Prevenient Grace + Foreknowledge + Perseverance + Atonement + Arminianism + Calvinism + Regeneration + Ordo Salutis + General + Predestination + Free Will + Grace + Sovereignty of God + Providence + Hyper-Calvinism + Calling + Election + Determinism + Depravity + Devotionals + Hermeneutics + Book Reviews + Reprobation + Faith + Assurance + Union with Christ + Monergism & Synergism + Bible Passages + Apostasy + History
Corporate Election
Reputable Arminian Steve Witzki has contributed substantially to the Wikipedia article on “Corporate Election.” Steve has helped to make the Wikipedia article an excellent source of information about this biblical doctrine.
Origins: What comes from God vs. what comes from man
Regarding origins...in other of whether something comes from God or from man, note what John Calvin said about the *origin* of Paul's expression of emotion towards his fellow Jews at Romans 9:1-3:
John Calvin comments: “It is no objection that he knew that his salvation was founded on the election of God, which cannot by any means fail. The more passionate emotions plunge impetuously on, without heed or regard for anything but the object on which they are fixed. Paul, therefore, did not add the election of God to his prayer, but put it out of mind, and gave all his attention on the salvation of the Jews.” (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries: Romans and Thessalonians, p.192)
Does Paul Teach Unconditional Eternal Security in Romans 8:35-39?
Submitted by Ben Henshaw on Thu, 05/17/2012 - 6:02amRomans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For you sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Brian Abasciano’s response to a review of his book on Romans 9:10-18
Submitted by drwayman on Wed, 05/16/2012 - 6:58amBrian Abasciano’s response to a review of his book on Romans 9:10-18
by Roger E. Olson, PhD
I don’t normally do this at my blog, but friend Brian Abasciano of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a leading evangelical Arminian, has written an important book on Romans 9-11 from an Arminian perspective. An early review appears to misrepresent some ideas of the book and Brian has asked me to post his response here. If you know someone who has read the review in question, please see that they read Brian’s response.
Here is the response:
Does Jesus Teach Unconditional Eternal Security in John 10:27-29?
Submitted by Ben Henshaw on Tue, 05/15/2012 - 6:36amHaving examined the primary passages that teach apostasy we now examine the passages that the advocates of unconditional eternal security believe clearly support their doctrine:
John 10:27-29
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
How Prevenient Grace Shapes Our Missional Presence
Submitted by drwayman on Mon, 05/14/2012 - 7:53amHow Prevenient Grace Shapes Our Missional Presence
Written by Andrew Dragos
In his sermon, “On Working Out Our Own Salvation” John Wesley spelled out a principle that underlies one of his most important theological themes. “Since God works therefore you can work,” and “God works therefore you must work.” Although in context it offers commentary on the work of sanctification found in Phil. 2:12-13, it is a helpful way of viewing the nature of prevenient grace as understood by Wesley (John 5:17). Prevenient grace is the work of a God who refused to simply allow the world he created to continue on its destructive path, and so blesses humanity both with the ability and task of doing good here on earth.
Does 1 John 2:18-19 Support the Calvinist "Never Saved to Begin With" View of Apostasy?
Submitted by Ben Henshaw on Fri, 05/11/2012 - 1:48pm1 John 2:18-19
Little children, it is the last hour and as you have heard that the Anti-Christ is coming, even now many anti-christs have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be manifest, that none of them were of us.
Minor Mistranslation in the Works of James Arminius
Submitted by Godismyjudge on Wed, 05/09/2012 - 9:04amI was confused about something Arminius said in his response to Perkins so I looked it up in the original Latin. Turns out it was a mistranslation.
Theologians Explain Why the Chicken Crossed the Road (Humor)
Submitted by Kevin Jackson on Tue, 05/08/2012 - 7:29amGreg Boyd: It's a possibility that the chicken crossed the road.
Rick Warren: The chicken was purpose driven.
Mark Driscoll: The chicken crossed because of the rooster's leadership.
Rachel Held Evans: We're talking about chickens here, not pigs.
Pelagius: Because the chicken was able to.
John Piper: God decreed the event to maximize his glory.
Irenaeus: The glory of God is the chicken fully alive.
C.S. Lewis: If a chicken finds itself with a desire that nothing on this side can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that it was created for the other side.
Billy Graham: The chicken was surrendering all.
Pluralist: The chicken took one of many equally valid roads.
Universalist: All chickens cross the road.
Recent responses to Against Calvinism
Submitted by drwayman on Fri, 05/04/2012 - 8:05amRecent responses to Against Calvinism
By Roger E. Olson, PhD
Here I post two e-mails that typify responses I’ve received from individuals about Against Calvinism.
I’m not going to comment on them, just reproduced them here. I’ll let you, my faithful readers, decide what you think and comment on them. I’ve removed anything that would identify their authors.
