Is Arminianism a false Gospel?

[Heidi]

What part of "No one is good but God alone" do you not believe? :o

 

[Reformed]

Is Arminianism a false Gospel? Some have said it is preaching another Christ but is that so?

No, it is not a false gospel, but it is error. The Calvinism/Arminianism controversy is an in-house debate. Since both are within the pale of Evangelicalism (in their best moments), both systems defend the same gospel, which is that sinners are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Are there people who call themselves Arminians who are not saved? Sure. Are there people who call themselves Calvinists who are not saved? Sure. But since both schools defend the orthodox view of the gospel and of Christ, Christians can belong to either camp.

Roman Catholicism, which is broadly Arminian, does not defend the orthodox view of salvation, and thus preaches a false gospel. There are Catholics who are saved, I know a few, but they affirm that they are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and thus contradict official Catholic dogma.

 

[Reformed]

My question is this. If men are not in a state of sinful nature, that would indicate that humans are without sin, right? You cannot be a sinner and at the same time not be in a sinful state. We sin because of our sin nature. Man's heart is deceitfully wicked.

Christendom is confused over the issue of ‘sin’. And the confusion is between an act which is defined as sin (by a law) and the state of sin into which man is born.

Scriptures tells us that man is dead in trespasses & sin. And this is the result of Adam’s sin. We are all born this way. We are born of the flesh, ‘dead’ or in a ‘state of sin’. So our birthright is to perish.

An act of sin of course is defined by the law and although we are all born in the ‘state’ of sin, man is not born stealing and cussing from the womb. He is just born of the flesh with a propensity to fulfil whatever his flesh desires.

Now we know there is only one way that man can escape the state of sin that he is born into. And that is to be born of the Spirit, because by this he passes from death to life.

But even when man is born again he has not escaped the body of flesh that he was born with and he is therefore still subject to the flesh. The spirit and the flesh are at war and until man is able ‘walk in the spirit’ in order that he may die to the flesh he will still ‘sin’.

Of course, the man who is not born of the Spirit can only live by the flesh and he will do whatever his flesh leads him to do.

Reformed theology has no confusion regarding the doctrine of sin. You have given a good summary here. Our Original Sin (from which all actual commited sin proceeds) which we inherit from Adam is both guilt and corruption. Our justification in Christ remedies our guilt, and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit in our sanctification remedies our corruption, but slowly over time, and never completely until our glorification. Praise be to God!

 

[Adullam]

What part of "No one is good but God alone" do you not believe? :o

No one is strong but God either. No one is alive but God. The list goes on. We mustn't be having this dialogue.

Jesus said...Without Me you can do nothing. Does that mean that non-believers are in suspended animation?

You are cooking up an unbalanced viewpoint based on a lack of understanding of the spiritual realm.

What the issue is, is whether obedience is necessary for salvation. Lawless people say no.

Calvanism caused much evil in the world. And still does.

 

[Heidi]

What part of "No one is good but God alone" do you not believe? :o

No one is strong but God either. No one is alive but God. The list goes on. We mustn't be having this dialogue.

Jesus said...Without Me you can do nothing. Does that mean that non-believers are in suspended animation?

You are cooking up an unbalanced viewpoint based on a lack of understanding of the spiritual realm.

What the issue is, is whether obedience is necessary for salvation. Lawless people say no.

Calvanism caused much evil in the world. And still does.

No, I just believe Jesus and you don't. I also believe the verses that say "No one is righteous, not even one." You don't. In fact you have yet to quote scripture to justify your position because your belief is not scriptural. That's because claiming that one is righteous enough to choose God is called self-righteousness which is the yeast of the Pharisees.

 

[Adullam]

What part of "No one is good but God alone" do you not believe? :o

No one is strong but God either. No one is alive but God. The list goes on. We mustn't be having this dialogue.

Jesus said...Without Me you can do nothing. Does that mean that non-believers are in suspended animation?

You are cooking up an unbalanced viewpoint based on a lack of understanding of the spiritual realm.

What the issue is, is whether obedience is necessary for salvation. Lawless people say no.

Calvanism caused much evil in the world. And still does.

