Objections to Calvinism: Exegetical or Philosophical?

Nwells,

You gave us a tremendous amount of data about Pelagius. I would say that he had more of a philosophy about human beings, than an understanding of Christian theology. No wonder why Augustine went after him, though Augustine also assimilated his views about God with pagan philosophy of Aristotle and Plato’s Demiurge.

Augustine and Calvin were extreme in their view of God who they claimed was fatalistic. Arminians do not in any way defend the many errors of Pelagius. While we see in the Bible that God loves and died for all lost souls, [I John 2:2] we cannot in good conscience understand the Lord God as the Eternal Despot.

The only reason we, at times, are branded as semi-Pelagian is because we see the interaction of God’s call to salvation and the sinner’s response either in the affirmative or in the negative. God does bestow a preemptive action on the life of every human soul at the dawn of responsible consciousness that counteracts the effect of human depravity, thus making obedience to Gospel truth a possibility. Almighty God speaking through the Apostle John has said that Jesus ‘ . . . lights every person coming into the world.’ [John 1:9] This light given to all people is the awareness that there is a living and true God. It is from this discernment of a Creator God, that the Spirit of God can make His inroad [John 16:8] into the life of the lost soul through the conduit of conviction and consciousness of being lost and without God in this world. Without Jesus in our lives we ‘ . . . were children of wrath . . . ’ [Ephesians 2:3c]

We along with Calvinists thoroughly agree with them that Original Sin via Adam is imputed to every person born of a woman.

This antecedent movement of God on the life of sinners provides a focus of understanding so that His lost ones can understand the truth coming from the Light of the world. This in tandem with the conviction of the Holy Spirit renders the depravity of human sinners, as diluted and helpless in the Presence of God the Spirit.

God’s Word portrays neither God who is Divine Despot, or One who is ambivalent as to the lost sinners condition or final destination. God’s message to sinners stresses the grace of God [Ephesians 2:8] and the free will [Revelation 22:17f] of the lost and the saved ones. Sinners who become saved have cooperated with God in His plan of eternal salvation. Christians call this faith. [Romans 5:1]

Pelagianism and Augustinianism both have their errors, but Pelagiansim as from the mouth of Pelagius is farthest away from truth.

 

AMEN!

 

I believe that faith is imputed or counted for righteousness, as it is written. I do not mind discussing this issue, here or on another thread.
Dean
p.s. I appreciate y'all who took the time to read the article, whether or not you agreed with it.

 

Tim you said:

"You seem to prove my pt by going into all these neat little groups that calvinist have arranged people in then say what is wrong with each one. I fit in none of those but yet would be peg by a calvinist as one, and all put me in a different one and proceed to argue with me from that stand pt. rather I am coming from there or not!"


I was giving an argument that I have heard many times over and over.

Don't just say you don't fit in - tell me why you don't - if I don't understand you - help me understand.

I am trying to do that for you - and yet you ignore everything I say and just say what I have said is meaningless because I was boxing people into groups.

It was not my intention to box people - it was my intention to give an example of argument I have heard and why it seems to me that their argument ignores parts of the Bible and puts the mind of man above the mind of God.

Read my posts again - I would love to hear what you think of the verses I gave - What is Jesus' perspective?

Will you interact with the Scriptures or will you continue to brush off what has been said?

Because He lives,
Nathan

 

No, and this is where the philosphical objection as informed by Scripture to which I referred comes in as a valid exegetical tool. To render God a monster as Arminius quite rightly held Calvinism to do would be to fundamentally contradict (so as to render God not God) Who God is. That is not some random philosophical position or Man attempting to impose his version of morality and justice on God, but rather comes straight from Scripture, specifically the numerous references to God's love, justice and fairness eg: I Jn 1:1. Therefore, 'God as a monster' cannot be a 'Bibllical fact', and some interpretation other than the Calvinist one must be found for those Scriptures which purport according to the Calvinist interpretation to portray Him as such

Yours in Christ

Matt

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

Sorry I am totally lost right now. The post I was refering to had no scripture. As for your other post I like them and agree I think for the most part.
I think that no matter what you discuss with me on atonement, predestination, My belief does not leave contradiction to the Bible. It may not be right buy I cannot accept John Calvin's teachings to be scriptural.
Is there a certain passaage you wanted me to reply too?
Let me add that Jacob Arminus did not believe in eternal security for One. I would not call myself an arminun but am labeled such by calvinist. Same with most other strawmen or catagories they try to put me in. When I study the beliefs of those individuals I find I disagree. When I try to explain these difference it falls on deaf ears. They argue with me to try to convince me tthat that is what I am.

Tim