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Nell Khiangte has raised a very important question about Predestination of God at his blog site at multiply. I came to know via Lawrkhawm as follows:

Did God determine everything happening on earth? Who will be your spouse? Who will be the new government and the minister et al? Did He determine the result of battle and wars? If so, then where is your freewill?

…. Possible response: Even if he did will he tell you and me?
…

Then, if everything is programmed and planned all along, then why don’t we just sit and enjoy the ride?
“Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this: Psalm 37

Wow, do I need not do nothing???

Possible response: Bro., Arminians will welcome you into their fold very easily. But you may not be still satisfied with everything ‘coz what they say here will effect other set of beliefs too. That’s why when Calvinists say everything is determined by God, you will need to sit and listen carefully how everything comes together with their views too.

Source: nkhiangte.multiply.com via Lawrkhawm.com

That is the very reason why we have many theological viewpoints on Soteriology (Salvation) and specially on the topic of ELECTION. The best answer is to explore different views on this. If I justify one, there will be others who will come and scoff at me. At theological circles we have had enough of debates and it leads us nowhere, meaning we can’t arrive at one opinion. We still have this theological divide. That’s why we have many Church denominations around the world today.

What Nell has asked only has two views. One is predestined view best represented by Calvinism and the other the Free Will (of man) best represented by Arminianism. A brief explanation for both are given below. Both held 5 very important views on election of man by God. However, we must know that there are many Churches that are neither fully Calvinistic nor fully Arminianism.

In fact, Arminianism was condemned at Synod of Dort in 1619 just like the first Council of Nicea condemned Arianism as heresy or false doctrine, but now Arminianism too is gaining ground surprisingly.

1. CALVINISM - Double Predestination:
John Calvin, reformed theologian held the view of double predestination - meaning some are elected from the creation of the world, while some are damned. And this view is able to explain all those hard questions anyone could have thought of. It will consumed lots and lots of pages. I suggest you sit with a Pastor who has this view. It is called Calvinism. Check the TULIP which is Calvinism response to 5 points of Arminianism. Calvinism was very strong when there was sale of indulgence in the Catholic Church. Calvin’s countered point assured those who couldn’t buy such salvation certificate that they are still saved by Grace not by those man made stuffs.

Churches - General theological view among Reformed tradition, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Presbyterians, Baptists, etc. However, there are many pastors and theologians who do not hold Calvinistic view in its fullness. Majority protestant churches.

A good resource on Calvinism : www.oldtruth.com/calvinism

Book Recommended by me for Calvinist view : The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented by David N. Steele, Curtis C. Thomas, and S. Lance Quinn

2. ARMINIANISM - Free will of man:
This theological view is started by Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609), a Dutch reformed theologian. This view held that Salvation is by grace alone but man has to accept the calling with his free will. The so-called Free will according to them too is theologically defined as Prevenient grace (preceding grace in today’s English), so that it doesn’t become meritorious salvation. John Wesley made it very popular since he was the main theologian one who expanded this view.

Arminianism holds to the following tenets:

1. Humans are naturally unable to make any effort towards salvation (the free will is called prevenient grace). Calvinists will add that Armininians often hold the view that man though lost the image of God at the fall of Adam, but some good nature was still left to make a good choice, to be able to choose good, including God, this is defined as prevenient grace. Grace that allows us to make a good choice. They said it is from God. This is hard to understand.
2. Salvation is possible only by God’s grace, which cannot be merited. No works of human effort can cause or contribute to salvation.
3. God’s election is conditional on faith in the sacrifice and Lordship of Jesus Christ. Christ’s atonement was made on behalf of all people.
4. God allows his grace to be resisted by those who freely reject Christ.
5. Salvation can be lost, as continued salvation is conditional upon continued faith. I have modified some entry from Wikipedia.
   

Arminian Churches - Methodist tradition, Wesleyan Churches, Free-will Baptists, Churches of the Nazarene, etc.

Calvinists’ response:

1. Total depravity - total inability, after the fall man is incapable of good, naturally inclined to sinful nature.
2. Unconditional election - From eternity one is elected not based on merit, virtue, it is God’s grace alone.
3. Limited atonement - The atonement was for the elect.
4. Irresistible grace - To whom the effecacious grace is given, it is irresistible.
5. Perseverance of the saints - eternal security. Those who apparently fall away either never had true faith to begin with or will return.

