Calvinism and Arminianism

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SOVEREIGNTY, FREEWILL AND SALVATION PROF. M. M. NINAN God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known. • Josh 24:15: And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” • Jeremiah 21:8: And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. Ezekiel 18:30-31: Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, The Corporate Nature of Biblical Election Election is no exception to this. It is interesting to note that there are no Old Testament passages on election that teach a concept of personal unconditional election to salvation. They don’t exist in the New Testament either, What results is some sense of corporate election: that God operates by choosing a singular man through whose line a people will be defined as God’s people. In the Old Testament, this chosen one was Abraham; in the New Testament, it is Jesus. Thus, by being in Christ, i.e. the nation of Christ, we become part of the chosen: the chosen people of God. 135
SOVEREIGNTY, FREEWILL AND SALVATION PROF. M. M. NINAN The Calvinist concept of soveregnty of God is that he is irresistible. That no man could ever resist the will of Elohim. This is based on a flawed interpretation of Romans 9 as well as misunderstanding the key terms “foreknown”, “predestined” and “elect”. Scripture clearly indicates that humans resisted God. Acts 7:51:“…You men are always resisting the Holy Spirit.” If in fact the will of God cannot be resisted by man, then all men would be saved. This is because the scriptures tell us that ALL men have been called by Him to salvation: (Rom. 5:18)Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. (1Tim. 2:3-4) This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (2Peter. 3:9)9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. It is clear that God wants all men to be saved. This is simply because all men are children of God through Adam (Adam was son of God). Since God is love, he loves all his children. If he is any better than the sinful human fathers, he will want to save all his children. This is exactly what he did in Jesus. The atonement was for all men.- not limited to a few of his children. In fact it seems that these three verses, coupled with the concept of “limited atonement” (i.e. that only some men will be saved) actually disproves Calvinism. One key term that is central to Calvinism is “the Elect” does not necesarily indicate individual persons, but communities or groups of people. In the Old Testamentt “Elect/Chosen” refers to Israel (Deut. 7:6; 10:15; 14:2; Is. 41:8-9; 42:1;43:20f; 45:4; 65:9, 22 & Ps. 135:4). The elect in the New Testament are those groups of people who have been born again - who has accepted Jesus. Anyone who did that form part of the elect. We can see that individual chose to receive christ and God chose to save those who believed. In this case God could choose them even before they were even born. God has predestined believers to be conformed to the image of the Son (which in no way indicates the doctrine of predestination of individuals). In Rom. 9:11-16 Paul cites Gen. 25:23 and Mal. 1:2-3 to express that Elohim chose to have his chosen linage to pass through Jacob rather than Esau. It must be noted that this resulted from Esau selling his birthright to Jacob of his own freewill (Gen. 25:24-34). Elohim “hated” Esau for not cherishing his birthright. In Rom. 9:17-18 Paul refers to Elohim’s sovereignty when he hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Paul here quotes Ex. 9:16 and is referring to the material in Ex. 9:15-17. The Calvinist 136
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