I was going to put the subject as ARMENIANS IN OUR MIDST
but thought maybe that was a little over the top.
The advent of 5-point Calvinism into Southern Baptist churches has not met with enough study, in my opinion.
The 5 points of Calvinist thought are (as I understand them)
1. Total inability
2. Unconditional election
3. Limited atonement
4. Irresistible grace
5. Perseverance of the saints
I must admit immediately, however, that God has placed in my heart after years of study the conviction that neither Calvinism nor Armenianism (I dont think that is a word but I love isms) is totally correct. I believe that the truth lays somewhere in the middle.
1. Total Inability
The teaching of Five-Point Calvinism is that humans are totally unable to do anything to obtain salvation. The theory states very emphatically that they cannot repent or believe the Gospel. The teaching is that people cannot believe until he is born again. This new birth is brought about by God who chooses certain individuals and regenerates them. Those whom He regenerates are then capable of believing by virtue of their new birth. Humans do not have a free will by which they are able to come to Christ for salvation.
I find the Bible stating the exact opposite. In Acts 17:30 we find that God commands all men everywhere to repent, and that having so commanded, He expects they can and will. In 2 Peter 3:9 we find that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. If they should come, then they can come. God does not mock men by asking them to do what they cannot do. In Acts 11:18 we are told that God hath granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life. Notice that the repentance comes first and it results in life.
Concerning the statement that man cannot believe the Gospel, and that man cannot believe until his is born again, look at the following scripture- John 1:12, 3:15, 16, 36, 5:24, 6:40, 7:39, 12:36, and 20:31. These Scriptures all show that spiritual life follows upon the sinner's believing in Jesus Christ. A notable example is Acts 16:31 where Paul said, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." The full Calvinist in my opinion would twist it to read, "when thou art saved by the Lord Jesus Christ thou shalt believe.
2. Unconditional Election
The teaching of 5-Point Calvinism is that God has determined and decreed that some are to be saved. This election is not based on God's foreknowing that certain would believe, but is based on His sovereign will to elect certain ones. The Scriptures are very plain that God has His Elect ones who by faith in Jesus Christ are predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). They are adopted by God and Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4,5). However, this election is plainly declared to be based on the foreknowledge of God (1 Peter 1:2 and Rom. 8:29). Since God knows the end from the beginning He foreknows those who will believe in Christ. He has purposed that they will be to the praise of His glory throughout the ages and through them He will show the exceeding riches of His grace (Eph. 2:7)
Concerning the statement that man does not have a free will by which he is able to come to Christ, please note what Jesus said in John 7:17: "if any man will do His will he shall know of the doctrine." Here He said that a man may will to do God's will. Again in John 5:40 Jesus rebuked the Jews when He said "ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." It was not that they could not come, but that they would not come. In Rev. 22:17 the Word of God declares "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Here God makes a real offer of the water of life to "Whosoever will."
3. Limited Atonement
Calvinist theology states that Christ died on the Cross for the sins of the Elect. To say that He died for the sins of the non-elect is not reasonable. Since, according to absolute Calvinism, God has chosen some to be saved and chosen the rest to be lost, He cannot require the death of Christ for those He does not plan to save anyhow. Therefore the Atonement of Christ is limited to the Elect only.
If one accepts Total Inability and Unconditional Election it is necessary to limit the scope of Christ's death on Calvary. The only problem is that the Scriptures directly state that the death of Christ was for every man and is effective for the sinner the moment he believes. In 1 John 2:2 it is said that His death was a propitiation not only for our sins but for the sins of "the whole world." In Hebrews 2:9 it says that Christ tasted death for "every man." 1 Tim. 2:6 says that He gave Himself a ransom for "all." John the Baptist declared in John 1:29 that Jesus was the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the "world." In Isaiah 53:6 the Word of God states that "all" have gone astray and that the Lord laid on Jesus the iniquity of us "all." Since the Gospel is for "whosoever will" and it consists of the good news that Christ died for sinners, I believe that the Atonement of Christ is not limited.
4. Irresistible grace
Calvinists teach that all those whom God has chosen to be saved will be unable to resist the call of God. Since He has predetermined them to be saved, He effectually calls and regenerates them without any condition to be met on their part.
The Word of God teaches that the Grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men (Titus 2:11). Since God has provided salvation for all men, and yet all do not come; that is proof enough that men do resist the Grace of God. The Bible gives clear instances of men resisting the Grace of God. Jesus stood over Jerusalem and said that He wanted to gather them unto Himself, but they would not (Matt. 23:37). When Stephen preached to the Jews he said that regarding their attitude toward God's Word they were stiff-necked and that they were resisting the Holy Spirit Who was calling them (Acts 7:51).
5. Perseverance of the Saints
I agree with the last point in the Calvinist system that those whom are saved will persevere to the end and will not depart from the faith. The one who is truly born again is eternally secure in Christ and is never in danger of losing his/her salvation.
