Arminianism is named after the famed 17th-century Dutch professor and theologian Jacobus Arminius in Latin or Jacob Hermann. His teachings influence the Methodist, Wesleyan, Church of the Nazarene, Pentecostal, and Church of Christ churches. They deny the 5 points of Reformed theology, which are total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace and perseverance of the saints (known as the acrostic TULIP).
Martin Luther wrote a book, "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church" in which he talks about this "semi-Pelagian" heresy that has crept into the church. I do not believe Arminians are deceivers, they are just confused: You cannot have sovereign grace and merit or works simultaneously--they are mutually exclusive. Either God is in control of our salvation or we are, we cannot share in the power or authority.
Arminians believe the Calvinist God is some sort of a despot, and they are protecting God's nature by denying unconditional election or predestination. It is not because of anything we did that God elected us in eternity past. They believe some people desire God and that is why they respond positively. (But they cannot explain why some desire and others don't.) We were all enemies of God, God wasn't our enemy! They believe in absolutely free will and even after they are saved they can rebel against God and go to hell. They have the tendency to trust in human effort or willpower. Our wills are only free in that we act voluntarily. God never forces us to do anything. (That would be coercion or determinism.)
We are voluntary slaves that always act in our own enlightened self-interest. Even our motives are wrong. All our righteousness is as filthy rags (Is. 64:6) The Arminian tends to have a semi-Pelagian viewpoint which is very optimistic about human nature: We only have sick; There is a vestige of goodwill left in us, And we operate from a position of moral neutrality. The truth is that we are like leopards trying to change our spots or like Ethiopians trying to change our skin. (Jer. 13:23) Arminians seem to believe in the inherent goodness of man (an almost humanist philosophy that elevates man at God's expense), rather than the total depravity of man. They believe in "prevenient" grace whereby God prepares them to believe-- and everyone for that matter--but it is their own work. "For you have believed through grace...." (Acts 18:27; cf. Phil. 1:29 and 2 Pet. 1:1-3).
However, God opened the door of faith for the Gentiles in Acts 14:27 and also "opened Lydia's heart to attend to the gospel." (Acts 16:14) They believe they are somehow more righteous because they believe and that their belief is righteousness--a Romanist doctrine. The verse Rom. 4:5 which says Abraham believed God and it was counted him as righteousness should be translated unto righteousness (Martin Luther did it right with "zur"); faith cannot be both the instrumentality or means of righteousness and righteousness itself. "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). ("That" refers to the whole phrase as the antecedent, since it is the neuter case.)
Arminians essentially believe that we improve on God's grace by believing and doing Him the favor of the meritorious work of faith, which they don't believe is a gift. In essence, they cooperate with God in their salvation, rather than receive it by grace alone. Remember this: "Salvation is of the Lord." (Jonah 2:9) Salvation by sovereign grace and also by free will are mutually exclusive, you cannot have both. From our perspective, God is able to overcome our reluctance and make the unwilling willing. Soli Deo Gloria! That means we don't get ANY of the glory in our salvation. Soli Deo Gloria!
Martin Luther wrote a book, "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church" in which he talks about this "semi-Pelagian" heresy that has crept into the church. I do not believe Arminians are deceivers, they are just confused: You cannot have sovereign grace and merit or works simultaneously--they are mutually exclusive. Either God is in control of our salvation or we are, we cannot share in the power or authority.
Arminians believe the Calvinist God is some sort of a despot, and they are protecting God's nature by denying unconditional election or predestination. It is not because of anything we did that God elected us in eternity past. They believe some people desire God and that is why they respond positively. (But they cannot explain why some desire and others don't.) We were all enemies of God, God wasn't our enemy! They believe in absolutely free will and even after they are saved they can rebel against God and go to hell. They have the tendency to trust in human effort or willpower. Our wills are only free in that we act voluntarily. God never forces us to do anything. (That would be coercion or determinism.)
We are voluntary slaves that always act in our own enlightened self-interest. Even our motives are wrong. All our righteousness is as filthy rags (Is. 64:6) The Arminian tends to have a semi-Pelagian viewpoint which is very optimistic about human nature: We only have sick; There is a vestige of goodwill left in us, And we operate from a position of moral neutrality. The truth is that we are like leopards trying to change our spots or like Ethiopians trying to change our skin. (Jer. 13:23) Arminians seem to believe in the inherent goodness of man (an almost humanist philosophy that elevates man at God's expense), rather than the total depravity of man. They believe in "prevenient" grace whereby God prepares them to believe-- and everyone for that matter--but it is their own work. "For you have believed through grace...." (Acts 18:27; cf. Phil. 1:29 and 2 Pet. 1:1-3).
However, God opened the door of faith for the Gentiles in Acts 14:27 and also "opened Lydia's heart to attend to the gospel." (Acts 16:14) They believe they are somehow more righteous because they believe and that their belief is righteousness--a Romanist doctrine. The verse Rom. 4:5 which says Abraham believed God and it was counted him as righteousness should be translated unto righteousness (Martin Luther did it right with "zur"); faith cannot be both the instrumentality or means of righteousness and righteousness itself. "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). ("That" refers to the whole phrase as the antecedent, since it is the neuter case.)
Arminians essentially believe that we improve on God's grace by believing and doing Him the favor of the meritorious work of faith, which they don't believe is a gift. In essence, they cooperate with God in their salvation, rather than receive it by grace alone. Remember this: "Salvation is of the Lord." (Jonah 2:9) Salvation by sovereign grace and also by free will are mutually exclusive, you cannot have both. From our perspective, God is able to overcome our reluctance and make the unwilling willing. Soli Deo Gloria! That means we don't get ANY of the glory in our salvation. Soli Deo Gloria!
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