I became a disciple of Jesus in 1992 at the age of 17. I was saved in an Arminian church and had been raised in an Arminian home. Although I knew little of the debate between Arminians and Calvinists, I thought the debate mainly centered around the issue of eternal security. It was not long after I became a disciple that I ran into my first Calvinist in a high school psychology class. He wanted to debate me over “once saved, always saved.” Although I did not know much about it, I rejected the idea that a person could merely believe in Jesus and that in of itself sealed them for all time and eternity apart from holiness. Needless to say, he won the debate that day.
This led me to begin to study theology on my own. I had been reading my Bible but was given a couple of theology books: Knowing the Doctrines of the Bible by Myer Pearlman and Systematic Theology by Ernest Williams. Both books came from an Arminian, Pentecostal view. Both rejected much of Calvinism. I moved from that to reading my first true Arminian book dealing with Calvinism, Life in the Son by Robert Shank. For Christmas of 1994 I received the complete works of John Wesley and read them in a matter of just a few months. Since that time my Arminian library has grown from just a few books to well over 30 books!
However, my biggest test as an Arminian came in college, and this is the heart of my post. I know that a few of my readers are young in the Lord as Arminian disciples or are attending Calvinistic colleges. I too attended a mostly Calvinist college. My first true theology class was taught by a Reformed Calvinist professor. From time to time he would make statements about his Reformed views, but for me the true debate began when one day during class he made the statement concerning babies who die that only the elect babies go to heaven whereas those chosen for hell go to hell. I was shocked! I had never heard such a teaching! From this day on the professor continued to “shake” us up as freshman with his theology. He would ridicule whatever other theology opposed his own.
During this time in college I also was required to be in a small group with other students. All of the students in my small group were Calvinists. We would sit in the grass and eat lunch, and they would ridicule my Arminianism. One guy in particular would turn red in anger at me and this guy would see me on the campus and would walk by me and say, “heretic.”
So what did I do? Let me offer my advice for young Arminians and those Arminians surrounded by Calvinists on every side.
1. Be Godly! – There is something to be said about godliness. Ephesians 4:29-32 and 2 Timothy 2:24-26 are worth reading and memorizing. I know that Calvinists are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, so treat them that way and let Matthew 5:43-48 (although directing disciples toward unbelievers) guide us. Don’t return anger for anger. Let godliness rule. Let others scream and call you “heretic” but don’t return the insults. As Paul wrote, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” We are not called to argue (Proverbs 15:1, 18). Remember this: It’s better to be righteous than right.
2. Be Ready (if they are open) – 1 Peter 3:15-16 tells us to be ready to give a defense for the hope that is in us. While Peter is writing to all Christians about defending our faith, Arminians should likewise know what we believe. We should know where we stand on doctrines such as election, perseverance of the saints, the atonement, and other important biblical teachings. I would encourage you to memorize Scripture as much as possible. The Word of God is our sword (Ephesians 6:17-18). The Bible cuts through the flesh (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible sanctifies us (John 17:17). The Bible gives us hope (Romans 15:4). I memorized Shank’s 85 passages on conditional security from his book Life in the Son many years ago and still can quote them today. These 85 verses have been a treasure to me and at times have helped me when talking to Calvinists.
However, don’t debate simply to debate (2 Timothy 2:23). If someone wants to debate just to argue, walk away. I enjoy talking to Calvinists but I don’t like to argue with them. This doesn’t profit them nor the kingdom as unbelievers see the division and want nothing to do with Christians who argue with other Christians (John 13:34-35; 17:20-23; Galatians 5:13-15). A good, healthy debate is not about anger or winning but about truth.
3. Read Arminian Theological Books – At my college we had a great library. I found a quiet corner that I fell in love with for years. Here in the back of the college library I would devour the Arminian classics from John Wesley to John Miley to H. Orton Wiley to Richard Watson. I learned to read Arminian books on evangelism, prayer, missions, church history, end times, church government, and biographies. I would read the works of John Fletcher and his notes on antinomianism and Calvinism. I grounded myself in Arminian theology.
Thank God that we have great books like Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities by Roger Olson or Grace, Faith, and Free Will by Robert Picirilli. We have the works of Jack Cottrell on the doctrine of God. We have the works of Anthony Palma on the Holy Spirit. We have Dan Corner’s book on eternal security as well as another by French Arrington. We have books on an unlimited atonement by Robert Lightner or John Goodwin. And thank God for The Arminian Magazine by Vic Reasoner. We also have the great website The Society of Evangelical Arminians.
4. Pray! – A.W. Tozer said once in reply to a young man who asked him, “Dr. Tozer, when I go to college and the young men begin to debate Arminianism and Calvinism, which side should I be on?” Tozer said, in his wisdom, “Neither. You go into your prayer closet and you seek God in prayer. Four years from now those same young men will still be debating and you’ll be closer to God and further along than any of them.”
I too learned that lesson. Many nights the young men and women of our college would sit in the student lounge and debate Arminianism vs. Calvinism. Yet I had to work a job during college and would come back just in time to shower, study, and pray with the Indian students (the Indians were men of prayer and fasting!). I would pass the students debating and would go to the prayer towers to seek Christ with my brothers from India. Four years passed and Tozer was right, those students were still debating and yet I had learned to pray! My what a lesson that has been for me. Today I still love to pray and seek Christ. I love Arminianism and I love to read and study theology but I also love to seek Jesus in prayer. Nothing can compare.
5. But Most of All: Love Others! – It is easy to love our own (Matthew 5:46) but it’s hard to love those who disagree with us. How the world could be turned upside down if the Church would learn to love those who hate us from the homosexuals to the idol worshipers to the atheists to the false religions. Love conquers all! “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses” (Proverbs 10:12). We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). No one can argue against love.
Conclusion
We are all called to be disciples of Jesus above our Arminianism or Calvinism. Our faith isn’t found in the works of Arminius or Wesley or Calvin but in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 2:5; 3:5-9). Jesus alone is our salvation and He alone is our hope. Our eyes are to be on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2) and not on Arminius. Yet we can learn much from great men and women of the faith and we rightly should. But don’t allow those great saints to become our idols. If a man or woman of God doesn’t focus us on Jesus and create a passion for Jesus in our souls, than they are not worth reading or following. Our eyes of faith should be on Christ Jesus and Him alone. We should seek to exalt Christ in all that we say or do (Colossians 3:17) and not merely to spread the virtues of Arminianism.
However, I am an Arminian and I make no apologies for that. I believe in the doctrines not because I was spoon fed them but because I studied them and sought after the truth. While I don’t believe that Arminius was infallible, I do believe he was a great man of God and a great reformer of the faith in the line of Knox, Calvin, Luther, and Tyndale. I have learned much from Arminius but I know that he simply wrote about my Savior and he is not my Savior. Jesus Christ is my Lord and my God (John 20:28). My love and devotion are to Him and to Him alone. To Jesus alone be glory in His Church both now and forevermore (Ephesians 3:21).
[Link to original post and comments at Roy Ingle’s website.]
