Hi to my Forum Friends,
In the discussion "What Religion Are You And Why?" -- begun by CCRider, I made the statement, "So, while many Methodist will lean toward Arminianism and many Southern Baptist will lean toward Calvinism -- I stand in the middle. Yes, I am a devout member of the old 'once saved, always saved' club."
And, CCRider asked me, "Still doing my homework on this issue. Just wondering, when you say 'once saved, always saved' -- do you mean that you can still fall out of favor with GOD? In the Church of Christ religion we were taught, and I still believe this way -- that once you are baptized you are saved, however you still have to worship Him and repent of your sins. You may be saved, but if you do not live the Christian life you will not be taken to heaven when the end of days happens. I realize there has always been a lot of debate on this issue but this is something I still stand firm."
Two of the better known Christian factions are the Calvinist and the Arminians. Calvinists are followers of John Calvin (1509-1564), a prominent French theologian. Arminians are followers of Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609), who was a Dutch Reformed theologian and professor of theology at the University of Leiden -- and a strong opponent of Calvin's teachings.
Basically, Calvinist believe that only those predestined by God before the creation will be saved; but, for these privileged few, they cannot lose their salvation. This teaching is most prominent in the Reform churches; but, has also seeped into other denominations, such as the Southern Baptist.
Arminians believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross so that all mankind will be offered the free gift of salvation; but, one has to make an individual choice to become a Christ Follower, i.e., a Christian. Unfortunately, the Arminians also believe that, once a person has become a Christian, they can still lose their salvation. Many Pentecostal churches follow this belief.
If one follows Calvin's teaching; only a select few can rest in His eternal security -- and no one has a choice, either way.
If one follows Arminius' teachings, no one, not even a believer, can rest in His eternal security -- for everyone will always be wondering if and when they will lose their salvation -- or, if they ever had it.
I would not want to live under either of these theological conditions.
Personally, I am a follower of Jesus Christ, preexisting, but born into a human body somewhere between 2 BC and 4 AD -- and I feel very secure in His many promises of eternal security, i.e., that because I have personally chosen to become a Christ Follower, a believer -- no power on earth, in Hades, or in heaven can snatch me out of His hands.
Both Calvinism and Arminianism teach believe and teach the Five Solas:
Sola Fide - by faith alone, in specific reference to Justification.
Sola Scriptura - by the Scriptures alone, in reference to authority.
Solus Christus or Solo Christo - by and through Christ alone, as our sole mediator and intercessor before God.
Sola Gratia - by grace alone, in reference to salvation.
Soli Deo Gloria - to God alone the glory.
Here, I agree with both; but, both have felt a need to go further in establishing their distinctive theological beliefs. Calvin included in his theology the teachings defined in the acrostic TULIP: http://www.theopedia.com/Calvinism
T - Total depravity - Man is totally depraved and cannot, of his own free will, come to God. Calvinists believe that man does not have free will to chose or reject Christ.
U - Unconditional election - God chose before the Creation who will be saved and who will be lost; man cannot choose salvation for himself, i.e., no free will.
L - Limited atonement - Christ died on the cross only for those who were pre-chosen, i.e, predestined by God before Creation to be saved.
I - Irresistible grace - Those whom God chose before Creation to be saved, will be saved -- regardless of their own desire. Man cannot resist the Holy Spirit.
P - Perseverance of the saints - Those predetermined to salvation will be saved, i.e., once saved, always saved.
Arminius included in his theology the teachings called the Five Articles Of Remonstrance: http://www.theopedia.com/Five_...cles_of_Remonstrance
Article 1 - We are saved by the grace of God, through faith, i.e., believing on His Son, Jesus Christ,
Article 2 - Jesus' death on the cross atoned for the sins of all who will repent and believe.
Article 3 - Until man is born again of the Spirit, he cannot truly grasp and understand the will of God in his life.
Article 4 - The Holy Spirit must accomplish the act of redemption in man; he cannot do it himself, but, he can resist the Holy Spirit.
Article 5 - A believer can turn from God and lose his salvation.
As I said, I follow neither Calvin nor Arminius; but, only Jesus Christ. This is why, when folks ask me what I am, I will always say, "I am a Christian, a Christ Follower!" If they push a wee bit, I will add that I am a Christian with a Baptist flavor since my personal Biblical Doctrinal Beliefs align with the Baptist Biblical Doctrinal Beliefs.
What does Jesus Christ teach about salvation?
John 3:14-15, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life."
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
John 5:24, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."
John 6:40, "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
John 6:47, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life."
John 10:27-28, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand."
John 12:50, "I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."
This tells me that, once I became a Christian believer, was indwelled by the Holy Spirit -- I HAVE eternal life in Jesus Christ -- and will not lose it. HAS means HAS; it does not mean "may have if. . ." nor "could have if. . ." nor "will have if. . ." nor "will have unless. . ." No, "Has Salvation" mean that I have salvation, period.
CC, you tell us, "You may be saved, but if you do not live the Christian life you will not be taken to heaven when the end of days happens."
Matthew 25:34, 41, 46, "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. . . Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels . . . These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
In this Scripture passage Jesus teaches of those who are saved, i.e., believers, going into the kingdom prepared for us by God (John 14:1-3); and those who are not believers into the eternal fires, i.e., hell, prepared for Satan and his followers. These, according to Jesus Christ, are the only two eternal homes for all mankind. You will not find, anywhere in the Bible, another eternal destination for anyone. Yet, you believe that Christian believers will go somewhere other than heaven or hell. Where? We know from the Bible that there is no such place as purgatory; so, where will these good folks reside eternally, if not in heaven?
1 Corinthians 3:10-15, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."
This passage tells us that all people must answer for what we say and do in this life. This will either be the Bema Seat Judgment, a judgment of rewards or lack of rewards for believers -- or it will be the Great White Throne Judgment, a judgment of punishment for all non-believers.
The Christian believer's work will be tested, i.e., was it made of hay, straw, and wood, or was it made of gold, silver, and precious stones? Hay, straw, and wood will burn when put to the refiner's fire; gold, silver, and precious stones will only be made more glorious by the refiner's fire. Yet, as this passage tells us, even if our Christian work on earth burns up in the refiner's fire -- we will still be saved and will still reside eternally in heaven.
Now, is this telling us that we are saved through our works? No, not at all. It is saying that our works, the fruit of our salvation, will be tested. And, this will determine our rewards or lack of rewards in our eternal home. While I, personally, want as many heavenly rewards as possible -- just being in heaven, in the presence of God, is the greatest reward of all.
CC, while the resurrection of Jesus Christ assured the resurrection of all mankind; there are no other eternal destinations for mankind except either heaven or hell. And, we, as Christian believers, have been told in Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, and Acts 1:8 to go into all the world, share the Gospel, plant the seeds, so that as many as possible will spend eternity in the presence of God.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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