In Adam Clarke’s commentary on Romans 9, he argues for that God choice of Jacob and Esau were primarily national1, rather than the unconditional individual election and reprobation. The idea is that God chose to…
Recent Posts
Friday Files: Clarke’s commentary on Romans 9
Foreknowledge Defined
Foreknowledge means “to have knowledge of something before it happens.” In Scripture there are are references to God’s foreknowledge of those who will believe in Jesus (Rom. 8:29; 1 Pet. 1:2). Those whom God foreknows,…
Consistent Calvinism FAQ (Satire)
Disclaimer: The following is a light-hearted satire on Calvinism and not an attack on Calvinists. 🙂 Q. How should I approach evangelism? A. You should evangelise if you believe that you are included in the…
Atonement for All
Jesus Christ died on the cross as a provision for all people, so that there is forgiveness of sins for all who believe, even though many are not forgiven because they refuse to believe. Jesus…
According to Scripture, Jesus Died For …
According to scripture, Jesus died for … Us all (Isaiah 53:6) His people (Matthew 1:21) All who are weary (Matthew 11:28) Many (Matthew 20:28) His people (Luke 1:68) All the people (Luke 2:10) The lost…
I John 5:18 — A Devotional
We’ve come to the conclusion of the letter. John doesn’t end with an exhorting paragraph, or a final doctrinal conclusion. Instead, he concludes with a list of loosely connected aphorisms, and by pointing to the…
Friday Files: Wesley’s Predestination Calmly Considered
John Wesley had the rare gift of bringing the Calvinist/Arminian debate from the head to the heart. In Predestination Calmly Considered, Wesley first examines the idea of upholding unconditional election while rejecting reprobation and then…
C.S. Lewis: Calvinist or Classical Arminian?
Please click on the link to view Zach Dawes, “C. S. Lewis: Calvinist or Classical Arminian?” In this essay, Rev. Zach Dawes argues that the theology of C.S. Lewis was essentially Arminian. Dawes also maintains a blog,…
Calminians?
I have heard many attempt to say that they are searching for a middle ground between Arminianism and Calvinism. The impetus of this is peace. They see the issue as too divisive, and they believe that by finding a middle ground, they can end the need for conflict.
Though I highly respect the sentiment, ultimately such a project will fail. There can be no middle ground between Calvinism and Arminianism. Why?
The Farmer, the Boys, and the Pond
In his book “Chosen but Free“, Dr. Norman Geisler* gives an illustration that vividly explains the problem with the Calvinistic teaching of Limited Atonement. Here is a paraphrase of the story: There was a farmer…
James Leonard, “Toward a Definition of All Men”
Please click on the link to view James Leonard, “Toward a Definition of All Men.” [This post was taken from http://jmleonardfamily.googlepages.com/towardsadefinitionofallmen.]
The Early Church and Calvinism
This is a detailed study of Calvinism in light of the earliest Christian writers (Ante-Nicene Church Fathers). It demonstrates that the primary features of Calvinism were not taught by the Ante-Nicene Fathers but were actually considered heretical by these early Christian writers (often connected to various forms of gnosticism). Numerous quotes from these Ante-Nicene writers are provided for the reader to carefully consider.
Tim Warner, “Perseverance of the Saints”
Please click on the link below to view the article.
http://www.pfrs.org/calvinism/calvin05.html
I John 5:16-17; A Devotional
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life–to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. -ESV
I like the ESV translation of this a lot. The big thing is in the beginning of verse 16, with ask and give, it keeps it in the future tense, and, most importantly, keeps the word ask instead of changing it to pray. The verb there is aiteo which is the same verb that has been used in the previous verses promising that we will be given anything which we ask of God. This is clearly intended to be an example of this promise.
Friday Files: McKnight on the Hebrew Warning Passages
Scot McKnight’s article “The warning passages of Hebrews: A formal analysis and Theological Conclusions” reviews the warnings of apostasy in Hebrews 2:1-4, 3:7-4:13, 5:11-6:12, 10:19-39 and 12:1-29. McKnight identifies four alternative interpretations of the warning…
Getting Past Monergism to Helping a Perishing World
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord…
What is “the Gift of God?” A Study of Ephesians 2:8-9
Please click on the link below to view the article. http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/reformed/godgift.htm
Jabez Burns, “The Universal Love of God and Responsibility of Man”
This is a book written in 1861 by Jabez Burns, an eminent minister of the English General Baptists. Please click on the attachment to view “The Universal Love of God and Responsibility of Man”. Burns_Universal…
What Does God “Fore-love” According to Calvinism?
Many Arminians see God’s election of individuals as based on God’s foreknowledge of faith. They see that primary election passages make reference to foreknowledge and even suggest that election is based on foreknowledge. They also…
The Savior of All Men (1 Tim. 4:10)
This article seems to be written from a moderate Calvinist (4-point) position but still does a nice job showing that a proper exegesis of 1 Tim. 4:10 teaches unlimited atonement. Click on link below to…
