Calvinism vs. Arminianism?

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Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
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There is a third option. Ignore Calvin. Arminius, and every other theologian and just stick to the Bible. What could be simpler than that?
That sounds great, but everyone arrives at different conclusions when they study the Bible. So we're back at square one.
 

Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
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You sure do fling the word choose around alot. You're kinda contradicting yourself in more than a few of your posts. Like in this one. It's what is called a non sequitur. If God wills it and it's predetermined it's still a choice? Huh? That's not what choice means. You may want to pick a different word. and btw, not all non-Christians do evil all the time.
You can put any spin you want on the fact that God predestines and controls everything, the problem is not with God. The problem is with your fallen sinful understanding of Him.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
If Hitler said something true, is it automatically false because he said it. We don't believe in personalities, we believe in sound biblical doctrine.
This is very ironic, since my experience on this discussion board is that those from the Calvinist camp have been to some degree, not all, been those that promote the stern belief that born again believers will have proof of their conversion by their behaviour, yet they do not hold their own leader to the same standard of behaviour.

Another thing I find fascinating is that we accept 80 to 90% of what we believe based on the authority of others.

While you have dismissed his personality, fair enough, you have accepted his authority without question, yet you have available the written word, the Holy Spirit and resources to help you understand the culture, the language and history to at least test the doctrine of someone you do not even know.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
You can put any spin you want on the fact that God predestines and controls everything, the problem is not with God. The problem is with your fallen sinful understanding of Him.
This is always the default position.
Yes I know, we have a low, low, view of God, but imho ascribing evil to God does not make him any grander.
 

Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
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This is very ironic, since my experience on this discussion board is that those from the Calvinist camp have been to some degree, not all, been those that promote the stern belief that born again believers will have proof of their conversion by their behaviour, yet they do not hold their own leader to the same standard of behaviour.

Another thing I find fascinating is that we accept 80 to 90% of what we believe based on the authority of others.

While you have dismissed his personality, fair enough, you have accepted his authority without question, yet you have available the written word, the Holy Spirit and resources to help you understand the culture, the language and history to at least test the doctrine of someone you do not even know.
This is just the point, I have tested the doctrine against every other doctrine known to mankind and it is absolutely sound. That's why we fly the flag of Calvinism so high
 

Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
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This is always the default position.
Yes I know, we have a low, low, view of God, but imho ascribing evil to God does not make him any grander.
We don't know much about God at all do we, He's a great mystery to us. Those who pretend to know Him are fooling themselves
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
This is just the point, I have tested the doctrine against every other doctrine known to mankind and it is absolutely sound. That's why we fly the flag of Calvinism so high
You are indeed funny. :D

I get it though.... Calvinism is like a big security blanket, makes everything black and white.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
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I think they are both right. God can take control of your will in the sense if it is to help you sometimes, but He does not take the totality of your will away from you. If humans did not have freewill, and God decided what we now do before the world began, We would not be account for anything we have done. We didn't write this play called life. We would all be puppets on a stage with God giving us the voices and actions to do with any control on our own. This is elementary belief that is slowly becoming outdated.
I understand the scriptures differently than most of those that are referred to as Calvinistic, in that I do believe that God allowed man to have free will in the things pertaining to his life here on earth, but man's eternal destination is a choice made by the grace of God, without the help of man. Deut 10:19, I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live, verse 20, That thou mayest love thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for this is thy life, and length of days. This is not talking about choosing eternal life, but a life in obedience to God. There are many scriptures telling the children of God to choose things, but I think our choices are influenced by ether our spiritual nature or our fleshly nature. The scriptures never tells the natural man, void of the Spirit, to choose. It is always telling the children of God to choose.
 
L

LPT

Guest
You can put any spin you want on the fact that God predestines and controls everything, the problem is not with God. The problem is with your fallen sinful understanding of Him.
Such potty mouth, fallen sinful understanding why u say that because the poster doesn't agree, in Geneva back when John Calvin was alive and his thoery doctrine was the law of Geneva if any person spoke openly that Jesus died for all, they were accused of heresy and decaputated basically murdered. I see the same in your statement basically.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
You can put any spin you want on the fact that God predestines and controls everything, the problem is not with God. The problem is with your fallen sinful understanding of Him.
I dare say you share the same sinful understanding of Him ...no?

So why do you assume you are right?
 

Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
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Such potty mouth, fallen sinful understanding why u say that because the poster doesn't agree, in Geneva back when John Calvin was alive and his thoery doctrine was the law of Geneva if any person spoke openly that Jesus died for all, they were accused of heresy and decaputated basically murdered. I see the same in your statement basically.
The truth must be protected, it's more important than individual lives. I'm not for killing people but that's because we live in the new enlightened age, where everyone's view is equally valid and there is no absolute truth. The truth is subjective and everyone makes up their own truth.

The christian community is no different, we call it ecumenicalism. The Pope invited all the religions of the world to join him in a spiritual orgy and anyone who refused to join him was branded a radical bigot and fundamental extremest.
 

Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
724
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I dare say you share the same sinful understanding of Him ...no?

So why do you assume you are right?
I never claimed to understand Gods ways, I have always admitted that they are as far above ours as the heavens. Only a deceived person believes they have have worked Him out.
 
L

LPT

Guest
The truth must be protected, it's more important than individual lives. I'm not for killing people but that's because we live in the new enlightened age, where everyone's view is equally valid and there is no absolute truth. The truth is subjective and everyone makes up their own truth.

The christian community is no different, we call it ecumenicalism. The Pope invited all the religions of the world to join him in a spiritual orgy and anyone who refused to join him was branded a radical bigot and fundamental extremest.
Still no reason to call the poster what you did your no different rather a enlightened age or not doesn't apply in God time.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
I never claimed to understand Gods ways, I have always admitted that they are as far above ours as the heavens. Only a deceived person believes they have have worked Him out.
Most of your posts are Calvinism is right and since I believe in his doctrine I am right.

His doctrine is all about explaining the fore ordained, the foreknowledge of God, which pulls in free will and determinism etc., etc.,

I am not even sure anyone needs to have those answers, one can just stay with the Gospel of Christ Jesus and his death and resurrection finished and accomplished for our eternal salvation.
 

Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
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Most of your posts are Calvinism is right and since I believe in his doctrine I am right.

His doctrine is all about explaining the fore ordained, the foreknowledge of God, which pulls in free will and determinism etc., etc.,

I am not even sure anyone needs to have those answers, one can just stay with the Gospel of Christ Jesus and his death and resurrection finished and accomplished for our eternal salvation.
Calvinism is all about giving God the glory and honor He deserves, the other view takes it away from God and gives it to wicked men so it is very important to get it right.

You may be saved and not deal with this issue, but your reward in heaven may only be a small one. When you give God all the glory for everything and leave nothing for yourself, then you put yourself in the right place and you can please God.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
Calvinism is all about giving God the glory and honor He deserves, the other view takes it away from God and gives it to wicked men so it is very important to get it right.

You may be saved and not deal with this issue, but your reward in heaven may only be a small one. When you give God all the glory for everything and leave nothing for yourself, then you put yourself in the right place and you can please God.
Calvinism robs God at the very start from any glory by making Him the author of evil and makes Him responsible for the actions of the wicked men. So how does that elevate Him to your high, glorious, grand status?

The appeal of this schema has a lot more to do with other internal biases and prejudices than objective external truth and I know because I was there.

What can I say, I know you cannot see it today..... anyway ...... there is always tomorrow.:cautious:
 

Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
724
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43
Calvinism robs God at the very start from any glory by making Him the author of evil and makes Him responsible for the actions of the wicked men. So how does that elevate Him to your high, glorious, grand status?

The appeal of this schema has a lot more to do with other internal biases and prejudices than objective external truth and I know because I was there.

What can I say, I know you cannot see it today..... anyway ...... there is always tomorrow.:cautious:
NEVER!!!!! again will I be deceived by Arminianism, I can't go back now that I posses the truth. The truth sets you free from error and false beliefs, so there's no changing for those of us who posses the truth.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
NEVER!!!!! again will I be deceived by Arminianism, I can't go back now that I posses the truth. The truth sets you free from error and false beliefs, so there's no changing for those of us who posses the truth.
The Truth (Jesus) sets you free from the bondage of sin, Jesus is the gate to freedom, He is the the Way the Truth and the Life.

Iron clad systematic dogmatic theology never sets anyone free, probably the exact opposite.
 

Slayer

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
724
122
43
The Truth (Jesus) sets you free from the bondage of sin, Jesus is the gate to freedom, He is the the Way the Truth and the Life.

Iron clad systematic dogmatic theology never sets anyone free, probably the exact opposite.
I beg to differ, iron clad theology is the key to accessing the Gospel. You need to have the right understanding of the Gospel to unlock it's power.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
I beg to differ, iron clad theology is the key to accessing the Gospel. You need to have the right understanding of the Gospel to unlock it's power.
The gospel yes, theology no, iron clad theology is based on human pride.