3 Big Problems With Calvinism
I'm not a Calvinist. I'm an Arminian. Arminians and Calvinists agree on two points -- Total Depravity and Perseverance of the Saints (although some Arminians believe that you can lose your salvation). Other than that, the two views of soteriology (the study of salvation) are worlds apart.
The heart of Calvinism is the doctrine of unconditional election, also known as predestination. It is the view that God, from eternity, chose some for salvation and some for condemnation, and this is not based on anything in the person – neither performance, nor free will, nor faith. It is not conditioned on anything the individual does. There is nothing different between the elect and the non-elect. God simply chose some sinners for salvation, and some for damnation.
By contrast, Arminians believe in conditional election, which is the view that God decided before the foundation of the world to save those individuals who He foreknew would believe in Jesus. God loves everyone, Jesus died for everyone, God wants to save everyone, but God elected to save those who He knew would believe in Jesus, the only way to salvation. His election is according to His foreknowledge
Calvinism has become cool over the past decade or so, similar to how dispensational eschatology did in the twentieth century. Many of the most popular, most beloved Christian leaders in America were dispensationalists, and so not surprisingly most Americans adopted that view (incorrectly, I might add). In the same way, many of America's most loved Christian leaders are Calvinists -- Albert Mohler, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur, Wayne Grudem, Russell Moore, David Platt, Mark Dever, etc. So it's no shock that Calvinism is now in vogue.
But Calvinism is unbiblical, illogical, and dishonoring to God. There are three big problems with unconditional election that I want to briefly share with you.
First, how can God love everyone if He can save everyone but chooses not to? (John 3:16) That's like seeing a person drowning, having the ability to save Him, but choosing not to. That's not love.
Second, how is it possible that God desires to save everyone if He can but chooses not to? (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Tim 2:3-4) That's like saying that I desire to help you fix your car, and I have the ability to help you fix you car, but then not helping you fix your car. That doesn't make sense.
Third, why is the invitation to believe for salvation extended to the non-elect if God does not choose to save them? (Jn 3:16; Rm 10:13) That's like me deciding in advance that you will not be allowed to attend my birthday party, but then I still invite you. Something's not right with this picture.
On the other hand, the Arminian doctrine of conditional election is Biblical, logical, and it upholds the love and justice of God. Does God want to save everyone? Yes. Why doesn't He? Because salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ. So before the foundation of the world God elected some to salvation according to His foreknowledge of who would believe in Christ (1 Peter 1:1-2; Rom 8:29-30). The non-elect are those who God knew would reject Christ. God's election is based on a condition that the individual has met -- faith in Christ.
Unconditional election? No. Conditional election according to foreknowledge? Yes!
The heart of Calvinism is the doctrine of unconditional election, also known as predestination. It is the view that God, from eternity, chose some for salvation and some for condemnation, and this is not based on anything in the person – neither performance, nor free will, nor faith. It is not conditioned on anything the individual does. There is nothing different between the elect and the non-elect. God simply chose some sinners for salvation, and some for damnation.
By contrast, Arminians believe in conditional election, which is the view that God decided before the foundation of the world to save those individuals who He foreknew would believe in Jesus. God loves everyone, Jesus died for everyone, God wants to save everyone, but God elected to save those who He knew would believe in Jesus, the only way to salvation. His election is according to His foreknowledge
Calvinism has become cool over the past decade or so, similar to how dispensational eschatology did in the twentieth century. Many of the most popular, most beloved Christian leaders in America were dispensationalists, and so not surprisingly most Americans adopted that view (incorrectly, I might add). In the same way, many of America's most loved Christian leaders are Calvinists -- Albert Mohler, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur, Wayne Grudem, Russell Moore, David Platt, Mark Dever, etc. So it's no shock that Calvinism is now in vogue.
But Calvinism is unbiblical, illogical, and dishonoring to God. There are three big problems with unconditional election that I want to briefly share with you.
First, how can God love everyone if He can save everyone but chooses not to? (John 3:16) That's like seeing a person drowning, having the ability to save Him, but choosing not to. That's not love.
Second, how is it possible that God desires to save everyone if He can but chooses not to? (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Tim 2:3-4) That's like saying that I desire to help you fix your car, and I have the ability to help you fix you car, but then not helping you fix your car. That doesn't make sense.
Third, why is the invitation to believe for salvation extended to the non-elect if God does not choose to save them? (Jn 3:16; Rm 10:13) That's like me deciding in advance that you will not be allowed to attend my birthday party, but then I still invite you. Something's not right with this picture.
On the other hand, the Arminian doctrine of conditional election is Biblical, logical, and it upholds the love and justice of God. Does God want to save everyone? Yes. Why doesn't He? Because salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ. So before the foundation of the world God elected some to salvation according to His foreknowledge of who would believe in Christ (1 Peter 1:1-2; Rom 8:29-30). The non-elect are those who God knew would reject Christ. God's election is based on a condition that the individual has met -- faith in Christ.
Unconditional election? No. Conditional election according to foreknowledge? Yes!
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