Featured Dont box me in as a C or an A

...mugwump...

 

I call myself a Calvinist so people will know where I'm coming from. But I only believe the first three points of Dort are spot on. Like it or not, I can label you an Arminian, A Pelagian, a semi-Pelagian, or a Calvinist depending on your view of salvation, even if you cannot discern your own position. There are only three claims on how people are saved. Each fits one of these three categories. 1. God alone saves people. 2. God and people together save people, or 3. people save themselves unaided by God.

 

Because neither represents my view.

I do believe in "a" total depravity beginning at conception.

The election is conditional being without any merit on the part of the elect.

I am of the persuasion one cannot have an atonement securing the elects salvation without an unlimited atonement. Both have to be true.

God's grace, while can be found irresponsible, can be resisted.

God who solely does the saving also does the keeping. Or no one would be saved.

I believe sanctification precedes, faith, which precedes regeneration.

Because of unlimited atonement, everyone's name starts out in the book of life.

As I trust one can see my view is either C or A.

 

Like it or not, each person can be categorized in one of three positions. There are only three possibilities in how people are saved. 1. God alone saves people. 2. People help God to save themselves. 3. People alone save themselves. So you are one of the three but only one can be true.

 

Everyone is one of the three. God alone saves. You and God save you. You save yourself.

 

I don't trust Calvin or Arminius. I can easily believe neither was saved. But Calvin and all the Reformers were Augustinians. And being a lawyer, Calvin accurately set Augustinianism into readable form. So I believe the first 3 of the 5 points at the synod of Dort are perfectly in line with scripture. The remaining 2 points need the Baptist effect to make them align.

 

The 3 points make more sense if you modify points 4 & 5. Where they make faith the means of salvation, the New Birth IS salvation and faith the evidence of it.

 

It's complicated, but in a nutshell, Calvin probably taught universal atonement. So points 4 & 5 complement this. Dort taught Limited Atonement which I believe is true. So if you modify points 4 & 5 into the New Birth being the means of salvation instead of faith, they match up with Limited Atonement.

 

Because most Baptists are neither C nor A. They are a blend. 3 point usually. What is a 3 point Calvinist? You could just as easily call him a 3 point Arminian. (Baptist Arminianism holds to P)

 

Because these labels are not the standard to judge our doctrine by, the Bible alone is. In 1 Corinthians Paul told the church to refrain from claiming to follow men (I.e. Calvinism, Arminianism etc) yes following doctrines named after men is following men in the same way Paul corrected. It causes division in the church. It’s sinful

 

You would need to know what the 5 points say first. And then adjust the 4th and 5th points to fit Limited Atonement instead of universal atonement. Many think Calvin taught universal atonement and points 4 & 5 align with this. But the Synod of Dort more correctly taught Limited Atonement which I'm convinced is true to scripture.

 

I know what they say. Do you?

 

It's what they mean that counts.