No, I just believe Jesus and you don't. I also believe the verses that say "No one is righteous, not even one." You don't. In fact you have yet to quote scripture to justify your position because your belief is not scriptural. That's because claiming that one is righteous enough to choose God is called self-righteousness which is the yeast of the Pharisees.

Here are just a few verses which contradict your false premise.


Mat 5:20 ForG1063 I sayG3004 unto you,G5213 ThatG3754 exceptG3362 yourG5216 righteousnessG1343 shall exceedG4052 G4119 the righteousness of theG3588 scribesG1122 andG2532 Pharisees,G5330 ye shall in no caseG3364 enterG1525 intoG1519 theG3588 kingdomG932 of heaven.G3772

Gen 6:9 TheseH428 are the generationsH8435 of Noah:H5146 NoahH5146 wasH1961 a justH6662 manH376 and perfectH8549 in his generations,H1755 and NoahH5146 walkedH1980 withH854 God.H430

Psa 18:24 Therefore hath the LORDH3068 recompensedH7725 me according to my righteousness,H6664 according to the cleannessH1252 of my handsH3027 inH5048 his eyesight.H5869

Psa 18:20 The LORDH3068 rewardedH1580 me according to my righteousness;H6664 according to the cleannessH1252 of my handsH3027 hath he recompensedH7725 me.



Gen 7:1 And the LORDH3068 saidH559 unto Noah,H5146 ComeH935 thouH859 and allH3605 thy houseH1004 intoH413 the ark;H8392 forH3588 thee have I seenH7200 righteousH6662 beforeH6440 me in thisH2088 generation.H1755

Gen 18:23 And AbrahamH85 drew near,H5066 and said,H559 Wilt thou alsoH637 destroyH5595 the righteousH6662 withH5973 the wicked?H7563

Exo 23:7 Keep thee farH7368 from a false matter;H4480 H1697 H8267 and the innocentH5355 and righteousH6662 slayH2026 thou not:H408 forH3588 I will notH3808 justifyH6663 the wicked.H7563

Exo 23:8 And thou shalt takeH3947 noH3808 gift:H7810 forH3588 the giftH7810 blindethH5786 the wise,H6493 and pervertethH5557 the wordsH1697 of the righteous.H6662

Num 23:10 WhoH4310 can countH4487 the dustH6083 of Jacob,H3290 and the numberH4557 of(H853) the fourthH7255 part of Israel?H3478 Let meH5315 dieH4191 the deathH4194 of the righteous,H3477 and let my last endH319 beH1961 like his!H3644

Deu 16:19 Thou shalt notH3808 wrestH5186 judgment;H4941 thou shalt notH3808 respectH5234 persons,H6440 neitherH3808 takeH3947 a gift:H7810 forH3588 a giftH7810 doth blindH5786 the eyesH5869 of the wise,H2450 and pervertH5557 the wordsH1697 of the righteous.H6662

Concerning Zacharias and Elizabeth...

Luk 1:6 AndG1161 they wereG2258 bothG297 righteousG1342 beforeG1799 God,G2316 walkingG4198 inG1722 allG3956 theG3588 commandmentsG1785 andG2532 ordinancesG1345 of theG3588 LordG2962 blameless.G273


Luk 5:32 I cameG2064 notG3756 to callG2564 the righteous,G1342 butG235 sinnersG268 toG1519 repentance.G3341

Mar 2:17 WhenG2532 JesusG2424 heardG191 it, he saithG3004 unto them,G846 They that are wholeG2480 haveG2192 noG3756 needG5532 of the physician,G2395 butG235 they that are sick:G2192 G2560 I cameG2064 notG3756 to callG2564 the righteous,G1342 butG235 sinnersG268 toG1519 repentance.G3341

Mat 13:17 ForG1063 verilyG281 I sayG3004 unto you,G5213 ThatG3754 manyG4183 prophetsG4396 andG2532 righteousG1342 men have desiredG1937 to seeG1492 those things whichG3739 ye see,G991 andG2532 have notG3756 seenG1492 them; andG2532 to hearG191 those things whichG3739 ye hear,G191 andG2532 have notG3756 heardG191 them.

