of fallen and sinful mankind, those foreknown by Him who through the grace of the Holy Spirit believe in Christ; but God leaves in sin those foreseen, who are incorrigible and unbelieving.
* Universal Atonement: Christ’s death was suffered on behalf of all men, but God elects for salvation only those who believe in Christ.
* Free Will with Partial Depravity: Freedom of will is man’s natural state, not a spiritual gift - and thus free will was not lost in the Fall. The grace of Christ works upon all men to influence them for good, but only those who freely choose to agree with grace by faith and repentance are given new spiritual power to make effectual the good they otherwise impotently intend. Wesley revised this view, stating that humans were in fact totally depraved and completely corrupted by original sin, but that God’s prevenient grace allowed free will to operate.
* Resistible Grace: The grace of God works for good in all men, and brings about newness of life through faith. But grace can be resisted even by the regenerate.
* Uncertain Perseverance: Those who are incorporated into Christ by a true faith have power given them through the assisting grace of the Holy Spirit, sufficient to enable them to persevere in the faith. But it may be possible for a believer to fall from grace.
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I think i am an Arminian?
Especially “..grace can be resisted even by the regenerate..”.
Interseting ne?
Well…at least to me it is.
Any comments made to clarify this, or your opinions on this welcomed [cues Tim : D].
Flame…and die.