Arguments against Calvinist notions of election and predestination as by Arminius in the “Declaration of Sentiments” and by Wesley in his sermon “Free Grace.”

 

It is imperative that before discussing the arguments against Calvin’s notion of election from both Arminius and Wesley’s standpoint that we first reflect on the true intentions behind Cavin’s magnum opus body of work titled “The Institutes of the Christian Religion” These institutes are ultimately the source of tension as well as all the differentiating protestant beliefs about “Election” and “Predestination” However when Calvin wrote these institutes, he meant for them to be an instructional manual on the concept of “godliness” and “edification” for the reformed believers and not necessary as theological Christian doctrine. Calvin had a pastoral heart and his main concern for the believer during his time was advocating and facilitating their advancement in biblical literacy and understanding. He strove to do this through a systematic concept that would enhance believers' ability to study, interpret and understand scripture from his perspective. So what Calvin was striving to do in the Institute's pertaining to his explanation of election and predestination was to systematically exegete this subject using humanist hermeneutics from what he understood scripture to be saying about it. So, what did he understand about that election which he and Arminius deemed a crucial topic in religion?

A Sermon on Unity: Unity Begins with Me!

 

Scripture as Sacramental Word: Response to John P. Burgess

The Bible says in Hosea, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea. 4.6) 

(*Disclaimer this post is not saying that this is true for all, but rather true for some)

 The Bible is rich in knowledge and is full of all the mysteries of God and his divine kingdom. It is the blueprint of what it means to be a Christian and a disciple of Jesus Christ. Through an in-depth study and understating of this sacred book we can peak into this other world of an eternal life that Jesus Christ promises us. The story of God and his creation from the beginning to the very end unfolds right in front of our very own eyes in the pages of the Bible. Revelation is illuminated to us through each word by the power of the Holy Spirit, and we are able to understand who we are, where we came from, in whose image we were created and for what purpose. Unfortunately though, so many of us who identify ourselves as Christians hardly ever read our Bibles or even know how to properly do so i.e engagement, contemplation and application. I completely agreed with Burgess in his article that I am responding to when he says, “When we read scripture in snippets, we treat it as if it were a collection of favorite quotations. We tend to wrench passages out of context. Whether for worship, devotion, study, or for purposes of memorization, we must immerse ourselves in longer units of scripture.” (Burgess 4)