Mat 9:13 ButG1161 goG4198 ye and learnG3129 whatG5101 that meaneth,G2076 I willG2309 have mercy,G1656 andG2532 notG3756 sacrifice:G2378 forG1063 I am notG3756 comeG2064 to callG2564 the righteous,G1342 butG235 sinnersG268 toG1519 repentance.G3341

at 23:35 ThatG3704 uponG1909 youG5209 may comeG2064 allG3956 the righteousG1342 bloodG129 shedG1632 uponG1909 theG3588 earth,G1093 fromG575 theG3588 bloodG129 of righteousG1342 AbelG6 untoG2193 theG3588 bloodG129 of ZachariasG2197 sonG5207 of Barachias,G914 whomG3739 ye slewG5407 betweenG3342 theG3588 templeG3485 andG2532 theG3588 altar.G2379

Mat 25:37 ThenG5119 shall theG3588 righteousG1342 answerG611 him,G846 saying,G3004 Lord,G2962 whenG4219 sawG1492 we theeG4571 an hungred,G3983 andG2532 fedG5142 thee? orG2228 thirsty,G1372 andG2532 gave thee drink?G4222

Jas 5:16 ConfessG1843 your faultsG3900 one to another,G240 andG2532 prayG2172 one for another,G240 G5228 thatG3704 ye may be healed.G2390 The effectual ferventG1754 prayerG1162 of a righteous manG1342 availethG2480 much.G4183

1Pe 3:12 ForG3754 theG3588 eyesG3788 of the LordG2962 are overG1909 the righteous,G1342 andG2532 hisG846 earsG3775 are open untoG1519 theirG846 prayers:G1162 butG1161 the faceG4383 of the LordG2962 is againstG1909 them that doG4160 evil.G2556


1Pe 4:18 AndG2532 ifG1487 theG3588 righteousG1342 scarcelyG3433 be saved,G4982 whereG4226 shall theG3588 ungodlyG765 andG2532 the sinnerG268 appear?G5316

2Pe 2:8 (ForG1063 that righteous manG1342 dwellingG1460 amongG1722 them,G846 in seeingG990 andG2532 hearing,G189 vexedG928 his righteousG1342 soulG5590 from dayG2250 toG1537 dayG2250 with their unlawfulG459 deeds;)

1Jn 3:12 NotG3756 asG2531 Cain,G2535 who wasG2258 ofG1537 that wicked one,G4190 andG2532 slewG4969 hisG848 brother.G80 AndG2532 whereforeG5484 G5101 slewG4969 he him?G846 BecauseG3754 his ownG848 worksG2041 wereG2258 evil,G4190 andG1161 hisG848 brother'sG80 righteous.G1342


1Sa 26:23 The LORDH3068 renderH7725 to every manH376 (H853) his righteousnessH6666 and his faithfulness:H530 forH834 the LORDH3068 deliveredH5414 thee into my handH3027 to day,H3117 but I wouldH14 notH3808 stretch forthH7971 mine handH3027 against the LORD'SH3068 anointed.H4899


2Sa 22:21 The LORDH3068 rewardedH1580 me according to my righteousness:H6666 according to the cleannessH1252 of my handsH3027 hath he recompensedH7725 me.


2Sa 22:25 Therefore the LORDH3068 hath recompensedH7725 me according to my righteousness;H6666 according to my cleannessH1252 inH5048 his eye sight.H5869


1Ki 8:32 Then hearH8085 thouH859 in heaven,H8064 and do,H6213 and judgeH8199 (H853) thy servants,H5650 condemningH7561 the wicked,H7563 to bringH5414 his wayH1870 upon his head;H7218 and justifyingH6663 the righteous,H6662 to giveH5414 him according to his righteousness.H6666


2Ch 6:23 Then hearH8085 thouH859 fromH4480 heaven,H8064 and do,H6213 and judgeH8199 (H853) thy servants,H5650 by requitingH7725 the wicked,H7563 by recompensingH5414 his wayH1870 upon his own head;H7218 and by justifyingH6663 the righteous,H6662 by givingH5414 him according to his righteousness.H6666

Job 27:6 My righteousnessH6666 I hold fast,H2388 and will notH3808 let it go:H7503 my heartH3824 shall notH3808 reproachH2778 me so long as I live.H4480 H3117