This post was originally published as the third installment of a series, the first two numbers being “The New Perspective on Paul” and “The New Perspective and the Development of Reformed Doctrine.” The background for…
Scripture Index
Jeremiah 13:23 – Proof of Man’s Inability?
Often cited as a proof text for the doctrine of Total Inability is Jeremiah 13:23, which reads, Jeremiah 13:23 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do…
Brian Abasciano Has a New Article Out Refuting the Use of 1 John 5:1 as a Proof Text for the Calvinist Doctrine that Regeneration Precedes Faith
Brian Abasciano has a new article out refuting the use of 1 John 5:1 as a proof text for the Calvinist doctrine that regeneration precedes faith. Here is the publication information and the author’s abstract…
Jesus Says the Dead Will Hear Unto Spiritual Life
I want to recommend Chris Chapman’s article available at SEA called, The Extent of Spiritual Death. Chapman’s article does an excellent job of demonstrating from Scripture that the spiritual death described in the Bible does…
Dr. Brian Abasciano on the Conditionality Implied in Romans 9:16 and its Connection to John 1:12-13
By Ben Henshaw. From http://arminianperspectives.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/dr-brian-abasciano-on-the-conditionality-implied-in-romans-916-and-its-connection-to-john-112-13/, the original post, where comments can be made. “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” Romans 9:16 (ESV) “But to all…
Adam Clarke on Romans 7:14
Adam Clarke on Romans 7:14 provided by SEA member, Roy Ingle Romans 7 is a debated passage. It was here, in his teaching through the book of Romans, that Arminius differed with the Calvinists of…
Molinism, Calvinism, and I Corinthians
I just finished Dr. Olson’s book Against Calvinism (It is really difficult to find time to read when you have a one year old). In appendix 1, Dr. Olson goes over several attempts by Calvinists to protect God’s character despite their theology. One particular argument caught my eye: the use of middle knowledge.
Roger Olson explains:
Molinism… is the belief that God possesses “middle knowledge” — knowledge of what any creature would do freely in any possible set of circumstances. The creature may possess libertarian freedom — freedom not compatible with determinism and able to do other than it does — but God knows what he or she wold do with that ability in an conceivable situation. [Roger Olson, Against Calvinism, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2011), 184]
Arminian Thoughts on 1 John 2:2
Arminian Thoughts on 1 John 2:2 written by SEA member Roy Ingle He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John…
Robert Picirilli, “Short Outline of Romans 9-11”
Robert Picirilli’s Short Outline of Romans 9-11 written by SEA member, Roy Ingle One of my favorite Arminian theologians is Dr. Robert Picirilli. His book, Grace, Faith, Free Will is a solid Arminian book that…
Seek Me and Live!
This is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: “Seek Me and live” Amos 5:4 This passage comes at the end of an indignant tirade on behalf of God. Amos, up to this…
Did Jesus Reveal the “Who” in “World” in John 3:14-16?
Did Jesus Reveal the “Who” in “World” in John 3:14-16?
There is a lot of debate between Arminians and Calvinists about the meaning of the word, “world” in the NT, as it relates to who Christ died for. Calvinists believe that it refers only to the elect among the various people groups in the world. Arminians, on the other hand, believe that it means what it says, that it literally refers to every individual in the world, from Adam to the very last person to be born.
This disagreement has continued for hundreds of years, but I believe we have before us a unifying passage of Scripture that settles the debate. I believe Jesus Himself reveals who He is referring to when He speaks of the world in John 3:16. Before He states the beloved promise in that verse, He takes us back to the Old Testament where He makes a comparison between an incident that took place there, to the cross He would die on:
Does Jesus Teach Unconditional Eternal Security in John 6:37-65?
John 6:37, 44, 65 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out…No one can come to Me unless the Father…
Does Paul Teach That the Gift of Salvation is Unconditionally Irrevocable in Romans 11:29?
Romans 6:23; 11:29 For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord….For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Many see…
Book Review: Abasciano on Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9:10-18
This book follows “Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9:1-9: An Intertextual and Theological Exegesis” as Dr. Abasciano dives deeper into Romans 9 by examining 9:10-18. (link to Amazon) The work is organized,…
PREVENIENT GRACE: ENOUGH TO CONVINCE? A New Testament Theological Appraisal by Josh Ratliff
In this paper, originally presented at the Wesleyan Theological Society Conference, Josh Ratliff examines the doctrine of prevenient grace based on a New Testament theological method. He asks whether prevenient grace is salvifically sufficient or…
Does “Eternal Life” in Passages like John 3:16 Imply That Apostasy is Impossible?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Some emphasize the fact that eternal life…
Origins: What comes from God vs. what comes from man
Regarding origins…in other of whether something comes from God or from man, note what John Calvin said about the *origin* of Paul’s expression of emotion towards his fellow Jews at Romans 9:1-3: John Calvin comments:…
Does Paul Teach Unconditional Eternal Security in Romans 8:35-39?
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For you sake we face death…
Brian Abasciano’s Response to a Review of His Book on Romans 9:10-18
Brian Abasciano’s response to a review of his book on Romans 9:10-18
by Roger E. Olson, PhD
I don’t normally do this at my blog, but friend Brian Abasciano of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a leading evangelical Arminian, has written an important book on Romans 9-11 from an Arminian perspective. An early review appears to misrepresent some ideas of the book and Brian has asked me to post his response here. If you know someone who has read the review in question, please see that they read Brian’s response.
Here is the response:
Does Jesus Teach Unconditional Eternal Security in John 10:27-29?
Having examined the primary passages that teach apostasy we now examine the passages that the advocates of unconditional eternal security believe clearly support their doctrine: John 10:27-29 My sheep listen to my voice; I know…
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How Does Arminianism Respond to Calvinism’s Deterministic Claims and Its Appeal to Texts that Seem to Suggest God Ordains Evil?
Steve Lemke on How Jesus’ Encounter with the Rich Young Ruler Implies Grace Is Resistible
