by Roger E. Olson One of the purposes of my blog is to clarify Arminian theology and distinguish classical Arminianism from the all-too-common misrepresentations of it by some Calvinists, Lutherans and (ironically!) self-styled Arminians. One…
Depravity
Pelagianism: A Monergist Model of Redemption
“Pelagianism? Monergist? Martin, I think you need to recheck your definitions.” No, it’s true! For those that read mostly internet Calvinist literature, the word “monergism” is understood to be synonymous with determinism. However, the term…
Arminius vs. Calvin on Total Depravity
Total Depravity teaches that every single human being has been affected by the fall. Every part of a person has been affected; hence, total depravity. This has never meant that people are as bad as…
Arminius vs. Calvin on Irresistible Grace
Irresistible Grace, also known as Effectual Calling, is, according to Calvinist Wayne Grudem, “an act of God the Father, speaking through the human proclamation of the gospel, in which he summons people to himself in…
“Thoughts on Original Sin” by Robert Hamilton
You may view this article as a web page or as a downloadable .pdf file in it’s original formatting. To view it as a .pdf file, please click on the attachment located at the bottom of this page.
Thoughts on Original Sin
Bob Hamilton, Copyright 2000
Introduction.
The traditional view of “original sin” includes two related ideas:
Exegeting Romans 3:10-18
The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Christians at Rome, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, asks, in chapter three, if there is advantage to being a Jew, or in the practice of…
Conflating Arminianism and Secularism
Calvinist Southern Baptist pastor Mark E. Dever, having reviewed Richard A. Muller’s 1991 book, God, Creation, and Providence in the Thought of Jacob Arminius, notes, in his concluding remarks: Personally, as a pastor with Reformed…
Kenneth Keathley and the Doctrine of Overcoming Grace
Kenneth D. Keathley, Professor of Theology and Dean of Graduate Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, has completed his latest book, Salvation and Sovereignty: A Molinist Approach, published by B&H…
Some Excellent and Concise Comments on Free Will, the Bondage of Sin, and Prevenient Grace
Overall, the following comments by F. Leroy Forlines are an excellent representation of the Arminian viewpoint: “Freedom of will is a freedom within a framework of possibilities. It is not absolute freedom. Man cannot be…
Calvinist Scholar Finds: “The Remonstrants Clearly Were Not Pelagians”
“The Remonstrants clearly were not Pelagians.” You would think that such a statement comes from the lips or pen of an Arminian scholar or pastor, but it originally came from Reformed Baptist scholar Mark A.…
Mission Possible: A Response to Shai Linne
The following is an edited response to Shai Linne’s Limited Atonement rap song, “Mission Accomplished.” The original version was posted by “Murray” in the comments at the Gadgetry, Thoughts, Unleashed! blog. What is in brackets…
Ephesians 2:11-12; A Devotional
Therefore, remember that at one point you — the Gentiles in terms of flesh, the ones called “foreskin” by those called “the circumcised”, a handmade thing of flesh — that at that time, you were…
John Wesley, “The Doctrine of Original Sin”
John Wesley, The Doctrine of Original Sin according to Scripture, Reason, and Experience in Answer to Dr. Taylor (1817)
In Defense of Resistible Grace to Retain the Goodness of God
To Calvinists, God’s grace is irresistible. This follows naturally in their entire scheme of salvation by logical necessity. It is a point that must stand or the system falls. If God has not made His…
Arminius on the Gift of Salvation
In Arminius’ “Apology” he tackles several charges that have been brought against him by his critics and addresses them by both demonstrating the inaccuracy of the chargers and bringing clarity to his own thoughts on…
Ephesians 2:3; A Devotional
Along with them, we all once lived by the passions of our flesh, doing the desires of the body and of the mind. Like the rest of them, we were children of wrath. What do…
Does God Fail if We Resist?
Hodge’s first argument1 against resistible grace is: P1: God, being infinite, cannot fail in any of His “serious intentions” P2: God ordains all things according to His purpose P3: If God wants His grace to…
The Difference Maker
Hodges’ Argument
Hodge argues that unless grace is resistible, the ultimate reason some believe and not others is found in us and not in God. Hodge says this would make believers better, more impressible or less obstinate than others.1
Problem Non-Unique
Personally, I find this one of the most powerful Calvinistic arguments. The idea that I can take credit for my salvation is intolerable, as is the idea that I am better than someone else. But the Calvinistic solution is no solution, and it creates more problems than it resolves.
Let’s take the argument that believers can take credit for their faith. But Calvinists also say that people believe. Therefore Calvinism entails that people can take credit for their faith.
Misrepresenting Arminian Theology: John MacArthur’s Straw Man
At the 2008 Together for the Gospel Conference, John MacArthur delivered a message entitled “The Sinner Neither Able Nor Willing: The Doctrine of Absolute Inability” in which he grossly misrepresented Arminian theology by saying: “So…
Friday Files: Hamilton – The Order of Faith and Election in John’s Gospel
Robert Hamilton makes a very good case that passages such as John 10:26 ‘you do not believe, because you are not my sheep’ refers primarily to the faithful sons of Abraham who were God’s children…
Recent Posts
Richard Coords, “1 Kings 21:29”
Roy Ingle, “Acts 14:2 – An Interesting Verse”
David deSilva, “What Is the Mystery of the Trinity? (Global Methodist Church Catechism)”
William Burt Pope, “Attributes of the Absolute Essence of God Part 4: Immutability and Perfection”