If everything is predestined why not we just sit back, relax and see everything to unfold one by one? Due to the different theological viewpoints Arminians and Calvinists will have different comments and responses to such question. And I must say both of them can convince you very well. If you attend Reformed theological colleges and seminaries you will be taught Calvinism as an accepted form for them. If you go to Methodist ones, then Arminians view though they will also teach you other views but they will emphasize and justify theirs. In fact, Calvinists have argued that TULIP itself has been misinterpreted by Arminians and vice versa.

ROMAN Catholic:
Roman Catholic Church used modified version of St. Augustine view on Predestination, Calvin too was inspired by St. Augustine.

The Roman Catholic Church calls predestination God’s Plan and states that this plan also includes free will for mankind. Catechism of the Catholic Church #600 says:

To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of ‘predestination’, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace: ‘In this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.’ [Acts 4:27-28; cf. Ps 2:1-2] For the sake of accomplishing his plan of salvation, God permitted the acts that flowed from their blindness.[cf. Mt 26:54; Jn 18:36; 19:11; Acts 3:17-18] More here

Roman Catholics’ doctrine of salvation is therefore different from most protestants. They belief purgatory - a possibility of improving the state of soul after death which is also shared by Anglicans (Church of England) and Orthodox Churches.

Lutheran Churches also believe in predestination, but they differ from Calvinists. Lutherans believe in single predestination, in which God only chooses whom to save, while those he does not choose are damned not by his intent but merely by default.

More Arminians’ links:
arminianperspectives.blogspot.com and arminiantoday.blogspot.com

Book Recommended by me for Arminian view : Grace Unlimited by Clark H. Pinnock.

The two extremes of Calvinism and Arminianism:
The extreme view of Arminianism will lead us to Pelagianism, that says man can attain salvation on his own will without the grace of God. Meanwhile, the extreme view of Calvinism is called Hyper-Calvinism, which holds that it is wrong to tell unbelievers to repent and believe the gospel since God has predestined everything anyway. We can have such dangerous ideas.

KEEP IN MIND THIS:
However, no one can say they are Calvinist Recklessly. The same with Arminians. The way we have accepted has been modified or tweaked and they are not strictly Calvinism nor Arminianism. This is how we will be told.

Otherwise, one has to listen tirelessly to upto 5 hours of lecture on those topics to clear why they have taken different stand on election. It is not an easy task. Many ministers/pastors don’t preach.

Ultimately it believing in Jesus that saves. Methodist movement didn’t gain grounds on Arminianism, nor Reformed Churches, Presbyterians, Baptists, etc on Calvinism, but they continue to gain ground and establish Churches because they preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION:
Many pastors do not speak nor preach the topic of Predestination in Churches today, because they are not really the topic that save people and also it cannot be preached within an hour, it will take time for them to build the whole soteriology (doctrine of salvation). And also it is believing in Christ that saves people. All traditional Christians agree that one is Saved by Grace alone and no merit is involved, the so-called free will must be nicely defined so that it doesn’t become merit, it is not an easy task, as mentioned prevenient grace is introduced for a sinner depraved of good nature to accept the effective call of God. However, Calvinists say there is no justification of prevenient (preceding) grace in the Bible.

However, these kind of questions are usually asked by mature Christians and they usually get satisfied answers from their pastors. I strongly recommend curious readers to meet their pastors and the pastor will surely be able to given a clear answer to this.

If you search Calvinist Vs Arminians debate on the internet, you will find lots and lots of them.

Outwardly, it looks like free-will theology (for laymen’s understanding) seems very attractive and seems to make much more sense but it can really get into trouble when the whole Soteriology is established and questioned. Usually, Calvinists win most of the debates. Let’s leave it here.

The 20th Century great theologian like Karl Barth was not fully Calvinist nor Arminian, that explains how unsatisfied we are when it comes to this topic. However, many have taken their position with Calvinism or Arminianism. Whether you take your stand with them or not may or may not make too much difference as a Bible believing Christian.

Disclaimer: It is very difficult to present a very balance viewpoint of Calvinist from Arminian side and vice versa and therefore, I may make some mistake the way I present them here. I hope both sides will understand the situation and I welcome them to comment the thread. Grammatical mistakes may be corrected anytime - author.

NOTE: The above article is contributed by Rev. Peter for Samaw.com, he is the the writer of ‘Internet Pornography - A hlauhawmna leh a in vennate’ at Youthim.com and ‘Internet Pornography - chi achhihna nata a vainazy’ at Maraland.net