ARMINIANS, BAPTISTS, and CALVINISTS

As an Arminian, I am often  challenged by Calvinists and Baptists
about my theology, and I have gained many insights from these discussions
that I wish to pass on.

The Calvinists, for example, like to confront the Arminian teaching that man
has a freewill to accept or reject salvation.  Calvinists claim God would not
be God if man had a choice in the matter. To the Arminian's ears however,
that is, to my ears, that argument sounds rather absurd. For it amounts to
saying that God has no choice except to predestine people to hell, due to no
fault of their own, or else He will not be truly God! This would be a rather
queer prerequisite for God to be truly God, and I think most readers will
agree that it is probably a false prerequisite at that.

On the other hand, the majority of Baptists I have met have been generally
mis-informed about what Arminianism and Calvinism are about. They tend to see
Calvinists as those who believe in Eternal Security and Arminians as those
who think salvation can be lost. Therefore, most Baptists see themselves as
Calvinists. As you can see in the chart below, however, there are five major
points that separate the Arminians and the Calvinists. The doctrines of
eternal security vs. falling away constitute only one point of the five.  And,
that is not the central point of disagreement. The central point of
disagreement is over man's free will in salvation. Calvinists are those who
deny that man has a free will in salvation while Arminians are those who
affirm man's free will.

The average Baptist agrees with the first four points of Arminianism and
disagrees only with the last point. That is to say, the average Baptist is
not primarily Calvinistic but primarily Arminian, being 4/5ths Arminian and
only 1/5th Calvinist.

The following chart shows the position of Calvinists and Arminians 
on the five points.

                            THE FIVE POINTS
Calvinism                                          Arminianism

                         #1 On Man's  Ability

Man is totally Depraved                       Man has a free will
and cannot even choose                        and can choose or
to be saved                                   reject salvation

                   #2 On the Conditionality of Election

Since man cannot choose,                      God's choice is unmerited
God chooses who will                          by man, but election is
be saved. His choice is                       conditional to faith and
unconditional because it                      repentance
is not based on anything
in the person.


                  #3 On The Intent of the Atonement

Christ died only for those                    Christ died to save any
who were unconditionally                      one who will repent and
chosen.                                       and believe


                   #4 On the Resistability of Grace

God's grace is ir-                             God's grace can be and
resistible. It is so                           often is resisted by man.
irresistible it makes
the chosen not want
to resist.

                    #5  On Salvation Security

It is impossible for                          It is possible for a born
a born again person to                        again person to lose sal-
ever lose salvation                           vation by drawing away
                                              from faith.



So, while the Calvinist complains about the Arminian teaching on free will,
disagreeing with all five points of Arminianism; the Baptist complains about
the Arminian teaching on falling away, disagreeing with only one point of
Arminianism.

The most common objection Baptists make on this point, is that, if man can
lose salvation it would equate to him keeping himself saved by works. If only
the Baptist would think this through a little more carefully! In Baptist
theology a person is saved without works who exercises a one-time-real-faith.
In Arminian theology a person must continue in faith to continue in salva-
tion. But is a salvation that is based on continuing faith one that is based
on works? Hardly! For, that which is based on a continuing faith is still
based on faith. Also, the idea that salvation has to be based on a one-time-
faith does not seem to agree with many scriptures (cf. Heb 10:38,39, 1 Jhn
2:24, Rom. 11:20-22, Col. 1:21-23).

Arminians, Baptists, and Calvinists. Together, they are part of the
evangelical community. They are like any family with brothers and sisters who
love each other but who disagree with each other.  They agree on the divine
inspiration of scripture. They agree on the Trinity. They agree on Christ's
bodily resurrection and second coming. They agree on nearly everything except
these five points.