Comparing Arminianism and Calvinist beliefs about salvation and grace

October 18, 11:19 AMCharlotte Christianity ExaminerBob Diamond

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Charlotte Christianity Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Jacobus Arminius
Wikipedia

I didn’t realize that my understanding of the teachings of God in the Bible, as they have evolved, could be categorized with a descriptive label. I now realize that the things I understood when I was younger fit the Calvinism label. Now that I have studied the Bible, both independently and collectively for many years, my beliefs can now be more closely compared to Arminianism.

It’s obvious that the beliefs outlined by John Calvin are described as Calvinism. Where did the term “Arminianism” come from?

According to Wikipedia:  

Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) and his historic followers, the Remonstrants. The doctrines' acceptance stretches through much of mainstream Christianity, including evangelical Protestantism.

Arminianism holds to the following tenets:

• Humans are naturally unable to make any effort towards salvation.
• Salvation is possible only by God's grace, which cannot be merited.
• No works of human effort can cause or contribute to salvation.
• God's election is conditional on faith in the sacrifice and Lordship of Jesus Christ.
• Christ's atonement was made on behalf of all people.
• God allows his grace to be resisted by those who freely reject Christ.
• Believers are able to resist sin but are not beyond the possibility of falling from grace through persistent, unrepented-of sin. 
•  

A thumbnail of Calvinism:

Calvinism (also called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Christian life. Several theologians advanced the Reformed tradition but it often bears the name of the French reformer John Calvin, because of his prominent influence on it and because of his role in the confessional and ecclesiastical debates throughout the 16th century. Today, this term also refers to the doctrines and practices of the Reformed churches of which Calvin was an early leader. Less commonly, it can refer to the individual teaching of Calvin himself.

 This belief system is best known for its doctrines of predestination and total depravity, stressing the absolute sovereignty of God.

Read the following article to see their differences in tabular form: A Brief Comparative Study of Arminianism and Calvinism:

..................................

Related article

How do I find a good church?