Five Articles of Remonstrance

FR7 Baptist · Mar 10, 2010

* Article I - That God, by an eternal, unchangeable purpose in Jesus Christ, his Son, before the foundation of the world, hath determined, out of the fallen, sinful race of men, to save in Christ, for Christ's sake, and through Christ, those who, through the grace of the Holy Ghost, shall believe on this his Son Jesus, and shall persevere in this faith and obedience of faith, through this grace, even to the end; and, on the other hand, to leave the incorrigible and unbelieving in sin and under wrath, and to condemn them as alienate from Christ, according to the word of the Gospel in John iii. 36: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him," and according to other passages of Scripture also.

* Article II - That, agreeably thereto, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, died for all men and for every man, so that he has obtained for them all, by his death on the cross, redemption, and the forgiveness of sins; yet that no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins, except the believer, according to the word of the Gospel of John iii. 16: "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"; and in the First Epistle of John ii. 2: "And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

* Article III — That man has not saving grace of himself, nor of the energy of his free-will, inasmuch as he, in the state of apostasy and sin, can of and by himself neither think, will, nor do anything that is truly good (such as having faith eminently is); but that it is needful that he be born again of God in Christ, through his Holy Spirit, and renewed in understanding, inclination, or will, and all his powers, in order that he may rightly understand, think, will, and effect what is truly good, according to the word of Christ, John xv. 5: "Without me ye can do nothing."

* Article IV — That this grace of God is the beginning, continuance, and accomplishment of an good, even to this extent, that the regenerate man himself, without that prevenient or assisting; awakening, following, and co-operative grace, can neither think, will, nor do good, nor withstand any temptations to evil; so that all good deeds or movements that can be conceived must be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ. But, as respects the mode of the operation of this grace, it is not irresistible, inasmuch as it is written concerning many that they have resisted the Holy Ghost,—Acts vii, and elsewhere in many places.

* Article V — That those who are incorporated into Christ by a true faith, and have thereby become partakers of his life-giving spirit, have thereby full power to strive against Satan, sin, the world, and their own flesh, and to win the victory, it being well understood that it is ever through the assisting grace of the Holy Ghost; and that Jesus Christ assists them through his Spirit in all temptations, extends to them his hand; and if only they are ready for the conflict, and desire his help, and are not inactive, keeps them from falling, so that they, by no craft or power of Satan, can be misled, nor plucked out of Christ's hands, according to the word of Christ, John x. 28: "Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." But whether they are capable, through negligence, of forsaking again the first beginnings of their life in Christ, of again returning to this present evil world, of turning away from the holy doctrine which was delivered them, of losing a good conscience, of becoming devoid of grace, that must be more particularly determined out of the Holy Scriptures before they can teach it with the full persuasion of their minds.
Click to expand...

I wanted to post this for discussion and because there are many of our Calvinist brethren on here who distort/ don't understand what Arminians actually believe. I should point out that while I consider myself an Arminian, I do accept Perseverance of the Saints.

asterisktom · Mar 10, 2010

Paul3144 said: ↑

I wanted to post this for discussion and because there are many of our Calvinist brethren on here who distort/ don't understand what Arminians actually believe. I should point out that while I consider myself an Arminian, I do accept Perseverance of the Saints.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this. When I had first read this a while back I was struck with how, well, "Calvinistic" some of it sounded. I bet that if you quoted parts of this to others, not showing the source, they might think you were foisting a bit of centuries-old "Calvinry" off on them!

Just as there as a real wide variation among Arminians (if I may use the term loosely) so is there among Calvinistics.

Rippon · Mar 10, 2010

Paul3144 said: ↑

I wanted to post this for discussion and because there are many of our Calvinist brethren on here who distort/ don't understand what Arminians actually believe. I should point out that while I consider myself an Arminian, I do accept Perseverance of the Saints.
Click to expand...

Do you whole-heartedly accept the first four Articles?

FR7 Baptist · Mar 10, 2010

Rippon said: ↑

Do you whole-heartedly accept the first four Articles?
Click to expand...

Yes, I do. I also agree with the fifth in that if it were possible for a true believer to lose faith, such a person would not be saved. However, because it is impossible for a true believer to lose faith, that is hypothetical.

drfuss · Mar 11, 2010

Paul3144 said: ↑

Yes, I do. I also agree with the fifth in that if it were possible for a true believer to lose faith, such a person would not be saved. However, because it is impossible for a true believer to lose faith, that is hypothetical.
Click to expand...

So your definition of a true believer is one who does not lose faith. Then there is some doubt about if you are a true believer until it is demonstrated that you did not lose faith. Is that right?

Five Articles of Remonstrance

FR7 Baptist Active Member

asterisktom Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

Rippon Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

FR7 Baptist Active Member

drfuss New Member

Useful Searches

Five Articles of Remonstrance

FR7 Baptist Active Member

asterisktom Well-Known Member Site Supporter

Rippon Well-Known Member Site Supporter

FR7 Baptist Active Member

drfuss New Member

asterisktom Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

Rippon Well-Known Member
Site Supporter