Featured Why is it worth fighting over?

There are few actual "Arminians" on this board. There are a great deal of people who are neither Arminian nor cal. What you are unaware of is that even when the subject has nothing to do with Calvinism there are those who work to turn unrelated discussions into Calvinism. It has been going on for years.

 

Aaahhh...there has been a run on cagey young "New Calvinists" who are very aggressive. Even to the point of hiding their Calvinism from potential churches until they become pastors and work to change it from a non cal church to a cal church. It has been splitting a good number of churches.

 

Germantown Baptist in Memphis was one that split by an Cal pastor doing his thing.

 

I often said there are not many Calvinist that I've heard who preach TULIP through and through. They often sound just like the non-cals, John MacArthur always comes to mind. Can you imagine a preacher standing up before the congregation and saying "I have some good news for some of you, and some of you have no choice but to live in hell for eternity"??? Even worse, can you imagine telling your children the same? Generally I would doubt the true Calvinist would be so "truthful" to his subjects, whether they be strangers or family.
Therein lies the debate from my perspective. Why not be honest about the final conclusion of your beliefs and state it up front to your audience?

 

If you think about this though...

Regardless if one is a calvinist or arminian in regards to salvation, BOTH will be telling and teaching sinners that they are accountible to God, and that their ONLY hope is the death and resurtion of jesus, as those who receive him as lord/Messiah will be saved!

Spurgeon does not need o state the doctrines of faith to preach christ, regardless wether cal/arm, the message should be the same, as those finer details more set up for sunday school or other teaching setting!

 

Perhaps because both sides are rightfully passionate about what they see as issues that need to be addressed and dealt with.

1. The proliferation of easy-believism that is causing the church to be a laughing stock around the world. Weak churches, with people walking away because they do not understand grace or were never truly discipled, and often could not grasp why they didn't feel fulfilled by their actions.

as opposed to...

2. The evangelistic mindset (not pastors/teachers) that are called to and enjoy being the initiators, the first on the scene, to tell the story and see the first response and move one, fulfilling the call to reach as many as possible.


I wonder if more C's tend to be those who disciple and more A's tend to be Evangelists.

Of course that clashes to a degree, even if both have the exact same goals, because they're seeing the different problems with the exact same thing and both have the same goal but different jobs within that goal. (I've got this hilarious teacher/principal boxing match comparison in my head, wish you could see it!)

And off topic, but maybe I should start one - I'm tired of seeing evangelists working as pastors and being unhappy because they don't get it. SQUIRREL!

So anyhow, simplistic answer, but that's my initial thought right this minute.

 

the biblical model is to teach/preach jesus is the Lord, that his death was atonement for sinners, and that the Holy Spirit will do His work among the lost to save out His own people...

AFTER the salvation experience, then we are to start discipling, the meat of the word, NOT to go thru the DoG right when presenting the Gospel, as that is given to the saved!

 

How do you separate grace from salvation? Please explain that one.

 

If a Calvinist says anyone who wants to accept Christ as their savior can, is telling a lie when they know in their heart that is a deceitful statement coming from the beliefs of a Calvinist. This is why there is a huge difference between cals and non cals, and if the Calvinist were true to their beliefs they would preach their beliefs up front. But how do you think that would go? Probably have to close the doors.

 

And which Gospel shall be preached? Limited Atonement or Unlimited Atonement? Irresistible grace or resistible grace? Faith is the gift of God or salvation is the gift of God? Regeneration precedes faith or faith precedes regeneration?

It makes a difference.

 

I have a good Calvinist friend who always says to me after we have a debate "I hope you understand someday". I'm like "why?" What do I gain? How would that change my relationship with Jesus Christ ?

 

Why not preach as you believe? The whole of tulip? I'm always hearing from Calvinist how tulip is the gospel.

 

We r getting ready to interview for a new pastor. I want to ask him if he is Calvinistic. If he says yes I will not vote for him. If he says yes but he will not preach it from the pulpit, I will not vote for him either for it shows he is dishonest.

 

It's no different than a non cal preacher believing hell is eternal and refusing to preach it from the pulpit in case he might offend someone.